I thought that this had to be the most horrible anime I had ever seen. The characters were so shallow, the plot paper thin, revolving around a wavering moral hook hidden beneath senseless violence. Well, people are shallow. Most of us don't like admitting it, but most of us are soiled in some way. We're vain, petty, arrogant, stupid, and all around imperfect. All guys have a little Makoto in them, and all girls have that Sekai impulse at some point or another. (If you haven't seen the show and don't understand what I mean, then that's fine. Suffice to say that no one's perfect.)
Once I finished this anime, after the shock and disgust settled in, I felt compelled to rewatch it. Then, for some reason, I skipped to where the drama began boiling up. Then, I skipped right to the end. I rewatched those three parts over and over, arbitrarily, and walked away with a guilty pleasure. Oddly enough, I found myself craving the relationship that grew between the main characters (minus the ending). I craved that level of emotional intensity and devotion. I even found another person who admitted the same to me. In fact, it seems a fairly common reaction. In retrospect, it isn't all that surprising that people walk away so disgusted. They aren't disgusted solely at the show, but at themselves as well.
This is an anime that I would rate as "must watch." It's not excellent in the classical way, nor does it demonstrate revolutionary characteristics. Instead, it gets down to the nitty gritty. It shows--no, assaults--us with what we're borderline afraid to see in a way that allows us (if we give it the chance) to reflect on our lives and all of that fun stuff.
