The story initially seems to have no direction. In a world after death the amnesic main character Otonashi teams up with the Yuri and the Shinda Sekai Sensen to fight against the God who made their lives so miserable. The idea has a lot of potential, but it initially seems to squander it. There's a lot of random fighting without any purpose and details into each character's past are provided intermittently. There are parts that are brilliant, but there are also parts that are seemingly unnecessary and mediocre. The comedic scenes are genuinely funny, but there is not enough drama or suspense. But this all changes after about episode 9. Until this episode the tear-jerking dramatic style that Key has become famous for was lacking; only really seen in a handful of scenes prior. Nine episodes in the story reaches a turning point that completely changes your perception of this anime. The signature Key style comes to the fore again, and all the purpose of all the previous randomness becomes clear - to provide the foundation for the second half of the series. Overall it starts off slow, but the story improves notably and can only be fully appreciated 9 or 10 episodes in, at which point I looked back on the episodes that came before and thought: "Well now that I think about it, it was actually alright." The conclusion was also stunning. However, I still maintain that 13 episodes is much too short of a time frame for this series; it's very progressive and hence the pacing seems a bit awkward.
The art is brilliant overall. This is another anime that uses 2-D CGI and you can clearly see the difference it makes during the fight and concert scenes. The characters' movements are fluid and the lighting effects used are masterful. The character designs are simple yet elegant.
Sound is the main strength of Angel Beats!. Jun Maeda's compositions are outstanding, and again he delivers. This series has one of the best OST's I have ever heard in an anime. The music is emotional and complex, with soaring highs and depressing lows. Only one word can describe this soundtrack - EPIC. On top of that the voice actors also do a very good job, especially during emotional scenes.
Some say that character-wise the show is somewhat lacking but I disagree. Yes, character development is the weak point of this anime, but it is still present. You do tend to get a feeling for each character's personality as you watch the series, even if it is not through any meaningful dialogue or feature. The problem is simple - there are too many characters and too little episodes. There are quite a few characters that are present merely for comic relief. However, the characters that are explored to some depth are very well constructed. Later on it starts to explore the characters' pasts in more detail including Otonashi, who's story is is particularly touching.
Is this anime enjoyable? I would have to say it is, but this is a point that will divide many viewers. As tempting as it is, we shouldn't group this with Clannad, Kanon and Air. It is clear that Key were trying to go down a whole different path with this anime, and all things considered they've done quite a good job of it. Its flaws are many, but if anything these flaws give its its unique feel. Overall Angel Beats! has divided rather than conquered, but it has managed to evolve into something that I would have never expected when I started watching. This anime has to be given time to reach its full potential. Good things come to those who wait. Overall score: 8.6/10 (rounded to 9).
