Review of Kokoro Connect

We all want to be nice to others, be friends with others, and continue being friends with our close buddies, sometimes even at the expense of being untruthful. As humans, we have all probably hidden some parts of ourselves or put on a facade in front of others so as to maintain an even keel, because when it comes to maintaining friendship, voicing out everything in our minds may not be diplomatic at all. Kokoro Connect would probably speak to the hearts of many as it explores the psychological effects of facing the dark truths of the human heart...supernaturally, that is. [Story: 6/10] Kokoro Connect is mostlyan original story, with certain elements already been used before. The show is set up from the beginning to feature some light comedy here and there with a serious tone, with a hint of dark atmosphere which will eventually become the prevalent atmosphere. The plot premise is not complex but the story is, featuring deep character developments and challenging psychological elements. There are many intense moments and some fairly tearjerking moments, and all is handled well due to the good direction, save for some mediocrity that I will mention later. The story tries to be logical by including some expository elements, however in some cases they may actually raise more questions than actually addressing lingering ones. There are also times where logic is abandoned for the sake of plot progression (aka plot devices/plot conveniences), which may do more damage to the story and characters than it seems, but it is all eventually debatable. This is a show that requires the thinking caps, not for solving mysteries but for understanding the human condition, and also for making out the logic in certain scenes when it seems obscure. There is romance in the story, and while it does become a major element during certain parts, it is still not the main element of the story. The story is told in arcs, with each arc presenting a different obstacle for the group of five to overcome. The story flow is natural and the pacing is great, and the overall tone of the show is quite consistent.

The first arc of the story is great and does not have many problems. It is well directed and well handled, showing promise for the rest of the series. However, the story begins its sudden downfall from the second arc onward. The story becomes extremely contrived and predictable, with many plot conveniences and illogical moments. It can be argued that humans are not always logical, but there is a limit to how illogical a person can be, especially when the characters in the show are set up to be fairly intelligent and capable. The show does attempt to make its themes and morals clear, but at the expense of repetitive elements which may make audience go "Yeah I get it already. Please carry on". Yes, character development and set up is important for good pay offs, but repeating thoughts and dialogues will not get the story very far. There are also some elements that should be understandable by the characters even at face value, but as a plot device, the characters become dumb when they need to. Another element that plagues the series is melodrama. Kokoro Connect falls under the 'Drama' genre, so naturally melodrama is to be expected and that is fine. However, melodrama should be the result of a rising tension during a conversation or argument, and not a sudden or random outburst. The melodrama in Kokoro Connect happens so suddenly and uncalled for many times that it is usually unnecessary. The dramatic arguments are not built up well at times, leading to an illogical state of melodrama which might distract the audience from the storytelling into a debate of realism and logic.

The ending is also extremely convenient and unsatisfactory. With all that intense build up and character development since the first episode, one would expect the ending to payoff well, with all the developed elements coming into play. However, that is not the case. The last arc has no true climax and it ends abruptly. Of course, this 13 episode series will then be taken further by another four episodes in 'Kokoro Connect: Michi Random', a Special which serves as an exact continuation as well as the final four episodes of the entire series, which I will review separately. With all that being said, the last half of the show can be frustrating to watch at times, but the excellent character developments and psychological elements should serve as redemption. In fact, even with all these negativity, I should have no problems giving the story a minimum rating of 7/10. But why 6/10? Because of the issue I am going to address below.

This is not the only show that explores the psychological patterns of people (or the human psyche as some might call it), but its supernatural twist makes it original and interesting. However, it is this very supernatural element that makes the overall moral of the story hypocritical and pretentious. The show does seem to be preaching some morals to the audience, with the repeated dialogues and all, which is great because they are meaningful and thought provoking. However, upon further analysis, one might realize either a fault in the portrayal of the message, or a double meaning in the message, or a reverse psychology in the message. Complex messages are not uncommon in the ‘Seinen’ genre (e.g. Black Lagoon, Steins;Gate), and much less uncommon in live action feature films (2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner). Some may also be familiar with the ‘Deconstruction’ genre, where the stories take a huge and dramatic twist/turn into something entirely different from what it was set up to be (e.g. Neon Genesis Evangelion, School Days). However, Kokoro Connect was not set up to be that kind of show, and it was never meant to be, or at least it never tried to be. That being said, it all depends on how the audience approach Kokoro Connect. If the audience does not read too much into the show and accept it at face value, they may leave satisfied after an incredible psychological journey. Otherwise, they may either choose to live with it or go into debate. For the non-critical viewers, forget this factor and consider my rating for the story 7/10. If not, my 6/10 is absolute.

[Art: 7/10]
Kokoro Connect is animated by Silver Link, and the art style is the spitting image of Kyoto Animation. All the characters in this show resemble those of K-On! and Tamako Market, from the eyes to the face shape down to the lips. Throughout the series, I could not believe that Kyoto Animation had no involvement in it. Either the animators of Silver Link are from Kyoto Animation, or they just simply copied the style. The similarities aside, Kokoro Connect does spot good animation, from body movements to background design. The body movements are fluid and realistic enough with generally nothing to nitpick about. The background designs are realistic and detailed enough, although they do not stand out. Kokoro Connect is not a visually charged show, so its level of detail in animation is good enough. The show is generally dull looking to achieve the depressing mood of the series. With that, the cinematography is excellent. Lighting is used very well to convey a character’s feelings as well as the mood/atmosphere of the scene. Cheerful scenes are lighted brighter and are more colourful, while the serious or depressing scenes are lighted darker with a limited colour palette. The colours are de-saturated, making the series look generally lifeless which goes in line with the show’s themes. The quality of the art is consistent throughout the series and holds up till the end. The character designs are simple and do not stand out, and each of them have their individual uniqueness that allows the audience to recognize each one easily. However, some characters resemble those from Kyoto Animation, so they may not be distinct enough to be identified as characters uniquely from Kokoro Connect.

[Sound: 7/10]
The sound design does not stand out, but it does its job effectively. Dialogue is clean and well prioritized, and no sounds drench out one another.

The voice work in this show is excellent. Voices are very nuanced and packed with feelings. Shift in voice tones are instantly recognizable, conveying the characters’ shift in feelings and emotions. The voice cast is great and they all brought the characters to life and made them believable, especially Toyosaki Aki for the character Nagase Iori. Voice actress Toyosaki Aki is probably known best for her work in K-On! for the character Yui and also some other moe characters in other series’. With that, I was a little doubtful that she would be able to pull off the depressing and melancholic voice that the show would eventually require. However, she did an exceptional job at it and it was one of the stand out points of the series.

The soundtrack is effective, albeit not exactly memorable. Some recurring themes played during intense moments can be identified easily. It is the standard kind of soundtrack for any anime series, and it is nothing to cough at.

[Character: 9/10]
If all other technical aspects of the series do not live up to the hype, the character aspect would probably do. The first arc of the series is largely character driven, and then it becomes plot driven from the second arc onward. With that, the character development in the first arc is extensive. Every character is characterized excellently, from behaviour to personal issues. Most of these revelations are unfolded nicely without rush nor contrivance. Character motivations are clear from the start, and additional motivations arise as the story progresses. All character strengths and flaws are well developed and even more so as the series progresses, which will all come into play even in the second and third arc. While there are only one or two main characters, the other characters are almost as important. There is extended emphasis on the main characters, however the rest are developed sufficiently without much lacking. Each character has a different personal issue, and while the audience may not be able to relate to everyone, the character developments make their situation easy to understand.

As mentioned before, the characters do become dumb when the series needs them to be. They start making illogical decisions and engaging in unnecessary acts, all for the sake of tension and feels. The once-intelligent characters become very questionable in terms of their decision-making and actions, and while most of these issues can be classified as ‘conflicting human emotions’, most still beg the questioning of basic logic. Nonetheless, the pros triumph over the cons. Some character irregularities may be putting off for some, but most should be able to get past the flaws and continue enjoying the thought provoking journey of self-discovery.

Despite the excellent character developments and great scenes, the characters are still ultimately not as memorable. These characters are not original – they are cut from the same cloth from other anime series’. None of these characters here have a single unique trait that has not been portrayed before, but they are some of the better portrayed ones in recent memory. That being said, the audience would probably remember the story or scenes more than the characters themselves, but they may nonetheless be delighted when reminded.

[Enjoyment: 7/10]
Kokoro Connect is one of the shows that I really wanted to like and praise a lot, but I could not due to its less-than-good execution from the second arc onward. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the character developments and the psychological aspects of the show. There is good humour from time to time, and its fan service is so minimal it is not even worth mentioning. I would probably not revisit Kokoro Connect because I do not wish to go through the last half of the show again, especially its continuation Special ‘Kokoro Connect: Michi Random’. I do not dislike the show, but I could not bring myself to like it.

[Overall: 7/10]
Kokoro Connect is a social commentary that explores realistic issues (despite its supernatural setting) and relatable thoughts, and it does so with efficiency and excellence. However, the series favoured the convenient way to invoke feels than to properly develop them and making them more impactful when it should have. This is a could-have-been great series plagued by occasional misfires and unfortunate lazy writings here and there. The first arc triumphs, the second arc falls, and the third arc crashes with parachutes lessening the impact. If it were not for its excellent psychological aspects, I would have rated Kokoro Connect a 6/10. Kokoro Connect is ultimately not a show to avoid or even reject, as it still works as a great thought provoking series that has many things to go for. I cannot say for sure that it has more to like than to dislike, but it is still a worthy watch and a worthy experience.