Review of Kokoro Connect
An absolutely phenomenal show from start to finish. Never has a show been able to go so effortlessly from comedy to drama, back to comedy and then to pulse-pounding tension and terror with such ease and grace. The pacing throughout this series is absolutely golden, never too fast and never too slow. The characters are all beyond likable, by the end of the series you'll feel like a part of their inner circle, knowing them as well as they know each other. In addition, (the spoilerific character) is a fantastic commentary on the nature of viewership, fandom, and creator intent. The art is far fromusual Silver Link fair. While most of their other shows (Baka-Test, Watamote, No-Rin) have a fairly similar style that featuring unique shading, bright color choices, and dramatic cut-aways, Kokoro Connect opts for a style more reminiscent of Kyoto Animation circa 2009. Facial features are very soft, gradients are used very carefully, and color palettes are kept consistent while saturation is used to convey tone. While the first few episodes feature bright colors, this is just a ruse; Most of this show features color choices that are quite dreary, setting the tone for the show perfectly. While this show can certainly be enjoyable and fun, none of the characters are enjoying what happens, and the somber visuals serve as a reminder of that.
The voice acting (For the original Japanese release) is fantastic. Its particularly refreshing to see a series that doesn’t opt to make every character sound like Mikuru Asahina for the sake of moe. All of the characters are shockingly well acted, and even as someone who doesn’t understand a single word of Japanese, their performances are frightfully impactful and is downright coarse with method and depth. Of particular note is Miyuki Sawashiro, voice of Inaba, who’s slightly husky voice and absolutely fantastic range and skill don’t simply fit the character, they elevate her to a whole new level.
The English dub is terrible, and no one should ever watch it.
If I had to pick out one flaw, it would be the soundtrack, but even that is a stretch. At no point do any of the songs on the soundtrack leap out and grab your attention the way that something like Lay Your Hands On Me (Kiznaiver) or God Knows (Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), but the soundtrack is by no means grating either. Its background noise. It serves its purpose of setting the tone for a scene, but nothing more.
At once gut-bustingly hilarious, tear-jerkingly tragic, existentially terrifying, and moe as all hell, Kokoro Connect is many things, but it is not comfortable. Watching this show is a rollercoaster and tackles some very tense, very heavy topics. Yet Kokoro Connect handles almost all of these situations with grace and tact.