Story: 8
There is a difference between a bad story, and simply inefficient storytelling. While Reborn! manages to veer out of the former, it doesn't exactly evade the latter. The first twenty episodes are setup for the rest of the series; an incredibly long setup, which isn't exactly helped by the fact that the episodes lack any real tension. At first, I thought it was a shonen parody instead of a real shonen, and this made me drop it-- twice, before I convinced myself to give it a last chance. Most people would probably drop it within the first ten episodes precisely because of this issue.
However, after those episodes, the anime begins to take on a pleasantly darker undertone, and with them brings character development by droves. Tsuna, the main character, had been a bit of a whiner up to this point; however, by the end of the second arc, he's gained a little more confidence in himself, and has developed a stronger bond with his 'Family' than he had in the first twenty episodes. This development continues with the latter arcs, and in short, what at first for me had been lacking was what turned me into an addict for the anime.
However, if you're a fan of comedy, the entire series is chockful of hilarious moments, the first arc being included prominently in that regard. So, don't skip the first arc if you like laughing.
Art: 7
Before you yell at me for giving this part the lowest score, just hear out what I have to say. While I like the character arc and am fully capable of appreciating everyone's good looks, the younger characters tend to look too big-eyed for my taste (Tsuna, Haru, Kyoko). While Tsuna has regained my favour, I can't say the same about the girls. That aside, the animation isn't bad, and in general the anime's art tends to be okay.
Sound: 8
Okay...I'll get this out into the air firsthand: I'm not especially fond of jazz or western. That doesn't mean I dislike them, either; however, the tracks must be interesting enough to make me listen to them in their entirety--and this is where the first part of Reborn shines through. Each and every jazz/western theme is varied and interesting enough to make me notice it; and they fit the characters to a T. From Lambo's trouble-making to Reborn's out-of-the-blue appearances, the first part of the series covers each and every scene in a theme suitable for it. With all that being said, however, the music adapts to the darker undertones that the later arcs bring up.
As for voice acting, while the voices weren't "tailor-made" for the characters, I felt that each voice suited the character, even though the difference between normal Tsuna and the *other* Tsuna was a bit startling. If you had to ask my favorite voice within the characters, however, it would have to be that of Reborn's. (So cute!)
Character: 9
...where should I even start? This is easily my most favorite part of the series. With characters like the easily cowered Tsuna, the relaxed and easygoing Yamamoto as well the very 'EXTREME' 'Onii-san', it seemed at first like that would be all we would see of the characters. But was I wrong--not only does Tsuna develop with each story arc, but so does the other ten-or-so main characters along with him. If I compared any character in the final arc with how they were when the anime first started, not only are they more confident in themselves, but they show a maturity that isn't obvious unless you look back.
...however, I did have reservations about one character, Haru Miura. While she isn't a bad character or even an undeveloped one, something about her made me want her out of the scene before she even began to speak. In short, she annoyed me. To the very fullest. And that is the reason why I didn't give this section the full score.
Enjoyment: 10
Well, considering I practically ate the entire thing by one week, I would say that I enjoyed it very much. A word of caution, however; if you feel that you're becoming a little dependent on it, take a break. Watch something else. Because after I watched the final episode, I fell into a sort of slump. So. To summarize. Yes, I enjoyed it very much.
Overall: 9
Reborn! is by no means a masterpiece. A great anime, yes, but it has yet a way to go before it reaches the ranks of Fullmetal Alchemist or One Piece. Here's to hoping it gets a tenth season, however; the manga is only a few arcs ahead now, so maybe it will restart. (And then, maybe I can watch it.) But that's only to hoping. Cheerios!
