Given

Music is a powerful tool. That’s a fact that we may not realize at first, but once it hits you in the face, you can never forget it. Singing allows you to convey any feeling you may feel in your heart, even when it feels like your heart has shattered into pieces by a life-changing event. Who knew that a yaoi (or shounen-ai, whichever way you want to refer to it) anime would make such a thought occur to me? I haven’t read the manga that the anime in question was based off of; I just saw the PV when it came out before the actual anime aired and saw that it had a large amount of potential. Originally, I would have blown an anime like this off in spite of that potential due to it being BL; despite it being years since I removed that restriction from myself, this anime is making me seriously regret that I did it at all! Lads, ladies, and non-binaries, my review of “Given” is about to be given to you! (Yeah, yeah, throw your tomatoes at me and get it over with.) Given starts off with high schooler Ritsuka Uenoyama reluctantly teaching schoolmate Mafuyu Satou how to play the guitar. You see, Ritsuka is the guitarist for a band, and upon seeing Mafuyu with a broken guitar at his usual napping spot one day, he fixes it for him; as it turns out, Mafuyu doesn’t actually know how to play said guitar, so he enlists Ritsuka to teach him how to play. One thing leads to another - which includes Mafuyu being introduced to Ritsuka’s bandmates, bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji - and one day, Ritsuka discovers that Mafuyu has an exceptional singing voice. What else could Ritsuka do except invite Mafuyu into his band? As time goes on and the band prepares for a concert, however, Ritsuka begins to learn about Mafuyu’s past. I’m just going to start off by saying that the story for Given is the best story I’ve seen for a yaoi anime. Yes, it’s even better than that of Doukyuusei. Not only does it have lighthearted moments, but it also displays a darker side, which includes an accurate depiction of how one may feel when they lose a loved one; there are many who will be able to relate to the story and its characters. If there is one problem I have with the story, however, it is that it feels like it ended too early. Of course, the anime ends on a positive note, but I just feel like there is more that could be explored; maybe it’s just me wanting more than just these 11 episodes and nothing else, though. Not only does Given have an excellent story, it also has a strong cast of characters. In fact, I feel like the characters are one of the anime’s greatest strengths, if not its greatest strength, period. None of these characters are perfect, which is exactly what makes them interesting; it’s interesting to see them grow. Out of the entire cast, Mafuyu is most certainly the one who grew the most; he went from someone who couldn’t express his emotions that well to someone who could express himself through the power of music. Ritsuka is also an enjoyable character who went through a good amount of growth; his relationship with Mafuyu was also perfect, with their chemistry appearing from episode one and their relationship being developed at a reasonable pace. Two more interesting characters are Haruki and Akihiko; being the adult members of the band, they give the two younger members sound advice, yet at the same time, these two can be complete messes, especially Haruki. Now, I’m just going to remind you that while this is a yaoi anime, it is also a music anime; thus, it is important that this anime has good music. Fortunately, I can say that Given delivers in the music department tenfold. The opening and ending themes - which are respectively “Kizuato” by Centimilimental and “Marutsuke” by Shougo Yano (the voice of Mafuyu) - are amazing and memorable songs that are worth replaying over and over again; the songs’ lyrics - especially that for the opening theme - also fit this anime’s story so well that it’s almost scary, which is something I realized as the anime was still going on. The soundtrack is also really good, and it adds to the atmosphere of the anime. (There is one insert song that stood out to me, but I’ll talk about that later.) The voice actors gave exceptional performances, too; their emotions are conveyed the way they are supposed to. The animation.... What can I really say about the animation? It’s not my favorite part about the anime, but there’s no denying that it’s really good. There are some pretty good character designs, with the proportions of every character looking great. (Eat your heart out, Houkago no Shokuinshitsu!) Given also makes good use of its colors; there are bright colors used for the more lighthearted moments, and there are darker colors for the sadder moments. Overall, Given just has great animation. However, everything that is great about Given really comes together in one particular scene in episode 9. This scene is the concert scene where the band performs “Fuyu no Hanashi”, and....wow. The animation, the sound of this song, the way the song connects to the overall story and Mafuyu’s character.... Everything about that scene was perfect. When it hits for the first time, it’s hard not to feel emotional. Overall, Given was an excellent anime. I recommend this anime to anyone looking for an amazing love story with amazing music. If you refuse to watch it because it’s gay, I won’t force you, but I will say that you’re missing out!

I came in to this series expecting nothing. What I got was a thoughtful story about love and loss and starting over in life. It was beautiful without a hint of the cliche that infects most shounen ai stories. It is a slow burn, though. That just means that the story takes it's time, making sure we are fully invested before it reveals major plot points. Overall, the fact that the band is just (if not more) integral to the story than the relationship is, perhaps, why the romance works so well. In order for any romantic feelings to feel earned you have to have a couple who have lives, goals, and expectations outside of each other. We get that here. All in all Given is an anime that most dudes are going to pass by because "I'm not into that gay stuff" and to them I say, "well, you are missing out"

I am well aware, as a queer woman, that I am not the target demographic for this anime, but nonetheless, I liked it. Some characters are kinda bland and it’s cheesy/dumb at times, but it managed to keep me invested. It’s genuinely pretty funny. Haruki’s reactions to stuff and what I can only describe as Ritsuka’s very relatable gay-panic were my favorite and made me laugh quite a lot. But even so, it actually made me cry twice, having struggled with suicide as a teen, that whole backstory really hit hard. (watch out my anger is showing) Some of the negative reviews I’ve read have criticized the fact that almost every character is “just gay for like zero reasons at all” or they're disappointed that the anime doesn't "address how hard it is to be gay in a bigoted world". First of all, there’s never a reason for someone being queer (just ask my mother) and queer people hang out with other queer people just cuz. Next, the “lack” of gay-bashing or serious conversations about homophobia is really refreshing, because I try to find media about people I can relate to and constantly have to trudge through a bunch of sad porn for straight people. So having an anime full of queer people with no homophobia, no “forbidden romance “, or fear, is really fucking great in my opinion. Soooo anyway… good show. It’s not like ground-breaking or gonna leave you on the edge of your seat, it’s just a positive show that left a good impression on me.

It's been a few months now since I first watched Given and let it consume a large part of my life, just like that. Now that I've also watched and reviewed the movie, I'm going back to do a review for Given, too. Given is, as has been mentioned in other reviews, a revolution of the BL genre. It tells stories of same-sex relationships without blatantly fetishising them like others do, and I love it for that. I had heard of the series a long time back but avoided it because I know how most of the stuff in this genre goes. Spoilers: it ain't good. Given, though? Blew my expectations to smithereens. Given is good in so many ways I can't put it into words without turning it into an essay (which, now that I finished writing and went back over the review... it IS an essay). Let me properly get to this review. As a heads-up, if you are reading this review as someone who hasn't watched all 11 episodes of Given, this review will contain spoilers. Okay, that's the one disclaimer I have. The Given anime is about loss, grief, love, coping, and learning to move on. And yes, it's also about music. Music is what ties most things together in this series, and it's done in a really beautiful way. Music is what brings Ritsuka and Mafuyu together in the first place, as fellow high school students who have an interest in music, but in different ways and for very, very different reasons. Mafuyu's voice is what reignites Ritsuka's passion for music, and it's also what ultimately leads to Mafuyu joining Ritsuka's band, leading up to them performing live alongside bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji. The depiction of relationships and love in this series is seriously unique, and it's one of the things that made me regret not having experienced Given sooner. Given portrays more sides to love than just the "black and white" ones, the good and the bad ones. There are other sides to it that mangaka Natsuki Kizu wrote so incredibly well. A lot of the series really resonates with me, and I found myself able to relate in many ways even to the high schoolers who are a lot younger than me. Adding in the older members of Given, Akihiko and Haruki, also provides a more 'adult' view on things, and more grown-up issues, which I very much appreciate. The characters are with flaws and multi-dimensional, and to me, they're all relatable in their own ways. The most poignant moment of the series for me, besides Mafuyu's singing in episode 9, is Akihiko's confrontation with Ritsuka two episodes prior. Ritsuka has been acting strange as of late due to his growing jealousy of Mafuyu's past lover, and the very perceptive Akihiko has noticed and decides to do something about it. Ritsuka's line "is there something wrong with me?!" after Akihiko correctly assesses that Ritsuka has romantic feelings for Mafuyu, hit really, really hard. I may have cried, maybe. Probably. It's something I'm sure many LGBTQIA+ people like myself have wondered at some point, and the situation is handled so well here. Akihiko is someone Ritsuka very much looks up to, and for Akihiko to say "no, there's nothing wrong with you just because you like a guy - I've had experiences with dudes, too" is so, so important. It's important not only to the story but also to Ritsuka's character development and recognition of his feelings. He's not strange, and he certainly isn't alone in having feelings for someone of the same sex. It's a source of comfort many people need, and it meant a lot to see that depicted in a series like Given. I'm wrapping up this long-winded review by saying that this series may have possibly changed my life with how impactful, powerful, relatable, and moving it is.

i just finished watching this anime and oh my lord I was bawling throughout the series. I'm speechless this anime had a deep message behind it. Not able to say goodbye to a person we love. Not able to move on . Not able to forgive ourselves. Blaming ourselves thinking we are somewhere responsible for the death of that person. It's just too much . I can't believe an anime was able to teach me this various feeling. At the end I'm glad he found uenoyama just like a traveller found his destiny or a ship was guided back to his home by a lighthouse. I'm so glad I watched this anime. It's my first bl anime but I'm glad I watched this . All characters were cool i kinda wanted to see more of yuki and mafuyu. The soundtracks are amazing. Everything about this anime is amazing. if it isnt a masterpiece then idk what is. with that said imma head over to read manga now also i am superexcited to watch movie. only few animes can drive me crazy and this is one of them. i had to think over about this story like whole night i couldnt sleep its jst a masterpiece and everytime i listen to FUYU NO HARASHI i end up crying. i just freaking love this animeeee.....

Review PORTUGUES / INGLES Only one thing to say before the review is ... see if you want to cry for love between boys. That's right if you have a problem with that, I recommend that you see this beautiful love, relax that this is not one of those who suddenly gets his finger stuck somewhere ... it's the first anime of its kind that I see, and it's very good. If I say more it will ruin the work, but it is very worth it if you are the first man x man love you will see. About romance it is nothing explicit, it starts slowly and grows without anything being exaggerated d +. The songs are beautiful, I say that with total certainty because I am addicted to them.. I became a fan of Given kk and I am not crazy about man x man or gay, relax male who will not change his taste just by seeing such a beautiful anime. SPOILER!! Dude the most beautiful thing was to see the mafu singing, let's be honest, he sings about his old love is heavy d + and beautiful at the same time, even the violinist who lives with the drummer has his mouth open. --------------parte em portugues----------------------- Só uma coisa para dizer antes da review é que.. veja se quer chorar por um amor entre meninos. Isso mesmo se você tem problema com isso, recomendo que veja esse lindo amor, relaxa que esse não é um daqueles que do nada tem um dedo enfiado no sei onde... é o primeiro anime do gênero que vejo, e é muito bom. Se eu falar mais estraga a obra mas vale muito a pena você ve se for o primeiro amor homem x homem que você vai ver. Sobre o romance não é nada explicito, ele começa devagar e vai crescendo sem nada ser exagerado d+. As músicas são lindas, digo isso com total certeza pois estou viciada nelas.. Virei fã de Given kk e nem por isso sou louca por homem x homem ou virei gay, relaxa macho que não vai mudar seu gosto só por ver um anime lindo desse. Como viu eu de 10 em tudo é porque vale se você ver o anime até o final verá que lindo ele é e irá concorda comigo Spoiler? Cara a coisa mais linda foi ver o mafu cantando, vamos ser sinceros, canta sobre seu antigo amor é pesado d+ e lindo ao mesmo tempo, até mesmo o violinista que mora com o baterista ficou de boca aberta. Ps: usando google pra escrever a em ingles só quero fazer reviews em portugues :p

Honesty given is one of my favourite shows by far. I felt like it spoke to me. So let's get into the review this will contain spoilers Story 10/10 the story was amazing it dealt with grief moving on relationships and a whole matter of complex points flawlessly allowing you to understand each characters feelings leading to my all time favourite climax of a show. It was outstandingly well done. art 7/10 The animation was nothing groundbreaking like what's produced by trigger and ufotable. But again it's not arifureta cg levels of bad it's nice to look at and feels unique. But again it's nothing groundbreaking or truly outstanding sound 10/10 I loved the music The opening: a bop The ending: a bop First performance: a bop However i dont really listen to backing tracks but from what i remember they fit each scene pretty well Characters 10/10 Ok so I will admit the fact every member of the band is gay is a bit convenient but whatever aside from that I really enjoyed the characters. The bassist haruki nakayama being my favourite. Overall the characters felt pretty realistic and enjoyable and their backgrounds (although not all revealed in the anime) are also really interesting. Then most importantly they feel like they a developed really well nothing feels really forced or unbelievable the dynamic between them is superb and thoroughly entertaining. enjoyment 10/10 as i said i loved this show its downright my favourite no questions asked its deep well thought out funny when it needs to be serious when it needs to be and the climax of this series hit and it hit hard. all the drama and tension building up to this reached an end and it was spectacular we got mafuyu's backstory revealed through fuyunohanshi and it was great and the tone of the song fit perfectly with the backstory. N like can we not forget mafuyu's voice actors performance? like damn it was superb and just the scream was perfect it blended together all the build up all the missing links and all the sorrow mafuyu felt to produce this amazing work of art. Its amazing Overall 10/10 all the way you should watch this show. whether you like BL/Shounen ai heck even music anime because the songs are bops and the band aspect is never overlooked. This show perfectly balances music and romance with 1 never overpowering the other. as crunchyroll said "Why You Should Rock Out With Given, The Best Summer Anime You're NOT Watching" this show just appeared to slide under the radar despite it being one of the best shows ive watched If you are thinking of whether or not to watch given; watch it 100%

Everyone has those shows that change your outlook on life, everyone has those shows that just hit a different way. Given was that show for me. In this review, I won't divide it up into plot, characters, art, but rather speak generally on the entire series, hopefully, that's ok with all of you reading. Before I end I'd like to touch on the fact that some people are hesitant on watching because it features a gay relationship. I don't know what in the fucking world would make you question, or even refuse, to watch a show because it has a gay relationship, but that's a fucking you problem. I get upset when I tell my male friends to watch the show and they downright refuse because of its just a "gay anime." If you think that way, something is seriously wrong with you, and you are beyond ignorant. This show is so so SO much more than "just a gay anime" and if you can't see past that, fuck off :) --- The story follows Mafuyu and his dream of playing the guitar, that eventually ends him up joining a band and performing for the first time. As the series develops so does Mafuyu's personality and relationships with the other characters and the just that are so heartwarming and amazing to see. The animation is amazing and well done, and the sound throughout the show exceeded my expectations consistently. I will say that I watched subbed, and I will say I laughed out loud when Mafuyu went "LA LA LA LA LA" for the first time ( sorry lmfao ). To see Mafuyu have such an innocent and loving personality made me fall in love with the character, and his driving passion for music made me want him to achieve everything he wanted to. I wanted him to have the world because he deserved it, and I was cheering for him from the other side of the screen. Now before the performance scene, this could easily just be another casual music-based anime, but oh god help you it becomes anything but. I've had my own similar experiences with everything Mafuyu went through, and I resonated a lot with his character and I also saw a lot of myself in Yuki. Its hard to explain, but the feeling of wanting something so badly for yourself, but wanting even more for others, is something both Mafuyu and I share in our personalities, or at least that's what I think. He had the drive and the passion, and he didn't preach the whole "adapt and overcome" mindset throughout his struggles, he didn't accept his past and try to move on from it, he came to a realization and understood that he was someone different because of it, and becoming different wasn't a bad thing at all. In his quiet and loving personality, I found so much of myself and so much of people I've lost in the past, and that's why this show hit so hard for me. And that's also why this show hit so hard for other people as well. You don't need to share the same experience or background to empathize with Mafuyu, and you definitely don't need that to want the best for him, especially if you see someone else in his character. This show has changed my life, it gave me a feeling I've never felt before. It wasn't hope or understanding, but it was something close to satisfaction that people feel the same way that I do, people go through these experiences as I have, and that you don't need the 180 turn around "look I'm rich, famous, and successful!" life after everything in order to feel ... happy. This show has real emotions, its something REAL.

Watching Given is a rite of passage. There is no show that is more relatable, awkward, emotional, and funny all at the same time. Every time you watch an episode, more is revealed and your connection to the characters only deepens. Given is best enjoyed no earlier than 8pm and no later than 6am. For full effect, I recommend watching episodes 7,8, and 9 consecutively in the aforementioned time period (you will thank me later). It's okay to go into this show whether you know about music or not because the subject is shown from many different perspectives. Even if you already know the plot or have read the manga, I highly urge you to watch this because the voice acting and music are phenomenal and bring a whole new level of emotion into the story. Overall, Given is a beautiful story about love and the different forms it takes and I think it's worth the watch whether you agree with my opinions or not.

There are no spoilers here:D One of the most beautiful anime I have seen, I would like to give a review because I have never seen an anime this beautiful for quite a long time, so here goes: Story:10 The story about Mafuyu and Uenoyama. This story is based on the manga "Given", a BL manga. the manga is really nice too so check it out if you have time. I really like the story because it is just like, "I am openly gay and you are straight, I just fell in love with you because I love you." it is more real compared to other shounen-ai series. I really like how they made a shounen-ai anime without ecchi or smut. It is just pure love between two shounens. Mafuyu's backstory is also amazing. Though it is only 11 episodes long, it is enough to make me rewatch it 3 times and cry each time. Art: 8 The art is no anything amazing but definitely not bad at all. I really like how the guitars are designed tho, they all are unique and beautiful. they also press actual chords when playing the guitar which is nice. The art in episode 9 is especially amazing, I won't spoil but you will see it when you get to episode 9. the animation is pretty awesome, it is quite satisfying. Sound: 10 A music anime this is, and it has some of the best music in it. the opening and ending(s) are really nice, I never skip them and they are immediately added to my playlist after I have heard them once. other ost/bgms are fitting and calm, I like them. There is a really nice song played in the anime, as I said, I won't spoil but the song is really amazing and has really meaningful lyrics, I rewatched that episode for more than 7 times because of the amazing song. The sound in this anime is just spectacular, I would really give it 12/10 for real. characters: 9 Characters, a huge part of the show. I really like them and here I will kinda talk about them, again, I will avoid spoilers so they might be a little short. Mafuyu - One of the best and unique characters I have seen in a while, he looks like a normal boring character but he has one of the worst backstories and is just a gloomy guy. However, he changes while still keeping the same personality throughout the story. Uenoyama - Just a normal guy in high school who is a guitar genius, he is relatable but not like the character you will imaging yourself as in a romance anime. Haruki - He has beautiful hair, he is kind of the mood maker and child-mother of the band to me. He is the bassist and is a kind and again relatable and lovable character. Kaji - One sexy man, he is quite popular and again a nice guy, he gives the bad boy feel but has a beautiful heart while not like being a 100% pure guy. For the side characters, they are not just "side characters with almost no character in them". They all have personalities. And all the character's personalities are realistic ones, not completely fake tsunderes or crazy yanderes. Enjoyment: 10 Being a pansexual (don't worry, my straight friends also love this anime) music and anime lover, I really liked this anime. I enjoyed the anime so much. I love every part of the show, I even liked the names the somewhat meaningful names the characters have. I also enjoyed the show's sense of humour, some reactions and things they say are very cute and funny. And for some reason, I enjoyed looking the brown outlines they used for the art, heh- Overall: 10 My top anime for 2019, I 100/10 recommend this show to everyone:DDDDDDDD

After hearing that Given was a BL anime, I wasn't expecting much. However, Given is a game-changer for this genre of anime and dare I say anime in general. Given is a hidden gem of its season. Don't let Given being a BL stop you from watching. I’m going to make this review very short. Given is a story about heartbreak, loss and moving on. The relationships portrayed are so realistic and it just pulls on your heartstrings. Sometimes I would have to take a step back from this anime and marvel at how it moved me so much. Our main character Mafuyu has heavy baggage that fills his heart with regret. After a terrible incident, he meets our kind heart Uenoyama. These two embark on a journey of self-realization and love. What made this anime so remarkable was its sound. The music in this show is so beautiful. The music that Mafuyu and the rest of the band created is truly amazing and breathtaking. Episode 9's song still makes me cry without fail. (Even though I've listened to it about 100x) I highly recommend you watch this. It might teach you something you didn't know before.

Note: There may be some [Spoilers] Overview: I would have never thought of watching this series if I didn't know the premise of it (I asked someone to spoil it for me to see if the narrative was worth investing in considering it was a BL series) but I felt like it was a pretty good series because of the BL integration. That being said, I am not a total fan of BL or music series so for this to be good means it was probably amazing... hehe Story: We follow a quiet, introverted high school student, Mafuyu in his musical journey that had been inspired by his new band-friends and his former friend(s). At first, the story is very vague in that it starts with Mafuyu and Ueyonama but eventually branches out to other characters and Mafuyu's past time line, this is what kept me hooked. In 11 episodes, we are given a satisfying feeling of betrayal, love and reconciliation through music. I doubt this series is finished just yet so I will hold off on any long term judgement, Given is definitely an 8/10 in terms of story. Art & Sound: This series is very reserved in animation, up until the concert segment of the series there were very little animation movement apart from talking, walking etc. which was surprising to see, a series in 2019 having very minimal actions but I guess the budget was limited and it made up for it during the concert episode - both visuals and audio were amazing, the CGI was a good decision because of all the sudden movement as well as the vocals. Both A & S are 9/10 in that aspect. Character: Character development can be seen throughout the series but begins stagnation at episode 9/10 after the concert because of Mafuyu's past being revealed. However, I really enjoyed the character rivalry between Mafuyu and the girl that likes Ueyonama as well as Ueyonama's sister and Akhiko. The character palette is well managed for smaller scale story, I'm excited for new contributions in the next season. 7/10 Enjoyment: Story and character development aside, I didn't really find the BL elements entertaining so I often skipped ahead - however, I understand and fully support the use of these elements to provide a heavy-hitting story. I'd say in terms of enjoyment this series was a 7/10. Overall: Great series, 8/10 is a well deserving rating. I'd love to see other new additions in these story lines.

A good adaptation that truly shows that Given is not your typical shounen-ai/yaoi story, one that I'd definitely recommend to anyone who is hesitant of delving into this genre. To summarize this anime, it's a tragic story that's told gently, through a damaged, yet equally strong protagonist, a story that leaves us with something very important: hope. As my review for the manga has already addressed everything I loved so much about the story, themes, and characters, I'll only address three points that are specific to the anime adaptation: - The music. As a musical anime, Given does not disappoint and it definitely took itself seriously in regards to that. The band sounded great whenever they played and it hyped me up every single time they picked up their instruments. Uenoyama's talent with his guitar shined through in his performances and the sounds were on point whenever he was teaching Mafuyu. The opening theme is so good it immediately cemented itself as one of my favorites of all time. Also, I've got to say, as a novice in anything musical, I found this anime very informative. - Mafuyu's voice and his song lyrics. I heard there were lots of complaints about him not sounding good enough, but I think this is absolute blasphemy. Mafuyu sounded exactly like how I imagined him to be: unrefined, raw, and expressive in every way he can't with words. I got CHILLS when he screamed during his performance and he sounded stunning in the ending theme. The lyrics of Winter Story were everything I ever hoped for that song and the performance was overwhelming as I expected it to be. - The pacing. I rated this lower than the manga for this very reason, which is a shame because I was sure the music will take it to 10/10. Some episodes were so awkwardly paced that they felt like fillers. I appreciate slow-burn romance as much as the next girl, but I can't help but feel like this anime could've been trimmed down to 7 or 8 episodes. I understand the limitations, but I wish they could've covered more chapters in the manga, as it felt like it ended abruptly. Quotes: “How everyone laughs and cries... I just can’t do it well. I think I’m really bad at expressing myself compared to everyone else. But… But in reality, even if I really wanted to… I can’t cry properly, and it hurts so bad... It hurts so much that I just want to scream. I always wanted someone to understand that. Even just a little bit... ” - Mafuyu "It’s not like Ugetsu Murata was detached from reality, not in the least. He had emotions, like everyone else. But the size of both his heart and his emotions was far more overwhelming than most. It was like just the act of being alive pained him." - Akihiko "Just like snow that hasn't completely melted, I continue on with these feelings inside me." - Mafuyu / Winter Story (song) (The last quote touched me especially and made me tear up, as my inner weeb immediately caught the wordplay for snow 'Yuki')

I honestly didn't imagine myself watching a slice of life with shounen Ai, and I think it's one of the main reasons why there are people who don't even give anime a chance, especially men. I think that in the 21st century I still seem stupid and I still laugh at people against homosexuality or that it makes them "disgusting", well everyone with their opinion, but at least that this opinion does not hinder or get involved in the life of that person. That's why I gave anime a chance and I saw it completely natutally like any other slice of life, and I honestly don't regret it. I consider the slice of life as my favorite genre and undoubtedly Given would be among the best I've seen. The feelings that he transmits, the teachings of self-improvement, regrets and even the way they show us the true side of homosexual people, who after all are just as human as you and are not wrong to have a taste different. I think the protagonists convey these feelings well and I simply loved it. The background of the story is incredible, the hard past that Sato had to face and the feeling of guilt with which he wanted to take responsibility behind the death of Yuki and how Ritsuka found true passion and awakened his gift is music thanks to Sato in his life That kind of thing this anime achieved in perfection. As for the "Shounen Ai" scenes, if you are a man and consider that simply by seeing two men having a romantic relationship, you are too or it is wrong to see it, well your opinion is good, also remembering the fact that it is a " Shounen Ai "and not a" Yaoi "as many sell it.

I wouldn't think of this show in terms of being "BL;" it's a romance that happens to be between two guys, one that I wouldn't put on the same level as the more tropey "shounen-ai" or "yaoi" categories. The romance is very natural and healthy, but beyond that: this show is so much more than its romance. It hit very close to home to me so perhaps my review is excessively biased, but as someone who lost a very close friend recently it was almost cathartic in being able to relate so much to a character and song lyrics and the show immediately shot up to one of my Top 3. Given portrays a very moving and visceral experience of grief. Everything about the show just seemed so well done to me; no excessive tropes, (mostly) realistic depictions of music, grief, and romance, and though the plot is seemingly simple it still had its complexities and quirks that made it feel like more. The show is a work of art, balancing comedy with tragedy with beauty, and I highly recommend it to all.

when i first came upon given, i originally scoffed at it because it was labelled as a "shounen-ai" genre of anime; but, when i actually caved in and watched it, i was super surprised! given doesn't give you the whole bullshit dynamic of "uke/seme" or stuff like that, instead they treat the main characters as though they were a real couple, and not as a pair of boys to fetishize. it allows the characters to be openly gay, with none of that questioning sexuality stufff; and while that kind of setting isn't necessarily bad, it is a fresh take on the topic that i can appreciate. all the characters act as though they're real humans. mafuyu's a boy who is trying to come to terms with what happened to his past beloved and his feelings, etc etc. i enjoy that they didn't make uenoyama someone who immediately felt sympathy for mafu; because, let's face it, would you feel bad for someone you barely knew and thought of as a weirdo? extra points for haruki's patient character too, most definitely my favourite character in spite of the fact that he had the least amount of screen time from the main four. mafuyu's singing (in the scenes where he sang without any music) made me feel a bit awkward at times, and the art wasn't as spectacular as that of the manga's; but, other than that, i can truthfully say that given is a pretty good anime! i would happily recommend it to someone interested in romance animes.

Honestly Given is one of my favorite anime of all time and I've watched many of the popular ones too. It's really different from your normal romance anime as there's no extreme scenarios or anything. There were no cliches at all that I could have picked up from if compared to a regular romance anime. The lighting in this anime was amazing and it gave a great ambiance and calming feeling. This show was incredibly relatable as each scenario was followed up with a physical or verbal display of feelings by the characters. The characters encountered problems that any normal person would encounter in their lifetime and it had many characters who supported other characters through their problems rather than watching on the sidelines. There was no supervillain in this anime that made me harbor extreme hate towards the character; each character was likable in their own ways. The music in this anime was amazing and gave me goosebumps at times. The added comedic bits break away from the tensive parts of the anime and especially the voice acting in many parts prove to be so relatable that it adds a bit of humor as well. Overall the anime was a rollercoaster. There were just the right amounts of sad, happy, and funny bits to make the anime the best it could be. The anime was also properly paced despite being only 11 episodes. I even hope that not all the plotholes are covered in the upcoming 2020 movie so that I can enjoy and season of this. I'm trying my best not to read the manga beforehand so as to spoil the anime for this.

Ok, first things first, we have to acknowledge that, as happened in the last 10 years or so, short animes (12 eps to 24 eps) are usually done to advertise the manga, game, novel or other source. THAT’S BEING SAID!!! – And this is very important – these kind of animes will almost always give the feeling of “unfinished” or to be continued” at the end. THAT’S THEIR POINT! A lot of people ranks animes lower because of this, but if they don’t let people curious and look out for the source, what would be the point of making an advertising anime? Ad animes are usually low to medium budget. They have no intention of getting new seasons and the only reason they are being made is for the sake of ADVERTISING THE SOURCE!!!! They have to be short, they must have as much manga content as possible inside as few episodes they can, without catching up the manga to the publishing point, but with enough plot to get the consumer involved. That’s why short animes are often rushed or dragging. If everything goes well with sales and profits and numbers, we may get a second season or another new content to boost the source again. (So go buy that manga or game or whatever if you can or at least advertise it to more people, like Jojo fans do to the rest of the world *ahem*watch Jojo*cough*) “Given” is one of those Ad animes (but, lucky we are, we will get a movie right ahead hehe). At first, I thought Given to be a music anime with romance in it, but it’s more the contrary, a romance anime with music in it. But it is not bad, no, not at all! Actually, the romance is also about music, because besides the romantic love between characters, there’s also their own personal love towards music, what makes the show very enjoyable. Every character shows their love in different ways and I felt it to be so human, so real. I was amazed. I love light-hearted animes, with the right dose of drama, and Given is just like that. It’s true that everything was a bit toned down compared to the manga, making it overall feel a bit duller, but as I said before: Ad Animes have limitations. Please be considerate of the poor souls who makes them. (As an animator myself, I know the pain). The anime, being short, is much more subtle than the manga when it’s about the characters inner thoughts and emotions and even plotwise. Overall, it’s still very enjoayble. (I have read the manga only after watching the anime, that’s my strategy. Now I suffer cuz I reached the publishing chapters.) This does not mean tho the character have no development and are plain. With four protagonists, being two romantic pairs, each episode we are showed a bit of their personal lives, practical goals, motivations, and some backstory that help us add one to one and understand some stuff between the lines. None of them feels more main than the other and love that, that they are equaly displayed, even though the anime focused a bit more in the romance between Ritsuka and Mafuyu that Kaji and Haru (because it happens later in the manga). For a 11 episode anime, this is a feat! I think a lot of people avoided this anime as it is tagged “shounen-ai” as there’s A LOT of weird\problematic shounen-ai out there, and by extension “Yaoi” – but “Given” is so wholesome, so cool, please watch it! Give it a try! It IS good! The relationships are displayed in such a very positive, wholesome, down to earth way! (At least between the 4 main characters at this point). "Given strikes the rare balance of being openly gay – none of that “maybe he is, maybe he isn’t” crap – while not indulging in over the top eroticism to pander to a niche viewership. This is a vanilla, realistic, down to earth romance that can be watched by anyone open minded to love that exceeds conventional desire" –84DaysWithout For an 11 episode anime (that usually are low to medium budget, as I said), the animation was okay. Sometimes we all go trough some really gruesome animation derps in some animes *I’m looking at you DMMD* , but overall Given was above average. Of course, not being an action anime helps, but still. They did their job well. There was some minor 3D invasons but nothing bad to the point of wating to take off my eyes with a spoon *this time I’m looking at you UTAPRI* The colours and aesthetics tho, those were reaaaaly great. It gave the perfect vibe for the series. Also, I’m NOT gonna lie, I’m a sucker for fluff content AND my sense of humour is very cheap, so Given really picked me in my weakness in this part. This is EXACTLY the type of romance that gives me butterflies in my tummy, much fluff very comedy. Also their funny faces, their personalities, I love them so much. THEY NEED TO BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS. They are all disaster gays I love it. The only downside the anime had for me was… being it an music anime I was expecting more…. music??? Not musical content, you see? You are constantly seeing the characters trainning and getting ready to perform. You see them grow musicaly and all. But maybe because the anime is so short, the OST is very short as well, but for a music anime I honestly I was expecting a bit more. There are like the OP, the ED and 1 insert song. The rest is short instrumentals (before Mafuyu joined the band they had no vocalist) and that’s about it. There’s no more songs for me to cry about!!!!! Anywayyyyyy….. I gave Given 9.5/10 (having in consideration the points I gave you). I would totally recommend to anyone, be a fan of shounen-ai or not. Also, if you enjoyed the anime, take a look at the manga, it’s really good!

Given is so underrated!! A really great anime series despite being 11 episodes only and the relationship between the main characters are not too forced like some of the yaoi/shounen ai anime. Story: Honestly it is not the most original band anime story but I still find it enjoyable. The pacing was good though I do have to suspend my disbelief in certain aspects of the story. Art: It could have been better tbh. When I watched the first episode, I was like meh when it was drawn the character's hand is larger than his head. But I got used to it. Sound: The songs!! This is a anime about a band. I had high hopes for the soundtrack and it delivered. From the first twang of the guitar in episode 1 which go me hooked like Mafuyu and the song in episode 9 [I wanna weep!!] Character: I can honestly say I like all the characters in this anime. From the main characters down to the supporting. The four main characters as so sweet and supportive with each other. Overall: Watch it!! Even if you are not a shounen ai fan, you should give it a chance. It is different from the other shounen ai anime I have watched and the chemistry between the leads are more organic.

Given is a touching story about love and music, and it's so nice to have a lgtbq+ romance story that's not super tragic with tons of unnecessary drama. Don't have much to say about this, I already kind of knew what I was getting into, plus I like shounen-ai and slice of life animes. The story is very well written, like I said, no unnecessary drama, and while the pacing seemed to be off few times, it really fit the narrative well. The characters felt real, and not your typical personality trope characters. I really enjoyed this anime, and I will definitely read the manga and watch the future season and movies that will come.