Story: 10
The story is the deal breaker for me in this particular anime. Although the first few episodes are lighthearted, the plot soon follows the foreshadowing in the beginning and turns dark. After the first 10 episodes, a huge plot twist happens (I did not see it coming although others may have) and I've heard that there will be more.
At first, I was bored with the slow pacing but after four episodes, the story picked up and I was hooked.
Art: 9
The art has ups and downs. A few episodes were done poorly but the good ones (the majority) are outstanding. The style somewhat changes with the episode, which I understand because the story has a balance of dark and light moods, slice of life and suspense/action. I personally did not mind the occasional odd angle.
My favorite part of the art is the backgrounds and landscapes, especially the surreal ones. They are amazing and utterly inspirational. The clothes and hairstyles constantly change and I applaud the studio for doing that.
Sound: 8
I'm not particularly picky with sound. It's good but not outstanding. Overall, the sound does a fine job of conveying the mood.
Character: 9
The main character Saki is not annoying. Character development exists and interactions seem real. Although the characters seem stereotypical in the beginning, the plot twists eventually break that. The main group is well designed and I was even able to remember their names by episode 5 (huge accomplishment for me and the anime).
Enjoyment: 10
I cringed, I smiled, I cried. And I loved every moment of it.
Overall: 10
I would rewatch. (Although we're only halfway through the series!)
