Review of given

This one was a nice little... Well, surprise probably isn't right; watching it after its initial broadcast, I knew people had enjoyed it a lot when it came out. But given (ha) how few seriously-written queer romance anime I've come across (compared to the number the more fetishistic stories), I went into it wondering if it was actually that great, or if people just found a passable series refreshing by actually wanted to tell a romance between two male character. Thankfully, the show is definitely more than that. This is definitely one of the best out-and-out romance anime I've watched in a while. As a romanceshould, this is primarily driven by the characters, who feel unique and likeable and, most importantly, believable. Ritsuka and Mafuyu are an excellent central pairing, different enough to feel like their own people, but with the aspects of their personalities that work together being obvious from the start. Watching their journey as they discover their feelings for each other was a real pleasure. Even the better queer romances often have a lot of back and forth about how 'wrong' it is for the characters to feel the things they do, so a story like this, that just allows its protagonists to fall in love and their genders never really be a huge deal, for the majority at least, was incredibly refreshing.

This is further helped with a strong supporting cast. Fellow 'given' bandmates Haruki and Akihiko work as a nice foil to their younger counterparts, and the four of them together have a great dynamic. I gather that the film (which I have yet to watch) primarily focuses on them, which should be fun to see. Outside them, supporting characters don't get a lot in the way of development, but they at least feel distinct enough; Ritsuka's older sister Yayoi is particularly fun in her own slightly mean way, fellow musician Take provides a fun comic relief in all his scenes, and Mafuyu's old friends work well for the story, especially Hiiragi.

Helped by a fantastic soundtrack (to be expected from a music show), this is just as good a music anime as a romance. As a musician myself, I appreciate the clear attention to detail the staff clearly paid to the instruments and the general experience of being a musician. Using real guitar models, rather than generic or knock-off branded versions, adds a great sense of realism (and as a Tele player, I always love to see them get shown on-screen!).

Overall, a fantastic romantic drama, that tells a simple, compelling story, that really allows itself to be the queer story that it is, as well as a great music show. I look forward to moving on to the movie!