Review of given

This was a really sweet and touching anime about the development of a relationship between two guys, one of them overcoming past traumas, while the other is trying to rekindle his passion for music. Both of them need one another (not in the emotional-dependency, unhealthy kind of way), but in a way that makes them both stronger and better people when they're together. Going into Given, I was a bit hesitant because I knew it was within the shounen-ai genre and since the genre usually has notoriously unhealthy tropes (ex. non-consensual behaviors, rape-y scenes, and emotional manipulation being rampant perpetrators) my expectations for a healthyrelationship were pretty low, BUT within the first few episodes of Given, I happily realized that my pre-assumptions were wrong because Given is the embodiment of what the shounen-ai/ yaoi genre should aspire to be!

I also think viewers want the next generation of shounen-ai to look like this! I mean, not only was Given awarded with immense appraisal, but Yuri On Ice too, and those are two animes within the genre that portray healthy relationships between two males (coincidence? I think not), subverting all its predecessors' damaging tropes.

Characters

The main relationship between Uenoyama and Mafuyu is a healthy one, built on a foundation of friendship and trust. Although, the anime doesn't primarily focus on their relationship alone-- instead, their relationship acts only as one integral part of the characters, serving to highlight their human interactions and connections. These interpersonal relationships show us who these characters are with other people versus who they are when they're by themselves-- and so the small, vulnerable moments hits harden when you realize how everyone is constantly putting up an act. You see, Given really makes a point to focus on the characters: their internal struggles, worries, dreams, aspirations, fears, etc. and it pays off because the main cast is compromised of complex, multidimensional individuals.

Personally, I really loved Uenoyama's character. At first, he comes off as a super macho and arrogant person with a "too cool for school" attitude. But bit by bit, we learn that he's more or less just stuck in his own little world (kind of like Mafuyu) and unintentionally gives off that aloof impression. By the second or third episode, we get to know Uenoyama for who he really is: a caring, good-hearted person who's just lost his passion for the thing that he used to love. Just like many artists, he's plateaued and feels like he has already "peaked". He's bored and doesn't feel that drive that used to push him. It's only until Mafuyu comes into the picture that makes Uenoyama reevaluate his life.

But as mentioned before, Uenoyama and Mafuyu's relationship isn't the only factor in Uenoyama's character development. Yes, Mafuyu might've lighted a spark within Uenoyama, but it was Uenoyama's personal journey that he went through himself that changed him as a person. While watching Given, you get to witness Uenoyama's incredible character journey: from him rediscovering his passion for music, to him discovering love for the first time (and discovering new arrays of emotions like jealousy and hurt), to him then questioning his sexuality. His character goes through a lot and there's a lot of scenes to show for it.

On the other hand, I found Mafuyu's character to be kinda . . . boring. Mafuyu is probably the only character I found a bit lacking. See, his type of character has been done before-- time and time again. Mafuyu doesn't stand out and although we get an entire episode dedicated to him and his backstory, I still feel like I don't really know him. I wished we had a bit more dialogue with his character since most of the time he's just sulking around or looking at Uenoyama with puppy dog eyes (adorable, yes, but not much depth either).

As for the rest of the band members (Haruki and Kaji), they are very well-written just like Uenoyama's character (not as detailed though). They're likable and carry the story quite well with their own little side plot-- which was interesting enough to be made into a movie coming out in 2020 (woo-hoo, I'm super pumped)! The thing I love most was how these two characters weren't so involved with Uenoyama and Mafuya's lives-- emphasizing the fact that they have their own lives, one that doesn't revolve around the main characters 24/7. I found myself really appreciating the scenes that had nothing to do with the main plot because it felt like I got to witness an authentic side to Haruki and Kaiji that had nothing to do with plot conveniences!

Plot

Since the anime's pacing is very un-hurried, it leaves us room to breathe. Never did it feel like it was piling too much stuff on us, even though looking back, there were quite a lot of things going on all at once. It gives off a very calming atmosphere, although there were some very upbeat and powerful scenes within it. Nonetheless, I found this anime to be a great de-stressor.
The plot itself is nothing big. It's character-driven and as mentioned previously, it's about discovering one's identity and overcoming fears through music and love. Yup, that sounds cheesy, but trust me, Given's take on these universal themes was very well done!

Art and Music

The animation was beautiful! There's a great use of a warm and golden color palette in the first half, and as the seasons change, gets more muted and toned down colors. As well, since the second half deals with heavier things (like Mafuyu's past) the darker color palette matched the aesthetic wonderfully! Another plus to the overall animation is that this anime doesn't suffer the "same face syndrome". Everyone is distinguishable and their features are unique to their own character (there's also some great indicators to who they are on the inside!).
As for the music, I'm actually quite sad to say that it was a very disappointing aspect on the show's part. An anime about music-- I would have expected a lot more from its soundtrack! Sure, Mafuyu's song was great but that's about it. That was the only memorable track. I don't remember the opening or ending songs at all and the background music is just as forgettable! I wanted Given to use more of its background music to build its atmosphere-- instead, it was the animation that pulled through in that department.

Final thoughts

An overall good anime that you should consider checking out! If you're looking for character-driven stories that have a strong musical element to it, then this is totally up your alley! As well, Given has well-written characters, a calming atmosphere, great pacing, and a beautiful art style!