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Spoiler warning for mild spoilers/hints of events

Finally, an anime for us gentlehearted, emotional shoujo lovers!
I'm not sure what I personally expected, but this certainly was beyond my expectations!
This anime is really something special. Having seen a good variety of titles from this genre, I can say with confidence that Full Moon wo Sagashite really stands out from the rest.
Full Moon is not afraid to land powerful, emotional punches. It handles the subject matter delicately, intimately, in a way that will leave an audience feeling not just empathy for its characters but will also touch those who have struggled with similar feelings or life experiences, ... particularly due to issues involving health.
Despite the material being sensitive, the message is always uplifting. You will find yourself smiling and feeling inspired by the episodes. You will find yourself brought to tears, multiple times (I know I did!).
The animation style is smooth, clean, that early digital polish that suits the art style perfectly. The songs used within are appealing, not overstaying their welcome or getting annoying. And for each song, there is an emotional reason as to *why* it is important, which makes them much more engaging.
Characters grow in this series, even minor characters. It almost is in a way that feels genre defying! But it makes the experience overall really magical. There's a familiar sense of predictability for certain events that take place in the show which makes it feel comfortable but overall, it is difficult to predict the next major action or motivation. You will be shocked by certain developments.
Personally, I believe the major appeal of this anime are the trio of main characters: Mitsuki, Meroko and Takuto. But particularly, Mitsuki and Takuto. They both undergo significant development. This being said, overall, as a viewer, I believe if Mitsuki does not pull your heartstrings and make you love her from the get-go, that you probably won't (and you might find the anime overall to be boring/unappealing).
It's certainly been said before, but Meroko and Takuto's "Cosmo and Wanda" from Fairly God Parents "vibes" are a warm welcome and make things feel a lot more lighthearted, especially in the early episodes.
There is a partial English dub for the series which I found was suitable but I would recommend the original Japanese as the quality of the video itself is better and the dialogue connected better (at least, in my personal opinion).

If you are a fan of the genre, I think that Full Moon is a MUST watch, even if you just try it on for the first four episodes. Give it a shot, it really is a hidden gem that I wish more people would talk about! (Thank you Hayden for introducing me!) At least, if you don't like it, you will have the chance to see an anime that is really unique.

I wonder... is the way I feel about this anime the way that my Grandmother felt about her soap operas? Impossible to know, but I think I get the appeal now.

In order to enjoy this, you really have to understand what it is that you are getting into and *how* to enjoy this anime.
The biggest mistake that most people make with GX is that they go in expecting something along the same lines as Duel Monsters, something that takes itself (somewhat) seriously.
GX could be anything but Duel Monsters in a lot of ways. It's more than a soft reboot of the franchise, it really turns a lot of concepts on its head. For the longest while, before I understood what made GX special, I too was part of this camp of people who detested GX ... due to the fact that it was so dramatically different in tone and style.
Yu-Gi-Oh GX is like a rollercoaster of its own canon. There are frequent, miniature plot arcs that throw all of canon into question if you think too hard on it. The desires and motivations of certain characters feel ridiculous. The world itself feels absolutely ridiculous. But this, in and of itself, is the appeal of Yu-Gi-Oh GX. One quickly finds themselves attached to these zany characters, drawn into Jaden's weird and wonderful world. You, the viewer, become just as excited as Jaden to 'get your game on' and see just how the show will handle the next major plot event.
When I was watching this, I don't think I could have ever predicted how much it would make me laugh. You have to have a real sense of humor. If you go in expecting it to be funny I think you will really have a lot of fun with it. Of course, there are parts where it all gets serious but for the most part Yu-Gi-Oh GX is best experienced with a friend (who has the same sense of humor as you and who can throw up their hands in disbelief as insane events happen) and in the 4Kids English dub. You will have to switch back to the Japanese sub after a certain point, as 4Kids does not complete the series but by that point the show is concluding so it's not a huge loss or inconvenience, you will already be invested. The difference between the sub of GX and the dub of GX is often enough of a difference that it can feel like two completely different anime.
If you aren't sure if GX is to your tastes, go on YouTube and look up some clips from the 4Kids English dub like the CLASSIC "Shmaden Shmuki" or "Crystal Arnold Mammoth". There's so much more I could mention but if those clips leave you craving more, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is your cup of tea and will satisfy you in ways you cannot possibly imagine.