I'm not quite a fan of it but, it's an "okay" music for me.
Josei?
Rarely read any manga of it, especially watch any of it.
These two factors gave me a very strong reason not to like this series, and yet here i am, writing this very sentence in front of my computer. Why is that? Let me escort you to the very "Realistically Enjoyable" series called Sakamichi no Apollon.
The story was set in the 60's when people would remember one of the biggest musician of all time, The Beatles. Their captivating staging while doing their concert, their youth, their wide musical genre which is known from Pop-rock to Jazz(not many know this, though), had made them a worldwide superstars, almost everyone( Including my Dad&Mum) went crazy for them.
And of course where the story takes place, Japan, is no different.
There was Nishimi Kaoru, a richie-rich boy type, who was immature because of his family and his surroundings.
Kawabuchi Sentarou, a tough-looking dude who's known as a feared deliquent in school, but unbeknownst to almost everybody, plays drum.
Mukae Ritsuko, Sentarou's childhood friend whose dad owns a Jazz shop with a Session Room for Sentarou to practice his drumming and having Jazz session.
These main characters were intertwined in those-you-call-cliche story and conflicts like heartbreak, miss communication, even Love Triangle(Sounds very cliche now isn't it?).
But why would i call it one of the best anime this year?
It's pretty simple.
It's enjoyable.
This series that makes 23 minutes seem very very very, short. You were seeing the opening theme (which is very good), watch the episode and in a blink of eye you will say," What, ending theme already?", making you eager and wondering what would the next episode be.
Not that this series perfect. Cliches. Sometimes you get annoyed because of this. Cleverly solved with adding JAZZ into it. Yup, without jazz this series would be the same as the other cliche slice-of-life. I must say, jazz was not my kind of tea in music, but i was smiling all the way every time jazz session was held in this series.
Some person that would say, "I don't like the art, it's not my taste."
Again, that kind of problem is solved with jazz session.
If there's one thing that is almost superb as the sound, it was the animation, NOT the artwork.
You see, in this series, we get to see how cymbals and snare get hit beautifully, how a fretless bass played harmonically, how majestic trumpet is played, and how magnificent piano is played.
This is what's most important, the title. Sakamichi no Apollon has English Title Kids on the Slope.
This anime is not only about love, friendship, or music. It's about a journey of growing mature in life. Kids on the slope will always find their "Slope" in life, troubled by those "slope", get through it, and find another "slopes" after the previous "slope". This is what every Slice-of-Life anime should be.
