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Aug 2, 2015
Sakasama no Patema is the closest I've seen to a modern film capturing Hayao Miyazaki's earlier work from a narrative perspective. The film felt very reminiscent of Castle in the Sky. Miyazaki films tend to sometimes have deep plot in concept, but not in execution, and so the magic in his films -- are the characters, the world, and the themes that are often deep and mature. Miyazaki's films burst with charm, and their simplistic scripts always have an underlying themes that tap into certain elements of life. Miyazakis ability to create complex and interesting worlds/story concepts, and yet keep the actual plot itself simple,
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is one of the reason his films work so well. Anyone can watch his movies, and yet there is something deeper there if you really want to look into it.
So unlike Miyazaki scripts, Sakasama no Patema get a bit more heavy on the actual plot itself. The plot set up is complex and mysterious from the very beginning, and unlike Castle in The Sky (that doesn't dive too deep into the actual complex plotline in the back half), Sakasama no Patema embraces it head on. But this also becomes the films downfall. In the end, the plot gets a bit too tangled up in its own details. The pacing/and execution with the information given to the audience feels clunky. This ultimately leaves the audience disconnected from the plot on an emotional level, while they try to figure out all the details of what actually happened.
There is nothing wrong with complex plots. But there is an art form in how you weave information and plot movements into a coherent whole -- in a way that audiences can digest and connect to. In fact, I wouldn't even say Sakasama no Patema has a terribly complex plot that couldn't be understood. But the method with which they decided to tell this story, makes it more complex than it needs to be. The biggest problem being that, they wait until the last twenty minutes to explain the "twist" of the movie, and never give the audience a second to catch their breath. It becomes a wave of information, and plot immediately rushes to the end. Then the come down (the resolution), is so brief, the audience never gets to catch their breath, and you are left trying to process everything you've just been told. The plot on paper is actually very easy to understand. But the way it's told in this film, you will be wracking your brain trying to understand the exact details. This becomes problematic, because it ends up distracting you from any emotional connection you should have to the plot/characters.
The second biggest flaw of Sakasama no Patema is the characters. They are likable. But they are missing charm. The film sets up each character on their own, and we get an idea of how each character works, as well as how they represent the problems of each "side" of their world. The issue is when they finally come together. The film doesn't really give us enough time to connect emotionally to their relationship. The film does a better job with this with "older characters" done in flashbacks then they do with the actual main characters in the plot. I wish the film would have taken a bit more time to flesh out their relationship, and show how their problems are connected.
Sakasama no Patema is a good film. The animation is stunning, the music is great. The actual story concept itself, is interesting and unique (or at least, a unique take on common story concepts). But the film always keeps the audience at a distance. The characters lack warmth, and it's hard to entirely connect emotionally to their story. And the story trips over itself in the back half, as it tries to explain everything in the final push towards the end. I just wish I wasn't distracted by all of these elements, as I would have liked to have cared more about our characters and their worlds.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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May 7, 2015
When I first saw Makoto Shinkai's 5 Centimeters Per Second, I sat in shock and dismay as the movie ended. I felt an uncomfortable churn in my gut. All I could do was ask: was that it!? I quickly did a search on the internet to see if I was "missing" something about the films ending, and of course I found a ton of other people also upset about how the film ended as well. The problem however was not with the film, but myself. At the time, I didn't understand what Shinkai's art was about, or what 5 Centimeters Per Second was trying to
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achieve. Hell, I actually went into the film, with the expectation of a traditional narrative, and even saw the film as a typical "romance" plot.
Shinkai's work first and foremost, is about capturing a "feeling" and "emotion". He's a unique artist, in that instead of focusing on character driven narrative, he uses his visual art to try to capture and evoke an emotion that people are familiar with, but that isn't often contextualized or visualized. With 5 Centimeter Per Second, it's about the hurt and pain we feel, when relationships are eroded over time and distance. It's about how time, distance, and things beyond our control can change even the most intimate and important connections we might have with another person. And the desperation and loneliness we can feel as a result of it. And the film does this brilliantly by having a three act structure. It's three points in the life of a person, and how in each point this person copes with his relationship with someone important fading over time. The loneliness, and the yearning, and how not even distance can stop those feelings.
In 5 Centimeters Per Second, the characters aren't as well defined as characters are in traditional narrative. Because in a way, they act as a vessel with which the audience puts themselves directly into (like how some video games have a silent protagonist). The first act quickly sets up the premise that will drive the film, showing two characters connecting on an intimate level at a young age, and then being pulled apart when one of them has to move far away because of their parents work. Shinkai utilizes a three act structure, with each act serving as a unique outlet to express the emotions he is trying to capture in this film. For instance in Act 1, Shinkai uses the protagonist getting on a train and travelling to the girl that moved away, as a narrative device to physically visualize the hurdles that distance can have on a relationship, and the desperation one can feel wanting so badly to reach that other person (regardless of the distance). It's a very intense sequence. Every minute that passes, you can feel the uneasiness and desperation the protagonist feels. And as each minute continues to pass, you can almost feel the emotions bubbling to the surface and ready to burst out. It's the emotional equivalence of desperately swimming to the top of a body of water and feeling like you are running out of time and breath. It's the desperate gasp of breath you need as you are about to reach that surface. The protagonist deals with train delays (because of the snow), and as time begins to pass, there is a sense that, it's too late. That the girl won't be there, because it's far past the time he was supposed to arrive. It feels like fate is trying to keep him apart. This entire act is masterfully done, and is an example of how an artist, can really evoke tension and fear, without needing the use of action or common tropes. We instead get a simple train ride, and that's enough to bring out all the tension and desperation we are meant to feel.
In Act 2, Shinkai does something different and unique, by shifting the perspective of the story, to another character that is NOT the protagonist. Or rather, it's seeing the protagonist through the eyes of someone else. When I first saw the film, I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it. But upon re-watching it, I realized how powerful and smart Act 2 really is from a creative perspective. After all, the theme of this film is how distance can keep our feelings and the connection we have to another person apart. And whereas the protagonist's distance is a physical distance, here the side character faces an "emotional distance". The protagonist is so wrapped up in his feelings for the girl he met as a child, that no matter how close the side character gets to him, the experiences they have, or if she gets the courage to eventually express her feelings, she realizes she can never reach the protagonist. Shinkai truly capture the ache and pain we can feel, when we so desperately want someone to connect with our feelings, and the moment we accept it can't ever be. I've seen a lot of romance anime, and I've never seen something that is able to capture these emotions as well as 5 Centimeters Per Second does.
Act 3 is where I think a lot of people have mixed emotions about it. Because Shinkai decides to take a realistic approach to the romance narrative, instead of giving way to the "fantasy" aspect that most romance narratives have. It's a "life moves on" kind of plot device. As people get older, they change. The further the distance and time, the more our past relationships start to fade, and new ones eventually take their place. This act likes to examine "nostalgia', and someone not being able to let go of the past. It looks at the expectations we have for life, and how they don't always play out the way we wanted it to. It's pretty damn depressing. Even more so, when you take it into context of all the arcs, and start to connect each one to the very end. For instance, I can't help but go back to Act 2, and think about how desperately our side character was in love with the protagonist. And how she wasn't ever able to reach him on an emotional level. And here we have the protagonist years later, and he hasn't moved on. And then it just kind of hits you. You realize how, precious and fragile relationships can be. How, no matter how important and intimate our connections with another person is, those things can be eroded or destroyed by time and distance. And if we aren't able to move on and be open to new relationships and connections, we can become controlled and destroyed by these very same connections (as the world moves on). Shinkai using a romance plot to hang this theme on, makes it all the more painful.
5 Centimeters Per Second isn't really a linear narrative. So the ending really is up to the interpretation of the viewer. It's really about what you personally take away from it. When I initially saw it, I felt sick to my stomach. And I didn't really know why. Upon re-watching it, I was still left with those feelings. However, I knew what they were. I knew exactly why I felt that way. Shinkai achieved what he set out to do. He visually and physically contextualized emotions and feelings that we often, bury or just accept, but don't think about. And this film makes you confront them face on. It made me think about all the relationships that meant so much to me, and how time, distance, and just life in general, eventually made those relationships fade away. It made me wonder if those personal connections we have with others, really mean something in the grand scheme of things. And there is something to ponder about, when you realize that apart of life, is these wonderful connections and relationships fading, and being replaced by new ones. And while this is certainly nothing new to life in general (this idea of the old making way for the new), there is something much more painful about this when it's human connection, feelings, memories and relationships that in this flux and cycle of being extinct and being replaced.
Visually, the film is stunning. It has some of the best art style I've seen in any animation. Shinkai has a real gift for capturing lighting, as well the beauty of nature. There are several sequences where it's about intimacy between two people, and Shinkai's visuals create this private world for them. All of this is paired off with an incredible score by Tenmon. Amd it all comes together to make an truly unique and beautiful experience. There were times in the film, where the art and music were so beautifully paired, I got knots in my stomach, and I could feel my gut churning. It's not often a film can move you emotionally the way 5 Centimeters Per Second does. It's very much a visual film, in that it's purpose is to really capture and make you feel the emotions that he is setting out to contextualize. Don't go intro this film expecting a linear narrative, that will have a lot of resolution. Because ultimately, this is about expressing the feelings through the main character, and that is what it does by the end.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 6, 2015
The Garden of Words is Makoto Shinkai's most mature work to date. Anyone that is familiar with Shinkai's work, knows what to expect. He's an artist that likes to make films about "feelings" and "emotions". He is fascinated with how we feel, and uses his art to evoke that. When I first saw the gorgeous 5 Centimeters Per Second, I remember being let down. I thought the film was kind of incoherent and unsatisfying. It left me with a really bad feeling in my gut. At the time, I was too used to films having a traditional narrative, and I didn't really "get" 5
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Centimeters Per Second, or what Shinkai's art was doing, for that matter.
Of course, upon revisiting his work later, I realized how special and wonderful his art truly is. He's unlike any director I've ever experienced before. Once you realize his films aren't about a linear plot per se, and more about capturing an "emotion" and making the audience feel that emotion, then his films start to resonate more. Even when I first saw 5 Centimeters Per Second and walked away feeling frustrated, his art succeeded, because it made me feel the bittersweet nature of relationships, and how distance and time can pull us apart. How "expectations" can change in the blink of an eye. How our life doesn't always go the way we thought it would. I ended up crying upon my re-watch of 5 Centimeters Per Second, because it reminded me of all the people I had loved and been close with growing up, and how those relationships eventually were pulled apart by distance and growing up.
The Garden of Words focuses more on the nature of relationships in the present, and human connection. More specifically, how two people of different backgrounds and age, can connect with one another. How the connection two people can have, can be salvation. It can be everything. Shinkai nails it with this film, and does so with the concept of a student, and an adult connecting, as the student wants to escape the confinement of school that holds back his dreams, and the adult that wants to escape the very world this student wants to be apart of.
I don't like to talk to much about plot in reviews, as I feel people should watch the film to get that. So I'm not a big fan of simply summarizing plot. My reviews tend to focus on emotion, themes, with a little plot here and there to kind of hang all of this on it. But at its core, The Garden of Words is a very poetic film. The way the dialogue is read (most of it is done by narration) it has a very rhythmic cadence to it , the way the chilling piano soundtrack dances around the "rainy" season that is the backdrop for many of the scenes. And even when the characters talk, it's almost in a whisper, as you can hear their voice dance in the cold air around them. Unlike Shinkai's past work, this film has a very rhythmic feel to it. Down to the dialogue, and pacing of the scenes. All of it flows like poetry. For some, this might be a turn off. This isn't to say that The Garden of Words is abstract and artsy. The beauty of this film is that, it's actually Shinkai's most linear story since Journey of Agartha. And whereas Agartha was an "epic" journey homage to Miyazaki's fantasy epics, The Garden of Words falls more in line with his other works that are short 40 min + films (and are more focused on "emotion").
Unlike 5 Centimeters Per Second, which leaves you kind of hanging (which is the purpose of the film), The Garden of Words gives you closure to the story. And also unlike Centimeters, the story is much more linear. This of course, allows for the audience to connect with the characters and story, and by the end of it, you feel resolution to what is going on. And again to be clear, 5 Centimeters Per Second had a purpose to that end. This isn't a criticism of that film, rather I'm just giving a comparison to those that interested how these films differ from one another. At least to me, The Garden of Words perfectly balances Shinkai's art of capturing an emotion, its poetic storytelling which comes across as artsy, and it accomplishes this all within a tight little story that you can walk away from feeling resolution that traditional story formats give you.
The art in this film is unreal. The film is so gorgeous in its depiction of Shinjuku National Garden. Shinkai has always had IMO, some of the best art I have ever seen. I got chills when I first saw 5 Centimeters Per Second, as his ability to capture nature and lighting is incredible. And with each film, Shinkai seems to get better and better at his art. The Garden of Words will leave you looking at certain scenes in awe. Especially as the backdrop for this film is a "rainy" season in a gorgeous national garden. After seeing the film several times, I went to Tokyo and visited Shinjuku National Garden, and coincidentally the day I went, it started to rain. I was absolutely floored by how accurate the anime was to the real thing in capturing the garden, the weather, and the "feeling" of being there.
The greatest achievement of this film, is the intimacy it captures between two people. That despite the differences, it examines how the connection between two people, can truly mean something. The film does this by having a pretty simple but effective plot that is in the background, and gets revealed in the end. Thankfully, the plot driving things in the background (what puts the characters in motion), also serves a very important theme about how the actions of others, can impact other people in a really big way. And this works, because it shows the other side of how human connection can also destroy us. So we get a very beautiful story about destruction and salvation through human connections that all comes together by the end of the story. The film also focuses on the dreams we have, the world we want to live in, and the fear of taking that step to get there.
My only gripe with the film, is that one of the finals scenes comes off a bit overly dramatic. But the film's theme is so powerful, I ultimately didn't mind. Despite thinking this ending scene was kind of cliche in romance stories, the scene is almost a subversion of those tropes, as underneath the surface it's not about "the big love scene", rather, it's about someone finally opening up to another person, and showing their complete naked self.
The Garden of Words is in my opinion Makoto Shinkai's most impressive work to date. Some may prefer 5 Centimeters Per Second, because its art work is simply gorgeous. And there is a dream like quality to the film that really captures the emotions he's going for. The Garden of Words in comparison, is more linear and goes for a more poetic approach. But when I look at the overall package of both films, I feel that Shinkai is proving that he's becoming better and better at his art, and ability to create a truly special experience that conveys feelings and emotions in a way most director's can't.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Sep 7, 2014
Having seen this anime five times now, I find myself wondering what it is about it that keeps me coming back to it over and over again. I would say at its core, it’s the characters. The characters aren’t particularly unique in design, and you could certainly break down the various character tropes and archetypes. But here the characters have such distinct personalities and are so fully realized, that by the end of it, you feel like you know these people. You care for them. Take for instance Aisaka Taiga, the main female lead. On the surface she’s your typical tsundre character archetype. She’s
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aggressive, pushy and rough around the edges. But unlike a lot of tsundre characters, she has a lot of depth to her. She carries a lot of emotional baggage, and is actually quite fragile. Because of this, her actions are often underlined by her emotional struggles. It gives her actions meaning. Even someone that isn’t a fan of tsundere type characters could emotionally connect to her and have empathy for why she is the way that she is. Or at the very least, there is an understanding to the actions rather than her just doing things to fulfill an archetype. Her personality is actually backed up by the things that shaped it. And that, in a nut shell is why this show is so special. You could look at Toradora! as a rom/com slice of life show on the surface, but it really has a lot more going on underneath everything.
Outside of the characters, the show really does a great job balancing humor, romance and drama. Every episode is enjoyable on a basic entertainment level. But just as I described the characters having more to them then you would expect, so do most of the episodes. Often an episode has an underlying message or emotional story to tell. And the show just oozes with charm. I can’t emphasize enough at how likable the characters are, and how enjoyable most of the situations in the show are presented. As a result it’s a slice of life show where even the mundane actions are both enjoyable, but often feel like they have some kind of deeper weight to them. That’s an extremely tricky thing to pull off. But it’s because the characters are fleshed out, that these scenarios often feel like they are either building towards something greater, or is a deeper reflection of something that the character feels deep down inside. Because of this, even episodes that don’t have drama or a big moment to push the plot forward, still feel rewarding.
The romance in this show is complicated. But it’s because of this that I really appreciate it. Way too many romance stories are either I. the typical fairy tale romance where two people fall in love, and everything eventually falls into place. II. An extreme amount of drama and pain and suffering. Toradora! Is a lot more subtle about a lot of these things. Don’t get me wrong, the show can become really melodramatic at certain parts in the plot. But it feels more realistic in that, the drama is built up to, and even when it unfolds, it’s not straight forward in how it’s dealt with. Often romance is complex, especially at a young age. And while Toradora! Is far from being a realistic drama, it’s actually one of the most realistic romance’s I’ve seen in anime, and it feels very raw and real. The way characters deal with their emotions (or don’t deal with them), is really what makes the romance feel like something special (vs. a typical hyper-realized romance). But perhaps the reason the romance works so well, is because the show doesn’t just view romance on a surface level (such as infatuation/attraction). While we get to know these characters as the show progresses, so too do the characters get to know each other. And so, the romance feels more realized, as the relationships and the human connections start to shape their feelings.
Toradora! subverts your expectations, as it begins with a lot of the things that you would expect from a rom/com typical anime. Taiga comes off as a typical tsundre. Romance is portrayed by infatuation and surface level attraction. To be clear, those are actually very human traits. Often when we fall in love with someone, it’s an unrealistic and “romantic” kind of love. It is infatuation and attraction. And so those elements are fine. But often romance in shows are only left to that, and as a result when the actual romance happens, it doesn’t feel as if the romance is based on anything beyond infatuation. Toradora! starts off this way, but as the show progresses you quickly realize that these characters are more then they seem, and the feelings they have change and grow as their relationships and experiences start to shape them. And ultimately, this is why Toradora! really is one of the best romance’s in Anime.
This show isn’t perfect (what show is). If I had any gripes, I would say that there are plot elements that could have been handled slightly better. It’s not that the show didn’t have enough time, so this isn’t a case of where things were rushed. Rather, it was their choice on how they focused on certain things, that can kind of feel like a misstep. I won’t go into details as I don’t want to spoil anything substantial. But I’ll just say this, everything that is intended in the show, makes sense logically if you step back and take it all in. However, their focus on certain elements might make a certain plot development feel kind of rushed for some. If you understand that feelings and emotions are supposed to be developing in the background (even when characters aren’t necessarily showing it), then it makes more sense in the long run. Conversely, I also had a problem with the ending with regards to this criticism of focus. Before I scare you off, the show wraps up in a fulfilling way. Some might be torn on the ending itself, but don’t worry, you will be satisfied with everything prior to the last 20 min, and the ending itself doesn’t change anything or move the plot away from the resolution. But because the story is written in a way, where I personally feel it could have done a better job explaining what they were going for, it does come off as a little jarring and disappointing. But again, this is a case where if you step back and look at the bigger picture, the actions do make sense. Thematically it makes sense. And if anything, I think apart of the disappointment comes from the fact that you’ve come to love these characters so much, you just don’t want it to end. You want more. You’ve seen the journey, and the resolution. Now you want to see them enjoy that resolution. THAT is where I feel some of the disappointment comes from.
To wrap this up, I really think this is a special show. I think it’s easy to look at this and not understand what all the hype about it is. On the surface, there isn’t anything particularly unique or special about it. There isn’t any insane action, drama, or world/conflict being set up. It’s a slice of life/rom com. But what makes it special is the characters, and how fleshed out they are, and how it handles these characters emotions and their journey as they grow. Not only that, it’s funny, romantic and charming as hell. This a show where you will be both entertained while also getting a little more than you bargained for. And so, while I won’t be so bold to proclaim this as being one of the technically best anime, it’s really the overall package and how it all comes together, that really keeps me and many others coming back for more.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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May 26, 2014
Yahari Ore isn't the first anime to tackle the anti-social protagonist, but it certainly captures it perfectly with its characters and deadpan writing. Like others have said before, you may go into this expecting a typical rom-com but will instead come out of it lashed by the harsh views of our characters. This however, is why this anime stands out from so many in the genre. It's charming, funny and yet bluntly realistic. Far too often rom-coms get stuck in the fairy tale realm of romance stories, or get too wrapped up in the emotional drama/turmoil that can be present in youthful romance. Those
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elements are fine. But what about the bitter, and rejected? Or those that aren't allowed to fit in, or who choose not to fit in.
Not everyone of course has had this experience, but it's certainly something that people experience. And so this is what Yahari Ore does best, it gives us a perspective of those in school who have been rejected so much, they decide to play by their own rules, and that of course is excluding everyone else from the game. Afterall, it's much easier to get on by when you only have yourself to rely on.
This anime doesn't preach to the audience. And certainly, the view points of these characters are sometimes flawed. But it's an interesting look at how some people deal with their failure to connect to others (or rather, what can happens to someone when people reject and shut them out). Yahari Ore also looks at it from the other perspective, and isn't trying to paint one side as the victim/aggressor. We get a look at how mean and cruel we can be to each other when trying to fend for ourselves by fitting to the status quo. But this is true of both the rejected and those that reject.
At its core this show is very funny. The MC's biting sense of humor and harsh views of the world is hilarious (even if it always has an underlining seriousness to it). And to be clear, this isn't a serious drama. However, my praise focuses so much on the serious elements of the show, because I think that is what elevates this to a truly great Anime vs. a typical comedy. There is a lot of truth to this show, and it feels very realistic. Through the lens of the MC's harsh view on the world, we get a deep look at social behaviors and how often everyone is just trying to be something that won't be shunned from the pack.
If you are someone looking for a romance anime to watch, this might not be it. The romance in this anime isn't non-existent, it's actually well written in a realistic manner (it doesn't fall into the typical tropes). However, if you are looking for romance with a lot of action, then you might be let down. The romance in this anime is more about feelings, and how they can grow towards others. This is to say, the romance feels like something special here, but you will not get any closure or sweeping action between specific characters (maybe later in the LN or if we get a season 2). Although I don't think that's what this anime is about, as ultimately its focus is more on how people internally deal with their emotions, and the fear of sharing them with others.
Yahari Ore is an example of why comedy is such a great asset to art. Comedy allows us to look at aspects of life that aren't always good and allows us to examine the darker aspect of our humanity, and laugh while also getting a better understanding of it. Yes, this is a comedy that is for the most part, snarky, sarcastic and deadpan. But it's also a very interesting perspective on how we treat other people, and how those that don't fit in, (or those that choose not to play the game and try to fit in), deal with a world that heavily relies on being social.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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May 23, 2014
Kimi no Iru Machi takes a look at the complex nature of relationships, and human desire by focusing on a childhood romance, and the complications and obstacles that the relationship has to endure. What this anime should be applauded for, is its look at how fragile our desires can be, and the cruelty and selfishness that come as a result of it. Of course, this also means that the characters are often unlikable and frustrating. This isn't an anime where you really like the characters, and if anything at all, it's more of a study on the ups and downs of relationships, and
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the cruelty of love.
This is to say, this isn't the kind of material that is particularly enjoyable. But that doesn't make it bad by default. Even stories that aren't enjoyable, have legitimate merit as art. Afterall, not all romance stories are happy, and often in life relationships have hurdles and don't always end with happiness. These stories certainly should be told. Where Kimi no Iru Machi fails is in the final act and the overall pacing of the story. Because the story moves too quickly, there isn't enough depth given to the the main character's choice at the end, and it leaves the audience feeling frustrated and angry with the main characters. This again, doesn't make it bad. But the Manga tackled this subject a lot more seriously, and showed the consequences for this decision, and the new hurdles that arise when choosing your desires over others happiness.
Essentially, the story just leaves you feeling terrible for the person that gets hurt, and frustrated and angry with the two lead characters. They chose their desires over everything else, despite the consequences of it effecting people beyond them. Which again is fine, but the anime doesn't really give us enough weight to the decisions being made. We don't even get to spend time with the characters after the fact to understand these consequences. And the final blow is that they essentially sweep it all under the rug, and try to pass it off as happiness trumping over everything, despite the consequences. Which again, fine, but we needed to see those consequences to understand the impact our desires can have on others, as well as why these characters are willing to suffer these consequences to fulfill their desires.
Instead of looking at the impact of the main characters actions, the character that is impacted by this the most says that her love is so strong, she'll wait for the main character if he ever breaks up with the girl that was chosen over her. This on some level, looks at the idea that we can't always choose or control our desires, even if they will never be fulfilled or reciprocated. It's the cruelty of love. But the rushed pacing makes it feel like a cheap ploy to release the main character from his actions and set up an ending that is more digestible. However, this has the opposite effect, as it makes it feel like the subject matter isn't being taken seriously enough.
Overall this anime has an interesting subject matter, but it doesn't take the time needed to properly study it. This ultimately leaves us with a bunch of a unlikable characters, and a story that isn't particularly enjoyable. However, the story is brave in its subject matter, I just wish it was more brave in going further with it (even if it makes for an uncomfortable experience), because these stories are worth telling. I would have preferred the Anime to have pushed the uncomfortable aspects of love, and left us with an ending that makes us question our own desires. Instead it comes off like a story between two people that make bad decisions, and ultimately burn everyone down around them for the sake of their love.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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