Story: Although this anime is considered a romance, I honestly like how the main relationship was already set up to fail. The main character was a confused young teen who "fell" in love with a goofy guy in his 40's. Rather than progressing their "romantic" relationship, they explored the factors behind it. Why does she believe that she's in love with a middle-aged man she knows nothing about? What happened to make her feel this way? What do both parties get out of the relationship? Because of this, the characters were really the shining part of this anime. In regards to the story, I felt as though the climax, the conflict, and the conclusion were awfully weak. I've seen slice of life with a more distinct plot than this. In conclusion, the plot was about a relationship destined to fail, and it worked; however, the other elements of the plot were a bit weak.
Art: The art was glorious. I loved how the art kind of had the aesthetic of the natural beauty after a rain. Sometimes it was dim and gray, but during the more important scenes, it was shiny and bright, almost like the sun was reflecting the image off of a puddle.
Sound: The sound was how I usually like it, un-recognizably good. The background music was subtle, beautiful, and didn't distract you from the show. However, I feel as though the ending song, Aimer's "Ref:rain", was my favorite part of the show. In fact, I feel as though the song gave a better interpretation of the show than the show itself.
Characters: The characters were really the shining part that, I believe, saved the show. At first, the 2 main characters were just a teenager, Akira, and her crush/boss, Kondou. Throughout the animation, the characterization progresses creating characters who are not only more complex but realistic and relatable. I do, on the other hand, feel as though a lot of the side characters suffered with a lack of development. The lives of these side characters were brought up, but they were missing a special touch: the why behind the behavior. It wasn't even that the characters were flat characters, there was room for development and progression; the anime just passed on the opportunity. Considering how the characters did take a part in the plot, I felt as though they should've had a little more development.
Enjoyment: Although I was entertained enough to stick with the show, I still felt like my enjoyment was a tid bit above average. It had potential, but I felt as though it missed out on a lot that could've made it better. I was waiting for a break out moment that never really came. A part of me wonders if the manga did a better job of branching out on the plot and other characters.
