Love, jazz, and manly friendship. A truly fantastic show that I have to thank my friend for introducing me to.
The characters in this show were fantastic and the romances genuine. So many times over the course of the series I would finish an episode and just say to my friend, "Wow, this episode just blew me away." The overall quality of the series is very high, and the time and effort that was put into it is very apparent.
Kids on the Slope is not without its flaws however. The major thing that stuck out to me when watching was how jarring some of the scene transitions were. The show might as well be called "characters conveniently running into each other on the slope" because that is exactly what happens any time the scene changes and the plot needs to advance. Talking with my friend about the boy I like? There he is passing in front of the shop. Can't get Brother Jun off my mind? My cat jumps off my lap and runs into the street in front of my house, which he is conveniently walking passed... While it's certainly not good to watch characters aimlessly wander around, it is unrealistic to think that these characters keep randomly bumping into each other at the most opportune times. It was jarring to watch every time it happened, and it became very distracting by the end.
Nevertheless, this is a fantastic series that I can whole-heartedly recommend to anyone seeking a good romance or a show about music. As far as the dub is concerned, it's good. Andrew Love's role as Sentarou in particular stood out to me. It's the only time that I felt his voice fit the character he was cast as, and he plays the part well. And for the soundtrack? Ya like jazz? Cause if you do, you'll love the OST. The jazz rendition of Favorite Things in particular was incredible. The OP was also memorable if that means anything to you.
