... Oh. Never mind, I see *exactly* why Deca-Dence isn't universally adored.
Indeed, I posit that Deca-Dence is so pure and good—so incredibly unlike most anime before it—that the vast majority of watchers who have (by little fault of their own) had their grey matter turned into grey goo by the dozens upon dozens of mindless shows they've suffered through, can no longer recognize its quality.
But I'll not try your intelligence with further complaint. Why is it so good?
In a word, honesty. Deca-Dence takes place in a complicated world, but the characters that inhabit it are very straightforward. Natsume, the show's protagonist, just wants to be a soldier—to make a difference in a community that doesn't believe she has what it takes. And while she works toward this goal with laudable effort, she does so with little support from those around her.
Deca-Dence doesn't pretend Natsume's an invincible creature of endless confidence; she suffers. She suffers in her failures and even in her successes, as her continued efforts push the people closest to her to rebuke her for putting herself in harm's way. And perhaps most importantly, the show depicts this emotional struggle. You get the see the full extent of Natsume's suffering, which makes it all the more gratifying when she reveals her true strength of character by pressing on regardless.
Suffice it to say pretty much every important character in Deca-Dence is like this—simple, but with a depth of motive and emotion that makes it feel like there's a good reason they're on screen. And the conflicts between many of these characters reinforce the core message of the anime, which is, "Fight for a better world; don't settle for 'good enough.'"
Deca-Dence is not an endless shonen action franchise. It's not the adaptation of a light novel series that has long since run out of inspiration. And it's certainly not a shameless attempt to capitalize on some kind of vapid trend. It is its own entity—an original anime in every sense of the phrase—and the people who worked on it knew exactly what they were doing. It has stylish animation, memorable music, engaging story, loveable characters, and even a satisfying ending. This anime has all the qualities of greatness, and I hope that in time, more people will give it the attention and praise it deserves.
