Feb 9, 2019
Charlotte was a very interesting anime, one of the better ones of Summer 2015. As with other works by Jun Meada, he tells a surprisingly interesting story with the series, like Angel Beats and Clannad although it was flawed in some areas.
Story: 6/10
I felt the story was decently interesting enough to keep the viewer engaged most of the time. The whole idea of a supernatural atmosphere with teens utilizing commonly known powers was fun to watch. Where the story struggles greatly though, is with its horrid pacing. Nothing kills a good story more than bad pacing. Yuu after losing his sister Ayumi due to
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her ability "Collapse" goes down a very dark path, one that involves drugs and great amounts of violence. Nao eventually snaps him out of it, but it was done in such a way that it felt rushed. Many other story elements, such as the twist that Yuu's true power was "Looting" and the reveal of Yuu and Aymui's older brother Shunsuke were greatly rushed. Cramming everything into 13 episodes wasn't a good production idea, as it left many areas rough and unpolished. But the story's overall plot does make up for some of the problems that it has, by executing the big reveals and twists well and the last episode manages to tie up pretty much all of the loose ends of the series.
Art: 7/10
A-1 Pictures does a pretty good job with the animation and attention to detail in the series. Aside from some rendering problems and a few cheap CGI shots of character models, the art is great all around.
Sound: 8/10
Charlotte's soundtrack is one of its biggest points. It does an excellent job at conveying the seriousness when it is needed most. Likewise, it is easy to tell when something funny is going on purely based on the tone of the BGM.
Character: 9/10
Charlotte's biggest strength lies within its characters. For a seemingly short anime series, it manages to make most of its main cast connect with the audience fairly well. Although the protagionist, Yuu, begins his character sort of bland and unappealing, it naturally develops into something better. The story establishes the fact that Yuu's relationship with his sister Ayumi is particularly important to him. Hence why when she dies, it leaves a devestating effect on him. The viewer can also connect with his loss easily. The show also develops Yuu's relationship with Nao, Shunsuke and others well enough that when something dramatic occurs, the "feels" become real and you are left wondering what happens next.
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall: 8/10
Overall, this series was decent in its plot and reasoning. It failed in areas like good storytelling and pacing, but makes up for it with a decently good plot and character emotions. A recommended anime series for just about anyone if you can overlook certain issues about the series.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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