WW (Week 4): What Seperates the Heavenly and the Great

Last night my brother (the guy who sometimes watches anime in a clueless and irregular basis) and I were debating over Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, specifically, what rating it deserved. But first, some background on how my rating system works (this pertains to MyAnimeList only, as I rate to the tenth decimal place on this blog).

I never give out 10/10s. No anime is perfect. This is obvious enough, because you can't really define anime. It's a subjective thing, meaning that there is no standard. Throw in personal opinions and you will see there is no way to objectively rate anime. It's unlike a square, which you can indisputably call perfect. That being said, the highest scores I give are 9.

Back to the debate. My brother completely loved Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, giving it a 9. He was completely satisfied with everything that it had to offer. Me, on the other hand, I was more satisfied with handing it a solid 8. In short, I really disliked the way that the last episodes was done, and I felt like it didn't have enough of an emotional impact. Sure, all the elements of a "heavenly" (9/10) anime were there, but the way that it was portrayed and shown were definitely at the "great" (8/10) level. Don't get me wrong, I loved Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso. It is one of the more memorable and better watches in the last while.

I mentioned how Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso had the elements of a heavenly watch there, but what exactly are those said elements?

Elements of a "Heavenly" (9/10) Anime
1. Technical aspects of the anime
The stuff that comes in every good anime, including story, characters, art, and sound. Are these all done exceptionally well? Story is compelling? Characters are filling their roles near-perfectly? How's the art? Naturally you can't have an extremely good anime without these essentials.

2. Conflict/Resolution
Any standard plot involves some sort of conflict. The conflict and resolution are basically what make the anime worth watching. Additionally, it's not a very good watch if the conflict is easily solved. It takes away from the importance and severity of it, turning it into less of a conflict and more into a small problem. However, when written well, it will keep the audience on the edge of their seats and wanting more.

3. Plot twist
A plot twist done well will do wonders for the anime. Adds spice to the story and really shakes things up. What this does is that it gets us excited and revved up, and that's just a part of personal enjoyment.

4. Emotional attachment
This is important, because without saying, you should be invested in any heavenly anime. If you feel strongly and passionately about the characters, story, or any element of the anime, then it makes the watch much more enjoyable. This emotional attachment is obtained through personal connections to the anime, or if you have spent a relatively long time with the anime. The latter is the reason why most heavenly anime are on the higher side of episode counts (usually 24).

5. Bittersweet/destructive ending
I'd like to say that I'm a fan of happy endings, but really, I'm not. When I watch the final episode of a series, I want to be devastated. The raw emotion of having something terrible happen to the characters that you love and cherish (there's the emotional attachment coming in) fans the flames that you feel. It stokes the fire that you have kindling in yourself. This is what makes an anime memorable. It's not, "Oh I loved how the characters all resolved the situation and now live happily together," but instead it is, "Holy I can't believe that character A just killed off her best friend, character B, in a twist ending."

6. Execution
Even if you have all of the above, it all goes to waste if you execute it poorly. This is what I was referring to with Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso. I couldn't stand the way the last few episodes were done, and they left me feeling sour in the mouth. Execution is crucial. It's how you convey all your work, your feelings, and emotions to the viewer. The effort put into this is directly correlated to how much the producers want to work to show you a heavenly anime.

So that's all. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso actually has unbelievable ratings on MaL, and it is not a bad anime by far. This wasn't meant to be a hate post on the anime, even if I did kinda make it sound like one. Anyhoooow, thanks for reading, and hopefully you'll stop by next week for Weaboo Wednesday.