Tsukigakirei

>Tsuki ga Kirei is an undeniably genius anime that deserves more recognition.

Tsukigakirei hit me hard after the beautiful conclusion, but I didn't linger for too long on what made this anime so amazing for me: as I moved on to another anime, to another series, to another world. But after rapidly consuming more and more anime, I realized my for anime spurred not from moe, fanservice, or any other money-grabbing technique studios used, but for its brilliant conceptual ideas, beautiful animation, and intimate heartfelt stories. I realized that I don't have to rush to consume the medium, but to thoroughly appreciate and understand the wondrous tales. These were the thoughts that inspired me to review Tsukigakirei, an anime that I watched months ago and nearly forgot about. This anime is a true needle in a haystack of the romance genre, a magnificent gem gem.

Story=9//The story isn't groundbreaking nor is it mind-blowing. Simply put, Tsukigakirei is just about two young junior high students in love. It's pure, innocent, and a joy to experience.

• The story of Tsukigakirei is tightly woven and the situations bring great drama and tension while not being overblown or cringe worthy.
• Like I mentioned earlier, the story being told isn't anything revolutionary, so while not bad, the story doesn't warrant a ten or a nine, however, with its honest and true narrative; 8 is a good spot for the series.

Art=6//As many others have noted, there is one particular artistic flaw that is extremely jarring and is a gaping flaw in an otherwise masterful show.

• Characters are beautifully animated close up, and most of the show follows in this manner.
• On the other side of the spectrum, there are many extremely appalling bird's eye shots. These include crowds of students or ordinary people who are horrendous CG models.

Sound=10//The sound in this show is among the greats. When I mention this, I am not only talking about the soft melodic soundtrack, but the way the show handles how the sound is played.

• This category elevates Tsukigakirei to a new level. It portrays awkward teen romance with many silent moments or moments with little sound. The way talking is handled feels like a beautiful true-to-life showing. Anyway, I am not a sound expert but there are YouTube videos and forum posts talking about this subject. I would highly recommend checking those out.
• Nothing

Character=10//The characters are also one of the biggest reasons I love Tsukigakirei. Each moment with every character feels so real and natural.

• I can really relate with the cast and how they act and feel for each other. Through triumph, pain, and realness you feel like you are part of the middle school. Also, the main relationship is a greatly satisfying one and the emotional connection between Kotarou and Akane feels strong and true, as they become closer while the series progresses and their relationship grows deeper. Side characters are also given their time to shine. It's crazy how fleshed out the characters are in a short 12 episode series.
• Again, no noticeable flaws.

Enjoyment=9//While I was watching Tsukigakirei, the characters and sound achievements made me feel as if the junior high students were real. With this level of detail, I was fully captivated. While not perfect at times, Tsukigakirei is the one of the anime greats.

As the Moon, so Beautiful is one of the few shows deserving of such a beautiful name. It is truly as beautiful as the moon. This anime gave me some of the most pure and intriguing relationships I've ever seen in contemporary media, and other than the occasional use of god-awful CG, this underrated work of artistic genius is deserving of more praise.