Sakamichi no Apollon

My first ever review on this site! And my first 10!. In all honesty this show forced me to write a review, I enjoyed it that much. What makes the plot so good is it's characters, they are all enjoyable in their own way as well as being extremely relate-able. The characters grow on you very quickly and you feel all the pain and happiness that they feel within the first few episodes. The show also made my laugh out loud many times throughout the 12 episodes even though the specific moments were not necessarily meant to be funny, i was laughing with the characters on many occasions instead of laughing at them like in many comedy shows. I also realized that i was smiling at times without realizing it simply because of the love for the characters, however the anime is not all fun and games as it takes a refreshingly realistic stance in terms of the romance in a similar way to "5 centimeters per second". The story pics and chooses it's moments perfectly to tug at your heart strings perfectly with many moments causing me to choke up (Big deal as I don't cry at all) while also being packed with memorable moments that make my hairs stand on end. The story completely drew me in and this tale of friendship was an absolute masterclass. 10/10 The story was accompanied by beautiful animation and outstanding music thanks to Yoko Kanno and a plethora of well chosen jazz pieces that are played throughout the show. The opening is delightful and the ending equally great, songs are perfectly suited to their moments whether it be happiness or heartbreak. The animation is also top quality with excellent shading and crisp lines that are extremely realistic and make the characters so life like and contribute greatly to the realism of the show. In terms of animation when Kaoru, Sentaro and co where jamming out it was outstanding again. The animation quality was fantastic and you really felt like they where playing the instruments with such fluid and life like animations. Big acclaims to MAPPA and Tezuka Productions. 10/10 Overall I think it's easy to see my love of this show and my reason for writing a review. The show is perfect in every way with interesting and lovable characters, excellent and fluid animation as well as truly beautiful music. Really urge you all to watch this show as it was a thoroughly enjoyable roller coaster of emotions as I followed these friends in an excellent coming of age story. What seems like a love story is ultimately overshadowed by true friendship. Masterpiece. I don't know too many anime but I would definitely tell you to check out 5 centimeters per second if you liked this show. I'll leave you with my favorite quote from the show. Thanks for reading! "Treasure him. Unlike love affairs, friendship is for life."

"someday my prince will come" Sakamichi no Apollon is one of dramatic romance anime i've watched, and now become one of my favourite romance anime. Well as has been written, this main genre is drama music and romance. So, be prepared to always hear a new song in each episode. By the way, its my first review. So i'm sorry if in my review, you catch some spoilers (my apologies too if i have bad grammar) Now, lets begin with my review: Story : 10 Just one word that i want to say about a story, its 'Awasome'. Why? because in most episode you'll see dramatic story of romance. A plot of love in each character are absolutely complex, so you'll difficult to guess an ending. Happiness friendship is also nice. How to encourage your best friends when he was depressed and how you have to move over for your friends happiness Art : 8 I know if that art is like some old anime, but i still say that this is very nice. Some character has nice motion and mimic, and some other has less. The motion when they play a music make me cant stop to watch. You can say that art is very simple, besides that each people have their own opinion Sound : 9 In each episode, you'll hear one new song (or more) and most of that songs are jazz music. And because i also like jazz, i enjoy to hear all songs. Some songs even make me cant hold my tears fall. Character : 8 First of all, let see from main chara. Kaoru : At beginning, he is not the type person who is easy to get along. Even, she felt sick when they're in the middle of the attention of the people. But over the groove, he had become a very loyal friend. Sentarou : Strong and likes fight, but he dislike to see an intimidation. He can cheer up his own feeling just by play a jazz (with a drum) and eat some watermelon (his favourite food). Ritsuko : She is Sentarou's childhood friend and she is cheerful and kindly girl. She always treat Sentarou whenever he has been a fight. But more importantly, she has feelings for him since childhood. You'll wonder how can three of them become close friends. Enjoyment : 9 Its kinda hard to say. You'll can smile, laugh, sad and cry in some unpredictable scene.This anime will make you feel it all, so you cant stop to watch it untill finish. I feel it when I put off to watch the sequel (hold in episode 5), in the night time i cant sleep well and and tomorrow I instanly download the sequel untill last episode (I cant wait no longer) Overall : 9 Be honest, very few 'drama animes' that can make me cry (beside angel beats, anohana and clannad). This anime might not make you cry, but i'll be sure you'll get a nice lesson (or maybe will be you guidance) And with end of review, I highly recomended this anime if you want to drop some tears and ends with a happy smile.

"My favorite things are the footsteps of a certain person heading towards the house, the sound of the piano and drums riffing in the basement, and the laughter of two boys." Sakamichi no Appolon feels like a brief, gentle touch of those things most of us dream of: music band, hanging out with friends, being in love with a girl... But the one who really runs the show in this title is the one and only jazz. Story: 7/10 The story is pretty good at the first half of anime, but at the second one all the characters get screwed over making too many mistakes. Same thing about drama: in one episode it feels unnatural and artificial while in the other one it really gets the hold of you. The other thing I'm still complaining about is the ending. It has no logic, no common sense, nothing. If it would end right after the train scene, it would be pretty sad, but realistic at the very least. C'mon, Watanabe... Art: 10/10 The art is one of the best pros of the title. It's really colorful and alive, plus, there's no typical moe elements, emoticons and other annoying stuff. The character's cheeks blushing never felt so real. Sound: 10/10 Not much to say about that. Jazz is flowing through this title and I was personally screaming 'Let's jam!' everytime the guys started playing. Music in Sakamichi no Appolon connects people, starts competitions and generally makes everyone shake off the bad feelings much faster, then any magic in the world. Character: 8/10 Characters fit in the anime pretty well. Kaouru is a typical depressed individual, always feeling out of place and having noone to care about, at least, at first. Didn't expect him to get along with Sentarou at all. His personality is quite contradictory. Today he keeps calm and teaches someone, how to date properly, tomorrow he cries like a psychopath. I personally find his sufferings pretty pathetic and childish at times, but his problems still feel really human. Sentarou. Who would predict, that a typical school bully would be so kind-hearted and easy-going? He really makes contrast with Kaouru, but I still feel, that he is a bit to quick with making decisions. Ritsuko is a pretty normal girl. The love story in Sakamichi no Appolon is far from being the best one in the world, and I still get a feeling, that it could end in a much better way if both characters acted a bit differently. I personally liked the story of Yurika and Junichi. It really shows how far can people go, if they care about someone and it left quite a bit of stuff to think about as well. Enjoyment: 9/10 The musical part of Sakamichi no Appolon is a real masterpiece. I enjoyed everything else too, despite the story and the characters personalities being really strange, at least, in my personal opinion. I would still advice this title to everyone, who wants to dive in the world of jazz music, youth and little moments of human happiness.

Story: 9/10 A really short story about kids finding they way to enjoy their life in a simple and beautiful way - by playing Jazz music together. I personally loved the story because it really opened my eyes in that little time watching it. You don't need much to be happy and enjoy life, just be yourself and love the things you do, do the things you love, and do it with the ones you love. This short story shows so many different characters and different stories for each of them, with all their problems but also their personal enjoyment. You can actually feel how the characters are feeling, just by watching the anime and this fascinated me so much. I wanted to see more of this anime, to enjoy it a little more, but i can't change that this is just a short story, but a really beautiful one. Characters: 9/10 Already mentioned almost everything i wanted in the "story" part. I totally loved them, acting normal, sometimes being harsh to each other, sometimes really nice, sometimes disappointed and sometimes proud to be together as friends...that's all part of being human, not only human...but a person. This anime shows that clearly :) Animation: 9/10 I loved the animation because of two things. First of all the typical stuff like the colors and the surroundings which are really really looking great, i fed my eyes by watching it ^^. Second, the movement of the characters while playing their instruments, it was really fascinating. Go watch the anime and you will understand what i mean. Music: 9/10 Love the OP theme ED theme was nice but a bit of in my opinion The in anime music...can't really complain because the anime is partly a music anime series and i totally enjoyed listening to the music played by the characters. This jazz music was so entertaining, full on energy and full of happiness. Every time they were playing, i felt like i'm playing with them and having fun with them. Ending words: I don't know about you, but I'm someone who can really enjoy an anime easily when I feel like i'm part of it, like i'm there with these characters and go along with them and their problems, their stories and their life, it really makes me feel like I'm somewhere else for a moment, to enjoy myself a little bit somewhere else, somewhere where i want to be. And i had that feeling while watching this Anime and i'm really thankful for that and also glad i was able to watch this.

Sakamichi no Apollon was a fun ride, but the flaws it does possess hold it back from being the top-notch Watanabe/Kanno combo you'd expect. But I'll start with the pros. The story is entirely heartwarming. It's a coming-of-age tale with flair and raw, likable characters. Sentaro, Kaoru, Ritsuko, and Yurika fight and make up just like we as teens would, and watching them do it is easily identifiable. The backdrop that unites them - jazz - weaves its way into the fabric of their dynamic cleanly, to the point where Sen and Kaoru jamming seems nothing short of normal. And enjoyable. It's plain to see how good friends the two are when they can sit down and play, no questions asked. Plus, every song that gets time during the show is excellent ear candy, even for those like myself who don't have a love for the genre. The music is equally complemented by the art. Though it may be simple character-wise, it proves beautiful in its minimalism; in some ways faintly reminiscent of the works of Miyazaki. Finally, the time period of the 1960's - an unorthodox one to represent - is executed well, never becoming glaring nor hidden to the viewer. It, like the music and art, integrate so nicely, it's as natural as an after-school session. Onto the cons. I understand this is an adaptation of a manga, and I haven't read it to compare the two, so I'll go off what I know. The plot, at times, is lacking. It seems drama was injected into it, instead of being a natural part of the many relationships that exist. I had my hands raised in questionable disbelief as Kaoru again instigated another spat between himself and Sen, all because of an innocuous misstep in the pair's relationship. The same applies in reverse, and with other characters. While they may be identifiable, that doesn't mean they're always understandable, and it can be irksome to watch obvious mistakes pop up time and time again. Where do many of these mistakes come from? As a slice-of-life, it's bound to be romance in abundance, and in abundance it is. However, the relationship triangles that shape as the protagonists mature can't shake a definite feeling of being routine. You've seen it before, in a similar form, and by now it's well-worn. Possibly the most disappointing part of the series was the ending, which skimped on closure and felt plain rushed. In the end, though, I left Sakamichi as a whole satisfied, and maybe that's all I really hoped from it. It's an anime to like, not love. And in my case, I liked it a whole lot.

Well, where can I begin it... ---- CONTAIN SPOILERS ---- That anime has three main focus: shows how the music can affect you, show the school romance and how works the adolescent mind, and also, them development. the history revolves around of the friendship of Sentaro and Kaoru (who are like water and oil), and teach us that in the music, we can understand each other. The romance plote is very well done, mainly the love triangle and the life histories of each one personage (what's awesome IMO) The anime is very good drawed in some parts (for a anime made 11 years ago, that's impressive), but in others, it's like the produce money were over, because starts to appear a lot of static images, and that displeased me a bit, because it totally brokes the atmosphere, or at least decreases the same. Dude, if a anime who have as the main genre the music isn't good in it, in what more else would it be?? Sakamichi no Apollon's OST is just awesome!! right on the first ep, Kaoru plays "Clair de Lune" who's my favorite classic music. The jazz musics what they chose, the classics one and also the musics who are made just for the anime have fits very well, it's one of the best points in the anime. Yurika - I liked so much of that character, who never met THAT person 16 years old, but who had a personality of an adult person?? I think completely justificable the fact of her doesn't have get a romance with Sentaro, but with Junichi, she just chose him because he was an adult, and Sentaro not yet. Junichi - that character just came to muddle and also help the Sentaro's development, he's an adult who regrets of things of he saids and did(all adult will understand it and will have empathy with him), he's like a older brother of Sentaro, but end up staying with the girl who Sentaro likes, that's kinda curious hahaha. Ritsuko - I loved that character!!! truly, I really liked her, she's like the most 15 years old girls, who doesn't knows what they wants about love, her mind is a chaos. She's loving, prestative, smart, in resume, she's so cute!!! Kaoru - FUCK HIM!!! I hated him, really, dude, he's an asshole, he always, always will do a lot of shits, because he's a brat!! it's really impressive the times he does things without think before, just because he have a low self-esteem and lack of confidence about himself, and ends up hurting people around him, and less than 5 seconds, he regrets about what he did, what a shit personality, dude, he's a typical finicky brat. Sentaro - I'm not gay, I swear!!! BUT, I loved him!!! he's sensational!! is my objective of how to be, fisically or about him attitudes, he've 15 years old, but sometimes acts like if have 25 and in other times he acts like he was a baby who just need of a hug from his mother. The his personality is so strenght, and he always is honest, and when he gets angry, he overflows all in the battery (or fighting huh xD), I don't have words to describe how much I liked that character. Well, that anime is a musical anime, but he doesn't focus in music in itself, but yes in how the character will turn your emotions in music, or in how he use the music as a refuge to express your feelings, I liked so much of scenes of when Kaoru or Sentaro were sad, angry, or even romant hahaha, and they have can turn it in music!! in each episode you was thinking "my god, I need to watch the next episode soon", not because is a anime who makes you in doubt, and leaves the answer always on the next episode, but yes because you sensibilizate and immerses on that world and feel empathy with each one character, that's simply perfect, be it an sad history or even a normal history life, you'll have at least a bit of empathy with that character (even Kaoru, that I hate, but at same time I like). In resume, that anime is one of more underrateds that I've ever seen, I'm so glad to have watched it!!!

I finished Sakamichi no Apollon a few days ago. With other slice of life animes, I usually just watch it, and move forward. But, with this one in particular, my mind always drifted back to it. I wasn't going to write a review, but this anime resonated really deep with me. I felt so empty after finishing it, and already I feel nostalgic. It left a deep impression on me, and I'm trying to hunt for something just like this one. Unfortunately, nothing comes close to Sakamichi no Apollon. Story: 8/10 It's really not anything special. The main character is an outsider, befriends the delinquent, and they connect through music. It's simple, but beautifully written. Viewers get to see what it's like to live in a small town in Japan in the 1960's, and how the West has influenced their lifestyle due to its presence. The story accurately depicts the common problems seen in youth - love, existence, and simply being. Art: 9/10 The characters each have their own look to them, and no two characters are quite alike. The animation is bested when musical performances happen, however. Every stroke on the piano and every drumbeat is beautifully animated. The backdrops always fit the mood nicely, and attention to detail is stressed. It enhances the simplicity of life. Sound: 10/10. It's a music anime - what else can you expect? They have a range of scores they use, from Jazz to music soundtracks. "Moanin'" is the central piece to the song, and after watching this anime, this piece in particular is what will drive it home for you. The genre of Jazz is stressed - how to play it, what emotions it conveys - and it all centers around Moanin'. The rest of the OST is amazing as well, fitting well in the moods of the current circumstances. Character: 8/10 It's interesting to see the struggles that they all go through. Each of them are different, each approach life a different way. Even though it may start off a cliche sort of feeling - the newcomer is an outsider, he befriends another outsider, the delinquent, but of course they get along since they're both outsiders - the relationships and the characters themselves develop into so much more than what we are introduced to. I didn't love all of them, of course, but viewers can sympathize with a majority of these characters. Enjoyment: 9/10. I really enjoyed this anime, just to make it clear if I wasn't being before. Overall: 9/10 If you're looking for a slice of anime that will leave an impression on you, I would suggest this. The entire thing just touched my soul and I really loved it. If you have any thoughts about watching this anime, any at all, I highly suggest it. Just give it a try. You won't be disappointed. Please leave any feedback for me, and thank you for reading. :)

Hey guy's it's 11:17pm as I'm typing this and tbh I'm not tired at all after watching Sakamichi no Apollon and felt I needed to say something about it. Honestly it's almost hard for me to remember the last time a series touched me as much as this one did. It was funny, heartwarming, sad, and an amazing ride all wrapped up in a story steeped in beautiful jazz performances and soundtrack; making for an anime that is almost unlike any others I have seen before. First off the story is absolutely wonderful. Between the strong bonds of friendship based on a love of music, to the beautiful performances, to the great romances that make up for probably half of the driving plot everything is executed flawlessly. All of the writing is done in such a realistic way that you begin to see these characters not as simply figures on a screen, but real people. You truly feel their emotions, you're happy when they're happy, sad when they're sad. I even have to admit I shed some tears at a point, something that very rarely happens to me with anime. You enter at episode one thinking that this will be another fun SoL music show, but then before you know it your wrapped up in a beautiful drama that is taking you along for this wonderful emotional ride. You never expected that when you started the series you would be feeling so much for these characters, but you do. And by the end you come out of on the other side of the series with a completely changed outlook on what a SoL drama can be. Of course I won't give away any spoilers, but here are my thoughts on the ending Secondly, the music. What can I say that hasn't been said? The music in this show is outstanding, absolutely outstanding. Before watching this series I was a passive jazz fan, if I heard it I enjoyed it, but I never sought it out. But now I'm actively listening to jazz, and loving it. Also, as a musician I think shows like this, and K-On! etc always hit a special place in my heart. I know the joy that comes from performing with others like they show on these series, I get to understand the honest fun the characters are having, and I can relate to the great music that they're playing. Plus with some shows like this it’s fun to see the characters struggle to learn to play, as it’s something all musicians have to go through; that’s not very applicable to this series though since all of the MC’s are pretty accomplished to start. (Thanks, for letting me have that little selfish bit). Anyway, back to the show. I thought the choice to use real songs was brilliant. It adds a lot to the realism, and gives the audience a thing to firstly relate to these characters by. Doing this wouldn’t work for all shows, K-On! for instance is served extremely well by having original songs, and actually I think that adds to the realism of that story. But the real songs work perfectly for this show, and I couldn’t imagine changing a thing. Lastly the art, and animation. Once again, I loved it. The performance scenes were exceptionally well done, I'm aware that they were rotoscoped, but still very impressive. As for the rest of the shows animation it was very, very nice. The entire show has a very smooth and fluid style that leads to all the movements of the characters looking, and feeling very natural. The style of animation also gives a great sense of the time period that most of the show takes place in (Late 60's).Honestly I couldn't rain anymore praise down on this show. It's an outstanding anime that only comes once in a blue moon, and I'm very grateful for being able to enjoy it. I recommend everyone go out and watch it, it's streaming for free over on Crunchyroll. And I'll leave everyone with this. For those who haven't seen the show this song is probably the most prevalent through the whole series, and one that I think will get you the most interested. From the OST: Moanin' Anyway, thanks for listening to my ramblings. This show has truly been a pleasure to watch. Ahhh! My fingers are killing me *cracks knuckles* well time to hit the hay *Sayonara*

Ever finish a show and you're just left speechless? That's how I was after I finished watching "Kids on the Slope" (Sakamichi no Apollon); however, as I sat there, staring at my screen, I realized that this show isn't all it appears to be. Plot holes, unanswered questions, and many unresolved problems are evident with the completion of the show. I won't start bashing it right away, so I'll go ahead and start with the perks of Sakamichi no Apollon. Unlike other reviewers, I'll simply break this short review into two sections: a "pro" section and a "con" section. I'll start with the former first, as stated earlier. Sakamichi no Apollon is another sparkling example of a slice of life done correctly. Likeable and realistic, it's impossible not to relate and eventually empathize for these characters throughout the struggles they go through in the story. Plot wise, like any slice of life, there is no true overarching story line per se, other than the evident romantic subplot going on between all of our three main character, and a blooming "bromance" going on between our two male leads. The story is beautifully told and artistically written. It takes place in the 60s, World War 2 has just ended, and Japan, with the help of the US and its allies, is finally regaining its former economic propserity amidst all that has happened. Sakamichi no Apollon touches on America's presence in the region, and its growing influence on it--particularly in a particular genre called jazz. Sakamichi no Apollon is at its core, a music anime. Although the aforementioned themes are very present, perhaps the most essential and frequently revisited theme in the story is music. This brings us to our next criteria for review: the music and art of this show. Simply put, the art is refreshing to look at. Not really the most detailed work out there, it's unique to this series and I felt it suited it quite well. Music wise, it's everything you expect from a show that revolves around it. A beautifully composed opening and ending themes, with wonderful background music prevalent throughout the scene, the music selection is sure to please anyone, regardless of whether or not they appreciate jazz. This is not to say that the show is perfect, however. The story leaves much to the imagination of the viewers. Without spoiling anything, the ending was satisfactory, however, it left many questions unanswered. Some side characters that played pretty important roles in the story seemed to have dropped off the face of the Earth with the timeskip that occurs in the last episode. We know nothing about these characters, hell, we don't even know what happened to our two main characters in the time between the time skip. Although not necessarily that major of a con, I would have liked to know what had happened between those 8 years to both Kaoru, Sentarou, and Ritsuko. Art wise, while I felt that the scenery was drawn beautifully, character designs, I felt, were flat, bland, and sometimes, unbelievable. Props to the drawing of the eyes though. All in all, Sakamichi no Apollon is up there as one of my highest rated slice of life shows, perhaps Honey and Clover being the only one to trumph it. A show about two boys, the show delivers a down-to-earth, yet poignant message that rings true in the hearts of every viewer, regardless of gender. A tale about two men, and their beautifully developed relationship with one another.

Sakamichi No Apollon is, to put it simply, a taste of life. I watched it on a whim when I was looking for a show to watch and ate through all the episodes in one night. The story is realistic, I feel. It touches upon some really human emotions, the simple ones. The ones we deal with in our everyday lives: the happiness we acquire from those around us, confusion, misunderstanding, love (not necessarily romantic love). The plot sucks you in and by the second episode you are attached to the characters completely. The ups and downs they have, you feel too. The art is simply stunning. Simple, yet effective. The characters have distinct features that are unique and interesting. While there are the occasional sausage hands and some odd blobs, usually even down to the fingernails are done in a very tactile way. The animation is smooth and clean. Sound, well it has to be good for a show with a music theme! And it was. I enjoyed listening to both the jazz the characters played as well as the jazz that was in the bg music. It moved from classical to jazz appropriately based on the mood. Even though the singing was mediocre, I actually quite enjoyed the cover of "My Favorite Things". Character is the only place where this show lost a pinch of its greatness. And its only because of the relationship between Nishimi and Ritsu. I felt that them never having a real good romantic moment was a bit of a letdown. It was always one or the other in a bad mood or misunderstanding. I feel like all the other characters got their "happy ending" except these two. Even Sen is happy despite vanishing after he crashed his bike. But the ending made up for most of it. I was left feeling like "everything is ok and is going to be ok in the future" which is how i like to feel at the end of a show. So only 1 point lost here! I thoroughly enjoyed this show! It felt real - relate-able. Visually and sound-wise, yummy. Good characters. Cliff hangers at ends of episodes were perfect and made me want more. Its a melancholy show that fluctuates between heartache and simple but wholesome happiness. You go up and down, but you are sure to feel good at the end! A must watch!

Hi there! Just a quick review. First, let me praise what I liked about the show and say that I expected a lot from it, since it was from Watanabe Shinichiro, who I'm a big fan of. The jazz themes and refrences were awesome, the OST's were cool (even had some hip-hop kinda beats for the soundtrack which resembled me Samurai Champloo OST), the old school Japan ambientation was great. Personally I loved Sentarou and his character had a decent development. Loved the interior-ish japanese dialect also, it is very charming. But ok, let's get to the downers: I had a huge problem with Kaoru. Dude, Kaoru just sucks. He indeed had one or two good moments, but most of times he was just there whining about every damn thing. Not that the main character need to be cool or anything, but Kaoru just makes it annoying to watch. His dialogues were mostly lame. "I can't stop the rhythm of my heart" kinda thing. I laughed when it was supposed to make me sad. Remember the episode that the crew went searching for clams at the beach? Remember of Kaoru being all jealous because of his "trauma" (can't call it a trauma really) with a childhood friend? You can't go on that stuff and say that is a good drama plot, it was just the shallowest thing. I can't praise that when a kid at age 10 could write a similar drama plot. And let's get to episode 11 [spoiler ahead], when occured the accident. Kaoru just rushed to the hospital and saw Sentarou's family. Then, he discovered that the one at surgery was Sachiko, and not Sentarou. When Kaoru heard that, he was just like "Oh, ok nevermind" and went after Sentarou, like fuck Sachiko. Dude, he was just told that she had a severe head trauma and could not wake up anymore. And he knew her. Then he went after Sentarou and later comes his thoughts about the school festival. At that point all he knew was that she might not wake up anymore, and he is concerned about the School Festival? Wtf. Unreal situation, bad directing or was just Kaoru that sucks? Can't tell. The last episode was good. But again, same lame (imo) dialogues problem "I can't stop the rhythm of my heart" DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE what are those dialogues (I'm watching the ep 12 as I write this review). The first episodes were good, but when it progressed it was pure bromance anime with an annoying main character. Sad, because I expected a lot from it. It's totally okay and understandable to not have money for a big production like Shigatsu (which people compares to SnA), but in this case you NEED to work on the dialogues, the concept, the plot, the characters, because otherwise...... yeah... And jazz > classical music (personal taste, of course).

I spent an amazing six years playing jazz charts in my junior high and high school jazz bands. It's no wonder, then, that this anime holds a special place in my heart. Story: (9) On first glance, Sakamichi no Apollon appears to be a coming-of-age story that is centered around two high school boys who end up becoming the most unlikely of friends through a shared love of jazz music. While this is true, on second glance, the story of this anime becomes much more than that. The way Sakamichi no Apollon includes romance, relations with other characters, and reactions to adversity in life and in the world around is entirely realistic and believable given the age of these characters. The small inclusions here and there of the important historical context of the era, such as the Japanese social activist movements and American military presence in Japan, provides the viewer with snapshots of what it meant to live in Japan during the 1960s. The setting of this anime is a true breath of fresh air among other fantasy, sci-fi, and other similar shows that seem to top and the fill the anime charts each season. Art: (8) The simplistic style in which the characters' faces and bodies are drawn are fitting given that the story centers around portraying the mundane and realistic lives of the characters. Forgive me for I am not an artist, but I have noticed that the "atmosphere" of each scene seems a bit "feminine" (soft lines and color palette)- a successful touch that matches the Josei genre well. While the animation is not flashy or mouth-dropping by any means, the movements are fluid and the overall character designs and backgrounds are pleasing to the eye. ' Sound: (8) Now this is where the jazz-loving, nostalgic me wanted to give this anime a 10. Unfortunately, Sakamichi under-delivers for an anime that is often praised for being jazz-centered. The jazz charts that are present are incredibly catchy and display good balance in sound amongst all instruments (a feat which is often hard to accomplishment in my opinion). Unfortunately, the musical pieces are too few and far between and a bit too "mono-genre jazz" for my taste. The soundtrack still does a good job setting the tone when it is actually present. In all honesty, if you came here looking for a variety of jazz genres like bebop, bossa nova, blues, dixieland, and all in between, you will be disappointed...but if you can get past the fact that this show is not "music-centered" but "centered around the love of music," then you're in for a touching and emotional story. Characters: (10) This is where Sakamichi no Apollon truly shines. Both Kaoru and Sentarou, two seemingly friendless outcasts at school who come from completely different familial backgrounds, begin to experience incredible development of their maturity and perspective of the world through their budding friendship. Ritsuko is well-characterized as a friend, love-interest, and overall normal teenage girl as well. The rest of the supporting characters are all given enough screen-time to develop their personalities and role in the story that is centered around main characters Kaoru and Sentarou. I also appreciate that much of the characterization does not stem from boring "show-and-tell" dialogue only. The actions and unspoken words of characters truly highlights and develops the personality of each one. The screen-time given for each character does a remarkable job of neither overshadowing the main characters nor appearing like useless filler- creating an overall fulfilling and connected story which highlights each character in a meaningful way. Enjoyment: (9) Sakamichi no Apollon reminds me of just how much music can bring all sorts of people together. There were many members within my own jazz band that, on the outside, would seem like the most unlikely of personalities to mesh well together...however, our love for music allowed us all to relate and connect to each other in some way. As a musician, I felt incredibly nostalgic throughout the whole watch. Musician or not though, the stories of these characters is entirely relatable and enjoyable for almost anyone who has gone through inevitable period of growing up. Overall: (9) The characters of Sakamichi no Apollon take us on an emotional journey through all the ups-and-downs of friendship, romance, and adolescence in 1960s Japan. Even though we, as viewers, may be separated by a generation gap, the feelings and actions of those living in the 1960s is not much different from our emotions and lives in present-day. The lives of these characters really touched my heart and I'm sure it will touch yours as well...and none of this story could be possible without the shared love of music and jazz.

Kids on the Slope is not a romance. It's a drama centered on the friendship between two young men with romance used a plot device/as a subplot. It does this excellently. The show takes you on a dramatic ride through the twists and turns of their relationship over a period of about 2 years. The main characters, Kaoru, an introverted smart kid and Sentaro, an extroverted kid initially perceived as a bully by his peers, are two dynamic and well fleshed out characters, both with their own strengths and flaws that the other happens to account for perfectly. Sure, they both have basis in common tropes, but that does not discount their strength as characters, not even a bit. You read that correctly: this is a high school anime focused not on cringeworthy high school romance, but on the developments of a sibling-like relationship between two dudes. It's a refreshing change. There is a 3rd main character, Ritsuko. She is not nearly as fleshed out as the two main characters, but she does a lot to drive the plot forward, as she's Sentaro's lifelong best friend and Kaoru's crush. But her relationship with the two of them is mostly in the vein of a friendly trio, aside from a few episodes where it's primarily used as a plot device to advance the dynamic between Sentaro and Kaoru, and their romantic relationship basically does not progress at all for the entire series. They never even KISS. For example, in the final episode, there is a shocking scene between Kaoru and Ritsuko, but the purpose of this scene was not to say anything about their relationship - it was a result of Kaoru trying his damndest not to reveal how much he missed Sentaro. It is very much a one way dynamic between Ritsuko and Kaoru, which never develops into anything resembling an actual relationship - and that's OKAY, because the story isn't about their relationship! It's about Kaoru and Sentaro! My one critique of Kids on the Slope is that Ritsuko's character is not fleshed out nearly enough for how prominent of a role she plays. We know more about Brother Jin, a side character, than we do about her. But all in all, this is an excellent drama with some excellent animation and excellent music. You'll laugh, cry, cheer, and contemplate your own teenage years, and what else do you want from a drama? If you can stomach a high school anime, watch it.

Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on the Slope) is a story about friends, music, youth and romance that starts as Bon (Nishimi) transfers to his new school. The story itself is brilliant, however simple. Those of you who know japanese rest assured that the dialogues are greatly crafted and truly credible (unlike many popular series), arguably due to its being josei genre. To put it like this: the story isn't predictable (I thought I knew how it would end about 3 times and all of them I was wrong (though that may say more about my dumbness xD)) but even if it's not predictable, it's not ridiculous either. The writer was clearly very thoughtful about it (the story is ring structured) and the adaptation is very well made. The art is perhaps the most lacking part of the series, in particular the character design for Ricchan (Ritsuko) was rather displeasing, but most of the rest is very good. The hand animations for the instrument playing are really good (better than Nodame Cantabile, on par with Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, though maybe not as fancily adorned) and the fighting scenes were very good too (have in mind that they're not very relevant for much of the series, however, I'd dare to say they're better than Naruto's and many battle anime's). Sound is great, though as a jazz lover I may be biased about that, but anyway, the seiyuus do a great job bringing out the characters. Bon for example has very dislakeable aand very likeable phases, and the seiyuu transitions flawlessly between them. I enjoyed this almost like one of my favorite animes and I wouldn't doubt recommending it to anyone up to a josei romance drama. The overall score: 9.4 (Story 10, Art 8, Sound 9, Character 10, Enjoyment 10)

Kids On The Slope is such a turn from Shinichiro Watanabe's two previous (amazing) animes, Cowboy Bebop & Samurai Champloo. However, it's no less of a masterpiece. Honestly, when I started Kids On The Slope, I didn't know what I was getting into. I hadn't read anything about it, I didn't know what it was about. I honestly expected it to be another action-filled anime with some badass as the main character. But boy, was I wrong.. As soon as they started playing music, I immediately thought of Beck Mangolian Chop Squad (I reviewed that too!), which was a great anime. However, both has very, very different styles of music. Seeing as I actually listen to the kind of music (Rock n' roll) that was played in Beck and knew a lot of the artists that they talked about, I wasn't expecting to be as comfortable with the music in Kids On The Slope, which is inspired by a lot of Jazz musicians. But I love the music in Kids On The Slope just as much as I loved the music in Beck (if not more, quite honestly)! The music in it was very easy to love and appreciate. The music alone would've been enough to keep me watching it to the end, but the storyline and the characters were also brilliant. The two main characters had amazing personalities that you'd fall in love with. They had this mind-blowing friendship between them that anyone would wish for. I loved that they would always get in fights (which showed realism and that even friendships as strong as the one between Kaoru and Sentaro were not perfect), but in the end, they knew they needed each other to be complete. It was just a very inspiring coming-of-age story that had the perfect ending, although it did leave me wanting more (12 episodes was just not enough!).

Sakamichi no Apollon is a series done right, It has everything and put its together to create an incredible series. Characters/Story: Nishimi Kaoru is the Main Character, He has recently moved schools, Having moved numerous times he has become a reclusive type of person, A guy who looks like a typical "Geek" back in 1966, and feels this school will be the same as the others, where he struggles to makes friends and just makes up the numbers. Kawabuchi Sentarou a Tall/Strong/Stupid/Thug like behavior, Basically the polar opposite of Nishimi. They somehow make this Friendship work, Music brings them together and gives them this special bond. Nishimi plays Piano and Sentarou plays Drums, Ritsuko's Father owns a record shop and allows them to go the basement to jam together and play their instruments. Mukae Ritsuko is the Female Key Character, She is a Normal good looking girl, Who is childhood friends with Sentarou, She has a soft spot for him, Maybe feels sorry for him in a way. But is helpful type of person and creates a nice three-way friendship. From this the 3 of them go through School, They have their up's and down's like most school/drama's, It will have romance themes connected to both guys, All subtly put and neither genre or theme is pushed too much. Art/Sound: Art - Is really nice, Not the best I've ever seen, but still amazing and does set the tone for the period this as set it, Characters don't look to Josei or feminine, at times and especially with the eyes, Its not too overpowering it will put of people who cannot stand that Art style. Sound - Characters sounds like there characters styles are, and the music does make this feel like its set in the 1960's. Also the scenes where its them "Jamming" Overall: Sakamichi no Apollon is a superb series, And one i simply cannot recommend highly enough, if you like any Josei's or any School Life and Romantic series, this is right up your ally. I was not sure to put this as an 8 or a 9 after the ending, many people have issues with how series end, and i have that gripe, And issue you can get from a 12 Ep series is it feeling rushed, This wasn't the case for Sakamichi no Apollon until the LAST Episode, For me they didn't not conclude it the way i liked, they have an "Element" in the Story at the end, and Element i cannot stand in TV/Movies, This creates the "Rushed" ending for me, didn't give it enough time and felt that they had to "Quickly Wrap it up" I love this series, but the rushed last episode didn't not end as strong as i hoped, As mentioned earlier, i was unsure giving this an 8 or 9, but i went with 9, its simply that good and an Anime series you have to watch if you like a School/Drama/Romance/Music & (Not that K'ON Crap) This series does it how it should be done.

The return of Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo) which is in control and Yoko Kanno. (Cowboy Bebop and Esclaflowne). Surprised, very surprising given the achievements of Watanabe, a change of style. A friendship between two high school students and a girl, captivated by the jazz music. One plays the piano and the other piano. Opposite characters but nothing prevents us from being friends. A strong friendship and moving. A breeze that moves along and makes us much good. A series that will bring sweet smiles to all who will watch. It fully respects the manga, it lacks some minor details. The music is divine.This is a series of the summer not to miss. I'm sorry if my English is not good. I'm French, soft on me ... or not. Perfection does not exist with me.

Sakamichi no Apollon is a coming-of age story revolving around the life of teenagers, their relationships, their passions and most importantly the euphoria of music that binds them all. STORY The story primarily revolves around the main trio, Kaoru, Sentaro and Ritsuko. The mains themes of the story are friendship, love, heartbreak, loneliness and the rigor of youth. The development of a close friendship between Kaoru and Sentaro, despite all of their differences, is the driving force of the plot. A lesson to be learned from the story is that it’s not easy to find people we can connect to on a deep emotional level. We don’t know what the future holds for our friendships and relationships. We should confront our feelings, share them with our loved ones as well as cherish and protect our bonds. 9/10 ART The art is decent. The character designs are very simple and plain. Considerate efforts have been done to make the setting similar to that of twentieth century Japan. The art doesn’t stand out on its own but it serves the purpose of depicting the story setting well. 8/10 SOUND The opening, “Sakamichi no Melody” by Yuki is amazing. It perfectly sets the mood for the anime. The voice acting is done well. The Jazz sessions – the piano, the drums, the trumpet, the bass- sound beautiful. I am not particularly a fan of Jazz but the way it’s presented in the anime, one will surely like it. The OST is good. The ending, although a bit melancholic, is pleasant and appropriate for the anime. 9/10 CHARACTERS There’s not a large ensemble of characters but the few characters present are well written. Our protagonist, Kaoru Nishimi, is an introverted academic and musical prodigy. His eventual best friend, Sentaro Kawabuchi is a delinquent but there’s more to him than it meets the eye. Ritsuko Mukae, Kaoru’s love interest and Sentaro’s childhood friend is a gentle and caring girl who keeps the boys in check but she has secrets of her own. There’s not much character development. The story is all about relationships and emotions. The supporting characters like Junichi and Yurika are also interesting in their own right. All the characters are unified together through their mutual love of music and jazz. 9/10 ENJOYMENT While the various aspects of the show don’t stand out individually when put together, they create an amazing show. I watched all 11 episodes in one sitting and enjoyed the anime till the end. After finishing the anime, I was left with a deep feeling of content and gratification. 10/10 OVERALL It doesn't add up but I'll be betraying myself if I give this anime anything less than a 10.

I don't even know what to say. This anime accomplished something I didn't think possible. The best way I can put it is that if this had been played out by live actors this would have won an Oscar. I can honestly say I've never seen an Oscar-worthy anime until this one. Every review tagline you can think of that would go with a music-related Academy Award winning film belongs as tribute to Sakamichi No Apollon. I love music, have dabbled in song-writing, singing, but I'm not very talented. My skills are basic at best and I don't have it in me to strive for small gains. The musicians I idolize are natural-born Gods and I know my place. I still enjoy what I do, but, I always dreamed of what it would be like to have that capability and then experience that synchronicity with fellow musicians ... to meet on that plane and just exult in the connectivity and joyousness of being in the moment and being one with each other and our art. I always imagined it must feel very much like flying. Watching this anime is about as close as I'll ever come to experiencing that bliss.

Before you read my review all I have to say is, watch it! Then come back here and read my review, it doesn't contain spoilers but I don't want you to waste time contemplating whether or not to watch this show, just watch it. Holy sh*t did I not expect that, this masterpiece of a show is very underrated, unlike most series I come across, I have no bad things to say about this anime. Did it piss me off at times? HELL YEAH, but, this show captivated my attention right from the start, I could tell this would be a great series, a gem. But man o' man was I not expecting such a beautiful story, soothing music, dynamic character development, and I definitely was not expecting the romantic outcome. It's easy to say that music and romance go hand in hand. The show doesn't revolve around the relationship between a girl and a boy with musical backgrounds like Your Lie In April, but a relationship between 2 friends and some love interests mixed in. Although, the women of interest have no musical background but do enjoy it. Sakamichi no Apollon showed what true friendship is like, and how there's going be fights and arguments over the stupidest of things, but how you'll make sure to reconcile and always each others back. The women in this show however, are almost too accurate to the real thing, indecisiveness and false signals manages to anger both you and the characters in the show. The guys however are pretty straightforward about things, at least to the girls cause they definitely hold back with one another. Although it would've been nice to see a little more classical music, the jazz music was really nice, and I'm not a big fan of jazz but I did recognize some of the music choice. Kaoru and Sentarou often used music as a way to express themselves but not how you'd think, when they played together the only emotions that were put in where happiness, they were happy to play with one another and enjoyed their time together. When either one was upset they'd either play their heart out on the instruments or wallow in the sadness and barely play their instruments, clearly showing that they were suffering, and each time they would help one another out. To be honest, I'm happy this show didn't mainly focus on the romantic relationships but on the relationship between friends and family. Truly a beautiful series. Story: 9 Although you couldn't follow it at first, you quickly latch onto it and stay for the ride while listening to some nice jazz. Art: 8 It was pretty and all but this show was not meant to satisfy your eyes but your ears. Sound: 10 I watched this show in dub and really like the emotion the voice actors put in, they were well selected for each character and fit in well, although some background characters did seem like they had the same voice actor, but that's not really an issue. Oh, and the music was also really good to the ears, got me thinking about jazz in a new light. Character: 10 The character development was well executed and the characters were very likeable, even the one's you might not like at first (just wait, episodes will explain all). Enjoyment: 10 This has been one of my favorite shows to date, I enjoyed every second of it and I wish it had more episodes but sadly it doesn't. Overall: 9.4 Personal Score: 10 sorry but my Enjoyment level goes far above any of the rest, but don't want to put a bias in my critical review.