Review of Tsukigakirei

[Non-Spoiler Review] I'll have to give it to Tsuki ga Kirei, the realism is spot on for middle-school/pre-highschool relationships. Although my enjoyment of it was only an 8, I had to give it props for the story and characters, so I gave it a 9. All I'd ever watched are high school romances, with the occasional adult couple/anime romance. I wasn't expecting them to be in middle school the entire way but the execution was flawless. First, negatives: - The animation when it's not focused on the MC's or any even the side characters, is so obviously... 3D and weird. It stuck out like a sorethumb and I wasn't a fan of it, but aside from that, the animation was simplistic and easy to look at
- The MC's make so many groaning and humming noises in response, or even just... in general, that it's kinda off putting but that's easy to ignore

And that's all I have for negatives. Everything really came together in the end, not to say that it was bad at the start. This is the definition of a slow-burn romance. But done at just the right speed. It's what you'd expect of middle schoolers and that's what I love.

It's pure, and innocent. We see two people stumble through a relationship together. They're awkward, don't know what to talk about, have actual relationships with their parents who you actually SEE in the anime (crazy). It's all realistic. From the interactions with their families right down to the side characters. The situations they're in are also realistic. Their first fight, the first time one sees the other cry. The reactions are realistic to that of a middle-schooler. It's so wholesome I almost cried at the end.

In terms of characters, THIS is the love story of shy characters. The anime also shows snippets and moments of the side characters and their lives and usually they'd be the main characters in another anime. In fact, I could probably find an anime for every side character/couple and that's what I especially like about it. It meant I equally liked the side characters. But it was such a breath of fresh air to see a different side to it. I not only got a middle-school romance, but I also got the two shy kids who are almost never the main characters in anime.

Don't expect too much character development though, this isn't a SoL anime, it's a romance one. It's the development of a relationship rather than the development of an individual. But they grow together, so I guess that counts. AND there's a happy ending, what more could you ask for?

I'm aware this may not be everyone's cup of tea though. Although the anime is about a couple, don't expect anything like what you see in high school romances. They are worlds apart, and you may be unable to appreciate this anime if you set your expectation to that. But other than that, if you're looking for a realistic younger anime about romance, this is it.