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I binge read Nanoka no Kare and I deeply regret it. So much that I am compelled to post here about how bad it is. I have consumed over 1500 anime/manga/manhwa and I can confidently say this is the first 1/10.

It is one of the most nonsensical plots I've ever read. So many forced scenarios, illogical events, inconsistent characters, and a truly meaningless theme/ending.

Maybe one of the most egregious things it does is try to redeem truly irredeemable characters SEVERAL TIMES. Even AFTER the wrongdoers have reflected, acknowledged, and try to grow from their past, they take 10 steps backwards and repeat the mistake again. ... This happens several times and is in fact the only plot to ever occur in all 84 chapters.

ALL of the characters are just plain awful people. FL is a coward to the end who will always run from her problems. ML lacks any courage and responsibility. Ex-boyfriend is scum of the earth who deserves no sympathy for any of their actions. FL's friends truly do not care for FL, what's best for her, are self-centered, insensitive, lacks empathy, and are awful all around. Villain's character is just a spiteful psychopath who doesn't want anyone to be happy even if there's no reason to pick on the leads; that's not me embellishing it, that's how the author wrote them which just makes them uninteresting. It is appalling the villain is even on the cover and is considered by the author as a potential love interest.

The ending volume is dreadful. The main plot point invalidates EVERYTHING that occurred before it. If there was a theme, it would have to be "you were at fault for not trying hard enough to understand the other party; you would've gotten along great" which is absurd to say to someone who forced sexual contact, attempted double suicide, manipulation, and mental trauma onto the FL. Oh but it's ok, because he loved her. Everything's justifiable as long as it's obsessive love. And there is no apology for ANYTHING that occurred, not by villain, not by ex, not by ANYONE. No one has any regret or reflection despite making the wrong choice every time.

I have to wonder why the author would write a pairing they so clearly hated. What made the author give up on their outlook on life. What hurt the author that made them hate romance. There is no romance. There is no love. There is no salvation. There is only insanity. 1/10.

There are not very many yuri anime out there. Among them, not many sink its teeth into character-driven plots or relationships with drama that is more than mere 'misunderstandings.' What Strawberry Panic attempts to portray are various views of first-love in the setting of Astraea Hill. Love at first sight. Love for someone admired by all. Unrequited love. The loss of love. And, learning to love. Along with the joys, sorrow, anguish, and bliss that comes with it.

An ambitious undertaking for sure. However, one that, even with 24 episodes, was not executed well. The pacing often either stagnates or jumps around; while the overall ... story can be followed despite this, what the characters experience feels off. Something intense happens one moment, then whiplashes to another mood the next. Two events may be happening at once, but they don't share similar qualities, sometimes they conflict, causing confusion in the viewing experience. Thus, the pacing feels, incoherent at times.

I am not one to suggest alternatives to the plot to make the story better; that would make an entirely different material. But I will say that there are elements with potential that could've been used to more naturally and further develop characters. It is brought up several times, "what is an Etoile?" This show would have you believe it is the most popular person(s) on campus, but I believe the characters think it represents more than just that. Without much spoilers, as an unused element, I think it's high up there. Another element would be the wider world. The entire show takes place on Astraea Hill, an isolated campus. But the world beyond the campus is almost never mentioned; not for describing someone's past, nor for their future. If characters were to think beyond their campus, or relate their campus to the wider world, some developments would be more natural.

Perhaps my biggest criticism with this show is how some character arcs were lacking: both in cause-and-effect, and resolution. To give credit where it's due, when something big happens, it does affect the character(s) involved. They will cry their hearts out, open their hearts to those close, and find comfort with friends. But... what happens next...? The same thing, then again, and again. It is incredible how these characters do not grow through their experiences, only to fall prey to it again and again without addressing why. One thing I love in other shows like this, is how a character has grown into a stronger person by the end of their ordeal; be it in how they carry themselves, or how they interact with others. But in this show, if you watch the first the first three episodes, and the last 3 episodes, the characters stay mostly the same, save for one... kinda.

In conclusion, Strawberry Panic certainly kept me tuned-in. But not in excitement, but rather how incredulous of an event would have to occur to further these characters. I do think the premise and themes are interesting, but not expanded upon to the extent that would make it inspiring. Not every work needs to have a deep intrigue to it, nor does it have to lean towards such an extreme. But this work fails to dive deep enough to accomplish what I think it wants to do.

If you're like me with too much time on your hands and is looking for a good story, you've come to the right place.

I don't think it's possible to compare this show to anything that exists, either in anime or other mediums. I see that Gakuen Alice is recommended most, but it's a very surface-level recommendation, can't say I would say the same. Although the characters are elementary school kids, it doesn't make their struggles any less relatable than other age. And despite its quirky and fun first appearance, there lies deeper themes that become dark and twisted should they be handled incorrectly. Not ... all youth shines bright, not all wishes are granted, and not everything works out as intended.

Story (9/10):
As a whole, it's good. However, and I'll gripe about this continuously, it differs greatly from the manga. I'm not one to make comparisons to the source often, but they changed it right from episode 1. Perhaps to appeal more to kids due to its childish art, they brought the age requirement down and added various anime-original elements. That being said, everything still fit together well and wasn't extremely out of place. Story arcs were coherent and character arcs were plain as day to see. Props to the team for making so many changes and yet not lose meaning.

Art (7/10):
Eh, I'm just not a huge fan of this style. It's hard to concisely explain why though. Could just be a time thing. No matter what vid I find, it's like 360p and even if it was HD, I don't think it'd make a huge difference. It's not like it's different than other anime though, just more pastel and wider color-palette.

Sound (9/10):
Whenever certain episodes were finished, I would almost immediately go to look for its corresponding soundtrack or insert song. Needless to say, I found the music selection to be varied and plentiful: from fast, upbeat choices to slow, melancholic ones. I feel like I say this a lot in my reviews, but sound direction is also fine. Like, it's pretty difficult to find bad sound direction. Anyways, it's nothing incredible though, just playing the right tracks for the right scenes and utilizing silence when necessary.

Character (10/10):
All characters have their own motivations, dreams, backgrounds, and reasoning. It makes for a story where you want to watch how they develop over time. Episode 52 begins a new cour in middle school and looking back from there, it is clear to see that no character is the same from the beginning. Of course, keep in mind that although they're anime characters, they are young children in elementary/middle school. Who knows, maybe an argument for an unreliable narrator can be made.

Enjoyment (10/10):
I personally like stories with a deeper undertone. Sorta like "The World God Only Knows," there's the initial premise that drives the plot, but each event changes the character a bit which foreshadows just how much that change will affect them. Kodocha takes that and turns it up some more by having straight-up drama in it.

Interestingly enough, one plot point more prominent in episode 52+ may have some people call out "ntr." Sure, I guess, why not. Whether positive or negative to you, there are love-triangle situations that crop up and last for quite some time.

Overall (9/10):
Although it differs from its source, I found this enjoyable to watch and it held my attention well. If I'm being totally honest though, the fact that the anime differed enough from the manga to create its own canon is disappointing because there was no way they could end it in a satisfying manner. No matter how I slice it, the ending of the show is just not conclusive enough. Although, it's not enough to overshadow the enjoyment of the other 100 episodes, so 9/10.

This is not a "what if Kyon stayed in the other world" scenario. This is a "what if the genre and narrative changed" scenario.

I have watched the original series and movie and am a huge fan of it, but that being said, one should go into this show with an open mind and realize that this isn't the same show. If you hold onto your belief that the old characters will come back and do SOS Brigade shenanigans, then you shouldn't watch as the entire premise is different. There is no bigger picture or universal scale events, just an eccentric girl crushing on a ... guy that helped her at the library.

P.S. - I just finished writing this review and re-read the synopsis. Don't trust that, it's wrong. At no point is the literature club in danger. I don't find Asakura to be perky, that makes it sound like she's energetic which is wrong; she's closer to a doting onee-san. And what's this "court her crush" thing? It should be "wanting to get closer to the person you admire" type of thing. Not outright seeking romance, but to further develop their relationship. Why are Tsuruya and Mikuru described like that? They're literally just friends that like to visit; the synopsis makes them sound like annoying antagonists when they really only get like 4 appearances. MAL descriptions can be weird sometimes.

Story (8/10):
So, that being said, it's not like it's a special story. Girl meets boy, they go to the same school, same club, and try to get closer. While there is progress there by the end of the series, the story is primarily character driven where we can see the changes that occur within characters over the course of the series. Unlike many other shows of this nature, the beginning and ending of the series show clear developments have been made.

Art (8/10):
Haha, I've seen that a lot of people are put off by the change in art style. If such a small thing bothers you then okay, don't bother watching. It should be obvious to not expect a KyoAni art style and to instead expect a style that fits a school, slice of life, romance, comedy. I for one think the art style suits the narrative well. Bubbly and light like Nagato's new easy-going personality.

Sound (8/10):
As a slice of life, the selection of music leans towards the light, relaxing side. In terms of direction, I find it to be used well in general. No spots where it seemed out of place and listening to Chihara Minori sing is always a pleasure.

Character (9/10):
To address the elephant in the room, yes, Nagato's character has changed significantly from the original. Is this a bad thing? No of course not, I gave it a 9. Imagine if alien Nagato starred in this show; it'd be ultra boring. Alien Nagato works well in the original because we know she's an alien with orders to not stand out but is over time more affected by emotions that she didn't realize she had. To expect the SAME THING from a different show despite using the same characters is nonsense. Her background, personality, mission/goals, and growth are COMPLETELY different, thus the change in character to one that fits better and is frankly more entertaining in this setting.

Aside from the elephant, the other characters are actually pretty faithful to their original personalities with some minor changes: Haruhi is not as lacking in empathy, Asakura is not unsettling, Asahina is not a baby nor does she suffer any great pains or abuse at the hands of Haruhi, and Kyon isn't as sarcastic. The dynamic that worked well in the original apply to here as well with the addition of Asakura who fills the void of voice of reason. Likable people all around.

Enjoyment (9/10):
The only reason this isn't 10 is because it was sorta slow sometimes. Enough that it was noticeable, but not enough to takeaway immersion. Seeing the dorky actions of Nagato was endearing and seeing relationships beyond mere club members was nice. The prominent arc later in the series (Disappearance) especially takes the experience to another level. To achieve a drastic change in tone and narrative without disturbing the flow or suspension of disbelief is incredible and deserves praise. Direction is taken up a few notches and the new character introduced is quickly likable despite the differences from the main cast.

Overall (9/10):
Don't expect SOS Brigade shenanigans here. As its own standalone, this show stands up well. A slightly different yet familiar setting makes this an easy watch to enjoy. By all means, think of it as an alternate world, but that means to... think of it as an alternate world. They may not be the same as you knew them, but deep down, they're still the dorks we love.

This review applies to the entire series of Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha (MSLN) which includes the second season (A's) and the first two movies as it's been nearly a year since its most recent release. If curious, my watch order would be Nanoha (1st season) -> Movie 1st -> Movie 2nd -> StrikerS (3rd season) for the main canon (skipped A's series because I feel the movie does a better job).

Story (8/10):
It's not a unique story by any means, but it is one that I find is executed well and gets its message across. Character arcs are satisfying to watch to their conclusion and the ... plot in general is fairly focused where new elements don't seem completely out of place.

Art (8/10):
Try not to notice that the hair is done the same for most characters. But aside from that, designs are simple but endearing. Consistent quality as it's the same character designer / manga artist for most of the series. There are some parts where the idea is bigger than what they could draw, but it seems like the concept of what they were trying to achieve gets across. At no point did I feel un-immersed by the art.

Sound (9/10):
Series-wise, it's used okay in terms of direction. The soundtracks themselves are great, but its use could be better. A couple of hard sfx here and there that seem to disturb the flow of the show. However, movie-wise, the direction is vastly improved. Sorta wish I had more to say here, but not really. Good music overall, direction in the show is okay, and direction in the movies are great.

Character (8/10):
Designs are unique enough that silhouettes can distinguish all of them (and there are a lot later on). Personality sort of fluctuates with each season/movie; mains in the movie with less screentime in the show showcase less personality for example. I suppose that could be a common occurrence, but if anything, their personalities are consistent and entertaining, but sometimes it gets stale.

Enjoyment (10/10):
As long as your not trying to tear the plot apart looking for holes and power levels, expect a fun and exciting ride! Although this is a Magical Girl show, its demographic is like a pseudo shoujo/shounen and I daresay Seinen/Josei could be appropriate as well. Tbh, people of all ages could like it. It tackles some serious and "grown-up" themes that you may not expect, but doesn't take them so far as to make it not appropriate for children. Action sequences in the show are done okay, but the movies are where it executes them the best, they are a MUST WATCH. If you're the type to deep dive plots and want a fully explained and fleshed out world dictated by rules and logic, this probably isn't the best watch for you. On the other hand, if you want a show that gets your friendship power pumped up and want to cheer for the main characters' victory alongside with them, then I highly recommend.

P.s. there are some fan-service-y scenes and questionable angles for elementary school kids, but it's not like it's uncommon in the vast medium of anime. Just get a laugh out of it and move on, it's not like it focuses on making it weird.

Overall (8/10):
Tl;dr, an excellent fusion of Magical Girl with more Shounen aspects. If you enjoy action like Hero Academia and writing like Cardcaptor Sakura, I guarantee that you'll quickly attach yourself to Nanoha and her world.

My recommended watch order is ... Season 1 -> Movie 1st -> Movie 2nd -> StrikerS/Season 3. (The plot of Movie 2nd is far enough from season 2 that I consider them separate despite them having the same ending)

If not emphasized enough, PLEASE WATCH THE MOVIES. They're more than mere recaps for mortals.