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Bittersweet. That's the best way I can describe Kuzu no Honkai. Special emphasis on the "bitter" part.

The title of the show is "SCUM's Wish". The whole cast will make sure to live up to that name and remind you of it in every single episode. They are DETESTABLE, REPULSIVE, and yet so REAL.

But even with the terrible cast, I found myself immersed in the story till the end. I even dare to say that this anime makes it into my top favorites.

As I said, the cast is TERRIBLE, but that doesn't mean they are poorly written. The characters, while driven by their disgusting ... desires, are very human, which makes the plot quite engaging and sets it into a different path from a typical high school romance story. I particularly find it rather refreshing to see a homosexual character as part of the protagonist's love circle, even when this anime isn't in the yuri category.

The art is wonderful. The character design is nothing out of the world (no weird colors nor gravity-defying haircuts), but the artstyle is so good that any average-looking character can become rather beautiful in this anime, especially if it's a girl. The color pallet is pleasing for the eye too. I think it's like a contrast between the concept of "love is beautiful" (artstyle and colors) and "love is empty and disgusting and nothing good comes out of falling in love" (plot and character's nature)

The animation is very good. I didn't see a single animation mistake throughout the whole series. What I liked the most about the animation (in combination with the art) is this particular glimmer the characters have in their eyes whenever they do a close-up of their stare. Even when the characters don't say anything, you can see how their eyes are brimming with emotions.

The music is beautiful and memorable, especially the ending theme. After finishing the anime, I found myself listening to Heikousen (the ED song) over and over again. Every time the first lyrics started playing, I would feel a huge hole in my chest...

There are few comedic moments throughout the series, though, as well as a few adorable scenes between the characters. However, don't expect a happy ending nor the characters being rewarded for their unconditional love. Don't expect the characters to take smart decisions either.

This show is about unrequited love, heartbreak, and the psychological motivations behind the characters' day-to-day actions, in an attempt to fill in their eternal emptiness.