First, I'll start off with the story. To avoid a long winded summary, basically, 12 people are given a power to predict a future (each power is different than the other) in the form of a diary. These 12 people were given this power by the god of time who is on his way out. God concocts this "game" to determine his successor, which will only happen when when one diary-holder is left. The premise and concept is very clever. It takes a classic concept like Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" of elimination through death and gives it a 21st century twist. However, the story isn't as straightforward as that. There are many twists and turns that keep you guessing. While it has slasher flick elements, it takes more of an appearance of a mystery. By the end of the anime the story comes full circle. It is a very well-written anime and they do very well not to leave any holes in the story. Even things that appear to be story holes throughout the anime are generally answered in the end. (10)
The Art is solid. It does not have the best animation I've ever seen, but it is well above average. The character designs are near perfect and fit their character types well. For example, Yukiteru is drawn as a short boy always wearing layered clothing and a wool cap, almost as if he is trying to hide from the world. Likewise, Yuno is drawn very cute and adorable, as to try and capture Yukiteru's attention. There is quite a lot of Yuno fanservice, so be prepared for that. The chamber of Deus, the God, is very well drawn and the color is very fitting for a "decaying" god. It seems appropriate to mention the "gory" elements in this section. Caution: there is a lot of blood and body-mangling in this show. However, as someone who thoroughly enjoys Hellsing Ultimate, the gore in this show is rather tame. (9)
In terms of sound, I break it down to both music and voice acting. For music, the openings and ending are very good. The first opening has an operatic tone to it which fits the serious premise, as well as a pop-rock feel to it as well. The second opening makes much more sense as the show goes on and the lyrics fit so perfectly. The second opening is also entirely in English as well. The voice acting is very well done, and the voices fit the characters quite well. My only complaint is that Yuno's voice gets a tad annoying at times. (9)
I have trouble writing about character because it's hard to avoid spoilers for me. In addition, Mirai Nikki has so many characters in this show that it is hard to really describe them all. The main protagonist, Yukiteru is someone who prefers to be invisible and lacks self-confidence. I found myself really wanting to hit him for how pathetic he seems. I mean, really, man up dude. However, he, just like all the other long-running characters, encounters a lot of character development, most of it unexpected. I found myself really enjoying the character development of Uryuu Minene the most. It is my sincerest opinion that the characters are what make this show so enjoyable. While I find the story and premise interesting, it lacks substance without solid characters to build on it. The writers did a great job not only creating good characters, but making all of them enjoyable in some way, shape, or form (except for Murmur...couldn't stand her). Each character has a dark backstory that you can really relate to, and whether they be friend or foe, you really want to root for them and you hate the show for eliminating them. (10)
Many people who I've recommended this show to were averse to watching it because of the blood, or killing, or whatever. It really isn't anything that you should avoid. The basic fact is that this show is really enjoyable. It is a roller coaster ride that keeps you guessing. Just a note of bad, for me, there are two episodes that don't really seem to fit and add nothing to the plot (13 & 14). They really have no importance to the outcome of the show's ending and seemed like they were just thrown in. Just bear with them as they are still enjoyable. For any anime fan, there's plenty for everyone in this show. I thoroughly recommend you give this show a try. (10)
