one word: awesome.
i've read some of the reviews of this series, and a lot points out that this series is a highschool-setting gintama (or something like that) that lacks humor.
i haven't watched gintama yet so i wouldn't know for sure, but there is one thing that i know. sket dance isn't all about the comedy.
the story is all about three interesting highschool protagonists. our main hero, fujisaki yuusuke (let's just call him "bossun"), is an ordinary protagonist (like most shounen heroes). his special skills includes drawing and total concentration (which activates everytime he puts his goggles on). then we have onizuka hime (or "himeko"), the tough female protagonist who has a weird taste for lollipops. and last but not the least, my favorite character from this series, usui kazuyoshi or "switch", the smart-ass otaku who speaks using his laptop. together, they form a club in kaimei high called "sket dan", and their goal is to help anyone who needs them.
well yeah, almost all of the themes are quite the same with gintama. two guys and one girl team, inhumanely strong female protagonist, nerdy megane-kun and stuff. indeed, a lot might say that sket dance is a "copy" of gintama, but.. oh come on. get over it. sket dance has OTHER things to brag about.
there are different other casts that completes this series, and believe me, all of them are unique in their own ways. a samurai, creepy teachers, a manga-ka, a fast eater, otakus, sadako-like ghost(ehem), a seiyuu/singer and a lot more! all of them can be found here.
what's more is that this series can give you laughs. sure, the comedy isn't as hardcore as gintama, but.. well, it still manages to give the audience good vibes. there are also episodes which are definitely hilarious (the ep wherein they were mascots for a live show but then they were locked in a storage room), some give off a few smiles, and the others end in a satisfying way.
but the main reason why i LOVE this series is because of it's drama content, and when i say drama, it includes the 'kizuna' (bond). the backstory of every protagonist is dramatic, and for some reason - in my opinion, really tragic. i got really close to the characters after their pasts were revealed, especially switch's. i love him the most. his feelings of the past (and the present) reached me. i was actually shocked to find myself shedding tears at a simple dramatic backstory. it just isn't me to cry. bossun's backstory also made me shed a tear, but not for him, but for his dad(haha) (when he was so excited and happy then he got in a car accident.. it's so.. UGH.). as for this "kizuna" .. i've seen series that tackles friendship, but sket dance is just so different. (e.g. kimi ni todoke, lovecom, anohana, hanasaku iroha etc.) these three characters give this feeling of "inseparable friendship" and "irreplaceable bond". these three are more than just best friends, but they're not a threesome (hahaha). if you watch closely, their bond is REALLY more than a family. while watching it, you'll feel that it's real. it doesn't look like they're just acting it up. i cannot explain it very well, but if you just watch carefully, i'm sure you'll understand what i mean.
sket dance isn't all about making it's viewers laugh. it also wants to show the audience the beautiful bond that was created. the realistic feel of friendship of these three unique smiling human beings.
