Review of given

Everyone has those shows that change your outlook on life, everyone has those shows that just hit a different way. Given was that show for me. In this review, I won't divide it up into plot, characters, art, but rather speak generally on the entire series, hopefully, that's ok with all of you reading. Before I end I'd like to touch on the fact that some people are hesitant on watching because it features a gay relationship. I don't know what in the fucking world would make you question, or even refuse, to watch a show because it has a gay relationship, but that's afucking you problem. I get upset when I tell my male friends to watch the show and they downright refuse because of its just a "gay anime." If you think that way, something is seriously wrong with you, and you are beyond ignorant. This show is so so SO much more than "just a gay anime" and if you can't see past that, fuck off :)

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The story follows Mafuyu and his dream of playing the guitar, that eventually ends him up joining a band and performing for the first time. As the series develops so does Mafuyu's personality and relationships with the other characters and the just that are so heartwarming and amazing to see. The animation is amazing and well done, and the sound throughout the show exceeded my expectations consistently. I will say that I watched subbed, and I will say I laughed out loud when Mafuyu went "LA LA LA LA LA" for the first time ( sorry lmfao ).

To see Mafuyu have such an innocent and loving personality made me fall in love with the character, and his driving passion for music made me want him to achieve everything he wanted to. I wanted him to have the world because he deserved it, and I was cheering for him from the other side of the screen.

Now before the performance scene, this could easily just be another casual music-based anime, but oh god help you it becomes anything but. I've had my own similar experiences with everything Mafuyu went through, and I resonated a lot with his character and I also saw a lot of myself in Yuki.

Its hard to explain, but the feeling of wanting something so badly for yourself, but wanting even more for others, is something both Mafuyu and I share in our personalities, or at least that's what I think.

He had the drive and the passion, and he didn't preach the whole "adapt and overcome" mindset throughout his struggles, he didn't accept his past and try to move on from it, he came to a realization and understood that he was someone different because of it, and becoming different wasn't a bad thing at all.

In his quiet and loving personality, I found so much of myself and so much of people I've lost in the past, and that's why this show hit so hard for me. And that's also why this show hit so hard for other people as well. You don't need to share the same experience or background to empathize with Mafuyu, and you definitely don't need that to want the best for him, especially if you see someone else in his character.

This show has changed my life, it gave me a feeling I've never felt before. It wasn't hope or understanding, but it was something close to satisfaction that people feel the same way that I do, people go through these experiences as I have, and that you don't need the 180 turn around "look I'm rich, famous, and successful!" life after everything in order to feel ... happy. This show has real emotions, its something REAL.