Story - 9
I'm honestly sick of the I-have-no-idea-what's-going-on-I-just-want-all-these-unrealistically-gorgeous-women-out-of-my-life harem anime bullshit. That's why I really enjoyed the blatant irony with which School Days attacked that harem stereotype.
Clueless, lustful teenage male protagonist? Check.
Beautiful girls who want to get in his pants? Check.
Protag unable to commit to any one girl while they fight over him? Check.
Protag therefore becomes a lying, cheating, manipulative scumbag so he can have sex with all of them? Che--wait, what?
Basically, if you want to know what would really go down if harem animes were real life, this is a story you are going to love. It loses a point because the beginning is so slow that I almost lost interest halfway through episode 2. Watch episode 1, but you can probably skip episodes 2 and 3 and just read the synopses.
Art - 7
The art isn't bad, but it bothered me that I sometimes couldn't tell all the girls apart except by their hair or voices. I guess they have to be true to the games, but come on, the anime doesn't have boxes in the corner that tell you which girl it is so they could have tried make it a bit more obvious.
Sound - 8
The sound was used very effectively. Silence creates tension, and there was plenty of that in this series, but what was in between the silences (usually cheerful instrumentals) really made it work. I didn't really like the OP or ED, though.
Characters - 10
I'm totally going to get flamed for this, but I really, really liked Makoto as a character. He is utterly unique in how well and how completely he pisses off everyone who has watched this series. I thought I was fully prepared for anything Makoto might do or not do, but several times I was surprised at his actions until I realized that they made him even more of a scumbag than what I thought he was going to do. I have never, ever seen another character demonized so beautifully, and for what? Cheating, being an uncaring pervert, running from responsibility? We've all seen characters who have done worse--hell, we've probably all seen real people who have done worse--and yet NONE of them are as universally hated as Makoto. THAT is what makes Makoto such a masterpiece of a character.
Sekai is probably my second favorite because she is simultaneously manipulative and naive. Pay close attention to her, because every time says one thing with her mouth and the exact opposite with her body, it's a foreshadow of what will eventually happen to her.
Kotonoha appears to be very stereotypical to begin with, but the way her character develops is unexpectedly fascinating. For example, while I knew the general details of the ending, it still took me by surprise because I was certain that her role in it would be different (I was close, though ^.^' ).
Setsuna ... well, she isn't a bad character, but unfortunately she's stuck being a Sekai substitute for 90% of her screentime. I kind of wanted her to have a bigger role, but at the same time I'm glad she didn't because that would have just turned her from "Sekai substitute" into "Sekai wannabe."
Enjoyment - 10
Slow opening aside, you will not be able to leave this anime alone once you get into it in earnest. I, at least, enjoyed this anime quite a bit when even when I was just watching to see what sort of crazy, idiotic stunt Makoto would pull next. Sure, it was uncomfortable at times, but that was definitely part of the appeal for me. The second half of the anime is especially riveting. Be sure to set aside plenty of time to watch each episode, too, so that you can pause every few minutes to mentally cuss out Makoto for being a massive prick. I found that helpful in reducing the urge to punch a hole in my computer screen whenever his stupid face appeared on it.
Overall - 9
Like I said in the beginning, School Days is unique enough to be worth seeing at least once, even if you never watch it again. It's a good anime with a refreshingly unique story and spectacular characters. Watch it with an open mind, and I guarantee you will not regret your experience.
