● This is a spoiler-free review.
● 90+ in my rating means "masterpiece."
● I had no prior knowledge of ballet or dance-related anime. I got into this anime through a friend's recommendation, without even watching the trailer.
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The Story ════ ⋆★⋆ ════ Junpei was fascinated by ballet as a kid. Yet, when he tries to practice it, he faces a lot of prejudice from his friends. After the death of his father, he has to be the "man of the house" and decides to learn martial arts. Junpei now meets a transfer student, Miyako. She finds out about his love for ballet and resurrects his childhood memories and passions.The story of Dance Dance Danseur is sublime. The pacing is very well done; having a main character that doesn't actually know much about ballet gives room for a lot of explanation. The anime acts as a good introduction to the world of ballet.There's a good critique about what it means to be a man, about how much prejudice there is in ballet, about past traumas, abuse, and many other themes. The story's depth is huge, and the more you spend analyzing this work, the more you find. I just stood in awe.
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The Animation ════ ⋆★⋆ ════ The animation is glorious. Whether it's on static frames or the entire choreography. The anime exceeded any expectations that I had. I'm not a diehard fan of MAPPA, but it's undeniable how much work they've put into this anime.
The backgrounds seem like paintings at times, adding an artistic vibe to this work. The fluidity of the dance, the color palettes, angles, eyes, proportions, and even the metaphorical elements are absurdly well done. There's nothing for me to complain about.
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The Characters ════ ⋆★⋆ ════ There are a good number of characters in this anime. Junpei, Miyako, their family, school friends, teachers, and other dancers. Every character brings something different to the story, be it a different personality or a different drama. In the core of the characters, there's a really good depth of personality, frequently going back to the past so you can truly understand their current motivations and mentality.As I always like to talk about the main character, Junpei is a really good main character. His behavioral changes towards the series and his growth are amazing to watch.
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The Soundtrack ════ ⋆★⋆ ════ The soundtrack is really well done, focused mainly on Tchaikovsky compositions. There's a really good mix between what's being animated and the soundtrack. I especially like how it's not bluntly put. It's often softly faded into the scene, almost like a mumur that starts growing and involves you in it.════ ⋆★⋆ ════
Conclusion ════ ⋆★⋆ ════ If you're like me, you skip everything and read only the conclusion because you don't want to get spoiled with other themes. So I will try to be brief on this point:You should definitely watch it. Dance Dance Danseur has everything that you could ask for. A story with meaning, good characters, godlike animation, a great soundtrack, and a different experience from the usual anime.
This anime was so impactful for me that it got a 9, the meaning of a masterpiece for me. This work was able to get me hooked into ballet in real life. Now, I'm constantly searching for performances, plots, and more information. I hope that if you give it a try, it can be as amazing for you too.
Thanks for reading and take care.