Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru

The first impression of Sakurako-san is that it gives off the feeling of a show that is purely focused on the mystery genre. In that respect, it reminds many people of how Hyouka was, minus the school life part of it. And yet, comparing Sakurako-san to Hyouka doesn't really do either of the shows justice. Hyouka integrates daily life into its mystery aspects, while one of the main plot points for Sakurako-san is the separation between everyday life and the mystery of the dead. Story: 9/10 The episodic format of Sakurako-san does throw some people off a bit. The uneven pacing between each of the episodes is influenced by the fact that each episode focuses on a different case and a different body, with the exception of the three two-episode cases. Some of the cases are chilling, incorporating aspects of the thriller genre in the fairly linear formula of "character introduction, present problem, gather evidence, formulate conclusion," such as the case of The Cursed Man. Some of the cases are drama-filled, detailing the extreme measures that some people are willing to go to for a cause, whether it be life or love, exploring the delicate psyche that is molded and broken in certain people, such as the case of The Butterfly Vanished in November. And then again, some of the cases are genuinely heartfelt and evokes the emotion of sadness and perhaps even nostalgia, as the show tries to connect with its viewers deeper than a superficial and tension-filled setting, and tries to delve deeper into the viewers' psyche by bringing up the true mortality of life and how death comes with the passage of time, no matter the memories or emotions that may be associated with it. An example of this type would be Grandmother's Pudding. And I totally agree that, even though the show is episodic in nature, the discrepancies in pacing does hinder the show's progression, such as the transition of a thrilling episode 5 to an episode 6 that just mostly focuses on character development and focus. While the episodes themselves are brilliantly written and manages to evoke the exact emotions and tension that the director probably wanted, the discrepancies in pacing prevents this category from being a solid 10. Art: 8/10 Honestly, Sakurako-san suffered no graphical or animation hindrances from what I could tell. Maybe that's because I don't have the sharpest eyes for every little detail within a single scene, but I truly believe that the backgrounds and the character designs are extremely competent. I love it when Sakurako's eyes widen or narrow to express her mostly-logical mind's slight emotional outbursts, or how Ume's (the housekeeper) seems so kindly and warm and animated with all of that grandmother-like goodness. Nothing extraordinary done by studio TROYCA with their first time as a lead animation studio, but the visuals were solid nonetheless. Sound: 8/10 If there was background music to this show, it must've been quite minimalistic and non-intrusive since I didn't notice much music within the episodes or during dialogue to really perk my interest. That being said, what background sounds there were, such as a busy cafe or cars going by on a snowy street, sounded well-done and fitting for their roles. The voice actors were quite good, and I especially liked Shizuka Itou's voice for Sakurako, the way her voice drifts up and down to reflect her analyzing personality, and yet having certain raw emotional outbursts at bringing up truly traumatic happenings. As with most animes, an emphasis was placed on the opening theme rather than the closing, and TRUE does a wonderful little pop ballad with electronic influences for "Dear answer." TECHNOBOYS was a little forgettable with the ending, however, and the fact that some episodes went over the ending theme to continue the story didn't help the song to brand itself into my memory either. Character: 7/10 If this was a normal show with a connected plotline, this score would definitely be lower. However, Sakurako-san runs into the trouble of having already developed characters placed into a world where the norm prevails, and the only anomalies happen to be the dead. This does not prevent Sakurako-san from filling its episodes with interesting and inventive characters, however, such as the cute and caring Yuriko Kougami to the almost nihilistic Itsuki Isokazi. It is unfortunate that Hanabusa, the "main" antagonist, wasn't explored almost at all, and was merely defined by the actions of his pawns throughout the episodes. It is exciting, however, to see how a person's psyche can bend and break under certain conditions, such as how Minami was twisted and turned by a contorted form of love, and how Shoutarou finally realizes how his grandmother still cared for him during his last days, giving him a new understanding of what is meant in her actions and her love. Through the episodes, however, the main characters, Sakurako and Shoutarou, fall flat, as Sakurako is continuously haunted by her little brother and maintains an almost sociopathic attitude towards life, while Shoutarou wanders around like a lost dog, behaving in mostly normal ways except for that fact that his actions give off a sense of naive love towards Sakurako. Some aspects of the characters are confusing, like how Hitoe's mind finally broke and how does Shoutarou actually feels towards his archetypal "older sister." Nevertheless, the characters are still well done, even with flaws, firmly being granted a 7. Overall: 7/10 While I have stated that character development isn't as huge an issue in episodic shows, the combination of slightly flat protagonists and an uneven pacing between even episodic plot structures leaves a man (or woman) wanting more out of this show. On top of that, the show leaves off on a cliffhanger, which is an absolutely horrible note in my book if the show has not been greenlit for a second season. That means that anime watchers may never truly know the fate of Hanabusa and whether this story is meant to be fatalistic, or optimistic in its views on death, life, and mortality itself. "Read the manga!" "Read the light novel!" You'll be reading the bottom of my foot after I kick you out of sheer annoyance.

It is no fait accompli that this is based on my own opinion. If you do not agree, please do not state so, as I do not care to know. Thank you. Story - 7 I give the story category a 7 (good) because it was very well planned out for each episode. However, each episode has it's own story. The bigger picture of Sakurako and Shoutarou's relationship with each other, and the antagonist Hanafusa, were not touched on much until the very last episode. Each story that was unfolded, though, were not bad; it was not hard to stay interested in it. Art - 8 I give the art category an 8 (very good) because the art style of this anime was absolutely beautiful. The color scheme used depended on the mood of the events. When it was emotional in a happy sense, it became amazingly colorful and vibrant. At times when it was upsetting, the colors became very dull and grey. Sound - 7 I give the sound category an 8 (very good) because it was good in quality, and contained exactly the right amount of sounds required to set the tone of the events. The voice actors chosen for the characters really fit the description and appearance of the characters themselves. Character - 8 I give the character category an 8 (very good) because the character development throughout the anime seemed to be done well. Not just the main characters- supporting characters, such as Yuriko Kougami, developed and grew throughout the series as well. The design of all the characters was absolutely beautiful- it fit their descriptions very well. Enjoyment - 9 I give the enjoyment category a 9 (great) purely based on how much I enjoyed the anime itself. I absolutely loved it- the idea that I got to watch adventures of an osterologist (regardless of how ridiculous those adventures' findings got at times) made me so excited- I was at the edge of my chair the entire time. When I wasn't, I was either tearing up at the emotional events, or I was laughing at the awkwardness between two characters. To sum it up: Overall - 8 I give Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru an overall score of 8 (very good). The individual stories unfolded in a clean and clear way. The art style and sound was crisp and colorful. The character design and development was well done and seems very thought out. I enjoyed this anime very, very much.

I feel that a lot of people are misjudging/missing the point of this anime. It even states it in the OP "A Story Dedicated to Those Trapped by the Past", this is not a mystery series. It's a story on grief and moving on. Having said that, if you watch the background carefully throughout the entirety of the series there are cherry blossoms and lots of them. This incites the feeling of Spring and thus New Beginnings. For the most part the series is quite light-hearted with more comical scenes than a normal mystery series should rightfully have however, there's a level of uncertainty that's suggested by Shoutarou's actions and hesitancy regarding Sakurako's behavior. This reflects our uncertainty and regret when overcoming our grief. I believe the creator chose the mystery/murder theme because most people can relate to losing a loved one and it's not something that's easily overcome. The mystery lover in me wishes that the serial case would have been introduced sooner and thus would have created a more mystery like setting but that would have ruined the creator's original purpose in. The series doesn't pull its punches when it comes to revealing the depravity in human hearts nor its ultimately kind nature. I also loved that the series constantly brought up the "Two Truths", meaning that truth is somewhat relative to the knowledge we have and so is different for each person and each situation. Having said all that if you watch this series expecting an awesome Sherlock Holmes type series you will be disappointed. There isn't enough factual substance for that, however if you come to the series looking for what it is actually giving then I doubt you will walk away feeling unsatisfied. In short, I think this series is a masterpiece for taking on a very depressing topic and turning it into a neutral subject that's actually fun to watch and experience.

Shoutarou Tatewaki is tired of his everyday life. He goes and comes from school, and nothing changes. That is, until he meets Sakurako Kujou. Sakurako seems like a normal bishoujo, but she has an odd secret: she's obsessed with bones. Whenever Shoutarou is with Sakurako, he comes across bones, and life around Sakurako is never boring. Sakurako is an interesting protagonist, to say the least. The reason this anime caught my eye in the first place is because of her unusual description as a "bone-loving ojou-san." Her quirkiness never fails to interest me, although it certainly is unsettling at times. The mysteries that are presented in this show, while often episodic, are intriguing and informative. Unfortunately, the format of the anime leaves much to be desired. Think about it, what makes a mystery anime/movie/book/etc so exciting is the suspense. You don't know what will happen or what has happened, and you have to analyze the clues yourself to find the answer. But thanks to the walking, talking asspull plot device known as Sakurako Kujou and her unlimited supply of knowledge, there is very little mystery in this "mystery" anime. We, the viewers, are seldom given the chance to think for ourselves; Sakurako just happens to know everything about everything, and while this means mysteries are solved quickly, viewers are left feeling unsatisfied. Another huge issue in this show is the lack of character development from ANY of the main characters. Ironically, the character who receives the most development is Isozaki-sensei, a minor character who shows up in maybe four or five of the twelve episodes. While Shoutarou is adorable, he doesn't change at all over the course of the anime. And Sakurako's development is literally nonexistent. Tragically, she's the character who needs the most development. The first time she hears Shoutarou's name, she reacts in a pretty startling way. We learn that her reaction is because she had a younger brother named Soutarou who passed away. I'm still convinced that her brother's death is a big part of who she is, but we NEVER get even a hint of her backstory. Scenes throughout the anime hint that her brother's death affected her very deeply, yet we never learn more than the bare surface. In episodes 4 & 5, we learn about an elusive villain who seems to play a big role in multiple mysteries throughout the series. Some scenes even suggest that Sakurako has encountered him before and is working to stop him. However, aside from the suspicious mentions of him in episodes 4 & 5 and then again in 11 & 12, nothing really happens. He's clearly a formidable opponent, yet we never see more of him. His introduction into the storyline seems pointless, since he never gets much screentime. I think a large issue with this anime was with pacing. Had this anime been a two-cour series, it could have spent more time with each case, possibly doing without Sakurako's endless well of knowledge and allowing the viewers to speculate on the mysteries. We honestly could have done without the filler episodes in the middle (looking at you, episodes 6-9), and the anime could have focused on the painter from episodes 4-5 and 11-12. That would have made a much better, more enthralling story. (Think Psycho Pass, but with more bones!) And that's the reason I'm so disappointed with this anime: It could have been SO MUCH MORE than it ended up being, and that's a tragedy. Overall, Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru wasn't a bad watch. However, it fell far short of its potential; instead of being an okay anime, it could have been amazing. But due to bad pacing, bad plot progression, and severely underdeveloped characters, the execution of this anime came out...lukewarm. Mediocre. As is the case with almost all the mystery anime I've watched. The search continues. Final score: 6/10 Do I recommend it? Meh. Not if you want something spectacular, but the cases are interesting.

Story 8 - It's interesting the theme, but it's not much worked. A woman who loves bones but, is very forced the characteristic of the protagonist in solving crimes. Why? Does not she love bones? Why turn her into a police officer? Between comings and goings, the story is somewhat random, but it is interesting. Art 10 - I liked the traits. The environment is cool and catches my eye. Nothing to complain about. Sound 9 - I liked the sound. Ost is cool and catches my eye. Nothing to complain about. NOTE: The opening is very good. Character 7 - Is the protagonist a normal student who does not react when he sees dead people? Sakurako-san looks like a killer psycho. No? They are two characters that could be better developed. They have unique characteristics but very forced ones. There is no humor and drama. There is no romance or mystery. Enjoyment 7 - Why I would like to know who killed the best friend of a random? Why do the protagonists need to solve this "mystery"? I started watching the anime because I would like to see her working with bones, something simpler, turned a common work into something great by putting crimes in the middle of their journeys. That did not please me. I did not like that. Overall 8 - However, I can not deny that the anime catches my eye. I really liked it. Not so much to give 8 or not to give 7. If I were to give a grade, it would be 7.5, but since I can not, I will add 8 in its average. Would recommend to a friend but, without creating expectations. Thanks for reading. Sorry for the grammar, this review is from a Brazilian.

Have you heard of a title more intriguing than 'Corpses are Buried at Sakurako's Feet'? As I open the first episode, the almost provocatively thoughtful dialogue and beautiful animation draw me in completely. I decide that I am going to love this show. As Sakurako finds a new corpse, exquisite animal skeletons parade about her and an aura of mystery builds. It is all very sinister, and yet so beautiful. But then I rate it a 7- what happened? The story's biggest turnoff is that it is a clueless mystery with a Sherlock Holmes air to it. Sakurako's trite declaration before she unravels a mystery quickly becomes repetitive. As the show begins to hint romances, I become further wary. The story takes on an episodic format which ties poorly with its short length. Despite my disinterest in episodic mystery, I hold on to my expectations because of a line in the opening theme: something like 'The two sides of a coin come together as pieces of the same puzzle', and this little message, 'Dedicated to Those Stuck in the Past' (which sounds pretty deep) hinting that there's more to the story than seems. And so I wait, and try to catch every little detail because there's presumably going to be final grand arc where all the mysteries come together. I'm left waiting.. (Although I cannot satisfactorily explain why, or even why it might have be okay to have been left waiting without possibly revealing spoilers.) Sakurako, the character, is an unlikely combination of unconventional and cliche. While characters with dark, peculiar obsessions are not uncommon in anime, such a character is rarely portrayed in positive light, or even non-maniacally, let alone as relatable. Sakurako achieves this. I learn that it is no social obligation to become queasy at the sight of a corpse and grow to see death in new light as Sakurako harps with fascination the bounty of life a body is transformed into after death. I feel myself grow darker. Then I tire of Sakurako's inexplicable deductions with the sad excuse of 'this much is just speculation'- and yet, eventually, I am forced to accept Sakurako as a woman of logic. Even so, the hackneyed combination of beauty and brains seemed at best, unnecessary. Shoutarou, on the other hand, is generic in every possible way. There is very little to identify him as a unique character, beyond a smarter than average happy high school student at least as yet- so I will describe him no further. The art in Sakurako-san is not elaborate, but it's pleasant and beautiful and the kind of animation that makes your eyes happy. From the cherry blossoms of late spring, through Beautiful Bones' erranous season shifts, even through depictions of corpses and skeletons, the art seems sublime. Sakurako-san probably has the best art I've seen in any anime. In the end, Sakurako has left me disappointed. When I started watching this show, I wanted and expected to like it far more. I wanted to rate it a 9 or a 10, but now, its inconclusitivity makes a 7 feel like an allowance. The show feels devoid of a real message, which it foreplayed too much for its pathetic bathos. Is this show really even over? Sakurako-san is a good mystery show, but not very much more. It will appeal to two kinds of viewers: A. People looking for a good episodic mystery B. People looking for thoughtful dialogue (Although this isn't what the show focuses on, there's a reasonable amount of it happening) Pick this show up if you’re one of the two. Beautiful Bones might not become your favourite show but it will still have been worth watching.

Mystery is one of the touchier genres of anime. This is because in order to do a good mystery, you have to choose either one overarching mystery, or several little ones. Both of which have their own little hurdles in order to be successful. And so, we have Sakurako-san, a show that deals with a very odd kind of Sherlock Holmes kind of scenario, with bones. Lots of them. Story: Shoutarou is a boy who tries to differ from the normal. Rather than spend time with other people his age, every day after school, Shoutarou goes into the woods and finds a big mansion. Inside, is a woman named Kujou Sakurako, an osteologist who has a fascination in reforming specimens out of the bones she finds. As such, our dastardly duo finds bones at every turn, solving the mysteries of the skeletons they find. Going for a more episodic route for storytelling, each episode or two of Sakurako-san follows our two main characters as they go about the town and stumble or are given tasks that usually involve some aspect of mystery to them. Usually, there are bones involved, Sakurako and/or Shoutarou figure out the case, and the entire mini plot is done. Finish, rinse, and repeat. For the entire runtime of the show, Sakurako-san follows this format of storytelling and really bolsters itself as a decent show for a good while. However, there are quite a few flaws with this formula that created a lot of cracks in the marrow of this show, and in the end, made all of the pieces fall out of place. One of the bigger issues of Sakurako-san is its inherent plotline of being just the same thing over and over again. There's little to no variety as to what the characters do. This however, is not the main issue for the show, though it is a small bit of a problem going in. The real problem of this show comes with the fact that Sakurako-san tries to also do a bit of an overarching story, throwing in hints early on in the series. Now, this wouldn't be much of an issue if the show focused on that in its latter half. It didn't. Instead, for the latter part of the show, we get a mesh of overarching and episodic story that just doesn't mesh together well. As a result, the story suffered greatly and a lot of what made Sakurako good in the beginning, just wasn't there to hold it up in the end. But what really was the kicker was the fact that Sakurako-san's ending was the final nail in the coffin. The last episode was just a complete waste of time and really didn't do the series any favors since it was just a backstory that I personally didn't care about. Not only that, but it really didn't have any impact on the issues that were at hand, and as such, left that 'overarching' feeling that was sprinkled in throughout the series as dead weight that didn't mean very much in the end. Still need some answers! (It's also got this butterfly motif that they didn't really do much of anything with since the character it was tied to was barely even there.) Overview: + Good start + Decent episodic mysteries - Bad ending - Overarching mystery didn't come to fruition/was bad Characters: Sakurako-san really only has two characters that are worth mentioning. That is, our Sherlock Holmes duo of Sakurako and Shoutarou. As the title character and most important person in the series, Sakurako is someone who really enjoys bones. Every day she arranges new skeletons and is able to tell the kind of things that has been happening to a body due to her extensive knowledge on bone structure. As such, she is a very intelligent character and at times, throws caution to the wind. She plays the 'Sherlock Holmes' of the series, as she is the one that solves almost all of the cases and does the majority of the work in any given set of mystery bones that are found. She's a bit of an oddball character that has an assumedly traumatizing backstory added to her. Problem is, we don't get much backstory. Instead, we're left with a character that freaks out over something that we don't know and have to infer. (Not like it was hard to do, but it's not really right to do that to the audience.) She as a character had a lot of potential and while fulfilled most of it, just didn't have that final push to make her great. Then we have Shoutarou, the 'Watson' of the duo. As the sidekick to Sakurako and the POV character of the series, we don't really get much about him. He mostly just aids Sakurako in her duties whenever she finds a new bone case, and as such sort of acts like the second brain on the trip. He himself isn't really all that developed of a character and only acts as an anchor to make sure she doesn't go too far whenever she's enchanted by the bones of an adult male, cat, fox, what have you. This is largely due to the fact that Shoutarou represents more as the 'outside' character, looking into Sakurako's world. A world that is still shrouded in mystery due to the lack of focus on the backstory that we were hinted at. Other characters are pretty much characters that pertain to certain cases with the exception of a few on account of their appearance in other cases. But for the most part, characters only pertain to a singular story or situation regarding someone's murder, be it a family member or the one who committed the crime, everyone else is pretty much just fodder for story progression and really nothing else. Bit sad, cause I liked Yuri. Overview: + Sakurako-san (Even without her backstory fully explained, she drove the show as much as she could.) - Shoutarou is pretty much just along for the ride - Side characters are all pretty much plot based and nothing more Art: Made by Troyca, a new animation studio who helped work on Aldnoah Zero, the artstyle for Sakurako is quite grey and dull in comparison to a more lighter style. Since most of the show relates to death and the loss of a loved one, the artstyle reflects that by having everything be mellowed out in color. As such, the atmosphere fits the show and it's really, really nice. In addition, the animation quality for Sakurako is very nice. There are little to no flaws with the way that this show was produced, and I have nothing bad to say about the way the show looks. Especially when Sakurako puts that glove on and the moving skeletons pop up. God that was good; wish they used it more. Overview: + Fitting Color scheme + Good animation + Dat Cast starting animation. (Why didn't you use it more!!!) Sound: The sound for Sakurako is unique, to say the least. Rather than an instrumental OST, the OP and ED for Sakurako both utilize more electronic beats that give it a more somber and melancholic feel to reflect the theme of death that this series talks about since every skeleton has a story about how it died. I wouldn't say that these are memorable tracks, but they are a couple of really nice ones that add in to overall aesthetic of the show. A+ in my book. Personal Enjoyment: The Fall 2015 season was...disappointing, and that was putting it lightly. There were only a few shows that I declared mid-season were worth watching; Sakurako-san was one of them. Though, as the season came to a close, I was disappointed at how one of the better shows in this season just sort of shot itself in the foot at the last second, turning something that I looked forward to every week, into something that was a little bit weird in terms of pacing and where it was going. Did I like this anime? Up until the last couple episodes, Sakurako-san had a very solid start that I was really happy about. It defined what it wanted to do in the beginning and I had high hopes for what it would accomplish. (Until they were turned into dust, of course.) Sakurako is also a character that I enjoyed, as she is very different and has depth to her character, even if we didn't see all of that depth. Aesthetics as well, can't complain. Also, 10/10, would Hector again. (FLUFFY DOG!) What didn't I like about this anime? Aside from the fact that Sakurako created a BS plot at the end that left a lot of questions …

*This is my first review. In this review, I will go through each core element and give my thoughts as to why you should consider watching this anime. Before I get to that, I would like to say that I describe this anime as "A crime drama with a lot less unnecessary drama, leading to a more interesting show". If you happen to find yourself liking shows pertaining to crime, and are intrigued by things of the dead sort and their stories, this show is for you. Story: 9/10 The basic storyline of this anime is simple and very easy to follow. A girl who loves bones, along with her assistant solve puzzling mysteries together. It is from this main storyline that lots of interesting scenarios are created. The pacing is not too fast and not too slow; each story has their own episode, with some longer stories taking up to two episodes, which seems like a fair pace to me. Art and Sound: 8/10 and 8/10 When watching an anime, I tend to pay no attention to the music or sound used because we want to focus on the story.Though I may not notice it, sound and art go hand in hand when creating atmosphere, which I think is done quite well in this anime. The art is not exactly to my style, but it was good nonetheless. Character: 9/10 I enjoyed the different types of characters present in the story, due to their varying personalities, which makes for an interesting viewing. The number of characters in the anime are also just right- too little people make for a boring show; too many can make it confusing. Enjoyment and Overall Impression: 9/10 & 9/10 Overall, I enjoyed this anime very much, and would highly recommend it to people who like these kinds of anime. Some things could have been done to make it even better, such as the inclusion of more episodes, which would increase the enjoyment. TOTAL SCORE: ~8.67 (Rounded up to 9.0)

Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru is a firmly middle-of-the-road series with a handful of modest strengths and a fair selection of minor flaws. I enjoyed the show overall, though perhaps to the bare minimum extent to justify watching it again. It often feels as though several steps were skipped in the creation of this show, or that a number of details should have been questioned by somebody along the way and never got cut. I find most grating the fact that Sakurako is not an actual detective, even though it would have cost nothing to make her one from the outset and this single detail makes the entire series a mere cavalcade of conveniences. The series revolves around her and Shoutarou finding corpses, solving mysteries, and showing up the local police like any good Holmes and Watson, but Sakurako has no stated justification for following through with any of these actions. She digs (up) bones, not criminal investigation. Instead of simply casting Sakurako as an official detective who might be routinely called to crime scenes and have the authority to perform investigations, every episode has to find some new contrivance to put her in close proximity to a mysterious body and then at the helm of an official pursuit. Making Sakurako a forensic specialist would have made a lot more sense than making her an osteologist who is related to a coroner, possesses inexplicable powers of deduction, and conveniently finds herself embroiled in some new scheme every week. Sakurako’s investigations, despite being named in the title as very much an important part of the series, don’t get spared a great deal of air time. All CSI-type shows are guilty of condensing the amount of paperwork, research, critical thinking, and general grunt work associated with solving crimes, of course, but Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru doesn’t even pretend to care that few crimes are solved within a ten-minute span. No matter the situation, whatever piece of information that needs to be known in order to solve the mystery just happens to be known by Sakurako. Her expertise has no boundaries, so long as it helps hurry the episode to a safe conclusion. Hour-long live action series often have trouble slimming down a full investigation to a single-episode arc; this show moves much too quickly for any of the cases to seem realistic or for any of the events to have a significant impact. Most of the characters do not warrant description, Shoutarou included. Shoutarou, despite being the lens through which the audience sees the events unfold, exists largely as a walking apology for Sakurako. Every time Sakurako says something blunt or takes a rather presumptive action, Shoutarou swoops in to admonish her in front of the other characters and thereby allow Sakurako to get away with whatever it is she happens to be doing at the time. He performs a necessary function, and if it were not for the hints at some sort of real back story to their relationship, I’d suggest that Sakurako took him on as an assistant purely for this reason. I find Utsumi obnoxious, Kougami a blank space, and the dog a more compelling character than most of the other faces nudging their way into the spotlight now and again. Only Sakurako herself is particularly interesting to watch; while literature and television alike are flooded with better examples of the aloof, impersonal genius detective archetype, Sakurako also isn’t the worst example. Shizuka Itou does a great job of bringing Sakurako’s personality to life with a commanding, insensitive, impartial voice that sounds genuinely confused when other characters get caught up with things like emotions and routine human behavior. Sakurako is aggressive, impatient, and surprisingly childlike at times, all of which further necessitate the need for a mediator in the form of Shoutarou, and all of which make her slightly more interesting by putting her at odds with those unfortunate enough to become involved in her investigations. The manner in which the show describes Sakurako and the manner in which Sakurako acts don’t gel perfectly, but I also don’t care quite enough to be bothered by the inconsistency. For a bone-themed mystery show with a corpse around every corner, Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru feels very much like a quaint, saccharine ‘90s sitcom at times. Not content to contrive conflicts for each episode, the show often drags out side characters to participate in the weekly drama on the flimsiest pretenses. Some characters do actually receive a fair amount of development across episodes, but at the cost of being awkwardly shoehorned into various scenarios. The show winds up with an unfortunate trade-off: we learn a bit more about some of these people, but first we have to tolerate them being there at all. On a few instances, we’re treated to a perfectly schmaltzy, “Hey, remember so-and-so? Yeah, they’re doing just fine now!” Often the show feels too light-hearted, with bright lighting, a general lack of consequences, and even occasional instances of low-key fan service that, while reasonable to include if the teenage Shoutarou’s point of view is taken into account, don’t pretend to make any sort of real statement or push the show in any other direction. All it does is confuse the tone of the show. I find the attempts at wringing serious philosophy out of these situations as obnoxious as they are overbearing. The last few episodes make the show feel more like a respectable mystery series; the solutions aren’t immediately obvious, the characters interact with each other in subtler ways, and a lot more is at stake emotionally and physically. I wonder if the show might succeed more if it could pick one major arc and stick with it over the course of a season, rather than chopping itself up into discrete episodes. Even at its best, Beautiful Bones still has quite a few issues, but if there were ever to be a second season, the show could be salvaged with moderate success. The visuals are probably the show’s strong suit. I wouldn’t say it’s worth watching just for the pretty colors, but at least there’s something interesting to look at if (read: when) the plot begins to drag. The backgrounds are often beautiful and detailed, with usually a few scenes per episode getting a very special treatment that makes everything pop. In the first few episodes, Sakurako gets a trippy magical girl transformation sequence when she begins investigating a scene, replete with catchphrase. With bright, entrancing colors and a captivating proggy, jazzy soundtrack, this sequence is a pearl that helps the show escape its mundane surroundings just for a moment. Even if the transformation does become slightly tedious after the first couple of instances, I love the idea of introducing such surreal elements. A lot of the budget very clearly went into the visuals already, but given a bit more style and vibrance, I could forgive the show a lot more of its failings. For all the show’s flaws and all the problems I have with it, I actually enjoyed watching Sakurako quite a bit. Nothing is offensively wrong with the show, only foolish or silly. I like watching Sakurako herself messily harangue her way through other people’s business, and though I had anticipated a much darker, less episodic foray into the depths of the criminal underworld, I’ll take a casual stroll through a monster-of-the-week curiosity anyway.

Where do I start. I guess I'll just state what I liked and felt about this anime, I'll try not to include spoilers as much as possible. I always have this thing about light mystery because I'm not fond of overly serious mystery genre and Sakurako-san really hit that spot of me. Rather than mystery oriented, Sakurako-san is like slice of life with drama and little twists of light mystery. Having this cliche high-school themed filled with force romance and fanservice anime over here and there, this anime is a breather for me and I always have this smile whenever I watch each of episode of this but don't get me wrong, Sakurako-san get's serious when it needs to be. The story is actually good and the pacing is also good. I know I'll raise some eyebrows because a lot of review said that it's rushed and pacing was terrible, but have you forgotten that this is a mystery and a lot of mystery either anime or novel tends to get quirky about pacing of the story? Well enough of the pacing I guess, Sakurako-san is a light mystery which tells each story that can actually happen in real life, that's why i view it as a slice of life. It does not goes beyond over exaggerating the mystery element but rather take account the scenarios that can take place in real life And instead of throwing some heavy words to try to be serious, this anime takes real life point of view. Comes with beautiful arts and story telling which TROYCA magnificently delivered. Opening, ending and ost tracts that gives the feeling of lightness despite being a mystery. I was truly amazed of what the anime showed and makes me feel positive about living. It on par with the Hyouka feeling I felt back then! But Probably for anyone who expects with grand showdown of intelligence like in other heavy mystery stories out there but definitely a mystery anyone could appreciate to if you just try to appreciate. You don't need to be really smart just to understand the mystery element, you just have to view it realistically to an extent. Over all it is a must watch for those who have a thing for light mystery and for those fed up of cliched anime. I'll just end my review with the quote I really like from Sakurako-san "Listen It's always you who stops time. If you stop in fear of the future, you gain nothing And nothing begins. You spend your life as though you're already dead." then Thank you very much for reading.

Everyone has that one show every season that they're super excited for. Whether it be a continuation to a former series, an all-new creation from a favorite studio, or even a show just has an extremely pretty girl on the promo poster, us anime fans get ourselves psyched up over basically anything. For me, the conductor of the primary hype-train for Fall 2015 was Beautiful Bones or A Corpse Is Buried Under Sakurako's Feet. This mystery light novel adaptation follows the unlikely crime-solving duo of Kujou Sakurako, a well-off osteologist from a wealthy background, and Shoutaro Tatewaki, who is basically just some high school kid. This directorial debut from Makoto Katou is equally as youthful in the animation department, being only the second series animated by studio TROYCA (Aldnoah.Zero). The light novel, which goes by the same title as the anime, began publication in 2013 and is currently still adding more volumes to its name. The author and artist, Shiori Ota and Tetsuo respectively, once again exemplify how fresh this series is when you take into account just how little they worked on. Hell, even the two main voice actors have never been in an anime before. With an entire staff of people who could be considered "freshmen" by some others in their field, Beautiful Bones busted onto the scene with the notion of proving that the new guys in town can be just as good as the old veterans. The series follows the typical arc format that many other series, primarily mysteries, have been utilizing as of late -- meaning that each individual mystery could consume anywhere from one to four episodes. As these arcs progress, the underlying plot line does as well. Actually, I'm not sure if "Plot line" is the right term to use there. The biggest part of this entire series is watching how the two protagonists grow and develop in terms of their relationship. As Sakurako and Shoutarou solve these mysteries, which are occurring at a suspiciously alarming rate, their thoughts of each other progress, in the same way, that the cases do. Shoutarou sees Sakurako as this astoundingly beautiful, overly smart grown woman that he still needs to watch after due to her sometimes absentmindedness. Sakurako, however, seems to view Shoutarou as sort of a replacement to someone she may have known in the past.The two become rather codependent on each other, and watching them grow is honestly the most entertaining (And important) part of the series. Each arc and each mystery you will encounter in Beautiful Bones is quite different than the next. Seeming, more often than not, like typical "Foul play" murder cases, each story has something buried deep down inside it that literally turns the case on its back. But, I mean, it wouldn't really be a mystery without that, right? More than half of the arcs wind up being exponentially darker than they seem at first which, depending on how you view the series, can be either incredibly entertaining and gripping or just flat out disturbing and uncalled for. My particular favorite (And I won't spoil it for you) is the final arc that details one of the strangest love triangles of all time. This arc actually goes on to introduce a bigger continuing plot that I'm sure the light novels make a huge deal of. However, considering this plot doesn't spring up until the last three or four episodes (And we only have 12), we don't get to see much of it. The plus side to this is that it leaves a metric ton of room for a second season if this one is received well enough. This isn't a series where you're going to see Square Enix style, fashionably gorgeous characters, but instead characters that accentuate the realism of...well, reality. Each one seems more like someone you might encounter in town rather than an anime series -- which is awesome. This creates sort of a subconscious tie that viewers can create with particular characters that may remind us of some people we've actually met in real life before. Except Sakurako -- she's too perfect to be an emulation of an actual person. Along with character design, location and landscapes display a sense of realism that is both rejuvenating and nostalgic. Even the music shines in this series, spiraling into a chorus of enchanting violins when Sakurako activates detective mode. Beautiful Bones is well rounded in a multitude of ways, leaving only some rushed and confusing story aspects to drag it down. The strangest thing about this series is how Sakurako is introduced. One of the first times we hear Shoutaro talk about her, he mentions that she is engaged to some guy somewhere or something. Then, we never see that guy, or even hear about him again. Hell, I don't think she even mentions him at all for the entire series. Maybe he shows up later in the light novels or something, but the way it seems to me is that this fiance guy was just thrown into the mixture to dispell feelings of intimacy between Sakurako and Shoutaro (Or, if you want to get weird, just make it more taboo). Not only is this weird and unnecessary as far as developing characters goes, it's just too safe of a decision for me. I mean, this is a series that highlight suicide, child abuse, more suicide, and a plethora of other things. But it draws the line at a relationship between an adult and kid who will be an adult in, what, two years? Personally, if you're going to weave a tale centered on co-dependency, I don't think you should throw random obstacles in the way. Any obstacle introduced should have a reason -- it shouldn't just be there for the sole purpose of complicating things. In Summary: Beautiful Bones boasts an "Impressive on all fronts" personality which only becomes bigger when you take into account how new every staff member is to the anime industry. Story arcs are deep and detailed with little self-censorship, which is essential for a mystery series. Character design is realistic while character personalities are relatable and intimate. Art design evokes a sense of nostalgia while still painting a beautiful portrait of an enchanting environment. The only thing that comes as a true hurdle to this series is some rushed conflict in terms of character relationships. As a whole, though, Beautiful Bones is a refreshing story of codependency between unlikely candidates that harkens back to stories like The Garden of Words. Room for a second season only makes it better.

THIS REVIEW CONTAIN SPOILERS Mystery animes should make you always curious to know what will happen the next episode. This one doesn't. This anime presented great potential at the beginning, showing Sakuraro and the "Shounen" discovering a person's bones and solving the mystery behind their death. I thought it would be like that the whole series. But then, it changed. The cases they solved were really boring and some even useless, it just didn't make me want to know what happened, because for me it really didn't matter. Then the story continued with some (light) drama and raising our curiosity showing a little of Sakurako's past, but at that point it isn't that much interesting anymore, it seems rather obvious what will happen. What caught most of my curiosity was: who the hell is Sakurako's fiance? Art: 9/10 Really well made character's expressions. Background full of details. Coloring is also great, really vivid (I guess I could say that.) Story: 4/10 The show is very slow paced, even too much. There are some useless episodes that don't add anything up to the story, but overall is nice. Hard to say this but, the "explanation" is really good. What I mean is that they introduce the case to us with many details, and develop the story from that point flawlessly, but that's what causes the a anime to be very slow paced. Differently from what I expected from the begging, solving the mysteries is not something thrilling. They try to make something dramatic but it doesn't feel all that deep and I can't really relate to anything, so it just feels shallow. I have the impression that it's sometimes forced, because they try to make a big deal out of little stuff. For example in the episode which the Yuri girl lost her grandmother. They made it sound like her world ended, and yet the old lady was already missing, so it was expected that she was dead. And yet they make it look like something really sad. Maybe some people will identify themselves with the girl, call me cold but, I simply don't have the compassion to feel sorry for her. The true story begins at episode 10, when the anime is ending they start what should've been already solved by that time. Ending an anime the way they did, only if they are certain of another season, because basically everything was left unsolved. Sound: 8/10 Background music is good, sound effects fit in perfectly, opening and ending themes are also great. Characters: 5/10 The story doesn't help the genius MC because the cases are really boring, so solving them doesn't make the MC look as smart as she is. But I still like her and how cold she is, asking questions with no remorse and then solving everything on her own. Something which bothered me a lot was that the personalities of some of the supporting characters somewhat changed through the story. Not some big change, but at some parts they acted outside their character, for example the Sensei, at one episode he acted really cool and said some nice stuff, but at the next episode he didn't leave his mark and it really annoys me these subtle changes. Something else that bugs me is that whimpy cry-baby shounen. Can't he shut up? And why does he feel sick when he sees bones? They are just freakin' bones. Enjoyment: 5/10 Good as it is, it just doesn't make me cry out for more episodes, desperately refreshing the page, begging for the release of an new episode. Well, that was too much, but you get the picture. Even though I really appreciate a good drama and mystery, this one doesn't make any of them truly enjoyable, leaving nothing else for the viewers. Overall: 6 (Fine) Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru is entertaining but it lacks depth to its story. Showed great potential but it really disappointed me.

Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru Beautiful Bones -Sakurako's Investigation is not youre typical mystery like detective conan or the perfect insider where people always find it that way it's more like a slice of life. Sakurako is not a detective but she has skills (the reason why the cases are always solve really fast). This anime is pretty much talk about the daily lives of the two so it's a pretty good anime for me because of it's art those colors was sure great and all but the story itself is really not that good because the pacing was really bad but if this anime episode numbers to 20 + I think it could be better the sound was okay not that bad and not that good eitheir the chracter is how do I say this "unlikely" chracters that are fond of bones are pretty rare so I'm going to give it the thumbs up. I pretty much enjoyed watching the anime from start to finish so that's all I guess

Have to admit, the story came much later but I believe that the creators were trying to achieve this "mysterious storyline"effect which can only be revealed at the end....and which cannot be done within 12 episodes....sad to say but that is the only thing that ruined the potential of the anime. Let's see, I love the art. I just don't get why they stopped the animation for her when she puts on the gloves after half of the anime... The opening theme is perfect, with Ulna and Radius and that kid's skull....but we never found out who that kid is......<--creators y'all have a problem... Many things said by Sakurako is so true and relatable, I might just start to study bone if I want to learn the truth.... I enjoyed the small horrors in the music. But that moment when they finally, specifically, mention the antagonist, which is at the 11th episode, a bit late...LMAO Also this is like Detective Conan, I mean, every ep includes a dead person. Conan has experience more deaths than in WW1 (to avoid the offense for those taken if I were to mention WW2 or any genocide) All in all 10/10 cause I love Sakurako and she is my role model heh ;)

I haven't watched the TV series "Bones" but I guess the anime I'll be reviewing today has at least a similar topic. It is a crime/mystery anime that has a very intriguing plot and a very interesting main character. The anime with the longest name I have seen so far: Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru or the English version: A Corps is Buried under Sakurako's feet. Sounds creepy and is a little bit but it's amazing at the same time. Have fun! PLOT AND STORY LINE This is with great extend one of the best mystery and crime I have seen. An anime from the Fall 2015 season and a Lantis production, the same producers of some of Mirai Nikki, One Ounch Man, Another and many more popular anime. In my opinion it deserves a better score than 7.5 on MAL and here is all why: First of all, the story is told in a very interesting way. I kind of retrospective way of telling while the narrator is also the main character of the story Tatewaki Shoutarou. Shoutaru tell us his life story after meeting Kujou Sakurako, an osteologist he spends a lot of time with and helps her with her work. Everyday they encounter new mysteries and try to solve unsolved cases that all involve...bones of course. He soon learns that bones may tell the way someone died, but never why. The 'why' and how they lived can only be told by people. Secondly, the plot is kinda made up of cases and some smaller stories but the actual story is much more mysterious and intriguing. Trough the anime you get those hints that make you think about the possibilities of what might have happened and you'll eventually find out...later...when season 2 comes out. There exists a manga but I can't find a page where I could actually read it. Nevertheless, the 'real' story of the anime involves her uncle and her brother if I got it right from the hints and her flashbacks. It's not hard to tell that the story has a really emotional background and will probably have an interesting outcome. Some rapid scenes and flashes in the anime actually make you realize how most of the cases they solve are connected to each other in one or the other way. It adds up to the excitement and keeps you long enough on tenterhooks to make you finish the anime in only one day. And in the end it makes you cry because it has only 12 episodes. Thirdly, the anime has so many morals. It is impossible how good they display the value of life and how they actually make you believe that everyone's life story is special even tough the person lived a simple life. At this point I want to share two of Sakurako-san's quotes that are truly amazing: "But time never stops. It moves forward endlessly, as surely as bodies burried in the ground will one day become white bones. Listen, it's always you who stops time. If you stop in fear of future-you gain nothing and nothing begins. You spend your life as though already dead. Wheather you wish it or not- time never stops." " Don't be too negative. You haven't become ashes just yet." CHARACTERS Where was I, oh yeah...Reason 4: Yes, one more reason that this anime is truly amazing are the characters. When it comes to Lantis production all the anime have overly good characters. In Beautiful Bones (A synonym name for the anime) the diversity of characters is huge and they all contribute to the story in a unique but even way. Of course, Sakurako is the highlight of the story and so is her personality. The thing about her is that she behaves in a childish way but is actually a mastermind when it comes to solving cases and discovering secrets. And even tough her actions are funny most of the time, she also gets really emotional and mature from time to time too. Right after finishing the anime, I added her to my favorite character list on MAL. She is independent yet down to earth and emotional. I always loved this type of characters. And I actually never mentioned her huge passion for bones. She loves bones and has a lot of reconstructed animal skeletons at home. ANIMATION AND STYLE And here comes reason 5: the animation and the style of the anime are as amazing as the anime it self. The animation is basically an 'as expected' since the anime is a 2015 production. The style is important here. I can't really tell what it is that stands out so much. I think it's the bright colors and the way they do that 'now let's solve the mystery' scene. Whatever it is, the style makes the anime really unique and makes you not forget it so easy. In addition to that, it makes you enjoy the anime even more. As for me, animation and style are really important and they surely have influence on my anime choice. Right now, I have a really hard time watching Clannad because the style is just horrible. CONCLUSION Let's conclude. There are on the whole 5 reasons why you should watch Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru or Beautiful Bones: Sakurako's Investigation right now and there is not a single reason why you shouldn't. The anime is perfect for all of you that like crime and mystery anime and those who love using their brain figuring it out on their own.

I laughed, I cried, I dropped my jaw and just couldn't seem to stop watching this anime. Just what is it about Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umattei that drew me in, well, lets find out. Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umattei is what I would call an episodic mystery that to me is very entertaining, quite the emotional roller-coaster. In the same scene you can go from shedding a tear to laughing your tail off. The story is good in that while the episodes do have a slight connection they can stand on their own. With each episode or pair of episodes you get a new mystery to solve, albeit not overly difficult. There were a few moments where not overly suspenseful I did find my jaw hanging open even if for just a second. And that is one of the things that I really loved about this anime, I never knew how I was going to feel from one moment to the next. Upon watching the first episode I found myself captivated with the art. That is not to say that it was the most stylistic I have ever seen but it was done well and fit the theme to a tee. Not to mention the colors were crisp, warm and spoke to me as I watched ever excited to see episode after episode. The music spoke to me as well. The opening and closing songs suited the anime just fine but it was the sound used within the anime that really played well with the setting. Always foreshadowing what would come next, which to me is very important. The characters were well done and I looked forward to spending time with them each episode. Unlike many other anime that I like I found that I fell in love with each character in the story rather than clinging to just one. For me this is unique and quite enjoyable. I also feel that the characters did well in supporting one another. That said, they could have stood alone if need be but that is simply not the case. The best part is that I could relate to the reactions of many of the secondary and tertiary characters in that even if something is mysterious and shocking I can not pull myself away and that is just how many of the characters reacted throughout this series. Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umattei is a series I went into with little expectations but was I ever wrong. In just a mere twelve episodes it made a rather hefty impact on my emotions and climbed its way into the second spot of my personal top ten rankings. Not only is it something that is memorable that I enjoyed watching but something that I know will add value each time I re-watch it. Defiantly a show I will be adding to my anime shelf when next I see it for sale (slightly complicated in my country). This is certainly an anime that I would recommend to others but I do understand that it is not for everyone as it is episodic. Is this the perfect anime, no, and I don't think that such a thing exists. If I could then I would give it a 9.5 out of 10 but as I can't it gets a solid 10. I chose such a rating not only for the enjoyment it gave me but how it made me feel and its ability to captivate my attention. To summarize, this is a wonderful anime that is worth your time. Particularly if you go in with no expectations and try to not compare it to other mystery anime that you might have seen. I know that is hard but it stands on its own two feel in its unique way.

[Review in English and Spanish] [English] I started to watch this show with no expectations at all, but it surprised me in many aspects. First of all, I give all the credit to the one that picked the title: awesome title! It made me look for it in Google and find about Kajii Motojiro's short, beautiful story, I really appreciate that. I recommend to watch this show as a mystery show and in that view I think is a good one. Because... Story (10) There is a high structure that leads to a big story, but that story has been turned apart using the metaphor of the bones, so in each episode a bone is revealed and little by little all the bones of the high level picture are getting together and by the end of this season we have a litle bit more clarity about the main story of this anime. This progressive revelation of the story is very pleasant in my opinion, because it is well done (it accomplishes with the requirements of mistery stories where the clues are presented to the viewer/reader, so he/she can infer at the same time along with the characters the story resolution), and, which is the most valuable aspect, it is not predictable! (And I highlight this because after you have watched/read lots of mystery shows/novels, everything seems easy and predictable). To me, the clearest sign that the story is good is that I can't wait for the next season! Even if the characters did not mark me at all, I want to find out how the story ends. Art (7) Beautiful, clean, well picked colours. I like the way how the saturation and bright of colours change according to the scene/atmosphere/tension. But, nothing astonishing or outstandingly original. Sound (5) I hated the music! I think it is not helpful, it does not add anything good to the scenes or characters or the story, and worst of all, that "classic" (violins, etc.) style does not seem to suit with the story at all to me. Worst aspect, by far. Character (6) As I said before, none of them really marked me, I don't feel any special sympathy by them. Of course Sakurako is the main character: this girl that is beautiful, super smart, and has a weird/sick fascination about bones and dead corpses. Is the usual trend to outline the "special" character with exotic personality/tastes/behaviour, but it is not impressive. However, they don't bother me either and in general they are a positive addition to the story and are quite coherent so far, according to the not so informative back up story that we know. Enjoyment (8) As I said, by far, the story is the most enjoyable aspect to me, the mysteries and how they are putting together the high level picture by using short stories that are related and that are mirrors of the main argument. Let's not forget the motto at the start "for those who are trapped in the past" (or something like that), it is indeed applied to each case and to the motivations of most of the characters (it is indeed a well used leit motive). The whole bones/butterflies business is interesting (not truly original, but well played). Overall (8) I take this show as a mistery show and under that view I give it at 8, specially compared to other mistery animes that I have seen recently. Good use of general culture (japanese and occidental, e.g. Nietzsche quotes), forensic knowledge and human behaviour and psychology. Worth to watch, I recommend it, it is not a waste of time and I hope to see next season soon. [Spanish] Comencé a ver esta serie sin ninguna expectativa, pero me sorprendió en muchos aspectos. Primero que nada, hay que darle todo el crédito a la persona que escogió el título: qué buen título! me hizo buscar esta frase en Google y encontrar el cuento de Kajii Motojiro, hermoso, realmente lo agradezco. Recomiendo ver esta serie como una serie de misterio y bajo esa mirada pienso que es una muy buena. Porque... Historia (10) Hay una gran estructura que lleva hacia una gran historia pero esa historia ha sido separada usando la metáfora de los huesos, de tal forma que en cada episodio un hueso es revelado y poco a poco todos los huesos de la idea general son re-armados y hacia el final de la temporada ya se tiene un poco más de claridad de cuál es la historia principal de este animé. Esta revelación progresiva de la historia me parece muy agradable, porque está bien hecha (en el sentido de que cumple con los requisitos de las historias de misterio en las cuales las pistas son presentadas a los lectores/espectadores de tal manera que ellos/ellas puedan inferir en conjunto con los personajes el desenlace de la historia), y, lo más valioso, no es predecible! (y destaco esto porque después de haber visto/leído un montón de animés/libros de misterio todo se vuelve fácil y predecible). Para mí el signo más patente de que la historia es buena es que no puedo esperar para ver la siguiente temporada! Incluso, a pesar de que los personajes no me marcaron para nada, quiero averiguar cómo termina la historia. Arte (7) Hermoso, limpio, con colores muy bien escogidos. Me gusta la manera en la saturación y el brillo de los colores cambia de acuerdo a la escena/atmósfera/tensión. Pero, nada impresionante ni espectacularmente original. Sonido (5) Odié la música! Me pareció que no ayudaba en nada, no añade nada bueno a las escenas, los personajes o a la historia, y lo peor de todo es que ese estilo "clásico/docto" (con violines, etc.) me pareció que no calzaba en absoluto con la historia. Lo peor de todo, por lejos. Personajes (6) Como dije antes, ninguno de ellos me marcó realmente. No sentí ninguna empatía especial por ellos. Por supuesto, Sakurako es la protagonista: es una chica hermosa, muy inteligente, y que tiene una extraña/enferma fascinación por los huesos y los cadáveres. Es el intento usual de dibujar un personaje "especial" con una personalidad/gusto/comportamiento exótico, pero no es muy impresionante. Sin embargo, no me molestan tampoco y en general añaden cosas buenas a la historia, y por ahora son coherentes con la poca historia personal que conocemos de cada uno. Disfrute (?) (8) Como dije antes, lejos, la historia fue lo que más disfruté, los misterios y cómo están armando la historia principal usando las historias de cada episodio que están relacionadas con la primera y son reflejos de esta. No olvidemos el lema con que comienza la serie "para aquellos que viven en el pasado" (o algo así), es ciertamente aplicado a cada caso y a las motivaciones de los personajes (es un real hilo conductor o motivo). Todo el tema de los huesos/mariposas es interesante (no muy original, pero bien propuesto). General (8) Tomo esta seria como una serie de misterio y bajo ese alero le doy un 8, especialmente al compararla con otros animés de misterio que he visto recientemente. Buen uso de la cultura general (japonesa y occidental, como por ejemplo las citas a Nietzsche), conocimiento forense y el comportamiento y la psicología humana. Digno de ver, lo recomiendo, no es una pérdida de tiempo y espero ver pronto la próxima temporada.

Sakurako-san is beautiful, Bone is beautiful.. The anime ending is beautiful. So enchanting, mysterious and beautiful~ The anime and the beautiful Sakurako-san keep drawing me in... ... Even till the very end, it doesn't let me off the leash. The ending is a new beginning. Everything is still going on... around us, everyday. Don't stop looking, don't stop thinking. Don't stop seeking for the truths. While doing that, don't forget that someone out there is looking at you too. This is what I learnt from this anime XD Omoshiroii, Interesting. Bravo. People recommended Hyouka and GoSick for people who likes this anime. I've watched these two before this anime, and finds this anime closer to heart. I give this anime a 9. Nande? I like the main character, Sakurako-san, obviously. The granny and the shounen are nice too. It's great to see the 2 characters - so different - working together and eventually learning from each other, compromising each other. It's also funny seeing Sakurako-san being like a kid and Shoutaro looking after/ out for her given their age XD As for the story, it's realistic. It's not something far fetched and may happen to anyone of us. It's sometimes heart warming, and reminds us to treasure those that we have while we can (unless you have a habit of keeping bones close to you too. Even so, Sakurako-san who likes bones admitted that she doesn't want those who are living to die). Sometimes, it is sad and tragic. It reminds us that people are not always beautiful and there is always an ugly side to them... ... ... and there is always someone out there who will exploit these weaknesses to achieve their goals. Will you fight it? Will you give in to it? Sakurako-san is not there in real life to save you, and you're not Shoutarou, so why will she bother anyway? Where did the 1 mark go? There are many unknowns left in the anime which I'll like to know about but they were left untouched and not mentioned as the anime goes on. And the story may be pretty predictable and plain if you treat this as a mystery genre. Well, it is not. Just enjoy the anime simply as it is - A story dedicated to those trapped by the past. If you were left behind by someone, what will you do?

This is an anime that is simply trying to be itself. With that, I mean that the pacing, stories, whatever, just kind of happen. If you just think about it as 'things that happen in the life of not-quite-a-detective person' then it doesn't really matter. Don't watch it expecting nice coherent stories that all tie together. It is not. It is not quite a detective story, since this season only just introduces the overarching theme of detective-ness. Instead, it is Sakurako-san and the boy, who goes around and solves the mysteries of dead bodies and the motivations of the living alike, from the sinister to the mundane. Some are stronger and more interesting than others, but they're all executed pretty well in theory, and the mystery-solving flows nicely and is decently grounded. The characters are the strong point, I feel. The main duo have a unique sort of partnership going on. Like Sherlock and Watson, except she is less of an insufferable weirdo and merely eccentric with her own way of thinking, with the boy to counteract her childish traits. It is witty, convincing, and clever in its own little way. That is what makes this an enjoyable watch regardless

Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru is a slice-of-life mystery show based off of a light novel by the same name. It is an episodic series showcasing individual smaller mysteries that eventually led into one bigger mystery, sort of. With all of the hype that I initially heard about the light novel, I had high hopes for this show and was unfortunately disappointed. Story: 5/10 I was really looking for this show to be next great mystery anime but at the end, I found myself feeling let down. The story starts off with Sakurako-san an Osteologist whose job and life passion is finding and reassembling the bones of diseased animals and yes, humans. Each show follows a similar pattern. Sakurako and her young assistant Shoutaoru, find themselves in a circumstance where they find bones of the diseased which then opens up a mystery that Sakurako must solve. The whole show carries on this way with each episode, sometimes two episodes, focusing on a single mystery which is then resolved. Wash, rinse, repeat. For those who have seen the anime "Gosick" it follows a similar pattern to that show. I was really hoping that this show would delve into one major mystery the would develop over the course of the show and it didn't. If you're looking for a mystery that's going to keep you at the edge of your seat, this isn't it. The mysteries were mediocre at best, they never really went anywhere and they weren't all that exciting. The first 3 episodes were promising, but things went downhill from there. Towards the end of the show the overlying mystery that connects all the smaller ones together finally comes into play, but it's rushed and never really comes to a full conclusion. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that overall the story was relatively underwhelming. There wasn't anything that made the show exceptionally good, but there wasn't anything that made it exceptionally bad either. It stands on middle ground. If anything I'm hoping for a second season to tie up the loose ends and questions that this show left me with. Art & Animation: 8/10 The animation in this show was the only factor that in my opinion that really stood out and was above average. The first thing I noticed upon watching the first episode was the beautiful use of color and general art style. So it was a solid job well done in that aspect. Sound: 5/10 The soundtrack was just average. Not much to say about it, there was nothing outstanding about it but it wasn't bad by any means. Characters: 5/10 Ugh the characters were one of the biggest disappointments. Sakurako herself had the potential to be extremely interesting. I mean, her hobby is digging up bones and figuring out mysteries for heavens sake! But we never really learn that much about her. We get a tiny info dump towards the end about her past and how she met Shoutarou but never enough for me to say, "I know this character." Speaking of Shoutarou he fell into the category of being the protagonist that was absolutely useless. We get practically no character development with him. He doesn't even really serve a purpose to the plot. And quite frankly, 9 times out of 10 he's kind of just in the way. Everything is solved by Sakurako and he just kind of hangs there along for the ride. He does have his own little shining moment at the end but for a main character, he should have had more of an important roll than he did. As for the rest of the characters, none of them were important enough for me to even talk about them. They were all one dimensional and never went anywhere. It really was a shame too because they had some good material but didn't really use it well. Enjoyment 6/10 Did I enjoy this anime? Yes, and no. As a whole I found the show entertaining enough to keep me engaged in the show. Some were better than others and some were pretty darn boring. But it kept my attention enough that made me want to at least see it through to the end. So overall I give this show a 6/10. It was overall just an average run of the mill show. It wasn't bad or good. It was kind of just there. I think the show had great bones that the creators simply failed to use properly and to their full extent. The ending was left wide open for a second season and if they did make one I'd probably give it another chance. Definitely give this show a try. It's average but it still has a little something that does keep it interesting enough to watch.