Warning this review may contain spoilers.

First impressions, so when I was first getting into anime this was probably one of the first v.n romance, harem shows I ever watched. So I didn't really know what to expect. and for most part it was all right for what was.

Story,6/10

So the premise of shuffle is pretty much about are bland main character who lives in a world where demons and Gods live peacefully with humanity. So while going to his school where Gods,demons,humans go together. He is given the opportunity of a life time to ether become the king of the gods or king of the demons by marrying one of of the princess who of course likes him because they meet him when they where children.

So from this you can tell it's going to be one of those happy if it's not broke don't fix it kind of harem plots where very thing is pretty idealistic and very thing is peachy as all hell.
So some of you are Probably thinking to yourself what's the point of watching this if everything is so happy go lucky. Dose that mean there is probably not going to be any drama to it and it's going to be a waste of time for someone like me that likes there rom-com's to be a bit more serious . Well if you said that to yourself then I have good news this is exactly what your are looking for if Your looking for something that takes itself seriously enough.
Now you're probably thinking how can this be if everything is happy and idealistic you must be trolling bio gundam please explain why you are saying theses thing.
Oh ok will.

So shuffle for the first half plays out like a generic v.n rom-com harem school life.
We have the Male lead who is bland as fuck who convent starts getting a few girls that of course like Him and they go on all the usual slice of life, harem bullshit.
Like going on a few dates, going to beach together with his not harem group, doing school thing with them, and last and not lease the "not"on purpose fan service.
Sore zzzzzzz sore sore zzzzzzzzzzz sore zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz sore zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Bio Gundam you were trolling this isn't serious at all reported the mods need to know about this.
Wait wait you didn't let me finish, oh sorry there.
So the first part is pretty much sore city because if you have seen enough of v.n anime you will pretty much find this exact same plot beet for this.

But where the story starts getting better from the point of v.n rom-com harem school life standards.

Is the second half which starts getting a lot more serious.
Because we get some much needed back story which explains why there girls like him and some drama about the harem girls.
For example one of them become very sick and almost to the point of death.
Another one being that one of the girls has a mental breakdown because of choices that the main character made.

Which helps make the main character realizes that he can't just have his cake and eat it to. That choices he makes has actual consequences and he has to fix them himself.
Which adds a sense of realism that I believe that this series shares with the more realistic comparably speaking show school days that is willing to acknowledge the fact that when you try to have your cake and eat it to there is going to be consequences.
Of course shuffle never took as far as school days did.
But it's took itself seriously enough that you could take everything as serious.

Now the ending is petty much the most disappointing part of it because the girl he chosen is sick and is going to die if they don't do something. so the protagonist saves her and then the girls act like nothing happened like for example one of them saying the he has chosen a girlfriend but not a bride so we still have a chance.

And I like Oh shit it's going to restart all over again fuck.

Another problem that this story has is that by today's standard it's very dated and also story telling like this pretty much helped kick start the decline of anime.
So dated is my biggest problem with it.
But it is well paced for a v.n. And it is probably one the better presented v.n anime.

Characters, 6/10

The main character is pretty much your by the book v.n protagonist.
Who just happens to have life served to him on a plate literally.
His personality can be summarized in about on sentence
He is pretty much the nice guy and nothing else.
But one thing I have to give him credit on is that he makes the choice of what he is in love with. And also him realizing that he can't take these girls for granted. So he stands out a bit for just that.

The side characters are pretty much one note.

Except some of the harem girls because all of them I have an ok back story which dose add some depth to them.
Also when you see these back stories in detail you can kind of understand why they would like the main character

For an example One of the harem girls who he lives with pretty much does everything for him and at the start your probity thinking why is she like this. She probably there for waifu bait.
But when you see her back story it's makes a lot more sense why she does this. Because of a certain event that the Main character took the blame for And she treated him like trash for most of his life because of the event that he took the blame for. But after finding out the truth which the Main character was hiding for her own good she starts doing everything in her power to make the main character happy Because she feels guilty for all the bullshit she put him though. And I am like damn this is an actual good reason for doing this shit.

Art,6/10

The animation was pretty average at best. Even buy the standards of the year it came out.

The style is pretty much the generic Style number 452282222929 that has been used countless times.

The characters designs are pretty much generic v.n novel designs with fantasy flavoring to make it look different.

The colors for this anime are pretty much bright which fits with the tone of the show.

Sound, 6/10

Op and ending was pretty nice to listen to.
It not sound take worthy but it was quite a nice listen.
So worth checking out.

The ost for me was pretty forgettable.

So if you're into getting ost then you will probably not find anything else of interest here.

Enjoyment, 6/10

Now even though shuffle is generic as all hell.
With all the bland storytelling that has been milked to death in recent years.

But what I really enjoyed about it that for the most part took itself seriously.

And it had a conclusion to its romance.

Which most story's like this don't have.

Overall,6/10

So overall if you like v.n,harem,school life that take themselves a little seriously then shuffle is what you are looking for.

But If you have seen enough of stories like this then you will it pretty generic and dated.
And probably overall not worth your time.