Chise, the main character in the anime, comes across as delicate, gentle, and somewhat oblivious to her own feelings. This can be occasionally frustrating as she tends to brush off her emotions by claiming not to understand them, only to readily express them when the focus shifts to others.. While the ambiance and music contribute to a captivating experience, the character development appears somewhat lacking. The main theme seems to stagnate intentionally, almost as if being deliberately prolonged.
Elias, being a non-human entity, may struggle to understand emotions or empathize due to his nature. However, it's perplexing why he suddenly has to act like a tsundere, expressing jealousy and fleeing, which doesn't align with his character design. Sometimes, actions like saying 'Oh, my chest is burning' just don't suit Elias's character at all. They make it feel a bit forced, like they are applying romance reluctantly.
For this anime with such potential suffered due to this aspect of the story. While the initial episodes were relatively effortless to watch, it became somewhat challenging as the story progressed. The jokes and dialogues began to feel repetitive. For instance, our main character, being weak, prompts Elias to repeatedly caution her to be careful. The girl responds with a nonchalant "okay, okay," but the incessant repetition feels as if a 10-year-old child is stubbornly refusing to heed advice. In another anime, this could have been executed more smoothly with better tones and delivery, but the girl's voice tone and expressions create an impression that she doesn't care, making it rather irritating.Okay okay I understand she's a girl who has been sold into slavery and is suffering from depression, but does she always have to wear a crying face?
Some love scenes become intolerable at times. I'm not someone who watches romance anime all the time, but I can assure you that this anime doesn't make me say, "Wow, this is what romance is." I'm sure there are excellent romance anime out there, but in this one, I can't find anything to say like, "This romance anime is excellent; everything, from character development to the plot, relationships, connections, actions is logical and orderly." If there are other elements that kept me watching, it's probably my curiosity about the stories of characters other than our main girl. I can't outright recommend it. If you have time, you might watch it, but watching it at 1,5-2x speed might be good for your mental health at some parts because it can be challenging to endure.
The flow of this anime is notably slow, occasionally even getting a bit tiresome. As I began watching it, I wondered how it could stretch to 24 episodes. Yet, considering its leisurely pace, it's no surprise; they could've easily made it a 48-episode season (or maybe they were going for that 'slow burn' vibe with less than 48 episodes)! It's up to you.
