Stripey

Da Capo is not for everyone. Especially anti-bishoujo vigilantes who'd surely find plenty of flaws to reinforce their misconceptions of a very very misunderstood class of anime. However, for those who are willing to look beyond its sub-tag of 'harem' and ‘eroge’ (adult games), you might just find an anime gem that few in the genre can outsparkle. Story - 8 Da Capo has a very interesting premise and is a surprisingly coherent story. It achieves this in 2 ways. First, by never forgetting the thrust of the series. It could be an episode featuring one of the numerous side characters or typical high school hijinksyet it never fails to leverage on these situations to further develop the central plot or characters. Grafting the various characters' stories onto the overarching theme is the 2nd avenue by which the series remains relevant despite its seemingly meandering series composition. Although I have to say the the first 15 eps could have been a lot tighter which accounts for the mildly-diminished score of 8 for this segment. Nevertheless, the series more than makes up for it with tightly-knitted and well paced 2nd half (ep 16 onwards). Art - 9 For a 2003 production, the animation quality was nothing to write home about. The definition of art here extends beyond mere portrayal of visuals that the eyes can capture but sight that can touch the human heart. Da Capo clinches a 9 for this category because of its excellent art direction (which frankly is probably lost on most anime viewers.) Artistic scene transitions, panning shots that accentuate the mood of the scene etc are just some of the reasons why I believe Da Capo to have one of the finest cinematography in the genre. Sound - 9 Da Capo soundtrack is undoubtedly the best of the genre. Not only are the pieces beautiful standalone musical compositions, their effect is greatly magnified in the various poignant scenes when employed skillfully under the anointed direction of the Da Capo crew, making its musical component one of the most memorable aspect of the production. Character - 8 Da Capo has an endearing cast which sadly was not fully developed, at least for many of the fabulous side-haremettes. Again the series more than makes up for it with its wonderfully fleshed out leads. By digging deep into their psyche, motivations and struggles, one cannot help but empathize strongly with these girls binded by chains of cruel love. Few harem series does 'love' and even fewer do it with the depth and maturity of Da Capo Enjoyment - 10 Well-crafted characters, poignant drama, impeccable music and an artistic flair to meld all these ingredients into a solid production is the reason why I enjoyed the series to. the. fullest. Give DC a shot if you are not adverse to the much maligned bishoujo genre. Recommended only if you have an open mind, loves good drama, coherent plots and consistent characters.

lonehunter88

Okay, so it's one of the most popular harem titles in japan, probably only second to KEY's big hits. It's even tiring to try to track the amount of side stories and sequels and doujin productions for this huge title. But surprisingly despite all the hype this series gains, it totally killed all my expectations. Story: Okay honestly it started pretty nice.. with all the moe charm points you would find in any harem title. But it isnt really cool when the introduction episodes are cut to half time and u're forced to watch gravure videos of some of the seiyuus. they could have put moreeffort into developing the story. So when the real story actually started honestly thought it would be great. but it disappointed me at every turn. most of the plot is too cliche, too flat, too boring. i couldnt help sighing and hoping it would end sooner in the last 4 episodes. Art: The only thing commendable is probably the art, which is obviously the inspiration of many of the moe animes out nowadays. this is one of the main reason i watched this anime. everywhere you go in akihabara, you see da capo's art. it's that impressive. Sound: I understand that 'da capo' is a musical term, so i was expecting some beautiful music. instead, it's so poor that i had to skip the OP and ED and sigh at all the scenes that were supposed to be touching. it's disappointing that they didnt work more on the music. as for the seiyuus, the big names are all over the place, so there's really not much to complain about. Character: Wow we have so many moe characters. You have your imouto, loli, osananajimi, senpai, and even an esper! What should we do? Decorate them in your bedroom! Yes, that's very much all there is to the characters in Da Capo. well, some of them have interesting backgrounds and personalities.. but in the anime they're prematurely developed, and leave much to desire. the characters are like pictures of people without a background. beautifully drawn, but shallow and monotonous. And the worst character i've seen in a very long time is the main male character. each of his scripts make me sigh and wish it would end right there and then. it's so painful to see that pitiful soul. oh god please strike him with a bolt of lightning. Enjoyment: I started watching this with a lot of expectation, but the result is overwhelming disappointment. I should have been able to finish this in one day, but i couldnt stand watching it straight.. the shortcomings are so terrible it's depressing.. im not depressed because of the melancholy in the story, but because of the bad story.. sighs.. Overall: A good example of animes which dont live up to their popularity and fame. If you're going to watch this, make sure you're ready for disappointment