Review of given

I can’t remember the last time any piece of media had me so invested in its world and characters. Three of the genres the anime is listed under are drama, romance, and slice of life. And so far, everything the anime has been doing, it has been doing great. The anime is slow-paced and explores the characters deeply before moving forward with the plot - it also doesn’t feel like the two layers are separate - this is one of the very rare cases, where the characters, the plot, and the world feel like they fit together, as opposedto being a bunch of ideas hurled by directors and the staff.

The characters are also relatable, and face tons of issues and worries that we ourselves face daily, such as lack of motivation, failures, a haunting past, or even real disorders that handicap us throughout our days.

Given’s engaging plot is topped off with charming art that goes well along with the story and keeps the viewer engaged with every scene - smooth animations, beautiful drawings, and backgrounds that set the tone very well.

A core theme of Given (and its plot!) is undoubtedly music. It delivers in this regard exceedingly, as well as with its excellent opening and ending theme, which I never bother to skip.
Its soundtracks are clearly well-considered; they are the common threads that connect the story in a smooth way.
It’s easy to tell that a lot of effort went into the music department, and they managed to live up and eclipse all expectations.

Shougo Yano, Satou’s voice actor, has a beautiful voice that does justice to the equally beautiful character of Satou - his singing is guaranteed to pull on your heartstrings in ways that add to the already great storytelling of the anime itself.
I can’t help but look forward to hearing more of him.

There are very few shows I really could enjoy past their flaws. In the past, I would drop anime because of unsatisfactory animation and never finish series because of displeasing arcs, but Given is miles ahead of anything I’d seen.
Gorgeous art, superb sound, and it’s all topped off with a beautiful plot, great character design, and scenes that keep me craving for more.

Even though I’m very difficult to satisfy, Given has let me down in so, so, so few aspects. It’s a great show I’d recommend to everyone.