“The further you go, the steeper it becomes, and there won’t be anyone around you.” – Rei Kiriyama

I feel I lack the vocabulary and eloquence to adequately express how special Sangatsu no Lion truly is, but i'll attempt to do my best nonetheless.

Depression is a silent battle. Constantly waging war against yourself. What happiness you can grasp is constantly sinking into an ocean of nothingness. You are nothing, you have nothing.

Sangatsu no Lion does not shy away from showing it's viewers the reality of the soul crushing torment that depression is. The protagonist of the story isn't a faultless man embarking on the hero's journey, he's apprehensive, unsure of himself and engulfed in loneliness. Although this may be the case, Rei is a hero. A champion for the broken, a beacon in the night. He is you and I.

Rei's battle with depression is captivating to say the least. Losing his family and being adopted into another, he uses shogi to appeal to his foster father and gain his approval. Through his immense talent and hard work he becomes a professional in the shogi world, but as a side effect he alienates his adoptive father's biological children. He then decides to live alone and chase after shogi, isolating himself. It's at this point that the story begins.

The vicious cycle of win or become nothing becomes Rei's life. He isn't satisfied with how things have turned out but he continues to press forward because that's what is expected of him. His life has essentially become a vice as he suffers quietly in solitude.

The show is by definition a sports anime and doesn't shy away from that fact. Even if you were to peel away the dramatic story elements, the direction in the each shogi match is stellar. Every move is tense and efficient, as the players place their shogi pieces down with a satisfying clack, demanding the other player acknowledge their move. It's all extremely atmospheric, and you feel as if you were sitting right next to the board. Chika Umino has a deep understanding and respect for shogi and it definitely shines through.

Now, to pivot back to story elements.

The world of professionals is cutthroat and Rei soon comes to realize that the only way for him to remain one is to douse the hopes and dreams of each opponent he defeats. But why should he? Why should he be the one to attain victory? Why him?

Through all the uncertainty, self-doubt, self-loathing and pain, a figure appears and lends a hand to Rei as if to pull him from the depths of his mind to start anew. Akari, Hinata and Momo Kawamoto are thrust upon him.

Like Rei, the Kawamoto's have also experienced loss, the tragic death of their mother has left them incomplete. Broken but united, the Kawamoto family embraces Rei as one of their own. Through all of the pain, Rei begins to learn of the struggle of others. The Kawamoto sisters are as human as he is, they also all share the pain of losing a loved one and this commonality bonds them to each other. Scenes of Rei surrounded by the girls and simply having a conversation were enough to bring me to tears. The only way I think I could describe Rei's relationship with the Kawamoto household in words would be 'sweetness'. It's this same sweetness that Rei must separate himself from as he feels he isn't deserving of it.

Depression is an irrational beast by nature and overcoming it is a arduous process. Through all the success he's achieved and friends he's made, he still feels lonely. This is the painful truth of mental illness. However, Rei decides to leap forward into the abyss and towards finding his own undeniable happiness. To say Rei's journey is inspiring would be an understatement. As someone who has battled with chronic depression for a majority of their life, Sangatsu no Lion portrays how isolating and painful it can be perfectly.

I've seen Sangatsu no Lion criticized for it's slow pacing while I on the contrary believe the slow, methodical building to be a necessity. Each character has a role, every dialogue exchange and scene has a purpose, to have such a unique and dynamic cast of characters would be impossible if it weren't for that fact that they all have backstories and lives that are completely fleshed out and interesting. You can't rush greatness.

As this is an adaptation, an animation studio must adapt it. Shaft's unorthodox approach to storytelling has often been hit or miss with me, ventures like the Monogatari Series often take a wildly esoteric approach to storytelling. The director of said series, Akiyuki Shibou, steers the ship that is Sangatsu no Lion. At a first glance I was definitely worried that he would employ the same over the top, no holds barred direction style that he's come to be known for but to my surprise he shows a more restrained, thoughtful direction style. Characters in close-up slowly turning to one another, quick cuts of a noisy shogi player fidgeting, it all lent itself to the atmosphere quite well, suffice to say I was surprised, even beyond that I was thoroughly and consistently blown away by his direction. Paired with Chika Umino's visionary level of storytelling, Sangatsu no Lion became a living, breathing creation. The art and music perfectly compliment each other as you feel chills run down your spine in tense scenes and your heart filled to the brim in the Kawamoto house. It's all masterful.

Through all of the suffering and anguish, the clouds will eventually part and you'll be exactly where you need to be, this is the powerful sentiment the show carries. Misery is combatable, you just need to be brave enough to face it. There is beauty in life, you just need to be able to see it.

Sangatsu no Lion might be the most powerful piece of media I've encountered to this date and for that I'm eternally grateful.

Please watch this show.