Jun Maeda is known for his methodology, approach, and style in his visual novels. His trademark is also prominently featured in Angel Beats!, and on the surface might seem like a good thing. If the audience remembers the whole concept of high school purgatory, they will think there is considerable scope for such a story. In such an aspect, the story is delivered very well, although, for a specific audience, it is a problem with its repetitive nature.

At first glance, Angel Beats! takes such a theme about the afterlife, places it firmly in a high school setting, is territory that Maeda is familiar with, and its plot does well. The whole story is based on the afterlife in such a setting, and redemption is only for young people. However, the audience has to question why this is so and why the only young people who can go there are all those with a lot of regrets. Throughout the entire series, not a single character has displayed any vengeful or violent behavior in each character's past life. Such omission puts a vast bias in a narrative. The nature of the afterlife is that it doesn't exist just for regretful characters. However, it is also for those whose sins are not big enough to be sent to hell after the day of judgment.

In describing the concept of an afterlife, purgatory could be an appropriate term to tell the character's last chance to do the right thing. On the other hand, Angel Beats! lacking connotations when showing characters who die for revenge throw the whole story out of balance. Almost all of the characters in the series have only regrets, making the entire series a bit too sweet. In addition, the whole series is well written but only makes the missing scope more pronounced. The plot goes well, and the idea is unusual for a series about high school. There is also the inclusion of certain exciting elements. However, the series never makes good use of such narrative until near the end of the series. At the same time, it seemed too little and too late.

The animation and art throughout the series are pretty good overall. The characters are well designed and have a specific look that is inspired by one of Key's works in visual novels. The scenery and backgrounds are pretty average. It doesn't differentiate itself from the other series of its kind. The problem is, for example, the concert sequence where the entire series is animated and designed in a particular style that at first looks pretty good. P.A. Works makes the concert sequence not only look better. However, it has more detailed and fluid animation, superior to the better choreography of the series as a whole.

In essence, P.A. Works seems to be telling the audience that "it is what we really can afford to get as far as possible to the tear-jerking ending." If the entire series were animated in the same way as the concert sequences, it would easily be one of the best anime of the time. It's a fact that audiences can see that the studio is capable of far greater things than just annoying. On the other hand Angel Beats! looks good where it should be; it sounds a lot better than expected, considering there are many different types of characters on display, including the voice acting. The voice acting is quite good, but there is little that the voice actors can do because the characters are pretty much one-dimensional.

The music steals the series as its most refined. Apart from having a very well-produced concert scene, the music used throughout the series is quite good. The weird thing is Maeda was also the composer for the anime, while the actual arrangement of the thematic photos was made entirely by ANANT-GARDE EYES. The opening theme song, My Soul, Your Beats!, is a good pop song, considering the music is one of the most memorable and phenomenal anime opening songs for the community. The ending theme song, Brave Song, is also a great ballad. The series began to suffer from a lack of creativity and ideas that the characters disappeared one after another. It is a fact that Maeda and Seiji Kishi, the director, have chosen such a trademark and the cliché makes a lot of it desirable.

That's not to say the characterization is terrible. It just means that the characters are very much as expected, right down to each character's personality. The similarities between characters from the series and other series are sometimes just skin. It's a fact that no thought is given to trying anything new. At least, the show was noticed. Angel Beats! become one of the most criticized and most admired anime of all time. It becomes a fact that the series can be something special for the fans and haters alike. However, it has been wasted in producing something that will appeal to the existing base. While the entire industry needs to make material, rather than squeezing it out of the community's hearts, it would be better if the industry provided a series that the fans wanted to see.