You know that feeling you get when you're just happy to be alive? That's the feeling the author of this series is trying to get across and the impression that's left on me after having finished it. Throughout the entire story, I was never bored but not particularly surprised either. Each character made great impressions on me and I enjoyed them all.
That's not to say that Gosick is without ...
You know that feeling you get when you're just happy to be alive? That's the feeling the author of this series is trying to get across and the impression that's left on me after having finished it. Throughout the entire story, I was never bored but not particularly surprised either. Each character made great impressions on me and I enjoyed them all.
That's not to say that Gosick is without faults. Let me lay this out.
Music – This is the worst area for Gosick. The lackluster opening and ending songs were ok at best and downright sappy at worst. The soundtrack throughout the rest of the series was, however, right where it should have been: in the background. It wasn't bad or anything of the sort. It fit the mood just fine and didn't stick out in any way.
Characters – This is a relatively strong area but still weaker than others. Kujo, our main hero, is a bit of a loser-kun when he first appears. As a loser-kun, he is destined for abuse from everybody he meets and is destined to be a doormat for about half of the series. However, unlike other loser-kuns, Kujo grows out of it. Victorique is really a snob. I suppose she technically fits the archetype of Tsundere but ultimately is too weak physically to pull it off well. This ends up meaning Kujo has to be the manly man in spite of his loser-kun status. However, much like Kujo, Victorique ends up growing out of her tsundere status as well. Everybody else fits well around the relationship between these two and each plays their own, supporting role very well.
Animation – Here's an area where this anime shines. This series is drawn very well. I'd suggest that the attention to detail is above and beyond what is normal in any anime series. The stylistic choices seemed spot on for the setting as well as the character tastes within that setting. The very last episode is a fantastic example of this with Victorique sporting late 20's-style Japanese clothing. In the opinion of this author, there weren't any artfully distasteful choices at any point in the series. The animators and directors demonstrated real class throughout the series.
Story – This was not really a mystery. For those of you looking for a straight-up, old-school mystery you should give up. The mysteries in this were mildly obscured at best. So then, why do I rate this story so highly if I am saying this? The story is an amazing experience. It isn't about the mystery at all. Rather, it's about this odd couple and the environment around them. How does the world change so vastly and work so heard to tear them apart? There were times where I thought one of them was going to die. The story took some rather dark turns at times and that left you wondering what was going to happen.
Overall, this series, because of its incredible story, endearing characters, and it's full environment; because it reaches out to you and pulls you in so effectively and keeps you there and, sometimes, at the edge of your seat, I am giving this series a 9.5 out of 10. Gosick, you're a treasure.
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