Review of Ahiru no Sora

as a self proclaimed hooper hooper, this story really hits right. it feels very real and grounded, but still has those little anime touches. the characters are relatable and well developed (sometimes a little too much), and the whole high school sports brotherhood dynamic works really well. but the mediocre at best animation, the frequently drawn out games, and the at times sloppy direction (oh and that time nao said lifting makes you shorter, still mad about that), are what severely hurt this series. while for me it didn't affect my overall enjoyment too much, I can easily see someone who doesn't play basketball or casualfans being quickly turned off.

as for the actual basketball in the show, it varies between slideshow animation, slideshow animation with hype storylines, and slideshow but slightly less slideshow-y animation. at first I thought the way they explained anything basketball related was super cheesy and exaggerated, but after a few episodes it seemed like the explaining slowed down and those feelings subsided. there were times i got reallllly hyped and just wanted to get out on the court and play myself, and there were times where i struggled to pay any attention whatsoever to what was happening; and unfortunately this doesn't just apply to the basketball, but also often times to the show as a whole.

the soundtrack isn't nearly as mediocre as the animation, but I wouldn't say it's outstanding either. it's there. it does it's job of setting moods and amplifying big moments, but it's nothing special. although, the op's and ed's are mostly pretty solid. especially the first op. man i love the pillows.

in the end it's a clear 7/10 for me. despite it's numerous shortcomings, this will be a long lasting favorite of mine for the story and characters alone. if you love basketball and anime--or just want to watch kuroko no basket without unnatural hair colors--then DEFINITELY give this show a try (or at least check out the manga).