Wednesday, 11 February 2015

School Days - "Review...." eh, no Impression (for lack of a better term)

What the Hell did I just watch!! (Contains Spoilers)

I was originally introduced to this anime by a few friends online stating that it was one of the worst things they had ever seen. So when I was looking for a new show to watch, this poped in to my head, only 12 episodes long so it wouldn't take me too long to watch. How bad could it be?
Episodes 1 and 2 actually left a good impression, the characters were fairly cookie cutter but had room to improve and the romantic story being built up seemed fairly sweet and especially by the end of the second episode I had some high hopes. By the end of episode 3 (in the Very Last Scene, I want to stress this) Makoto, our "Protagonist" goes from a fairly naive, if hormonal, teenage boy, to a pig headed moron who pretty much just wants to use the, at this point in the story, sweet seeming Kotonoha for sex and has very little interest in any thing else.

Sekai the, I want to say, leading lady was probably the only character in this whole show I actually cared for, though I'm sure the show was trying to make you hate her. Midway, if that, through the series Makoto begins sleeping with Sekai behind Kotonoha's back, but instead of actually breaking up with her, he continues to lead her on. By episode 10 he is sleeping with every female character introduced (bar one who has her own boyfriend but does consider sleeping with him briefly). Sekai eventually reveals that she is pregnant, causing everyone to stay away from Makoto, except for Kotonoha who has deluded herself into thinking that herself and Makoto are still boyfriend and girlfriend.

At this point I advise you skip the next two paragraphs unless you have already seen the show or really don't care about the mother of all spoilers. 

Sekai and Makoto decide to raise the baby together so spend Christmas Eve together in an almost living together situation. While Sekai is cooking, Makoto decides to go for a walk were he finds Kotonoha sat under a Christmas tree, they decide to go for something to eat with Makoto texting Sekai that he will be late home and to not wait for him. Sekai goes out to try and find him and eventually spots them both. Going back to Makoto's house she throws away the dinner she had made and goes home. Makoto and Kotonoha decide to spend Christmas together and Makoto finally decides that Kotonoha is the one for him, they decide that Kotonoha will stay at Makoto's on Christmas and then spend Boxing Day on Kotonoh's boat.

Makoto decides to do the right thing and break up with Sekai, meeting with Sekai at his house, he things that the break up is going well until Sekai walks out of the room to make some tea, text's Makoto a message simply saying "Goodbye" and proceeds to stab him repeatedly with a kitchen knife. A few hours later Kotonoha arrives at Makoto's to find him dead. Using Makoto's phone she texts Sekai saying to meet on the roof of the School. They confront each other with Kotonoha pointing at a bag on the bench insisting that Makoto is sat right there, when Sekai opens the bag she is greeted with Makoto's head staring back at her. Kotonoha begins accusing her that the pregnancy was a lie and that she should admit it now before its to late. Sekai attempts to run away but is stabbed to death by Kotonoha after which Kotonoha slowly cuts open Sekai's womb Stating "Just as I Thought". The show ends with Kotonoha lying on her boat hugging Makoto's disembodied head saying "Now we can finally be together"

The Animation was fairly slandered given this being a Slice of Life show that was all that was needed. How ever I think the Animation could have taken a Page from Haruhi Suzumiya and taken there approach to splice of life scenes. Being also confined by being an adaptation of a visual Novel there are some limits to animation style, as well as the limitation with story. With the Normal visual Novel Adaptation, the studio picks one of the female leads and sticks with it, this on the other hand decided, 'forget that, lets have him sleep with everyone, than everyone is happy'.

The Characters are all fairly bland and one note with the only real exception being Sekai, who isn't a great character but actually has some personality as apposed to, the rich girl, the jock, the Rei Ayanami clone etc. The voice acting (given that I only speech basic Japanese) is fairly good considering what they are working with, the highlights being Sekai's Seiyu Shiho Kawaragi and Kotonoha's Seiyu Tae Okajima. Soundtrack wise there are no real stand outs even the opening is fairly forgettable, the only exception being the piece that plays during the last episode (you know the one I mean!)

As Seele once said " The Pain of destruction is also the joy of Rebirth" and believe me I have been destroyed and will hope fully be reborn with my next Anime Conquest: Madoka Magica
Side Note: I actually burst out laughing when I finished this Show, For the life of me I don't know why!

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