Hello, This will be my first review on this site and hopefully not the last. Also Sorry for my sucky english. In regards to the review, I am very biased because I grew up with this story and it was and is still one of my favourite stories ever told. which will affect this review both positive and negative. The story for me is 7, though I was considering to give it a 6 due to a few really well-told stories within this show it will be a 7. The overall plot is very simple and is about Gerda's journey. A girl around the age of 12 orso, to find and Bring back her childhood friend Kai who has been taken away by the Snow Queen, with the main focus of the show being the journey itself.

The overall story can be broken down into the well known three-act structure.
With the first act is around for 3-5 episode where the relevant characters are introduced and The main character Gerda's Journey begins.

The second act is primarily an episodic natured, "Monster of the week" kind of deal. just replace monster with people and places, with their own fairy tails that Gerda basically have to navigate. with both upbeat positive stories that will feel with joy and faith in humanity and sad stories that will make you sad. Especially episode 19, that episode is the jewel of this show no contest.

Then the third act that ends with some sort of final climax epic battle kind of ending that pushed the Gerda into the background while focussing more on the Snow Queen herself. and is, in my opinion, the part I really didn't like and the reason I considered to give it a 6. The ending isn't bad in of itself, and it had a good build-up. but moved too far away from the original story to my liking.

Art: 7
The anime was made back in 2005 and looks pretty decent. but can be a turn off if you don't like the style, as the style is very much a very rough version of the Vinland Saga, just replace all with all the dynamic character movement, in scenes that requires a lot of actions and drama wi filled with still pictures, and sounds. so yeah it's Ok. but no masterpiece in my opinion. but I did enjoy the style. But I do like the characters designs that had a standoff out place designs. like a certain group of bandits.

Sound with the focus on music.
I did like both the opening and ending, with the op being the best of the two. the background music was alright, as in, the music did the job without sounding bad with few of the tracks, that stood out, but not enough for it to be worth listening to by itself.

Characters: between 7 and 8
This is an important one. due to animes length and its episodic nature.

With Gerda being the best character in the show by far. and I loved pretty much every scene she was in, regardless of the scenes feeling forced or natural. she is a good well-meaning girl who tries to help people in need and will insist on repaying the help she receives with during chores like, washing clothes or helping with cleaning and stuff.

Kai is more of a plot device than a character, but the personality he does have when together with the snow queen is alright and nothing special.

Ragi a grown man that helps out Gerda on her travel is there. he plays odd music. and is a mysterious type with a past connected to the snow queen, aside from this he a nice guy who knows how to fight, the action is important. I guess. Nothing against him, but nothing special comes to mind with thinking about him.

The Snow Queen. the title character is, unfortunately, my least liked character, due to the creative changes, that to me made her feel less like The ice-cold snow queen, to a character lost in the past for a reason I really didn't care for. which in my opinion was a shame. but that part is clearly hinted at, through her interaction towards Kai.

The Episodic supporting characters. were great and many of them well explored and I loved pretty much 98% of them except those I were meant to hate. and those ones I hated. please kill those few with fires, and offer that one jerk to Enma Ai from Girl, or something. That aside it's because of many side characters I graded the character section 8, because with them. it would have been a solid 6.

I loved the beginning and midsection and the retelling of other fairy tales. written by Hans Christian Andersen ( the original author of the Snow Queen) but the ending could have been better, and some the episodes contained the feeling of tragedy should have had a some follow up and carried on to the next episode. its a shame many of those heavy feel moments last only to the end each episode.

All in all I enjoyed this show. While I didn't care for the third act even if the out of place "Villain" was decent. I still loved the journey, and I will still return to this anime, to rewatch a certain few episodes.
And I will HEAVILY recommend anyone to watch the episode, even if you have to skip the whole show, it's an amazing retelling crossover with the Little match girl, I can't recommend that episode enough and episode 20 to is enjoyable.

overall I will give this anime a 7 out of 10
There are things I liked. and really didn't like. and pieces I really loved.
The ending isn't Soul Eater bad, by any means. but that epic thing were really unneeded.

Hope you found this review helpful.
Have a nice day :D