Love can come in many forms. It can hurt, destroy, build up relationships, and share desires. Love is a beautiful thing, but sometimes behind that beauty lurks darkness, despair, loneliness.

I will be reviewing Kuzu no Honkai or Scum’s wish as a Manga reader. Hope you enjoy.
(Possible Spoilers)

In many anime’s lies a relationship between two people that seem to always work, relationships that are happy, flawless, and beautiful. It always seems to work the way it’s supposed to. It is the depiction of what you would call a perfect love story. However, in this anime lies a relationship that…well…works in a sense. Just not what would be the usual idea of a “perfect relationship.”

The story revolves around your not-so-typical relationship between the two main characters. Them being Hana and Mugi. They are characters that love someone else. For instance, Hana loves Narumi, a “brother” figure that’s been there for Hana ever since childhood. Because Narumi was there when she wanted him to be there, she basically gained feelings for him. On the other side we have Mugi, who loves Akane, a tutor that was with him for some time. As you all know, they’re both teachers in the same school. However because Mugi and Hana are not able to gain those they cherish, they now have to fill the void inside their hearts and “love” each other as substitutes. While of course, not loving each other like they do with their significant others.

“You can have everything…but my feelings.”

Basically “You can do anything you want to me, but I still won’t love you.”

Men lust, I have lusted as well. I’m sure many others have as well. Because Mugi is a man, he has that sexual drive with Hana, that certain desire that makes him want her more and more. Hana accepts his desires, willingly.

This anime…has characters. They are characters that probably won’t be on your favourites list.

These characters suck, they’re personalities drive you up a wall. However, it’s as real as you can get. These are characters you see in the real world. I’ve even seen them before.

You may hate these characters, you may want to kill these characters, just remember that they exist.

I mean especially Mugi. He’s a man, just your regular human being right? Even though he knows everything about his love, Akane, he got lost in the sea of pleasure. Even though she’s broken, deceiving, disgusting, and downright narcissistic, he still desires her, he still wants her body.

People’s words sometimes never matches the actions they portray. Mugi knows, but his actions represent someone who lost to lust and desire.

So I’m glad the writer decided to make an oddly accurate representation of what we see in reality. The types of messed up relationships we see, the types of desires they have, the kinds of sides they hide. The kinds of situations they have. It exists. It’s just this anime decided to dive deep and show us what happens in these types of relationships.

But in this anime, love is twisted in a way where it just get glares and disgust looks from people.

However the characters are a reason I see a lot that people decide to hate on this show. Which, in a sense I can understand. Maybe they’re not used to seeing these types of characters, but that’s just an assumption.

But I like to see something different, something that you wouldn't usually see in anime. Scummy and crappy characters, hence the title. The depth and emotion these characters share to each other gives a solid picture of light and darkness. At first, things may be just jolly well, but then boom. Reality hits.

See, the thing is, you can see this as mature or non-mature. I don’t see how people see this as just a crappy fan service series, when cleary it’s not. You either conclude this as hentai or not hentai.

I don’t mind mature subjects, nor mature scenes. Because I find it interesting. The environment they create and the uneasy atmosphere is definitely what makes me hooked unto the show. I love it. Way more than I should. It’s such a dark atmosphere, I wouldn't blame anyone who hates this show.

Speaking of hate, It’s already obvious that this show will not be for everyone. But I have to disagree with people stating that this show doesn't represent real love or that this show is unrealistic or that it’s just for fan service purposes. But let’s remember that they’re human beings like us. I know I say that a lot but I can’t stress it enough.

Characters in the anime do what people do in actuality.
-People lust
-People make mistakes
-People have desires for other people
-People act recklessly
-People love to toy with others
-People have sides they don't show to others
-People want sex
-People have dark emotions
-People have bad thoughts
-People have evil intentions.
-People steal

The list that I just stated were characters that exist in this anime and real life. Because it’s a real thing. So I disagree with those who think this is unrealistic and just for fanservice.

The thing is, Kuzu no Honkai represents visually what some anime’s do not. A messed up relationship with the crappiest characters you can think of. Scummy characters, selfish characters, lustful characters, evil characters, lesbian characters I guess. Or just a lesbian character.
This story represents what would happen if you would put these types of characters into one anime series. I can tell you one thing: It ain’t pretty. But if you’re into this type of thing like I am, go for it. Just know that each character have sides they don't show to others. When those sides show, you see them in a new light.

But before I go into the animation, let’s talk about sex…I know…

Sex for me is something I see as beautiful, where a husband and wife advance to one of the biggest steps of their relationship. To devote themselves to each other. They join and connect as one, to make a child. It’s a very pretty thing in all honesty.

Now depending on the morals you have you might be someone who waits until marriage or one who has done pre marital sex before (Basically sex before marriage). Now I never said I hate pre marital, and I won’t bash anyone who’s done it before. I mean, it can be a sensitive topic to discuss about. I mean in this anime there are sex scenes between our characters.

To be honest here if you think about it, lot’s of time people have sex are for reasons, no matter how big or small they may be.

I personally don't think that it is meaningless. I mean look at our characters. They do it because they desire eachother, or that they want to fill their loneliness, and needs a partner to give them what they want.

Hana has Mugi, they want to be intimate because they are alone and need each other to fill that gap.

See, most reasons can all go back to the reason of desiring another individual. I see where the people come from when they say it’s meaningless. That they just do it because they want to. I mean that in itself might as well be another reason. Just because you want to do it. Small as a reason it may be, it’s still something.

So let’s talk about the art, the animation, the sound, and the show overall.

The art is great, it is pretty much faithful to the manga and the colours used are splendid. The animation is great and the use of the moving manga panels definitely gives it a better atmosphere. As colourful as it looks, darkness for sure lurks inside. It ain’t nice looking.

When we take all these characteristics together we get an imperfect series with bad characters. They’re scum, and they’re meant to be like that. They were made in such a way that they would reflect what we would see in the real world and how the characters portray real people with these existing desires and emotion.

We can all at least agree that this series is screwed up. It’ll make people uncomfortable and make they urk at this series. But for me, it’s a good kind of screwed up.

The soundtracks for this series goes beyond human comprehension. The music sets the tone, the emotion, and the overall atmosphere for each scene. It’s done in such a fluid and solid way to make you enticed and hooked. The opening song and the opening animations are like pieces in a puzzle, fitting together. The imagery and little details that are in the OP makes me smile with joy. Same with the ending (Loving that Sayuri god sauce)

Overall, this is a masterpiece in my book. The realistic character interaction, the realistic situations, the realistic representations, the visuals, and the soundtracks. It’s one of those rare gems you don't see in most anime’s. I’m glad the adaption was satisfactory and I’m glad this was adapted in the first place.

Of course this anime won’t fit everyone’s taste. People can absolutely love it, or absolutely despise it.

The thing is my standards for anime aren't that high. I’m not a huge anime critic and I don't try to analyze every single aspect and detail of an anime so I can find ways to rant about it. Nope, I don't have a crazy rubric on what’s a masterpiece and what’s not. If you see how I rate a 10 on anime, it’s either I enjoyed it to the fullest, or that it hit me on a personal level.

Well for this anime, it was kind of both…

While it has brought out my full attention, enjoyment, and satisfaction. It has also hit home in some parts.

Seeing some of the characters in there did remind me of friends I had that were like that. It did make me contemplate about life. It made me cherish my friends again, because the ones I had before were just like Hana or Mugi. I don't see them again however, but It reminded me of them. It kind of hit home yunno? So that’s a reason why I gave this anime a 10. The way it hit me personally and the way the sexual subjects are visually represented were so realistically…real that it made me have a happy feeling inside.

This anime has a lot of controversies, and it doesn't feel like a one-sided argument. It is one or the other. Bad, or good? Masterpiece? Or Atrocious? Positive? Or Negative?

Mixed feelings for this show aren't unusual. Even though I loved every aspect of this show, the feelings I had for it were mixed. I mean for a controversial series, it’s only natural.

But the anime’s representation on love isn't far off from modern society and their representation of love. But like I said, it varies. Once you love someone, it has to be them, as stated by Hana herself.

Unrequited love, one of the types that can be hated by many people. What Sanae had to go through was rough, since she loved a girl. Eventually, Sanae had to let her go. It was hard to depart from someone she cherished oh so dearly, but it had to be done.

People can choose who they love. Some guys love guys and some girls love girls. It happens, and to be honest I don’t really agree with the gay and the lesbians, but that by no means do I have anything against them. So don't get me wrong, I don't hate gays nor lesbians, I just don't agree with them too much. So no hate pls ;3;

Overall, like I said, it’s controversial… You can hate it or you can love it.

I guess it’s about how you see it.