Anime: Angel Beats! 6x2sz

I when I began watching seasonal anime and this show was hailed as one of the best and most recommended ever. Now it stands in a weird status, as it’s ed as the best not KyoAni Jun Maeda show after the two huge flops he would make later, yet for the same reason seemingly nobody goes out of their way to recommend it. I’m glad it took me so many years to write about it because if I had done it back when I delved into it, it would have been one my most rage fuelled reviews ever, since this is easily one of my most hated anime of all time. Now that I mellowed considerably I think I can say everything that I found wrong about it properly.

First, if there was something that was almost universally praised back then was the animation and I don’t exactly get why. I mean, to be fair, the artwork is clean with practically not quality drops I guess, the backgrounds are well done, as it’s usually the case with P.A. Works, and it’s true that it has among the best uses of lighting and shading you can find on any anime of its time and that would only age for the better as time ed. I don’t know why but many seasonals nowadays can’t reach even that level of more than a decade ago in that department. The body language when the characters do something that’s supposed to be funny is quite good as well. Even with all that said, when you compare it with some of the shows and movies that were coming out in its year or even the one before it, can you really say this is among the best animated? Because I sure can’t.

The series has this weird black dust, clouds creatures, things that appear sometimes out of nowhere and those look really bad and outdated by now, heck, they already looked weak for the time this anime came out, and let me tell you that when the characters fight against them the motions are not very good either, heck they aren’t really that good at any fight at all. Even when the characters fight among themselves they mostly stand or sit still and shoot their guns and that’s it. Only one of them who has some kind of energy blades moves around well. Plus the special effects during fights aren’t very good either, certainly not as good as what it’s done with the backgrounds. Also, although the body language is good in the comical moments as I said, thanks to the repetition of the jokes, and the overuse of sped up movements, even that can become repetitive and boring to look at pretty fast.

Aside from that you have the character designs which are easily one of the most uninspired that I have seen in my life, in anime at least. This is an usual problem with P.A. Works, they change their style with every new show they make and although that way their series don’t feel visually rehashed and repetitive, it’s what makes them lack a visual identity on their own, it’s easy to mistake any of their products with something done by anyone else. In this case, outside of the coloring of their hairs that makes them look like everyone has wigs, there’s not much issue with the character figures themselves, as they are always consistent unless they are purposely deformed for comedic effect, it’s just that every one of them feels like an uninspired KyoAni reject or straight up clone. The only one I can make an exception for is a dude known as TK who would have never be done by that studio, but the rest? It’s not that they look generic, it’s that they straight up make you think that you are watching something else. Visually, this anime really feels like it was done this way just to cash in on the fame of Kyoto Animation and other Jun Maeda recent shows and movies at the time, I mean just look at the dates.

The music was also quite praised at the time and I don’t think this aspect is outstanding either, just like I don’t find any particular tearjerker anime to have an amazing soundtrack, it’s all slow and sad piano pieces and simple and generic equally slow and sad jpop songs for both background music and opening and ending. The only reason why they are ed is for the details outside the composition. In case of the intro is for how out of place it feels with its almost melancholic tone even though the series is half tryhard funny and half overdramatic, and its unusually still images and naming of the characters that made it look more like the opening for an early 2000s visual novel instead of one for an original television series. In case of the ending is for how less characters appear with the ing episodes, as they keep dying in series, which is actually a good detail. As for the insert songs, it’s not for the singing or instrumentals themselves, but because they are used for the scenes when someone dies.

The sound effects are pretty good and the voice acting normal, average.

Now on to the real problems with the series which are plot and characters, you know, what should be the most important aspects of any show, even more so to be labeled as amazing.

To start, the premise is only half interesting when you read that it’s about people on the afterlife but then it stops being so because it takes place in a high school. Not only it comes off as uninspired as the character designs, it also only works in a meta sense to be relatable for a teenage audience, it otherwise brings so many issues in its logic because aside from an occasional teacher, only teens are ever seen in this setting, what about everyone else? Kids, adults, old people? Where do they go when they die? Not there, apparently. With better or worse results, similar products like Haibane Renmei and What Dreams May Come explain the internal logic of their settings with a little something called world building. Not Angel Beats, it’s a series that takes place on a school just because, the show never explains why, and when it’s about to end and seemingly going to do so as the main characters face the apparent main antagonist, he doesn’t know either, the place existed before him, so the world of this anime remains unexplored all the way through.

The series tries to establish a rule by saying that if the characters don’t do something at the school other than studying and getting good grades, they’ll disappear, but even then it’s only an excuse for typical school anime situations and nothing else. What about all the other quiet and still students? Why don’t we see them doing something to avoid disappearing or at least see those go away? Because they are background unimportant characters, that’s why. World consistency is not important apparently.

What’s usually said to defend this show, is that it was meant to be twice longer, but that’s only an explanation for how bad it is at best, if the team behind its production knew that, they should have rewrite the script to be more focused and not spend as much time with typical school comedy as it does. There is also extended media from it that supposedly explains the missing details, but that doesn’t affect the lack of planning and quality of the series.

Another issue is how there are no rules for the world whatsoever, anything can happen at any moment to have something happening and any random thing for the characters to do at some point, just as an excuse for something to face in any episode, just to fill space and time, being other students or monsters. Plus whatever damage is made to the setting have no impact whatsoever, and characters can heal wounds or respawn quickly, they also can make guns or other weapons appear out of nowhere.

Anyways, the real way for the characters to away and reincarnate is to their lives and deaths, meaning, that until that happens they don’t have any backdrop, and when their pasts are revealed, they disappear, thus the series becomes formulaic, repetitive and predictable. You just know that when someone is getting focus, is going to die, and when they do, sad piano and an insert song is going to kick in to manipulate your emotions and try to make you cry for a character that up until that point was nothing more than a generic character archetype. It’s even worse when it’s revealed that some of them knew the others from before, because if they were able to the rest earlier, the show would be over much faster. This only aids to make you notice that all the school comedy bits were a waste of time. Hell, not even all the characters that the series presents at the beginning get to reveal their backdrops to the audience, some of them just away out of screen.

And there are even more problems with this element which is that, with almost no probability whatsoever, some of them get to reunite after their reincarnation, which on top of being astronomically convenient, ruins the supposed emotional departures, even the last scene, which by the way was a huge plot hole, as it’s revealed that one of the first main characters known to have appeared in the setting somehow died after the protagonist who was the latest to spawn there.

Just for the sake of overkill, I could also say how the series tries to build a romantic dynamic with some of them but without meaningful nor distinct interactions whatsoever, even less because they can’t know much about their partners otherwise that’d mean their deaths.

There’s nothing good I can say about this anime, the sound department, the visuals, and the premise are uninspired, the plot and setting make no sense, the pacing is atrocious, both the jokes and emotional moments are presented in a way that becomes formulaic, repetitive and predictable, the directing is manipulative, the characters are archetypes with close to no dynamics among them almost to the end, its legacy has been practically ruined, and as a whole, despite being an original show, it feels like a rehashed and derivative project made on the fly to cash in some popular products from its time. It’s no longer among the top worst anime I have seen as it was back when I watched it, as I’ve consumed much worse since then unfortunately, but it remains one of my most hated ones and perhaps the one I consider to be the most overpraised and overrated.

Angel Beats is a thirteen episode anime that follows a group of dead people in what I assume is limbo. It looks good, the plot sounds good, but the anime itself fails in a few respects. Most notably, in the character and story department. Not to say either are bad, they have high points, but especially with the nonsensical pacing of the story, there are problems. Let’s take a deeper look.

The story of Angel Beats follows a man named Otonashii. He has died apparently and is suffering from amnesia. When he awakens on the other side he meets a girl named Yuri who runs a battlefront fighting against a girl they call Angel. He starts off fighting Angel, but soon Otonashii finds out how mistaken they were in fighting the poor girl and he helps people understand her as they combat against an even worse foe, shadows that will eat the souls of the Battlefront .

Toward the end Otonashii and Kanade (the angels real name) help people on from this Limbo. We learn a huge secret about Kanade and what should have been a startling revelation about Kanade getting a new heart when she was alive, Otonashii’s heart, is not explained well enough for me to understand. Kanade was apparently in this limbo before Otonashii and I wonder if perhaps Otonashii had just been a wandering soul while Kanade was in this limbo. The time frame is confusing since Otonashii had to have died to give Kanade the heart, and Kanade had to have died after Otonashii.

Beside that there are a few problems with how Kanade knew she could manipulate herself and create abilities through using computers. This is a big part of the show that I guess is supposed to add a matrix-like feel. It just confuses me on how smart she is about this world and how she was there before Otonashii.

The ending is heart-warming/wrenching. Otonashii falls in love with Kanade and Kanade tells Otonashii thank you for giving her his heart. In his hands, Kanade disappears. It’s a terrible ending, I wish Otonashii and Kanade could have been together and it certainly could bring a tear to the eye. I wish that this ending could have been happier. I’m not going to mark the story down for ending this way, but I wish anime would end happily.

Angel Beats has amazing animation. You can tell big bucks went into the animation. The fluid action, the great character design, the amazing backgrounds. It’s a very pretty anime. I can’t gripe about anything in this department.

The music of Angel Beats is not too bad. The opening is okay but not amazing, the ending song is okay, but not amazing. The band within the show, Girls Dead Monster, sounds pretty good and shines as the best part of the shows sound. Sound effects are good and voice actors do a good job of bringing emotion into the characters.

I wish I could say the show shines in the character department, but it doesn’t, it does an alright job. There are so many characters that you won’t get to really know but for one or two quirks, and the characters aside from Otonashii, Yuri, and Kanade are all not too exciting. Sure they bring some comic relief, but you don’t feel for them. Maybe a little for the pink haired Yui and other characters who tell how they died and what they want to do to make up for their terrible lives; but otherwise they are bland. And why does Yui have a tail?

Otonashii isn’t amazing as a character in any respect. He’s likeable, he seems to be the voice of reason, but he’s also bland. He’s just a guy thrown into the middle of a big problem and he wants to fix it. At the end of the show you will feel bad for him, but you otherwise can’t help but consider him generic.

Yuri is the same way. She’s likeable for her past and likeable in general, but she’s too much like other characters out there (Haruhi Suzumaya).

Kanade is a good character, you can feel for her, but there are just some problems in how quiet she is and none of her background in this limbo-like place is ever explained. She’s the best character of the show, but she’s still not an amazingly good character. She’s merely good. And that’s probably because she’s the focal point of the anime. It’s the same with Homura Akemi from Madoka. As the focal point, she has to be the best and most fleshed out character. Kanade isn’t fleshed out much, but she is a good character emotionally and you can invest yourself in her just by feeling bad.

It’s what I like to call Elfen Lied syndrome. Do terrible things to cute anime girls and you’ll get an emotional response.

Angel Beats delivers a solid experience full of laughs and tears and decent action. The problem is in the fact that the characters all seem pretty conventional and it’s pace is also sometimes tough to understand. There is a lot of seriousness, but when the episodes are just trying to be silly, it feels out of place. The animation and sound are good, the story could have been good if some of the areas were fleshed out a bit more and explained. The characters are not average, they are good, but I can’t help but feel like I’ve seen these characters many times in many different bodies in many different anime. Kanade is the only character who stands out, and as stated, that mostly has to do with the fact she is the focal point of the show and any emotions you invest will more than likely be placed in her.

It certainly can be entertaining, but one of the things I think it’s lacking is with the pace. I feel that if the series had been extended a bit more, it wouldn’t have felt so oddly paced. If there were more episodes dedicated to the characters and not as much the plot it might have helped keep the series balanced and not allow for the few odd episodes about the characters that ruin the pace. It also would have allowed for the background characters to get some more screen time and for us to learn more about them and what their aspirations are, how they died, and things like that.

That aside, for what it is, Angel Beats is great. A large, colorful cast of characters, an intriguing backdrop, and what amounts to be a surprisingly heartfelt and compellingly watchable anime.

Angel Beats is an uplifting tales about the battles fought between an SOS-clone group and God in a place called purgatory (like a boarding school), filled with students who did not have a satisfying real life. The SSS fight to be rebellious to God, in order not to "disappear" forever, as what happens when other students who act their part in the school.

This is a very unique setting (everyone is, well dead) combined with a very unique and engaging plot line. Through in a very diverse cast of characters and notable VAs and you end up with one outstanding piece of work. I was very impressed with the collaborative effort between bigshots (such as Jun Maeda and Seiji Kishi) in pulling off this work.

Animation:
Stunning. Drawings are very crisp and in typical Key fashion you get strong colors that help define the mood. There are plenty of battle scenes (sometimes a bit bloody) with good choreography and non-intrusive CG. There are a LOT of ing/main characters in this show and the team did a great job of giving everyone a distinct personality and look (wow @ Yui). But yes, I did think at first this was a Haruhi clone with the SOS and Haruhi-lookalike Yuri. But don't be fooled, this is completely different.

Sound:
The OP is great as it combines the calmness of typical Key works with a bit of the urgency that the plot line demands. The ED is if anything even better; it serves as a cool-down after all the action and really fits (esp for the later episodes). The BGM is comparatively average (esp considering other Key works) but serves its purpose.

The VAs in this series are amazing and do a great job to bring out their respective character's personalities. They even got an American dude to do TK's voice. Ultimate props to Eri Kitamura for the uber-outgoing Yui.

Story:
This is not a story for the weak as EVERY character, be it main or ing, has had a very tragic past (previous life) and these will be explored in depth as the story progresses. The pacing is very quick as, despite everyone not being able to die, being already dead, it is an uphill battle to rebel against the forces of God and Tenshi, who seeks to restore order to the school.

There is immense depth to this story that doesn't become unraveled until near the end, it is impossible to explain how brilliant the execution was without disclosing spoilers but in general I was amazed at what they pulled off here. In such a short series, they were able to completely explicate the background for many of the SSS and give an amazing final arc. As I mentioned, this is a hopeful, uplifting tale; it just takes a while to get there.

Along the way, you will find LOTs of humor from the cast be it simple pranks or the unbelievable innocence of Tenshi, and plenty of action and battles (and a few insert songs from the SSS band).

Character:
Each character here has a unique personality that the VAs bring to life to great effect. You really do feel a connection to the group and at the end, though it is conclusive, wish as though they could have extended the fun some more. My only complaint here would be the misleading use of Yuri in all the Angel Beats ads (as if they were saying "look here, it's like Haruhi!") even though her air time is considerably less than Otonashi and Tenshi (the real protagonists in my opinion).

Furthermore, all the characters here are dynamic, though the reason for this does not become apparent until the latter part of the series. The final episode just left my jaw open for like 5 minutes.

Value:
This is truly a great series. It was both heartwarming watch and a reminder that not all people live such fortunate lives as to be able to enjoy a home/have the time and $ to afford internet, etc. It's been a long time since I've seen something as unique and brilliant as this.

Angel Beats!

Abstract: Locked away in a little slice of Purgatory, a girl leads a rebellion against God. A man without a memory must unravel the reason for his life and death, all why trying to redeem those around him from their sins. A clever and engaging work from an industry leader in thought-provoking dramas, Angel Beats is a deep look at what it means to be human, while not skimping on a heavy dose of moe. Final Grade: A

Genre: Philosophy
Content: Excessive Blood

Reasons to Watch: Deep drama; Clever comedy; Shoot-em-up action; The utter moe of Tenshi
Reasons not to Watch: Takes deep thought; At times melodramatic

Plot: 9
Here at least
we shall be free; the Almighty hath not built
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence:
Here we may reign secure, and in my choice
to reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.
--Paradise Lost, Book I, Lines 258-63.

When Angel Beats! was first announced, it drew the inevitable comparisons to Haruhi. It didn't help in the least that the character design of Yurippe looked remarkable similar to the SOS Brigade Leader. But while Yuri's character quite divergent from Haruhi, both shows share one major point – the are both philosophical in nature. The philosophies themselves are quite different (Angel Beats focus mainly on theological points) but the rarity of a show about ideas is something to be celebrated. Angel Beats is intelligent, it is well scripted, and it is thought provoking. It cares Visual Art's/Key's signature blend of gut-busting comedy mixed with devastating tragedy that they have shown so well in past epics like Kanon and Clannad. While similar morality plays often become dry and preachy (cough...Arjuna...cough), Angel Beats avoids this trap by not taking itself too seriously. There are plenty of absurdities to balance the more dramatic scenes (case in point: the bloody adventures to The Guild). Probably the weakest point in the plot was the advent of the Shadows. They were necessary, for Yurippe needed something to rebel against, and they were rationalized into the story better than I though they would be, but I wish the writers could have come up with a better way to bring about Yurippe's final temptation. But I have to say, the finally temptation was carried out marvelously well. In Angel Beats, Yuri plays the role of Lucifer, the rebel against God. Unable to forgive God for the wretched word He created, Yuri spends most the show trying to destroy and foil all of His plans. So at the end, when Yuri is offered “all the kingdoms of this world, with all their authority and splendor”, it is the most dramatic point it the story. The choice Yuri makes is where the writers stake their claim on whether humanity is good or evil. And the role the character of Yurippe plays in the narrative is rather interesting as well. The story is narrated by Otonashi, and Yuri isn't even the most important character within Otonashi's story (that goes to Tenshi). But Yuri is at the heart of main plot. This can lead to moments at in the mid-story where there is a certain confusion in who is the main character here, but it works itself by the end. Otonashi may play Ishmael to Yuri's Captain Ahab, but unlike the Nantucket sailor he has enough sense to challenge Yuri's mad schemes. The final ending is the same syrupy-sweet ending I have come to expect from Key, but the inclusion of an Alternate Ending puts a spin on the story and in the overall, improves it. Every work by Key has a simple central theme to it. Kanon was about miracles. Clannad was about family. Angels Beats is about forgiveness. But it not the forgiveness of others, but rather the characters seek to forgive themselves. It is not atonement that is offered in this Purgatory, but the ability to finally accept who they are. Grade: A-

Art: 10
Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell
--Macbeth, Act 4, Scene 3

Clannad was very beautiful, although there wasn't much to show off in it. Angel Beats gets to show off. From the wonderful animation in the OP to exquisitely choreographed fight scenes, Angel Beats just glitters with delightful eyecandy. The guns are exceptionally well detailed and integrate well into the rest of the artwork. The backgrounds are always detailed. The concert scenes with the all girls band are just great (another thing stolen borrowed from Haruhi?) and I can not imagine the effort it took to make those crowds of NPCs. But it is the characters designs that really shine. From the little details, like the broken chains on Yui's hands (symbolize much?) to the bizarre costumes and antics of TK, this show really went all out. But the greatest point is Tenshi. Tenshi is unbelievably cute. Small, with a slight build and humongous eyes, everything about her just screams moe. Key is an expert at deg characters to fall in love with, and they crafted another with their angel. In an age companies are cutting corners and producing cheap animation to cover costs, to see this quality of animation in a TV show is a blessing. Grade: A

Sound: 9
If I can not bend Heaven, I shall move Hell.
--Aeneid, Book VII, line 312

Let me just put this right here: they got a native English speaker to voice TK. WHY DON'T MORE SHOWS DO THIS? IF you're going to have a character that speaks mainly English, get a native speaker! If Nanoha can do it, why can't other shows? Just grab a gaijin off the street and have him speak some lines! Anyway, along with TK, the rest of the characters have some great voice acting. Yuri is voiced by a newcomer Sakurai Harumi, who gave it the performance of her (currently limited) career. The veteran Kamiya Hiroshi gives another splendid performance as Otonashi, and again shows despite his frantic work as Nozomu Itoshiki and Ichinomiya "Rec" Kou, he can not be typecast. And Tenshi was given life by the elite Hanazawa Kana, who adds another masterwork beside her previous performances as Sengoku Nadeko (Bakemonogatari) and Kajiwara Sora (Sketchbook ~full color'S). Kitamura Eri, gives another of her enegetic performances as Yui. Ms. Kitamura might be only good as a genki character, by you can't deny she is good at it. Angel Beats has a large cast of characters, and side characters are a mix of veterans and rookies. This proves to the show's advantage, as the veterans give the show stability while the newcomers give us some fresh voices to hear. I must say while the OP is a delightful piano piece, I found the ED to be dry and lacking, which actually reduced the emotion response. A small thing, but damaging enough. Grade: A-

Characters: 10
A mind not to be changed by place or time.
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n.
--Paradise Lost, Book I, Lines 253-55

Despite all the flashy shoot-em-up scenes and numerous gags, Angels Beats, in its heart, remains a story about the internal conflict with characters. The characters are forced to question their very reason for existence. But for Yurippe, her internal conflict spreads outside. Her personal rebellion against God pulls the others to orbit around her, like a rouge planet ripping through an asteroid belt. She is very much like Haruhi in this. But Yuri differs from Haruhi in everything else. Haruhi is self-centered and arrogant, while Yurippe is self-conscious and wracked by uncertainty. Haruhi is always looking towards the future, while Yuri is haunted by the ghosts of the past. And Haruhi, despite my love for her, is a one-dimensional caricature out of plot necessity. Yuri is a very deep and tortured character, and a very human one for that. As for the other characters, we don't get this deeply into all of them, but that is probably for the best. As much as I would like to hear the backstory of characters like TK, in a limited number of episodes, we are given everything we need. Besides, too many sob stories and they would start to lose their power. The story of the narrator, Otonashi, is classic Key, and unlike so many male leads, is both intelligent and interesting (of course, Visual Art's/Key has always had strong male leads). The character of Tenshi is the most straightforward, and in this case, the most boring. They really missed the mark with Tenshi – she is beautiful to look and has a moe personality, but she is not particularly interesting. She is overshadowed by the flamboyance of Yuri and the healing nature of Otonashi. She is extremely important to the both development of Otonashi and Yuri, but she can not hold a story by herself. For the other characters, we do learn some of their stories, the sins they committed and the regrets they hold. There are some emotionally moving scenes, particularly with both female vocalists, an the conversion of Naoi is also touching, if somewhat unbelievable for a more cynical viewer. But it is the end of the series, that the writers really pour on the heavy emotional stuff. Again, the more cynical would find this overwrought and somewhat tacky, but in certain ways, this is as important as the temptation of Yuri. As Yuri represents Lucifer in this morality play, Otonashi represents Jesus. Like Jesus, Otonashi is sent to this world in which he doesn't belong to redeem the sins of every man and woman. As we learn the truth of his past, he becomes such a noble and self-sacrificing soul that it starts to piss you off. How can one man be so saintly? Well, like Yuri, he too has his trial. This final scene is one of the best of the show, because it stripes away the god-part of his soul and leaves the human side bare. Here we see that Otonashi is not the Japanese Jesus, he is no comionate Buddha, but a man, flawed and hypocritical, who is more than willing to send people off to heaven but is unwilling to move on himself, too afraid to lose his love again. Like Yuri must choose between hatred or forgiveness, Otonashi must make a choice that will define him. He must decide whether humanity still needs a guardian or if we are strong enough to stand on our own. He must decide whether he wants to move forward as an adult, or stay trapped in the past. This is why it is great to have this alternate ending. It adds a level of uncertainty to Otonashi's actions, and make us question if he every does learn how to live for himself, instead of living for others. All in all, Angel Beats is one of the best character studies produced in 2010. Grade: A

Value: 9
A samurai once asked Zen Master Hakuin where he would go after he died. Hakuin answered 'How am I supposed to know?'
'How do you know? You're a Zen master!' exclaimed the samurai.
'Yes, but not a dead one,' Hakuin answered.
--A Zen mondo

Watchability: The story is gripping and fast moving, although it is dense enough to prevent marathons. You really need to take breaks between episodes, just to digest what is happening. While the story did get a little unbalanced with the introduction of the shadows, it remained a clever and surprising show throughout its run. Grade: A
Re-watchability: Most of the episodes are great, and even after you know the ending, you still can enjoy the series a second time. But, as I said, most of the episodes are great. There are a few that are overly dramatic or too slow to really enjoy. Grade: B+
Historical Value: Visual Art's/Key is rather famous, and their work is always relevant. I don't see Angel Beats going anywhere anytime soon. Grade: A

Enjoyment: 10
'Twas now the hour that turneth back desire
In those that sail the sea, and melts the heart,
The day they've said to their sweet friends farewell
-Purgatorio, Canto VII, lines 1-3

Loved it. It was clever. It had none of the visual novel flaws that infest other Key works. The slapstick comedy was amusing and kept the show from being a downer, while the heavy drama kept things serious enough to actually tell a story (very similar to Clannad in this respect). Tenshi is really, really cute, and she was a major draw. And there were plenty of twists and turns, and it made me wonder how they could fit all this story into thirteen episodes. The religious motif was masterfully done, and I haven't had this much fun watching a show about the afterlife since Haibane Renmei. Grade: A

Errata:
I watched Angel Beats with subs by Unlimited Translation Works. Tenshi was so moe I fell completely and utterly in love with her. If you hadn't figured it out by my name, theology is a bit of a hobby of mine, and so I was destined to love this show. All reviews are done independent of the original format or other adaptions.

Final Grade: A

So, Angel Beats! is now over, time to review. I guess...

I must say right off the bat that I liked Angel Beats! Although I'll try not to be, this review might be a little bias towards Angel Beats!.

Animation - Looks phenomenal
Seriously, you can tell from the first episode that this series had a high budget. The characters look great, the backgrounds are nicely detailed and the characters have this life-like appearance to them. They blink, they shift their weight, they motion with their hands/bodies as they talk. Although it isn't anything revolutionary, it is still a nice thing to have. Dynamic characters are always a plus in my opinion. I don't mean dynamic as their personalities change but that they aren't static. I think you understand.

Anyway. As I've said; the animation is nice. Characters look great, although some of them will remind you of other characters from different series. Not only in looks but in personality. Yuri, (aka Yurippe) the leader, does remind me of Suzumiya Haruhi. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily... but it does knock off some points for a lack of originality. Which this series is suppose to be completely original; ie. not based off of a pre-existing novel or manga or game. Although Key is involved, it makes you wonder if there will be a game sometime down the road.

The backgrounds are nicely detailed even though it gets highly repetative. Being centered around a school in the after-life there wasn't too much to draw on locations. Although during flashbacks on a few of the characters lives does show different backgrounds... it is few and fairly far between. Again, points knocked off for a little cheapness. Although can you really blame them? Why draw the same classrooms/cafeteria/gymnasium over and over again when you can draw it once?

Overall, animation scores a 7,5 rounded down to 7.

Sound - Loved the opening and ending
From the very first time I heard the opening, I loved it. Although it doesn't quite fit with the goings on of the show, I still loved it. I was fairly "meh" about the ending until the fifth episode or so. I'll avoid spoilers but it was really touching. If I was an overly emotional type of guy, I'd probably have cried. Although I'll it that I did feel that choking feeling just before you do cry, although it didn't go past that.

As for the background music, there were some great scores. Normally I don't pay attention to the background music but during certain scenes it is really noticeable and really adds to what is going on. Again, I don't want to spoil anything... so I won't.

The seiyuu's did a great job, in my opinion. The voices for the characters was really fitting of their personalities. Although for the most part, the characters never felt like anything more than just characters. A few characters I did feel connected with and did like when they were on screen. Although that won't detract from the sound score...

I'd like to give sound a 10 solely based on the op/ed alone but I can't, I'll give it a firm 9 overall.

Story - Certainly an interesting one
The story revolves around a group of teenagers that feel unsatisfied with their lives after their untimely death. So they get sent to this school in the after-life in hopes that they can become satisfied and move on. Most of the first half of the story revolves around misunderstandings and the second half tries to develop some drama. Which for the most part would have been decent if they would have started with that drama from the beginning. However the comedic start detracts from the later development of said drama so it unfortunately feels out of place. The ending is decent and does a fairly "ok" job at wrapping the story up.

Overall the story is lacking and could have been much better given the circumstances of the plot. Blame that on poor writing and development. Story ultimately gets a 6.

Character Development - Would be great if it didn't include "development"
I like the characters... however this section isn't based solely upon the characters but the development that they go through during the course of the show. Which isn't much unfortunately.

A little on the characters:

Yuri
She is the leader of the group of teens. Her backstory is really traumatic.

Otonashi
He is the newest "recruit" and is the character that we follow. His past isn't revealed until half way through the show.

Tenshi (Kanade)
She is the "enemy".

I'll leave the characters at that, those three are the main characters.

Although the characters are likeable, they don't go through much development. You learn about a few of the characters' past and why they appeared at the school... but that is only a handfull of the characters and the rest are just there. You don't find out what it was that caused them to appear at the school or what they wanted for them to move on. Which is a bit of a shame but understandable given the constraints of the number of episodes.

Although the story was lacking and if that had been better written it quite possibly could have lead to better characters. For the most part I didn't any of the characters names except for 4 or 5 of them. The rest were there just to be there. Character development gets a dismal 4.

Value + Enjoyment - Value isn't much but enjoyment was
What do you get out of watching this show? Not much. The overall show is hurt by pacing and what drama they did try to develop would have been better off with more episodes. 12 episodes just isn't enough. I am sure my ratings would have been much higher had this series been 24 or 26. There are a few great moments in the show and I did enjoy it. The music was nice and there are quite a few touching moments that tug on the heart strings.

There are good anime shows. Nicely drawn, backed up by good sounds, based on a solid story. Many of these are enjoyable and entertaining works that allow for spending a good chunk of quality time in front of a tv screen.

And then there are shows that rip your heart out, reduce you to making whimpering teary noises and make you reevaluate your whole life.

There were exactly two shows in the whole wide anime world that did this for me personally. Angel Beats is one of these.

Animation

Very professionally done. Which is my way of saying "they put a lot of effort in it, but didn't really put their souls".

Still, the technical side of visual stuff is beyond reproach. That's one of these shows you want to watch in highest definition possible. The backgrounds are crispy, the motion is fluid, the special effects are plentiful and right on target for the best viewing experience.

The problem is, however, that - while the makers of the show put a lot of effort into getting the best picture quality - there is no vision in these pictures.

The world that's painted does not feel unique. If you want stuff that jumps out of the screen and lives it's own life on pure visual splendour, this is not the show you want. All this show has is just another high school infested with supernatural. If you want characters, whose individuality is palpable in their visual designs, this is also not a show you want. A testament to this fact is that early on you'll only be able to distinguish between the main character and his best friend by the color of their hair.

However, there still is something to be said for high budget animation. All the action scenes are awesome. If this was some shounen and the action scenes were it's whole point, then i'd easily give the animation a 10, 'cause when it moves, it MOVES. In fact, scratch everything i said above about the animation being non-unique. When it comes to action of every kind, you'll find yourself glued to the screen, waiting on the edge of your seat for what kind of stunt will the characters pull off to get by yet another obstacle in their path.
I haven't enjoyed action scenes this much since Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, and that's saying a lot.

So, the picture is perfectly executed, and - while mostly quite generic - has plenty of it's own moments in action department. 8/10 is what i can give to it.

Sound

I loved the music. I really did. It's not amazingly different, but it's still awesome. There is nothing wrong with mainstream if it's properly done, and here it's done properly. In fact, the opening sequence music has taken up a semi-permanent residence in my mp3 player.

The voice acting was on the level. Constricted by heavily stereotyped character design, but as perfect as it can get within these limits. SFX are smooth, fluid and go well with the picture. No problems here either.

I must say i am entirely comfortable giving this show a 10/10 in sound department.

The story...

You see, before we go into detail, let me say that i loved the story.

Yes, it has more loose ends than a teenage boy's hair. It is very very rushed in a lot of things. However, it doesn't skimp on it's core, which is a very powerful main plotline about a boy who falls deeply in love and tries to act on his love in every single way he can, which leads to one of most tear-wrenching endings i'd ever had the pleasure of seeing.



The story is not about everyone in that school, but just about the one guy, of what he is, of why he is what he is, and of what becomes of him.

And while some would say it is rushed, i felt it is a very pointed story with a very specific and deep message, which just doesn't concern itself with anything that doesn't help bring this specific message home.



Now, some would be left deeply dissatisfied by such an approach. There is this notion that world needs to be complete, everything needs to be neat and tidy and explained. Every character needs to have a reason to be there. Every plot detail needs to be justified.
Well, this show doesn't concern itself with that. It only tells you what you need to know and swiftly does away with everything else.

The only reason i can't give this story a perfect score is that in one very important case it broke away from this philosophy. One of the characters, who was eventually done away with, got a main-character treatment before that.

As a result, when the said character is discarded, the story loses a little.

Still, for me, it is a very good story, suffering from just one significant flaw - 8/10.

Characters

In short, the two characters that are the story's core are awesome. Characters that are not are 2-d paper doll clones from other series, or God knows from where.
You yourself can decide which way it rubs you. I found it actually helps focus on the story's main message.

Still, in of the usual character evaluation, you can say that the job was pretty much botched. Out of a more than 10 character cast, there are only two characters with solid and believable development, and one more who is too overdeveloped for the story's good.

The rest either don't really develop as the story progress, or develop in ways which i personally found appallingly hard to believe. Some characters, seemed to only exist to drop some one-liners and sing some pretty songs or maybe do some martial arts. That's just sad.

Grudingly, i give the character section 5/10. Job done for the story purposes, but poor otherwise.

Enjoyment

Well... This is a wildcard.

There is some basic level of enjoyment to be had from music and action scenes and some bit of humour here and there. But ultimately whether you'll truly enjoy the series or not depends completely and wholly on how well you can empathise with the main character.

If to you he appears as just one more generic red-head protagonist, than the enjoyment value will be low.
For me, he felt like a long-lost twin brother. He got under my skin like no other characters managed to for years. Thus my enjoyment was immense.

Another factor is how you'll deal with discarded characters. I guess it might really hurt to fall in love with one of these and see his fate not elaborated on at all. So i'll guess a point deduction for this is in order.

So yeah, i'll go ahead and give it a one point short of perfect score. 9 / 10

Value.

Objectively, this series has very little value. Mostly stereotypical characters. Mostly stereotyped setting. This is not a show that'll be widely d or discussed in the anime community, because it really has no unique appeal to a wide audience.

That being said, i personally never seen any show quite like it. In fact, i believe if more shows could maintain their focus on the story the way this one does, it'd be an immense boon the the whole industry.

Maybe i won't bring up this show in Internet discussion. Maybe this show won't have sequels or clones. But that final scene before the final credits roll will haunt me for years to come. This show can have immense value for you personally, if you'd let it.

8/10.