It all started when Makoto first laid eyes on the beautiful but timid Kotonoha. He never had the guts to tell her that he was interested, but would instead watch her at school and on the train in silence, being happy with just that.
However, a rather outspoken girl named Sekai finds out about his crush after seeing Kotonoha's picture is Makoto's cell phone wallpaper. After teasing him, she decides to help the two get together. At first, her attempts end up in success, and the three become close enough that Kotonoha learns of and accepts Makoto's feelings.
...Of course, feelings start to change, which cause not only these three, but their classmates as well, to keep crossing the lines between love, lust, friendship, hatred, jealousy, and life and death.
Synopsis: clanlax
Story & Characters
Plot Summary: Makoto Ito rides the train to and from school every day. However, at the beginning of his second term, he
falls in love with a beautiful girl that also rides the train. Unfortunately, she barely knows of his existence. Her
name is Kotonoha Katsura, and though they attend the same school, they are not in the same class. In an attempt to catch
her eye, Makoto enlists the aid of a close female friend of his: Sekai Saionji. She helps him, despite the fact that
she--unbeknownst to Makoto--is in love with him. Thus the three are bound in a love triangle of life changing
proportions.
I was, at first, very hesitant about picking up the torrents for this show. In fact, I didn't even give it serious
thought about it until my friend told me that he liked it and was a good 12 Episode watch to get away from the Shounens
that have seemingly decided to invade every so often. So I do believe that it does not deserve points for attention
grabbing, but that said it makes up for that later and gets to the point of "godly" during some parts. Others
are just plain aggravating and/or stupid. But that seems to show that they really did their job of working the story to
make the viewer feel something really well.
Let it be known, this is not your average love triangle or even love any geometric figure. Its real shape is quite
unknown to me, as I really didn't keep track of how many girls were trying to get the main character, but it
definitely surpassed Love Hina in that regard, but fails to reach Negima level. If any of you want to try and keep
track, you can probably look at his cell phone during various parts of the show and see. (Yeah, they went pretty
detailed.) It deviates from the genre's standards by introducing a "Psychological Horror" aspect to it,
that I found very enjoyable, even if slightly awkward in some places and rather direct in the characters'
actions.
Yet unlike other "Psychological Horror"-type stories, this one presents a modern day scenario riddled with
morals ripe for the picking. I don't think there is a person a live that couldn't take some bit of advise or
something of the like from this anime. (And it isn't that Playboys are people that should be killed or something
like that. At least that isn't what I say in the story.) (More on this in the Presentation Section)
The show takes some of the accompanying cliques and combines them some rather interesting traits that will be a welcome
thing to long time viewers of the genre. And with a realistic feeling story, it follows through to get a decent score of
an 8. As I said, it's got its ups, but it has a too many downs to really deserve a 9.
Rating: 8
Art
The art is a variable mixture of styles that vary based on the mood that the animators, story-boarders, and other
production staff were trying to convey. Or trying to emphasize certain elements of the story and reveal other things as
it progressed. (They are subtle, so make sure you brought some patience.)
Considering that it is a "Slice-of-Life" genre anime, it is only natural that elements exist: 1) School
Uniforms, 2) Cute Restaurant Outfits, 3) Alluring girls. This show produces all that and a little bit more.
As I have said before, they show the character's cell phones quite a bit in this anime. They are not just realistic
in their designs, but in the way they function and the like. (Watch these, they serve a huge purpose throughout the
show.)
As you have been reading, you have probably noticed that I see a lot of purpose in their use of certain things over
others and vice-versa. They did a great job in this category and deserve ample credit for doing it.
Again, I will give this an 8. (Even if I want to give it an extra point, b/c of the funny chibis featured in the eye
catches, I won't.)
Rating: 8
Sound
I have to say, despite not instantly liking the opening theme, it was very appropriate for the show. And the same to be
said with the closing themes.
Opening Theme:
"Innocent Blue" by DeviceHigh
Ending Theme:
#1: "Usotsuki" by CooRie
#2: "Ai no kakera" by Miyuki Hashimoto
#3: "Waltz" by Kanako Itou
#4: "Kioku no Umi" by yozuca*
#5: "Look at me" by YURIA
#6: "Anata ga...Inai -Remix Version.-" by Minami Kuribayashi
#7: "Namida no Riyuu" by Kuribayashi Minami (ep 6)
#8: "Still I Love You " by KIRIKO
The whole cast for the show did very well in conveying the point of the story and were very emotional in their
performances. (They will be Honored after I finish my spiel.) Would you believe that there were only 12 major roles in
this series? Yes, 12.
Daisuke Hirakawa as Makoto Ito
Shiho Kawaragi as Sekai Saionji
Tae Okajima as Kotonoha Katsura
Chiaki Takahashi as Nanami Kanroji
Haruka Nagami as Otome Kato
Keiko Imoto as Setsuna Kiyoura
Megu Ashiro as Kokoro Katsura
Ryouko Tanaka as Hikari Kuroda
Yoshiaki Matsumoto as Taisuke Sawanaga
Eri Saito as Kumi Mori
Minami Kuribayashi as Minami Obuchi
Nana Furuhara as Natsumi Koizumi
I found that the OST was, for the most part, appropriate for the situations that were in the show. And made the funny
even funnier, the crazy into insane. But, it wasn't the "Shuffle!" styled OSTs that we have become
hopelessly addicted to. That said, it wasn't like listening to an out of tune, out of date, piece of ---- of a
Soundtrack that would make one fall asleep.
It was a supporting element, not the main attraction, and it did its job really well. But as in all things, it could
have been better, and I believe could have supported some areas of the story a little bit better. So, considering all
that, I believe a 7 would be considered fair.
Rating: 7
Presentation
As I seem to keep reiterating, the presentation was exquisite. (Not perfect, but exquisite.)
They (The Production staff) decided to, for the bulk of the show, turn the main character into an inconsiderate, ---hole
with a sex drive that is just way too powerful. (I'm a guy, and I say that's not healthy, but I understand why
they did that. And I will admit that I was almost yelling every time he did something that led him to his ultimate
fate.) I think, that the unrealistic side of his actions and desires really was the only down part of this show. But
then again, we can't have an epiphany, if he doesn't do that, so we must have him walk down the dark
side.
With themes varying from Love and Friendship to Peer Pressure and Teen Sex, and ultimately to Seduction and Murder, one
can't say this is the greatest watch in the world for kids or "Mr. Liberty-and-Freedom" type people. But
for everyone else, this should be a must watch. (You will take something from this anime! You can't be human, if
you don't take some kind of moral understanding from this anime.)
So with an extremely well done (but not perfect) presentation, I believe that it is fair to give it a 9.
Rating: 9
Final Verdict
8.1667 (good)
Reviewed by Hasaki-Keissi, Nov 26, 2007
