Review -> Boys Be...

So, this is my first review (I hope there'll be a lot more to come). I've just finished this anime yesterday and a single thought went through my head when I tried to analyse it: "This anime is beautiful!"

Full Title: Boys Be...
Structure: TV series - 13 episodes
Personal Comment: This anime is beautiful!

Plot (4/5): Though it starts off as a typical high school romance anime, it quickly turns into an encompassing story about love, friendship, life and self. It mostly follows the destiny of the two main characters, Kyoichi and Chiharu, but also presents in significant detail the stories of their friends. The 13 episodes revolve around all these 6-8 characters, drawing you mystically into their universe, without that sense of "everything's about these two, there's noone else in the world..."

Characters (4/5): Because of the detail each character gets and the almost equal distribution of roles in the story, you can experience strong individualities. They start of as stereotypical figures, but quickly enter a state of confusion (typical at this age) and change into highly complex and realistic personalities.

Approach (5/5): The story winds into philosophical aspects of love and life. Dialogues are very touching and realistic. The overall sensation is a hidden trepidation that alternatively provokes satisfaction, anxiety, sorrow and amazement. The series follows the events across the span of a year, making close connections between emotions and nature (especially through the cycle of the seasons). Each episodes begins and ends with a philosophical proverb-like remark, which gives a sensation of grandeur to the series.

Visuals (5/5): A single word is enough to point out the excellent graphical element of the series: GONZO! GONZO is the animation studio responsable for many paragons of anime that delight us with their visual presentation (Desert Punk, Full Metal Panic!, Hellsing, Kiddy Grade, Last Exile, Trinity Blood). Also, there is a strong artistic touch in the visual effects, extremely appropriate for the series (such as a sketch drawing replacing the animation when two persons kiss, or the window frame slowly widening and disappearing revealing a beautiful landscape in accordance to the character's feelings).

Music (4/5): Though I haven't noticed a wide variety of songs, the main theme, which appears in every episodes, is a very pleasant and special one, which is equally appropriate for calm beginnings and ending as well as heartshaking culminating moments.

Overall (22/25): I haven't seen many true (as in non-magical) high school romance anime, but this is by far the best one I've experienced. It is a treat for all the girls out there, but well worth watching for the boys as well. A pounding story that grasps your heart and leaves a beautiful scar long after it's grip has faded.