Story: 7.5
I really like the premise of guilty crown. The ending is very emotional and there are several high points in the story. However, there are clearly also flaws in it. This anime took many elements from previous awesome animes like Code Geass. Some of the copied elements doesn't really fit into the story as well as it did in the original anime. For example, the King's Power that Shu possesses is pretty ridiculously absurd compared to the technology in the anime. The motives of GHQ and most of the characters in the anime are not made clear to the audience or are unreasonable. Furthermore, much of the plot development is strained. I especially dislike how Gai turned evil just to protect Mana. Still, the revelation toward the end of the anime of how Shu and his sister caused Lost Christmas is powerful. Overall, despite many flaws, guilty crown does deliver a entertaining story and coherent plot that really comes together in the end.
Art: 10
What can I say. Even the haters of guilty crown would admit that guilty crown has amazing art. The costumes and background scenery are well designed. The mood conveyed by the animation reflects well the theme of the anime.
Sound: 9
The songs are also amazing. I love the introduction, the conclusion, and the intercept songs. To this day, I can still hear the lyrical line "all the things that make me whole, I'll now give it to you. I am yours" clearly in my head.
Character: 7
The characters in guilty crown is generally not as well done. This is especially apparent in the protagonist, Shu. At first, he appears to be a constantly depressed and cowardly boy. He is supposed to grow during the anime. However, the growth portrayed is not subtle but instantaneous. A prime example would be when Hare died, Shu suddenly becomes a lot crueler. It is funny because Hare and Shu do not even talk that much, yet the extent that Hare's death on Shu is so great. Then, somehow, Shu realize how important friends are. Overall, I still like Shu, but he is not a very consistent character.
I think that inori is a very likable character, but her existence is pretty random. I mean, she is a popular singer and always dresses up in a flashy dress, yet she always charge in the battlefield and has off-charts power in terms of void. Her purpose in the story is revealed at the end of guilty crown and actually is a central piece of puzzle in solving the Lost Christmas virus.
Enjoyment: 9
What can I say. I just really like sci-fi/superpower anime, especially when the protagonist grows from a weak boy to a OP fighter. I actually had a blast watching this anime.
Overall: 8
This may seem to contrast with the score on my anime list, which is 10 (totally fan-boyism). If I look at this anime objectively though, it probably deserves a score of 8 - 8.5. Ultimately, it depends on whether a person like this genre of anime. I know this is really cliched, but if you like Code Geass, you would probably like guilty crown.
