And without further ado:
Story: 6
Slice of life anime's Achilles heel is definitely the story. Acchi Kocchi by itself is no exception. The plot revolves around a close group of friends in high school and how they spend their daily lives in school, getting involved in idiotic-but-cute activities and...romance. The plot, like usual with slice of life anime, is a matter of hit or miss. While its relaxing and laid back nature might be more than adequate for fan of the genre, people who are looking for more serious and elaborate storyline should make their choice elsewhere.
Characters: 8
Like the other reviewer has said, the cast of Acchi Kocchi is a combination of cliched archetype characters. From the more dere than tsun Tsumiki to the cool and composed Io, the slightly perverted sidekick Sakaki, the wacky, mad scientist Mayoi and the othodox klutz Hime...individually, they are not that great, but when put in such settings, actually prove to synergize well with others. How could someone not enjoy the sight of Io and Tsumiki getting into a romantic sittuation, only to be sabotaged by the deliberate third-wheel combo Sakaki and Mayoi, while having Hime nosebleed like a mini fountain in complement? I also found that this character combination helps prevent the romance from being overly "warm" and mushy-gushy, retaining the easygoing mood for the show.
Art: 8
The cutesy art in Acchi Kocchi, while nothing extraordinary taken out of context, seems to work well with the other elements. Characters and scenery are well polished and portrayed in a manner that extremely helps in describing the carefree and heartwarming atmosphere of the show.The combination of Tsumiki's various expressions (including the cat ears that occasionally pop out), Mayoi's catlike upper lip, the arrow transitions, etc... gives the show an unique touch and distinguishes it with others of the same genre (Hime could do with a bit less of nosebleed though :3 ).
Sound: 9
Really great voice acting here! Tsumiki's tsundere shyness, Io's composure and calmness, Mayoi's wackiness...are all absolutely well expressed. It gives me the feeling that the voice acting has been carefully considered, and if you don't mind, tailored to give such excellent result. Also, the OP and ED, while do not sound terribly brilliant, are cute (sounds like the perfect word to describe the series) and catchy nonetheless.
Enjoyment: 9
Enjoyment, when it comes to specific show and different individuals, has always been a matter of "your mileage might vary". Specifically, I wholeheartedly enjoy the show despite its obvious plot drawback since that works for me. Putting aside all the complicated stuff, watching anime to me is simply to put a smile on my face and make me happy, and as another reviewer has also said, this season I have a reason to look forward to Friday.
Overall: 8
If complicated story, awesome fighting scenes and wonderfully designed characters are what you're looking for, then I'm sorry to say but you probably would not fare too far with Acchi Kocchi. But if you're the same as me, seeking for your slice of life fill of the season with cute characters, heartwarming atmosphere and a touch of comedy, then this one is undoubtedly for you.
