Review of School Days
... Sigh. "Would you like a one way ticket to lack-of-fulfilment-ville? How about a trip down regret lane? Some sadness sherbet to whet your pallet??" "Well, I'd prefer to just watch School Days." "*Depression Dan whispers to his colleagues before looking frightfully at me* Woah kid, that's way out of our league. Good luck." I could have taken that as a sign that this anime was not going to end happily. That, the "tragedy" tag on certain sites, and the general lack of friends willing (or able) to talk about their experience with this show could have made me decide that perhaps it wasn't worth watching. But,curiosity (and naivety?) getting the best of me, I decided to give it a try.
I will begin by saying that this is not a bad anime quality-wise. No, to a robot with no emotions or sense of impending disaster, this could have possibly scored higher.
Given the content, 7 was the highest I could muster.
Our story begins much as MAL describes it. Makoto is an initially-likable, though highly unmanly specimen just looking for a date. He has a love interest and someone who is interested in him (both seem normal enough), and initially it's a triangle. Makoto does his best and has a shining performance. One would be apt to conclude that for the first few eps, it's a fluffy and comedic world!
Then the world falls apart.
The characters are done well, but I had so little sympathy for the "protagonist" by the end that I really found myself just... Unhappy at him. It is revealed that there are a few psychological issues present in these "normal" young adults: OCD, attachment issues, inability to let go of the past, addictions, irresponsibility and ignorance/ apathy/ unawareness on a wonton scale. It all adds up to success :p
My biggest issue with the characters is that while there is progression, it isn't in the way that I am used to (IE the opposite of positive). That said, I did not dock characters for this. In addition, there could have been more development given to the characters (Flesh-out explanations of their behaviour?)
The music is decent, but after watching the EDs change, I began to feel that something was afoot in the story. I was correct.
The art is also good.
Overall, the anime was good in terms of its plot and I felt the feelings of tension, upsetness, etc.; the art and music were good; and the characters did have some development. However, the tangled and depressing mess at the end just made me feel... Depressed. Depressed and hopeless. The light I saw at the end of the tunnel was extinguished in a single movement. Enjoyment suffers because of this.
But don't let me dissuade anyone else from taking the plunge: There is some psychology here, and it might prove to be an interesting study of how to induce a feeling of hopeless despair in someone :p
In reality, it is an alternate take on the tragedies I have seen: the tragedy is entirely preventable and in the hands of the humans who had their parts in it.
So much of our suffering is caused by ourselves. We have the capability to become aware of our effects on others and build a better world!
If you are looking for an alternative tragedy experience, School Days is worth your time.