(Note: I was way too harsh on this when I first reviewed it. I've since re-watched it and really found it to be considerably better the second time around--so this review may get re-written at some point!)
Not really my cup of tea. It does have a lot of redeeming values--the background art is frequently lovely, and the clothing designs for the characters (and how often they are changed) is to be admired--oftentimes anime characters are only given an outfit or two and just cycle through them, much to the relief of the animators, no doubt. That said, some of the more extravagant outfits here are barely animated at all--annoyingly enough, this includes the ornate dress the characters have spent the entire series hand-crafting. When we finally see it it's mostly only in still frames, or with the model wearing it being shown simply bobbing up and down as she walks. Granted, I know essentially nothing about runway fashion, but it seems to me that part of the appeal about an outfit like this would be the way it behaves as it's actually being worn and moved in, so it's disappointing to lose that dimension of the experience.
That aside, the characters are fine for the most part, though they largely remain pretty firmly rooted in anime stereotypes. There are some exceptions, which are especially noticeable in the minor characters--all of whom are more interesting than the primary protagonist, whom I actively disliked. By and large she's a typical anime heroine--klutzy, lovesick, unsure of herself, etc.--this is made up for eventually when she manages to grow a bit of a spine, but the fact that she occasionally goes into complete bitch mode doesn't really make me any more invested in her ultimate fate. Unfortunately, the side characters aren't explored to the same level of detail that she is, and the writers cheat a bit by making at least two of them very wealthy--which explains how they can get away with everything that they do without suffering much in the way of personal or social consequences.
The series also doesn't quite know when to end--the denouement stretches on for at least a full episode longer than it should, though at least it works hard to wrap up pretty much any questions fans should have about the fates of the characters they've spent so much time with up to this point. All in all, it's a fine coming-of-age story, and its frank (well, PG-13 frank) explorations of teenage lust are worthy of praise. I was ultimately underwhelmed by it on the whole, but I could see it having a stronger effect on others, particularly young women. This is a series I would not hesitate to recommend to a 13-year old girl, which is something I rarely find myself unable to say about many anime series I watch.
