This is copied from my Journal on deviantART; it's the only review I've done so far. Next on my "list" is a retrospective on the first season of Pokemon (the Kanto league), as I'm currently rewatching the Pokemon series, and it has been very interesting.
Check out the review after the break!
So my first informal "review" of a show I just finished watching! I'm calling this "All the Right Notes" in reference to the different "notes" a show, movie, game, etc. must hit in order to be successful. These notes include emotional investment, music, art, etc., and I'm going to quickly talk about these as I think of them. These "reviews" are very informal, really just my opinions. I like articulating my thoughts on things I'm doing because I like recommending things to people and talking about them. :) Anyway I hope you like it!
Today's AtRN: Angel Beats!
Angel Beats! is an anime produced by P.A. Works and Aniplex, directed by Seiji Kishi, and conceived by Jun Maeda. Very basically, the story takes place in this afterlife-Purgatory-type place, where teenagers who died before they could really lead fuflilling lives go in order to experience some of the things they missed and come to peace with their lives before they died. Once they reach peace, they are able to move on.
I checked out Angel Beats! on a recommendation, and I'm going to straight up admit that the last episde made me bawl. However, I have to be careful because something moving you to tears does not automatically make it fantastic. Although there are a lot of things Angel Beats! gets right, there are some very glaring problems with the anime as a whole that make me very reluctant to put a confident stamp of approval on it.
Emotionally, Angel Beats! is very strong. It is easy to become invested in the vast cast of characters, each one having distinct personalities. And I must commend Angel Beats!: given the circumstances of these characters' lives, it would have been easy to overload the audience with manipulative sob stories. However, Angel Beats! dances on the knife's edge, giving the audience enough characters' backstories to create sympathy and depth, but not overdoing it to the point that I would have become desensitized.
However, there is plenty that the anime does not expand upon, and this problem can be traced back to what is really the root of all the troubles with this anime: its short length (which has been noted by pretty much any reviewers of the anime.) Angel Beats! is only 13 episodes, not nearly enough to flesh out the world properly. Apparently it was meant to be twenty-some episodes, and it shows. Too many plot points are brought up and either rushed or glossed over. Characters' motivations are fuzzy because they simply didn't have the time to properly explain them. A lot of the time I found myself asking, "Why are they doing this again?" When a viewer actually finds herself wanting the characters to just sit down and talk exposition to straighten things out, you know you have a problem.
Tech-wise, Angel Beats! has a very attractive style. It does some great work with lighting (evening, dark, morning, afternoon), and the animation quality overall was pretty good. I personally watched the dub because I prefer dubs over subs if the dub is even halfway good, and I give the dub a thumbs-up, typical for Aniplex. The opening sequence was extremely well done, and I happily watched it every single episode.
The music for Angel Beats! is a mixed bag. I actually never really noticed the music while watching the anime except in the parts where it is highlighted (such as the opening, credits, and when the in-universe band Girls Dead Monsteris playing). It didn't stand out. It wasn't until I listened to the OST that I realized that some of the songs are actually quite beautiful. Most of the soundtrack, however, is nothing special; the synthesizer songs don't do anything for me, and even some of the more orchestral pieces are kind of average. I will link some of the stand-out songs after the review for you to check out.
Overall, Angel Beats! hits every emotional note and is beautiful to look at, but far too rushed to really stand out. At only 13 episodes, people that enjoy anime or character-driven stories might want to check it out, but it's no breakthrough show I'd recommend for everyone.
Notable Songs from Angel Beats!
Opening Song: My Soul, Your Beats!
Unjust Life
My Most Precious Treasure
Brave Song
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