Art 8: The landscapes and scenery might be average to some but I quite liked the way in that they were drawn and animated. With most shoujo's expect over the top flower petals, shimmering bubbles of light and hazy fuzy lighting effects when a daydream or something vaguely romantic occurs. This happens a fair amount in this anime, more than any other I've seen since our main protagonist appears to have flashbacks/fantasy daydreams every other five minutes. I found it sweet but potentially unnerving in places that they consisted nothing but the love interest.
Sound 7: Didn't really find much wrong with it. The opening sequences could have been done in a better way, sound effects were average but nothing stood out to be as needing to be changed.
Character 4: This has to be the harshest rating I've given an anime in the history of ... well history. Why you ask? Shoujo in general does not submit altogether excellent, well rounded characters in the first place but each member of other mangas I have read have left me either empathetic towards a character in a bad situation or respectful of how their life and personality unfolds. Sadly here there is no development with the main female role, whom exists soully to grow up and be devoted to the one she loves. Cute right? I would have thought so if the writers just gave her a few details else that made her unique and original next to the love interest but everything she has done, or is about to do is for someone else. Despite being fairly headstrong in some places it really surprises me she completely has no life plan at all other than to devote her living and job to her partner. This irked me greatly as this is an extremely old fashioned way of presenting females with no self will or self motivation to go 'their own way' without male influence.
As for the love interest, it's hard to really understand exactly how Kotoko fell for Naoki in the first place; sure with most jerks we secretly reveal he's got a heart of gold or has redeeming features to the viewers. In this particular anime he gets away with constantly putting Kotoko down in public, in front of family and friends and honestly couldn't find an ounce in respect he has towards her. Most of the time my brain was begging the writers to do just something that made him likeable to the common non-infatuated woman who cares not just for material value such as good lucks or good grades.
Enjoyment 6: If putting key flaws aside is easy for you and you're just in the mood for some quiet and simple shoujo anime then this could easily score higher than a 6 for you but I found as the series progressed I was getting more and more weighed down by how little change there was in the progression of character, story and general feel for the anime.
Overall averaging @ 5.8; rating of 6. Decent but not really up the street of someone who wishes to see rounded, interesting characters, a decently explainable plot line and free thinking independent women. Sadly I fell into all three.
