school days anime review

Graphics and animations

The graphics of the series have the characteristic style of early 2000s anime, which in my opinion is perfect for an anime of this caliber. The TNK studio put a lot of care into every single character, making them visually appealing. The animations are generally very smooth, except in some parts which have been overlooked and can appear a little stiffer. I appreciated many scenes where, thanks to the use of the right perspectives and colors, the story became more immersive. These measures have highlighted very specific moments which, if not highlighted properly, would not have given the same sensations.

Depth of history

School Days is not just an anime that tackles the topic of teenage relationships, but it delves deeper into it, showing the complexities and consequences of the choices made by the characters. The plot stands out for its ability to represent the fragility and instability of human emotions.

The main themes covered are: infidelity, emotional manipulation and the consequences of impulsive actions. Makoto Itou, the protagonist, initially appears as a shy and kind boy, but his bad choices lead him down a dark path that chains other problems, culminating in a sad and disturbing ending.

The anime shows how the choices made by Makoto influence not only her life, but also that of the two girls, Kotonoha and Sekai, leading them to make equally bad choices and creating more and more havoc.

Value and Message

School Days, while perhaps showing too many extreme cases, gives great significant value in terms of narrative and message.

The value of the anime lies in its ability to go beyond the clichés of teenage love stories, showing a more realistic and raw vision of real relationships. The anime shows how a lack of proper communication and impulsive decisions can lead to devastating consequences, making it a powerful cautionary tale.

The main message of the anime is that every action has important consequences, which can sometimes be more serious than you might expect. The series invites its viewers to reflect on personal responsibility and the importance of honesty in relationships.

Opening and Ending 

The opening and ending music of School Days plays a crucial role in creating the atmosphere of the anime. The opener, "Innocent Blue" by DeviceHigh, perfectly captures the initial essence of the series, with a tone that seems to suggest a classic high school love story. However, the images that accompany the song, with darker undertones and moments of tension, foreshadow the dramatic and tragic themes that will follow.

For the endings we can make a separate discussion, given that each episode, or almost, showed a different ending based on the context and the events that happened in that episode, something that few series do. Besides the fact that I personally appreciate the effort in creating each ending, I think that most of them are very beautiful and melodic.

Respond to hidden or unclear details

1.  Scene on the bridge where kotonoha meets sekai

In the tenth episode, there is a scene where Sekai crosses a bridge leading to Makoto's house. There she meets Kotonoha, who was now completely abandoned to herself and she could no longer think clearly. Kotonoha tells her that Makoto wasn't at her house. In that scene, many will have noticed a metallic noise coming from Kotonoha's bag. It is likely that in the bag there were knives intended to kill Makoto, so that she could stay with him forever, taking him with her wherever she went. So this thing happens anyway but only at the end of the anime and not because of her but of Sekai.

2. Why does kotonoha seem to be back to herself in the penultimate episode and then go crazy again?

In the penultimate episode, when Makoto sees Kotonoha on the street, she goes completely crazy. She starts talking to herself or arguing with a turned off phone, maintaining an imaginary conversation with Makoto. When he meets her and is scared to see her in that state, in her scene we see that she whispers something in her ear, but we, the spectators, cannot hear. It's likely that what he tells her is simply that he still loves her. But why do these words seem to momentarily bring her back to her senses? At the time, Kotonoha was emotionally unstable due to severe stress and her relationship inexperience; she had entrusted all of herself to Makoto. Hearing those words makes her feel safer and calmer for a moment, creating momentary mental stability. However, this stability is soon overturned when she discovers that the person she loved was killed by Sekai, leading to total delirium and the permanent loss of her mental stability.

3. Did Makoto really want to fix all the mistakes he had made by leaving aside all the other girls he had dealt with so far by getting back together with Kotonoha?

In short, the most likely answer is: no.

Why? Is simple. Makoto "gets back" with Kotonoha as he has done before, simply to escape the reality of his situation, which is that she was having a child with Sekai. So, most likely, he was acting as he always had.

4. Was Sekai really pregnant?

In this case, there is no certain answer, as the anime does not specify or hide anything to make the viewer reach a definitive conclusion. However, I think it's plausible that Sekai was pregnant. Why? The explanation is rather simple and banal. Sekai could have tried to push the other girls away from Makoto, but why would she choose her pregnancy? Maybe because the birth of a child might cause Makoto to resign herself to the situation too? However, I don't think this is the main reason.

The answer may lie in the dramatic scene where Sekai kills Makoto. During the last confrontation, Makoto, with her last words, touches Sekai's womb. This gesture seems to have an impact on her, making her reflect and leading her to run away, shocked by what he has done with her. The gesture of touching her womb may have immediately reminded her of the child she is carrying, prompting her to regain awareness of the situation.

It seems like a trivial assumption, but it adds to the fact that Makoto had previously admitted that he was inexperienced in sexual relations with Sekai and had not used precautions.

5. Would there have been other cases where the story would not have taken this turn for the worse?

Yes, there would actually be multiple endings in this story, given that, as previously mentioned, the original story was taken from the School Days video game, which includes 21 different endings, including happy, sad and tragic endings. In fact, the route shown in the anime is one of the routes with tragic endings, but there are 20 other routes that can be obtained by playing the game.

Summary and Evaluation

School Days ignores every convention of teen romance anime with its intense narrative and complex themes. Although at first it may seem like a classic teenage love story, it transcends into an increasingly intense drama, with a chain of problems and lies never revealed, arriving at an unexpected and macabre ending.

The well-organized plot keeps viewers hooked with its twists and deep exploration of human relationships.

In conclusion, while School Days may not be to everyone's tastes due to its emotional intensity and dark themes, it offers a profound and provocative reflection on the nature of relationships and personal choices.

The rating I give as the final is a nice 8 out of 10, given by its plot, OST and graphic style, which in my opinion make this anime unique.