I decided to write this review because as I looked at the reviews for Kokoro Connect I noticed that many reviews were rated not helpful despite any good points the authors might have had. So I am writing to try and win over some readers and get people to at least try the anime.
Kokoro Connect is a story about five friends who end up experiencing an unnatural phenomena where they switch personalities with each other and have their friendship tested. At first the show seems like a slice of life anime with a nice gimmick, but this show offers more than that, I promise you. In just these first episodes the viewer is perplexed with the question of what makes up a person, their body or their personality? But the story continues from there as we see laughter, sadness, struggles with past experiences,current issues of self identity, relationships between friends, and much more. Lighthearted moments are shown mixed with deeper stronger emotional themes that have at points almost brought me to tears.
Story- 9/10
Overall the story so far has worked out well and has been quite original. Kokoro Concect will have you on the edge of your toes the whole time. As I said earlier, you will see lighthearted moments as well as deeper emotional themes, all of which create a well balanced story.
Characters- 10/10
All of the characters in this show are likable and are well done. The characters have their place in the story and do not neatly fit into generic roles found in other anime. Some characters may be described as shy or strong-willed but they each have their complexities. I will not expand on the complexities the characters as to avoid spoilers, but you will see for yourselves. As for the character design, there is nothing to complain about. The characters are detailed and all fit their personalities.
Art- 8/10
I am not and expert on animation art, but I can tell you the art in Kokoro Connect is decent. So far I have only seen this anime in 720p and I can say backgrounds are detailed, CGI is avoided, characters are detailed, and scenes are well animated. Overall the production values are decent with this anime, and the art does not distract or take away from the story or enjoyment.
Sound- 10/10
The voice acting for this show is spot on. The voice actors fit the roles of the characters they are portraying and are especially good at acting out scenes where personalities are switched between characters. There is not one annoying voice that distracts me from the story. As for music, The intro song is decent and the animation will make you smile. I do not listen to the outro very often, but it is decent as well. The soundtrack fits well with the tone of the show and is not intrusive to the viewers experience.
Enjoyment- 10/10
This show has been very enjoyable to me. I actually care about the characters and want to see how they advance and develop. The plot has not been very predictable and has kept me intrigued.
Overall- 9/10
I see no reason why anyone should not give this show a chance. So far, so good
