Anime Review: Angel Beats

Angel Beats is a show that I always heard about when it originally came out, but I never got around to sitting down and watching it until just recently.  Most things people told me about this show was that it was sad, funny, and just simply a beautiful anime.  Is it really all those things combined?  Well, that's what this review is for.  (Note: I'll try to keep this review with as little spoilers as possible)

Story: (9/10)

Ever been in school so much to the point that you start to think it's a purgatory?  Well, this show takes that literally as the story take place in a purgatory high school.  The story follows the SSS Brigade (a group of people who have died in the real world and are stuck in this purgatory high school).  Their main objective at first is to rebel against the god of our world and not get obliterated (which means to accept your death from the past life and reincarnate into something, or someone else), but their motives change as the series progresses.  They are led by Yuri Nakamura (the girl on the right of the top picture) and do lots of operations she tells them to do. Kanade Tachibana (the girl on the left of the top picture) is their main enemy through the beginning of the series as they assume she's working for god, and therefore nickname her Angel.  Throughout the series, we get to see and hear about some of the characters' backstories and find out more about why some of these characters are in this purgatory and how they died.  There are many other things, but this is mainly what the series is about.  This set-up brings for a very interesting story, and definitely one that gets better as the series continues (especially since a lot of these backstories bring for some sad and even cry-worthy moments).  The comedy was hilarious and is one of the show's many strong points.  The romance also felt cute, though it isn't really a part of the story until the end.  The only real complaint I have about the story is that we never find out the backstories about most of these interesting characters, and it just made me wish the series was 25 episodes instead of 13 (14 with the OVA).  However, the story was great for what it was and even made me cry in a couple of episodes like people who have seen this show before told me they did.   

Characters: (8/10)

The characters of this show are one of the highlights in my opinion.  Angel Beats has a pretty big cast with every character feeling distinct and interesting in their own way.  Some felt more interesting than others, but for the most part, they are all enjoyable to watch.

The main protagonist Otonashi Yuzuru felt to me at first like a typical protagonist you see in every series with no real traits that make him stand out compared to the rest of the cast.  However, as the series progressed and we saw his backstory, he felt more differentiated like most characters in this show.  I like that he isn't the leader or the most powerful character like in other anime series.  As a main character, he does an alright job.

Our other main protagonist, Yuri Nakamura, is the main leader of the whole SSS Brigade, running every operation that they do.  For the most part, she felt to me like Haruhi Suzumiya (from The Melancholy Life of Haruhi Suzumiya), only less crazy.  She keeps the characters in tact and does a pretty good job as a leader. Her backstory was definitely a great development to her character and it shows us why she acts certain ways.  A good female protagonist in my opinion

Kanade Tachinbana (AKA, Angel)  is definitely my favorite of the three main characters in the series.  She starts off as an assumed enemy to the SSS Brigade, but soon becomes an ally and friend.  The mystery behind her backstory and attitude and the slow progression of finding out about her were what kept me very fond of this character.  She especially got to me towards the last episode.  I'm not going to spoil it, but it had me in some tears.

(the Angel Beats cast)

The supporting cast is definitely where this show shines in terms of diversity.  Though they don't individually get a lot of screen time, they do leave an impression when they do (some more, some less).  Some characters can come off as annoying at times, but for the most part they are all good in their own way.  I'm pretty sure there will be at least one character you'll enjoy in this supporting cast.  Some of my  personal favorites were Shiina (a female ninja with a soft side for cute things), Yui (a girl who's happy and full of life), and TK (a mysterious guy who mainly talks in English).  Overall, the characters were great.

Animation/Music: (10/10)

Animation was done by P.A. Works, the same company that did the animation for the anime series Another.  The animation looks amazing and P.A. Works did an outstanding job.  Angel Beats was really pretty in it's airing in 2010 and it still looks great three years after it's original run.  In terms of music, there were some nice tracks.  The opening for Angel Beats is a true example of how good the animation and music are combined.   

(Angel Beats opening)

The piano animation mixed with the song "My Soul, Your Beats!" by Lia makes for an aesthetically pleasing opening that helps add to the enjoyment of Angel Beats.  

 (A clip from Anime network)

The action scenes in Angle Beats are also well done.  In terms of the dubbing, it's......well, only fine.  I feel like some voice actors nailed their characters, while others felt like not very good choices.  If you hate reading subtitles, I'd recommend the dub. Otherwise, you should listen to both and see which voices you prefer.

Enjoyment: (10/10)

Angel Beats is definitely a show that kept me entertained and interested to the very end.  The setting keeps the show fresh compared to normal school settings and I always enjoyed seeing more of the school purgatory.  The comedy and sad moments more specifically were my favorite parts of the series (and like I said previously, the opening is definitely adds more enjoyment). 

Overall thoughts:

 I do definitely agree with the people that told me Angel Beats was a sad, funny, and beautiful anime series.  Angel Beats is an anime I would recommend to anyone who likes the beauty of aesthetics and emotion.  The series can be a little shaky at times, but overall, It's a fantastic series that I hold to be one of the best animes in the last three years, and possibly a classic to remember in the future.  

Score: A+ (9.5/10)

You can find Angel Beats on Crunchyroll, The Anime Network, Hulu, and on home release by Sentai Filmworks.  It used to be on Netflix, but to my knowledge it has been removed (but could come back in future).  

Review by: Jesus Chavez

Twitter: @Sponger64