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As pointed out in other reviews, the one thing you should really know going into this series is, it's dialogue heavy, and really, for Japanese people, as the author is using language to appear clever and add humor. This will be lost on any viewer who doesn't know Japanese and their culture. Or so it seems, I don't know Japanese either ;P But seriously, I haven't dropped a series in a while, especially one this short. But there doesn't seem to be anything appealing enough for me to continue. The only highlights for me are the music and the ecchi fan service scenes, of which ... there are a few and I'm a sucker for. But other than that, it feels like nothing happens, or at least a ton of time is taken up conversing about thing both relevant and irrelevant to the conflict at hand. There's really just not much more to say. People swear by it, and I could see younger people liking it a bit more with the fan service and quirkiness of the characters, but I didn't care for it at all. It was boring and tedious, and over my head.

This season expands the show's horizons by shoving side characters into the center stage and shinning a light on their quirks and troubles. Kiriyama, serves as more of a helper in these regards and his thoughtful musings are kept succinct enough that they don't steal the show. I still wasn't crazy about this season though, but it's a very solid seven. The only thing that makes it hard to recommend is that the first season is a bit of a slog to get through and so to get here you have to first get through that. I think younger and newer anime fans won't have ... a problem with this. But I do think older ones may be turned away by the first season, hence my mixed feelings. But it's still a good season that I can certainly stand by. From Hina's bullying troubles and how they relate to Rei's past, to the peek into Souya Meijin's persona, and perhaps the best for last, Saku's existential crisis in the end, there's just so much more depth to this season. I don't know why it doesn't exactly blow me away. I guess because it's not super consistent or doesn't go that extra mile to really hit you in the feels. It gets very close but never quite leaps over that threshold, or at least doesn't do it consistently. Saku's small arc is probably the closest it gets, and if there were more of that, it'd be closer to getting an 8 or 9. Still very enjoyable though and a significant improvement from the first season.

The show feels like it doesn't really go anywhere until the very end. It's not that things aren't happening, but to me at least, they didn't seem all that interesting. At first I got the impression that the main character was a dark and broody character, which he sort of is, but he's also just a lame loser who half heartedly plays shogi and ignores the generosity of his friends. He's not super off putting, just not very entertaining to follow. The animation is very nice, but that pacing just feels off, like it's trying to hard to appear interesting without providing and substance. Like ... the constant water scenes which seem like they're supposed to be philosophical but end up being more whimsical and nothing more than eye candy or word vomit. It's not as bad as something like Vagabond, where there appears to be no real meaning behind these musings, but they're also just not entertaining or interesting. The humor or gags of show are somewhat funny but often go on too long and also take too much away from the story. Finally towards the end of the series, as we switch focal points to a new, older character, does the show actually become interesting. And I find that in season two as well, which is much better, the entertainment seems to stem more from following characters other than the main one, Rei. He's much better as a supporting character.

I can seen why it's popular. I think if I was younger, I would've loved this or liked it a lot more, but being older and having already seen a lot of stuff like this, it just doesn't appeal to me anymore. But that being said, I can't see myself recommending it to anyone seeing as I didn't really enjoy it. It's ok to me, and I don't think long time anime fans will find much entertainment in this first season. The second season is good though, and the manga looks promising.

This is a hard one to rate for me. The show can be divided into thirds for me, with the first third being a continuation of the previous series and it's side character arcs, the second bringing a final change of focus onto just the main characters, and the final being the finale of the show and probably what brings it the most acclaim, as it's pretty damn sad. The first part is not bad, as I didn't hate the first series, but it didn't blow me away either and I was a bit disappointed at first thinking I was just getting more of the ... same. But coming into the second third, I started to get really intrigued, as I felt we were finally seeing some growth with Tomoya's and Nagisa's characters, individually of course but also their in relationship which is kind of just for show at first. We see them blossom into genuine young adults, facing challenges and overcoming obstacles in sweet and wholesome ways. And then we have the finale, which, for whatever reason, I always sort of expected to some degree, but had hoped it wouldn't happen. I have mixed feelings about it, as on one hand, it made me break down sobbing at a fictional story, but on the other, they did a 180 that felt a bit flat to me. Part of this is probably because it's a bit whimsical or fantastical in nature, and it's not explained very well. Yes, we finally get an answer for the other world thing going on and, it's not exactly what I had expected, if I could even form an exact suspicion on what was going on there, but it's close enough that it doesn't come as a huge revelation, and it also doesn't really get much explanation or make much sense and idk, I just don't think it was handled super well. Since the story was originally from a video game or visual novel, and after reading a bit about it, I think I can kind of see how it would work much better in that medium and industry, but crossing over to a tv show, I don't think it hits its mark as well. I was glad to see this horrific ending turned around, but it also left me questioning whether any of it really happened, and wanting some more explanation or clarification. We don't really get to see a whole lot after this final 180, which makes me feel a bit cheated to be honest. I just wanted a little something to show me the wholesome life I wanted to see for the protagonists I'd invested so much time in, and sadly I didn't get it. Granted, it's such an emotional rollercoaster, I may just need to watch it again to fully appreciate it, but as of now, it's really just the sadness that really made me feel attached to the ending and made me want to rate it a bit higher. But all in all, I feel like a 7 is the best I can do right now. I'd definitely recommend it, but I can't exactly rave about it. It's divisive for me. Love and sort of don't love it, don't hate it, but just don't really fully understand it or care for it. Wanting just a bit more, basically sums it up.

I find this one a bit overrated. On one hand it does some stuff really well, I mean an anime with beautiful music is already hard to beat. But, I do find that it didn't exactly live up to the hype for me. Granted, the very last episode drops a bit of a bomb on you, so I may need to rewatch it at some point and see if that changes my perspective. One thing that was a constant annoyance for me was all the talking, inner monologues while characters were playing music. I mean some of that is probably to be expected, but I ... would have much rather just listened to the playing and left the inner musings of all these characters out of it. Especially the times where they're just repeating the same thing over and over again. I'm sure this works much better in the manga, and probably should have been adapted a bit better. The overarching plot is pretty good, but I think it's also played pretty safe. There's just enough drama in each little arc to keep you intrigued without going overboard. Still, if you can knock it out of the park and get away with it, that's the mark of a truly great story. This one doesn't really do that. Even the ending is played a bit safe, though it's certainly the most devastating part of the whole series. It's a bit bittersweet, and it's hard to wrap my head around such endings. They leave you with a love hate sort of feeling. All in all, I'd certainly recommend it, and I think younger viewers will absolutely love this. I think if I would've watched it much sooner, I would have raved over it, but I've seen too much stuff to really fall for the cliches at this point. Bittersweet really does sum up the whole story, with some various interesting psychological insights here and there, but again, it did not blow me, a more mature and experienced viewer, away.

This is a very solid 7 for me. It's funny that I don't feel super inclined to give it an 8. I mean it could be one, but I feel like it's just missing that extra umph for me. It's a super solid show, but I don't find myself extremely attached to it. At first the similarities in the character's facial appearance, especially, the women's, is a bit off putting, but as you get more invested in the story and the characters themselves, you sort of see past this. The soundtrack is another solid part of this anime. It's not anything I'd rave and rant ... about as being the best I've ever heard, but it fits the show very well. Funny enough, both the soundtrack and the pacing sort of remind me of a video game, which is what the show is based off of. I almost find myself wanting to play it or feel as though I'm seeing how it would progress if I was playing it as I'm watching the show. This is probably due to the quest like story of our protagonist Okazaki as he helps these people he comes into contact with, after originally coming into contact with Nagisa, the heroine I suppose you could say. One small gripe I did have early on with the story was the way they handled Okazaki's father. I thought that part was badly written or could have been done a bit better. It didn't make sense why he was afraid of him at first, and then finding out why without showing that darker side of his father sort of felt a bit off or weak. Granted there was some emotional impact in that scene when he confesses he has a bad shoulder and had to give up his dream because of it. Still, I think that whole element of the story could have gotten more attention. Also, the side story of the other world thing going on, never gets a conclusion or even develops enough to where we have a pretty good idea of what's going on there. Seems a bit too long winded to me without any pay off. But it is interesting all the same. And so, all the same, this anime is a solid one that's enjoyable and I'd definitely recommend, however, I'm not gung-ho over it either.

So I'll start off by saying that although I don't recommend this, it's not a terrible watch and you're more than welcome to try it. But after finishing it, I don't think there's enough in it to make it worth recommending. I saw it described as a romance without drama, and that's pretty accurate. There is some drama, but compared to other romance series, it's basically nothing. The first two episodes are really just a build up for the story, and drag a bit. The third one gets interesting with some backstory but then it starts to flounder again before finding it's feet and ultimately ... fizzling out in the end. I suppose it could have gone on longer and fleshed out more of the character's and their romances but it doesn't. The only romance that really gets a conclusion is the main one. The main romance is wholesome, but also not super interesting. Basically it's a guy who's not really what he seems at school, and he meets a girl who, I guess is not really what she seems at school either, though, more or less she is. I mean everyone has another world outside school or work or whatever it is at home, so that's not all the interesting, and I don't feel like they really play into it well. Ultimately I don't think this show is super well written. It just comes off as a bit bland and one dimensional. It can be enjoyable at times, with funny moments and some deeper ones, but it never goes deep enough to really make it something I'd say oh, you need to watch this. It's generally wholesome and that's nice, but it could do with a bit more conflict and realism. I'd say it's definitely overrated on here, but I'm sure a lot of younger high school kids will enjoy it as they can relate to it and it's a nice escape from reality. It's sort of ironic that the main picture for the series is one with all these characters, when they hardly get developed. I guess one should expect that given it's run time and the amount of characters. I will say that when they started to dive into each character, the show did get more interesting, and if they'd done it consistently enough, I'd be praising it more, but they really just scratched the surface unfortunately.

This one is a mixed bag. It starts out pretty slow and seems pretty stupid too. The whole power system is basically, if you believe in yourself you're stronger, which is of course ridiculous and stupid. However, despite the immaturity of the series, it's balanced out pretty well with more mature themes. There's the classic fanservice which is often used for comedic effect, and done pretty well. I'd say the actually story though really doesn't pick up till about halfway through. Before that it doesn't feel like a lot is happening, or at least what's happening is not very interesting. You're not really given a ... great idea of what's going on with the world, as the gang travels through a wasteland and occasionally fights aliens. Even when we're finally introduced to the bigger players behind the scenes, it takes a while for them to fully develop their role in the series, and even by the time they do, what's the more interesting awaits beyond their plotlines. I suppose it's necessary to build up the momentum of the story, but it does sort of drag the story down a bit. Ultimately I'm not really sure why I'm rating this as high as I am or what I really like about it, but there is something somewhat inspiring about it and interesting, especially towards the end with the philosophy that goes into it. I'm think I'm a sucker for some existentialism. But yeah, it's probably for more hardcore anime fans who want to check and old classic and see what all the fuss is about. It's worth a watch but I don't think I'd ever go back to it.

I found this anime to drag quite a bit, especially in the beginning. It does have its moments that make it entertaining, but it feels like there's a ton of unnecessary dialogue, especially between Koko and Banri. The last couple episodes were by far the best and I'd rate much higher, but before that this anime was more like a 6 or even a 5 for me. The ending does leave a bit to be desired though with the fates of certain characters. Which leads me to the biggest problem with this series for me, and that's the idea itself. While it can be somewhat ... interesting, I don't find it to be enjoyable for the most part. So major spoilers, the main character loses his memories by falling off a bridge, which, it looks like was because he was hit by his crush speeding on a moped to tell him that she liked him too after rejecting his advances forever. So he forgets about her, everything before his fall and sets off to tokyo where he encounters another girl who's obsessed with this guy he makes friends with. This girl ends up falling for him and he falls for her. Oh, and his old crush is secretly there which he quickly discovers and becomes friends with her. And essentially in the end, he gets his old memories back and forgets his time tokyo, to his new girlfriends dismay, but then he remembers again and ends up with her. My issue with this is what about the original crush? It tries to make it seem like a happy ending but it's really not, it's actually kind of messed up. They try to soften it by saying she ends up with the dude's friend, however, he liked another girl who then liked him but didn't know it and it's kind of the same scenario all over again. I guess you could say that's life or whatever but I didn't care for the plot there. I like my fiction to a bit more thoughtful than that.

The quality of the animation is a bit dated, or so it seemed to me, it is an older anime. And honestly I don't find that it suits it. But it does a lot of other stuff well enough to overlook this. The soundtrack was a major plus for me. The opening and closing songs were great, though I don't know why they took away the horns on the opening half way through, I mean that was the best part. Voice acting is what you'd expect from any Japanese anime really, it's very high quality. The story itself is very intriguing. I found out through ... research that hardcore drugs are a part of the novel and manga and explain the main characters hallucinations, which would have really helped in the anime, as I find them to be slightly ridiculous, although you can sort of see them as a side effect of his isolation. The main character can get a bit annoying at times with his obliviousness, but I suppose that adds to the realness of his condition, though I'm not sure it's always super well done, or at least not to my liking. The ending too is a bit too vague for me, but good enough. Ultimately I'd recommend it and think it's a good show that covers some interesting topics, specifically related to Japanese culture, however, widespread enough to cross over into other cultures as well.