My first impression of this anime is that the point of it is kind of like trying to knock off possible elements from a list that could create a utopia of sorts. Each "country" they visit has it's own issues, own resolve, own people. Some are bad and some good but the emphasis is on the pov of the people living in the country themselves. As a traveler, Kino is smart and doesn't make judgements that override whatever the rules or governmental aspects, etc are and act without caution. He might seem heartless in the fact that he, most of the time, is calculating and only thinking of himself but most of all, he knows his goal is "experiencing" and not there for "judging". That point is clear. If you can't tell, I love this aspect of how the character was built.
The story isn't half bad at all. But, it doesn't really have a story, it's very episodic with the two leads Kino and Shizu traveling (for two different reasons). Each country has it's own section of the journey these two take.
There wasn't really anything noticeable to mention for sound so I just gave it a 6 for fair. The art was fine and worked for the story. Nothing noticeably special either. But, overall, I did really enjoy it, so I gave it an 8.
I would recommend this as a passing anime. It isn't particularly good but it has a very interest set for the story, the theme of beauty is in the eye of the beholder type thing going from country to country.
