Review of Tsukigakirei

Tsuki ga Kirei is a mess, but it is such in a pleasant and adorable way akin to a puppy that raided the pantry or toddler who colored on the walls. The show didn't catch my interest at first glance, and it was not until I heard some excited chatter about it that I decided to give it a chance. Initially I found myself hesitant to buy-in, but after a trial-by-three-episodes I found myself greatly surprised by the quick pacing (compared to most romance shows). There were some episodes in the middle of the series where in I found myself bored and considered dropping the show,but I am glad I did not. While my feelings for the rest of the series are mixed, I am happy to say that the final episode is fantastic.

Tsuki ga Kirei gives a look into the relationship of two shy middle-school students and manages to deliver the story in a way that feels much more realistic than most anime concerning romance. Watching the relationships of the series unfold is equal parts enjoyable and cringe-inducing. The awkwardness comes with the territory, I suppose.

The realism of the show feels nice and consistent. The characters are middle school students, the challenges they face are believable things for middle school students to struggle with, and the drama that builds is of both believable context and intensity for middle school students to experience.

This is not a plot with high stakes for anyone outside of the focus characters, and I like that about it. These focus characters can generally be identified as 4 or maybe 5 or the cast, but the shows seems keen to fill itself with side characters who are always taking screen timing but never seem to be serving much of a purpose. It may have helped the show a bit to have whittled down this number as having 1-3 characters that contribute some small amount would seem more reasonable than having 10 or so side characters whose contributions are mostly negligible.

Part of me wonders, however, if this same story were delivered in a different medium (other than anime) would there still be comparable excitement about it? As this is an original piece (not based on a manga, light novel, game, etc.) it didn't air with a prior established fan base. Had this been a written or live action piece, I'm not sure the story would have stood out much. As an anime it feels unique in a mundane yet delightful sort of way when put next to the fantastical and hyper-exaggerated, but if the story were critiqued outside of the context of anime I am not sure there is anything overly special about it.

As an anime, the show struggles in the visual department. The art is passable most of the time, but there are moments of severe quality drop. The show's visual style is nothing special, but there is also an underlying sloppiness that was likely the product of rushing to meet a deadline, too low or a poorly planned budget, or the artists trying to do too much and it backfiring.

I would recommend watching Tsuki ga Kirei for those who are fans of genre, but there is no wow factor to hold the attention of those who are not. It is an enjoyable ride even if there are some technical bumps in the road and moments of cringe. Having watched the show after overhearing some hype, I would discourage anyone from buying into it. This is a simple and enjoyable story with a rough execution at times.