Two years ago, Junichi Tachibana had a date on Christmas Eve but was stood up instead. Since then, he has had a hard time showing others his true feelings in fear of being rejected again. However, as luck would have it, Junichi may have a second chance at love when he meets several girls whom he becomes romantically interested in: Haruka Morishima, the energetic and popular upperclassman with a love for cute things; Kaoru Tanamachi, his childhood friend who harbors secret feelings for him; Sae Nakata, the timid transfer student who is shy around men; Ai Nanasaki, a girl on the swim team who has a bad first impression of Junichi; Rihoko Sakurai, a childhood friend with a love for sweets; and Tsukasa Ayatsuji, a seemingly perfect class representative who has a hidden dark side. As Christmas Eve approaches, Junichi can only hope that this will be the year he will finally spend the holidays with the one he truly loves.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Archaeon
If you don't know where you're from, then you don't know where you are, and you don't know where you're going. It's a fairly trite adage, but like most old sayings there's an element of truth to it. When it comes to visual media though, such sentiments seem to go out of the window, across the fields, and off into the wild blue yonder, especially where adaptations are concerned. So where does that leave Amagami SS? A number of people may already be familiar with the fact that the series is yet another adaptation of a dating sim, and given that this is the spiritual successor toKimikiss, it's only natural that Enterbrain would attempt to emulate the relative success of the latter game and its anime adaptation. Unlike its predecessor though, Amagami SS decides to take a different approach with the storyline, and breaks things up into bite-sized relationship pieces that supposedly makes them easier to swallow, which works ... kind of.
The series is split up into six short stories (and one "special" episode), that recount Tachibana Junichi's quest for high school love, and how he finds it with six different girls (and before you ask, no, this isn't School Days all over again). Along the way various relationship shenanigans ensue which cause the usual misunderstandings, reconciliations, attractions, repulsions, etc, etc.
Now on the surface Amagami SS looks like the common or garden harem romantic comedy (but with the harem aspect applied in a different way). The plot follows the game's methodology by offering up multiple heroines for the protagonist to pursue, and while some may find this a refreshing approach, it's not really original as the series attempts to mask its shortcomings by adopting different narrative styles from one tale to the next.
The biggest problem with short stories is that there needs to be enough content and context within the plot to justify the actions, thoughts and emotions of the characters, and it's surprising that Amagami manages to offer some semblance of a storyline over the course of each tale. Then again, the majority of development points where both the plot and the characters are concerned have really been done to death in anime and manga, so it's no surprise that there's at least a half decent story in there.
After all, if you give enough monkeys enough time they can apparently produce Shakespeare (although it does make one wonder where they keep him).
Each individual tale is pretty decent in its own right, but when one considers them as part of the whole a different picture begins to appear. What emerges are a series of contradictory actions and behaviours that don't really seem to make sense. Now these could be explained away by assuming that people act one way with one person, and another way with someone else, and so on, and one could easily view Amagami in this light. The problem is that this assumption ignores the portrayals of the characters in the previous stories, effectively making them little more than blank canvasses. To further compound this, certain characters seem to be clueless about the circumstances around people they've known for years.
Still, if one simply treats them as a series of short stories then they can be entertaining, but the plot for each is nothing special, and the formulaic approach to each tale is, at times, a bit too familiar, and offers very little in the way of innovation, and rather a lot in the way of predictability.
It's pretty obvious from the artwork that there is a large degree of genericism inherent in this anime, and Amagami does nothing to break away from the stereotypes. The high school setting, town and surrounding environs are nicely designed and detailed, but when it comes to rom-com anime, once you've seen one high school, you've pretty much seen them all. Granted there are a few exceptions to the rule, but in general there's not much difference between the various depictions on offer.
The design principle is a little bit strange in one respect (which I'll come back to in a bit), as the characters are nicely envisioned, but are also as generic as they come (much like a lot of things in this anime). That doesn't mean they're poorly realised though, as they're clearly based on Enterbrain's designs from the games, and coupled with some decent animation and backgrounds, they do give the show a familiarity that can sometimes be mistaken for quality. The acid test occurs when one compares the series to its spiritual predecessor, and although Kimikiss was produced by a different animation studio, there are a number of similarities that stand out, not the least of which is the look of the heroines.
But simply looking like another show doesn't mean that the design and animation is substandard, and in all honesty Amagami does manage to hold it's own in the visuals department. It simply could have been better than it is, and it's puzzling why this isn't the case, especially for such a popular gaming franchise.
One of the better aspects of the series is the music, specifically the manner in which it's used rather than the actual tracks played throughout the anime (which are fairly routine affairs, but that's pretty much expected by this point). There are far too many shows out there that play music for no specific reason, so it's nice to watch a series that treats silence as golden for a change, and this is something that works in Amagami's favour as it allows the viewer to focus on the characters without having to suffer through tunes that sound a lot like the music played in just about every other high school rom-com/drama ever made.
That said, the music in itself isn't bad per se. It's simply ... generic (there's that word again), and even with two opening themes and six ending themes (sung by the lead actress from each character arc), there's little on offer that really stands out. Granted there are some decent enough songs (the law of averages and all that), but in all honesty this is probably nothing more than "when you're given lemons, make lemonade", or in this case, when you're given a romantic comedy drama, make a cheesy love song.
Which leaves only the acting, and in this respect Amagami is a bit of a mixed bag. Maeno Tomoaki plays the role of Junichi rather well (even though it's a bit like playing the role of a wet paper bag at times), and the strength of his portrayal gives much needed support to the lead actress roles.
See, here's the problem. No matter how good the seiyuu are, there's a limited amount that can be achieved in four episodes. Granted the actors and actresses have cameos throughout the series, but it's nowhere near enough time for them to truly come to grips with their characters. In this respect Kimikiss is actually superior, as by the end of that anime the seiyuu had grown accustomed to their roles and were able to play their parts with a confidence that, with the obvious exception of Maeno (who plays the only continuous lead character), none of the seiyuu in Amagami can match.
All of which leads to the characters themselves, and in a nutshell they're as generic (I seem to be using that word a lot these days), as they come, but once again that doesn't automatically mean that they're bad. Junichi could very well be a poster boy for harem lead males, and fits just about every stereotype going, especially the ones about nice guys and being a little slow on the uptake. That said, he's a pleasant enough character, and as the only lead in focus throughout the series there is some development to be had, but the nature of the story dictates that this tends to be repetitive.
Unfortunately the female leads aren't as clearly defined, and the reason for this is the relatively small amount of screen time they get. While they also grow as characters, this is tempered with a necessary urgency that precludes any substantial development. The supporting characters also suffer from the "resetting" of their personalities as this leads to repetitive behaviours and actions that simply don't go anywhere, and add nothing more than inane by-plays to the main narrative.
Amagami SS isn't a bad show though, and it does have its plus points. The relationship mechanics are handled in a reasonable manner, and the characters, especially the male lead, aren't as wishy-washy as some I could name. The problem is that instead of trying something original, director Hiraike Yoshimasa and AIC have opted to follow a "tried and tested" method that will yield results when it comes to DVD sales and merchandising, but only in the short term, and this makes one wonder why a hugely popular game franchise like Amagami has an adaptation that is only passing good.
The series is enjoyable to a degree, but it's still nothing more than one amongst many romantic comedies in anime, especially where schools are concerned.
Given the popularity and fervour surrounding the games one would expect AIC to expend more effort on making the anime adaptation better than it is, especially where things like plot and design are concerned. Granted there's only so much one can do in that respect, but the overuse of stereotypes means that the whole series plays out like nothing more than a glorified advert for the game(s). Like so many other game adaptations, the producers, director, animation studio, and just about everybody else in the making of this series have failed to realise the what fans really want. Instead of offering something that is an evolution of the franchise, we're treated to nothing more than a vapid retelling of the same old story. Even though the Amagami tries to be a little different with it's approach, one cannot laud the attempts to hide this anime's failings, especially the overtly generic design and plot, characters that don't really get the kind of attention needed to raise the level of the series, and an almost blind obedience to formula.
In a very odd way, Amagami SS is a clear case of too many girls, not enough time, and the decision to make it in the first place seems to have had little to do with wanting to tell a story, and more to do with letting everyone know how good the games are.
I suppose I can chalk this up as another "victory" for the marketing department.
xelyak
"Nii nii~~" "Nii nii no baka" - Miya Tachibana To put it simply, the combination of each of the heroines to the main protagonist is like a fireworks show. All of them are pretty. The Story: 9/10 -------------------- The story starts with our main male protagonist Junichi Tachibana being stood up on a Christmas Eve date which occurred two years ago. Having a hard time warming up to others, he does not have a girlfriend. In the seven arcs which comprises of four episodes each,(except for Risa Kamizaki who is given one episode) each arc is given one main heroine girl in which Junichi is their personal love interest. Eacharc is set in a parallel universe, so the jumps from arc to arc do not follow up. Each arc is unique in itself. Not only are you given a different girl for each arc, but the circumstances and problems encountered are all different for each girl. This brings a little more flavor to the anime rather than being around the same issue. The only thing that affects the main story line that isn't changed in each arc is the fact that Junichi was stood up, so each arc starts from the same point as all the other arcs do with the characters being in the same relationship with Tachibana each time unless it is the heroine girl. The pacing of the story is about the same in each arc, but there would be times where you’d have little segments from the past being put in and the switches are noticeable so don’t worry with not being able to keep up. Each of the arcs endings are very satisfying.
The Art: 9/10
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The art in Amagami SS was fluent and definitely consistent. The art style was about the same for each character, though their physical appearance may look quite different the outlines are still the same - it doesn’t become annoying though. The color shading was very neat and precise, the backgrounds astonishing. There were some sweet lake scenes where you could really appreciate the art. Color overall in the anime went very well with the atmosphere created by the main girl's emotion. There were times where the background would blur a little bit but you rarely take much notice of it. The art was not up to the particular par of Kyoto Animation (known for Clannad) but was very watchable for an anime aired in 2010. Overall the art was very fitting for the story in Amagami. The use of colour at different angles makes each scene enticing and memorable.
The Sound: 10/10
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Sound in Amagami SS was very crisp and clear. The OP, 'I Love' is an immensely addicting song for a romance anime. The EDs were sung well, and one thing to note is that each main heroine sings her own version of the closing song. The voice acting here was very smooth. Each of the main girls’ voice suited the type of appearance and personality they had. Another thing to note is that Amagami SS does not come in a dubbed form- for all those dubbed watchers out there-, from what I have searched. There might be a couple of fan dubs but it is doubted they’ll be any better than subbed.
The Characters: 9/10
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The characters were all unique. We are presented with Tsukasa, Haruka, Sae, Ai, Rihoko and Kaoru as the six main girls and Risa as the seventh. Each of the girls has their own unique traits, hobbies and personalities, of which all of them are very entertaining and likable (depending on what type of person you are). Tsukasa appears to be a kind class representative, Haruka the popular senior, Ai and Sae as Miya’s friends, and the two childhood friends Rihoko and Kaoru. Junichi, the main male is kind, thoughtful and slightly perverted, but this side of him always ends up to be used in a form of comedy which ended up being very repetitive- overused until it just wasn't funny. The supporting characters do not have much effect on the story line; in fact, they don't really do much at all. There is little-to-no development of them at all, but it does not get agitating, unless one of them was your favourite character. In the Kaoru arc, there was a narrator speaking what was going on in Junichi’s mind sometimes. This was only slightly bothersome though, but it’s assured some people just won’t like it.
The Enjoyment: 10/10
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If you are new to romance or drama Amagami SS might be a good choice to be introduced to the genre, if not it might all seem a little cliché. But I don’t care; I’m a sucker for cliché. Amagami SS first started in the form of a game, which was the adapted into an anime. I’ve seen some manga of Amagami, and it goes into a little more detail than the anime- not that the anime hasn’t touched on the subject at all but that it shows what is occurring at an event much better. Re-watching this anime definitely added to my personal enjoyment of the series. The satisfaction in seeing your favourite pair come together in the arc is what makes me come back to it. The anime was very memorable, even a few days after I had finished but I have to admit that it’s very less in my mind now as with all the other awesome anime I have watched.
Overall: 9/10
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Thanks for reading my review, or even parts of it- I don't blame you for reading all of it, but again, thanks you.
qewqwe33123
"That was Christmas Eve, two years ago. She never showed up to the date." - Junichi Tachibana, Episode 1 No no, that's not what the story is all about. Sorry to scare you about a what you thought was a spoiler. Amagami SS hit every note correctly. As a fan of romance, it was a very, very, enjoyable series. Story: You have Tachibana Junichi. He has a calm and kind personality, and can be a pervert sometimes with his friend Masayoshi Umehara. As quoting above, he was stood up two years ago on Christmas Eve. That event derailed his happiness ever since. It affected him so much thathe even made his closet into his bedroom. Present time, he now looks to overcome it. He starts to take interest in a popular senior at school named Haruka Morishima. She eventually makes Junichi her "pet" letting him carry her stuff. He then thinks it's a good opportunity to confess. He does, but all the hope he had in a relationship quickly shattered a couple seconds later. "I prefer someone who's reliable and older than me." (Haruka Morishima, Episode 1). Well, back to old ways now, right? Wrong. Junichi decides that he will keep trying.
Well that's a preview of Amagami SS for you. I can write so much more, but I will try to keep it short and sweet for now. The story is set into multiple arcs, in omnibus format, meaning that these arcs do not happen in the same timeline, and happens in alternate universes. Also, as you can see from the above, the story is really entertaining. Some people will walk away from this anime saying it's cliche and all, but there's not that much cliche to begin with, or it could be that I was too busy enjoying this series.
Rating: 9
Character: Character development is a must for a good romance, and Amagami does it right. Different arcs mean multiple girls. Actually, you have 6 different ones to choose from. The popular and fan favorite Morishima Haruka, the childhood friend Tanamachi Kaoru, the shy and cute Nakata Sae, the other childhood friend Sakurai Rihoko, Miya (Junichi's sister)'s friend Nanasaki Ai, and Class-rep Ayatsuji Tsukasa. They all have different traits, which makes each arc very unique and entertaining to watch. I gave it a 9 for reasons withheld, if you finish the series, you'll probably agree with me.
Rating: 9
Art: The artwork is just crisp and clear, and the art makes the characters look very nice. No, I'm not talking about Morishima Haruka in her Santa costume, well, you can Google it and judge the art by the pictures, but in general, it looks really nice. I wouldn't say it's identical to Kimi ni Todoke, but it's similar in terms of it's clarity in the art.
Rating: 9
Sound: I have the OST, why? Because it's one of the OSTs that I enjoy listening to. The background music fits really well with what's happening in the anime, whether it'd be Junichi depressed in his closet again, or it could be the first time meeting someone. The OPs, I Love and Kimi no Mama de are one of the most catchiest songs I have heard in an anime. The EDs feature the main girl of the arc singing their own song. I can't recall if there were multiple insert songs, but there was one insert song that I couldn't stop listening to. Anyways, the sound and music were just beautifully organized for Amagami. It made everything natural and added the atmosphere to your viewing experience.
Rating: 10
Enjoyment: Amagami SS was a really enjoyable series to me, and probably one of my favorite romance anime out there. It combines well-done romance, with a generous portion of comedy. If this were a game (which it is), then the replay value would be very high, and it'd be a really good game as well. Before I go, some final words: If you're starting into the Romance genre, or a fan of Romance, or even just into comedy, give this series a chance.
Overall Rating: 9
Joeliolio
Amagami SS in short is probably the best adaption of a dating sim that stays true to its roots while feeling like it was from a collection of stories rather than a game. Each arc is wonderful to watch and fulfills the story for the viewer, in the end even actually expanding on it. Story: 10/10 It is in omnibus format meaning that the stories may contain the same characters but every four episodes they "reset" and focus on another aspect (in this case a girl) and expand the story on these "what if" moments. Overall very enjoyable each arc had it's differences and no twoarcs were alike. The only similarity is the relationship building and character placing that occurred. That being said, each arc feels unique and enjoyable.
Art: 8/10 Amagami SS isn't the greatest anime in terms of art I have seen, but in no means does it try to be that. The character movements are fluid and what you would expect from art style today, neither amazing or bad.
Sound: 10/10 The OP's this series contains are among my favorite openings I have encountered while watching anime, as well as each ending theme for each girls arc is performed by the voice actress which I just found incredible. A few of the endings are so catchy I can play them on repeat even. In terms of the sound quality during the anime it is what you would expect from this type of show, however in some scenes the background sounds and music just make the experience much more enjoyable than most Anime I have seen. And to make an example, don't worry not a spoiler, but during a scene the sounds of the voices actually echo to show how empty/large the room actually is I haven't been that impressed for a while. (I know it's sad)
Characters: 10/10 The 6 girls are all incredible in their own ways while the male lead isn't a terrible guy either, he is actually rather likable, indecisive occasionally but firm in what he thinks and should do most of the time. As for the girls they each have unique personalities and are all interesting in their own way. I will explain the girls below in the order that their arcs came.
Haruka Morishima: The school idol, very outgoing and caring as well as has an overall incredible personality. (My personal favorite)
Kaoru Tanamachi: The tomboyish but feminine in a sense long time friend, very funny as well.
Sae Nakata: The very shy, reserved, quiet girl. Not much to say other than her voice may be perceived as annoying. (I personally do think so too. But it doesn't take away from the arc)
Ai Nanasaki: An underclassman on the swim team, seems cold at first but warms up to MC, great personality not afraid to say what she thinks.
Rihoko Sakurai: The childhood friend, she is gentle and caring as well as somewhat ditzy at sometimes, great character as well. (Will need to watch second season for more development if this is your favorite character.)
Tsukasa Ayatsuji: Definitely the most interesting arc as well as character, being the Class Rep and a perfectionist with a few twists and turns along the way. This arc is a must watch, the character development in four episodes is amazing, I can't say enough.
Enjoyment: 10/10 This will probably stay my favorite anime of all time I can't express enough of how much I enjoyed this series as a whole and how it stayed so true to form and how so much development of the characters could be done in four episodes while some take at least 3x that amount to get somewhere in romance.
Overall: 10/10
tl;dr Just watch it, all of it. Just once.
Cheers!
Master10K
A countless number of visual novel to anime adaptations have seen the light of day and it takes no genius to figure out the trend in story-telling. Divide the show into a series of character arcs, whilst following an over-arching story/plot; or just follow a single character arc and be done with it. This has proven to be quite an effective method for telling these kinds of stories but it's not ideal for pleasing all the character's fans. Now in comes Amagami SS, a series that takes a step in a new direction by telling each of the character's stories, as a 4 episode standalonearc.
Amagami SS basically has every arc begin the same, by introducing our protagonist Junichi Tachibana, who's suffering from some form of PTSD, after being stood up on Christmas eve sometime ago (I know, it's pretty pathetic... just roll with it). Stuff happens and then it wraps it up, in pretty much the same way for every single arc. So yeah, there's really not much to say about the story, well stories, since they all follow a distinct pattern that's easy to pick up on. Boy meets girl, boy & girl bond through some arbitrary activity, mutual romantic feelings develop and well you catch my drift. Sure each character arc provides a fairly different story from the last, yet it's difficult shake off the feeling that you've just seen this story but with some differences. So by the end I really couldn't find pleasure when Boy A finally got together with Girl B, when he also hooked up with Girl A,C,D,E & F.
Speaking of the girls, they are just about the best thing about the series and the director & writers did a good job in combating the obvious favouritism we are used to in harems by developing each of the girls equally. My only gripe with this method is that even the characters I didn't care about we're also developed. As for the male protagonist, he's just what you expect from your average high school boy who sneaks off with his friend to enjoy the odd dirty magazine. Although the creator tried adding some subtle quirks for each individual character arc. Some of these quirks work but others don't. Like hiding in the closet (that's just waiting for a joke).
I've heard a lot of praise regarding the art and animation of Amagami SS and sure I must admit that the character designs are great. With character's looking like people you expect to meet in real life, doing away with the annoying multi-coloured hairstyles that plagues this genre. But apart from that the animation is just above average. All one has to do is pay attention to the background. As for the sound design, there's really nothing remarkable about it; the same seiyuus we anime veterans are all used, working well with the roles they are given and completed with some typical light-hearted melodies. Like I said... nothing remarkable.
All in all, Amagami SS is a collection of 6 run-of-the-mill highschool romance stories and with 6 stories/girls to choose from you're bound to like at least 1 of the stories/girls. So I'll give the show credit for allowing me to enjoy multiple romantic short stories. Did I enjoy them all? No, but I enjoyed enough... sort of. The good thing is that the obvious fanservice tropes, like pantyshots & breast jiggles are kept to moderate levels throughout but that's because the very nature of this anime is fanservice. That in itself made the show watchable for me however it doesn't excuse the unfunny humour the show is filled with and fact that it became a repeatable conquest, like with every visual novel on the market. Some may take pleasure in what Amagami SS has to offer, I cannot refute that, but I didn't. So you can accept what I've written about Amagami SS, or take it with a grain of salt, but either way I'm sure you did not click on this review assuming that I wholeheartedly liked the show now did you?
8thSin
'Amagami SS' is based on galge (non-hentai dating-sim) 'Amagami'. The title means "light bite", which probably describes the playfulness and cuteness of the heroines (half of them do bite or get bitten). "SS" is believed to stand for "Short Stories". It is the most comprehensive and game-like anime I have ever seen that's based on a dating-sim. STORY: 'Amagami SS' is made up of 7 short stories where the protagonist goes after a different girl each time. The heroines are made up of the most common archetypes for galge or moe anime. The reason I say this series is the most comprehensive, however, is because there's awide spectrum of heroines and the protagonist's personality also changes depending on who he's going after. What we have here is not just an average indecisive main character in a harem, we get to see all kinds of personality match ups, and it's more realistic because we behave differently in front of different people, especially in romantic relationships. In addition, there were all sorts of hentai fetishes and endings for each arc. I will touch on this subject little more in the Character section, but I really liked this about 'Amagami SS' because it's harder to get tired of the story even if same events are repeated 7 times.
Another thing that really struck me was how watching this series really felt like playing a galge. There's been plenty of galge/eroge anime adaptations before, but most of them seemed to follow a single route or one combined route. Every such series I have seen so far gave me a sense of a set story. Boy meets girl(s), everyone fall for him, but eventually he ends up with "girl A" over all other girls, or unable to choose for the indecisiveness. In 'Amagami SS', we know exactly who we're going after like picking a route in advance, and then protagonist come in contact with the heroine like every other series. But here, they clearly spell out the possible options; the protagonist frequently think to himself "should I do this or that?" or another character asks "are you coming or not?". While this may be considered poor scriptwriting, it gives us a sense that the main character is actually making a choice himself rather than fate or where the wind takes him. It actually feels like he's consciously making decisions to win over a girl, just like how a player should in the game. Sometimes it's the girl trying to win him over too.
The final episode also explains why the other girls back off when he goes after a particular girl (assuming it's when Risa gives up).
CHARACTER:
One of the better harem protagonist around. There are moments when he gets reluctant or miss the signals, but he is not nearly indecisive nor thickheaded as our typical anime main character. He actually goes after the girls most of the time, and confess his love every single time. In rare occasions when the girls are chasing after him, he notices the girl's unnatural behavior. The girls are still more interesting in him than they should be, but it's far more tolerable because he worked for all of their attention. He also has just the right amount of perversity, which gave us viewers the right amount of fan service, and had relatively rational motives.
The heroines are very diverse, each with a distinct personality and status. The main character behaves differently to win them over, and indulges in all sorts of fetishes in the process.
To summarize each arc, [Name]: [Personality type (Translation)] [Status] - [Fetish]
Morishima Haruka: Nonki (Carefree) Princess - Behind the knee
Tanamachi Kaoru: Yancha (Boyish) Girl Buddy - Bellybutton
Nakata Sae: Uchiki (Shy) Kouhai - Student/instructor play, maid play, loli
Nanasaki Ai: Cool (Composed) Athlete - Flat chest, cosplay
Sakurai Rihiko: Tennen (Airheaded) Childhood Friend - Huge boobs
Ayatsuji Tsukasa: Seijun (Pure/Innocent) Valedictorian - Trapped in room
Kamizaki Risa: Osekkai (Nosy) Stalker - None
...Who are we kidding?
Ayatsuji Tsukasa: Tsundere Slave Queen - Masochist play
All the girls are not as dumb as typical harem heroines, and behaved rationally with exception of Ayatsuji. There's at least 1 girl that suites your taste no matter what kind of girls you're into.
Character developments are poor and love triangle didn't exist, but for the purpose of galge anime adaptation, their cameo-like appearances were very appropriate since they didn't detract from the main story.
ART:
All the girls are cute and pretty as they should be, very visually pleasing. Backgrounds are decent. Nothing particularly impressive about it, but tried and tested style that projects the peaceful high school life atmosphere. There were also couple of scenes with great composition and camera movements.
SOUND:
With exception to Konno Hiromi (Sae), everyone sounded like they should. She is a shy character, but the strained high-pitch voice was just too annoying. Itou Shizuka (Haruka) and Satou Rina (Kaoru) were solid as usual.
BGM is rather ordinary, but fits the romantic scenes pretty well.
OP1 'i Love' by azusa was an extremely strong theme song for a seishun series like this, and the OP animation had a nice flow that introduced the heroines well and represented their personality well with their signature poses.
OP2 and EDs were above average as well, and appropriate.
ED3 is a soft song that makes us reflect on all the girls conquered before.
OVERALL:
'Amagami SS' is a rather conservative seishun (coming of age romance) series that was wonderfully executed. Although things go a bit too well for the protagonist and character development was limited, it depicted the flushing, awkward, and bittersweet high school romance very well. A great simple heartwarming romance anime.
The comedy series was also pretty funny without being distracting to the romance, and came off very naturally. It was a very solid series all around that I enjoyed a lot more than I expected from a galge adaptation.
ADiSiNS
This is my first legitimate review, so please bare with me. Ok, let's get on with the review. Amagami SS isn't your typical visual novel adaptation. Unlike other adaptations, such as the Key VNs (Kanon, Air, Clannad) or the TYPE-MOON works (Fate, Tsukihime), this follows an omnibus format. For those that don't know what that means, it's basically several different arcs told separately, with each arc reseting after the final episode. This, in turn, gives Amagami an interesting experience. Due to the omnibus format, each arc is treated differently. The personalities of characters, storytelling, and even pacing are different; which makes it feel as if you're watchinga different series each arc. I personally enjoyed the format since it was more focused on each of the heroines in the VN.
Story (9):
The story follows the typical boy-meets-girl and they fall in love type of story. What makes Amagami SS stand out from the typical is the approach of each heroine. Due to their different personalities, each arc presents you with a different type of approach. Each story arc was able to be fleshed out due to the focus on each character and their side characters. It caused less interference with the storyline itself.
Art (7):
Probably one of the less impressive aspects of the series. The art seems fairly generic. You have the girl with long hair, the girl with short hair, the guy with hair swiped to the side. Typical anime features to say the least. Although, what did catch me was the hair colors for each character. There weren't any crazy, unrealistic colors, so that gets a plus. The environment was alright. You have your school, home, park, beach, restaurant. Nothing out of the ordinary here. It isn't as impressive as (insert anime series by impressive studio here), but it's passable.
Sound (8):
The seiyuus chosen for most of the characters seemed to match the way I interpreted them. However, I did have one problem with one of the heroines, which I will not mention in this review (you'll probably know who I'm talking about). Background music was pretty good as well. It fit each of the scenes well enough that it didn't seem forced. Silly was silly, serious was serious.
Character (8):
Most of the characters, mainly the heroines, can be put under each of the archetypes for characters. However, the main character, Junichi, goes through some pretty interesting personality changes between each arc. If you didn't know the series was in an omnibus format, you'd think he was bipolar or suffered from a personality disorder or something. Side characters can be seen in one arc, and almost completely disappear in the next one. That was somewhat disappointing, since I thought there were some side characters that seemed more interesting than the mains.
Enjoyment (9):
For people looking for an interesting experience, this is your series. The different arcs provide a variety of stories. It's as if you were watching a different series each arc, which I thought was a huge plus.
Overall (9):
I have to say, at first I thought I wouldn't enjoy the series. The pacing would feel odd with only four episodes for each heroine (and only one for a special heroine!), but I was surprised how well the pacing of each arc felt. Although some arcs felt rushed, it was pretty understandable. Sometimes I even yearned for more story since I liked the arc so much. The omnibus format also helped the anime series get this rating from me. For me, each arc could be considered a different genre (Drama, comedy, etc.). It created quite the ride. And now, in the end, I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the series, and am sad that it is over. Goodbye Amagami SS.
Chocosword
Amagami SS is one of those anime where I couldn’t decide if I should watch it or not. After watching a few episodes, I had to say that it was magnificent. You probably thought that Amagami SS would be cliché and boring, but it is not! It is nothing like your boring beta main character and girls falling for the main character for no reason. One reason that made me hesitate to watch Amagami SS is because it was based off a dating game. I didn’t expect a game to be made into a good anime. What can we expect of Tachibana Junichi? To start off,the plot is amazing. Each arc is significant in its own way. The staff made it that you can see what is happening to other female protagonists in each arc. It is pretty unique since each arc is another parallel universe. For me, if you mention a character, you would have to show some interactions between the main characters. It is odd to just leave a character that was highlighted. Each arc has a unique approach. For an example, some may have unique narration; some may even have unique concepts. You may think that the girls are somewhat going to fall for him in a cliché way, but I guarantee you that it is not cliché. You know that childhood friend trend? Well bet your ass that they made the childhood friend win and make it look good. I wished I could have explained the arcs, but then it would be long. The arcs can be related in real life and have some unique foreshadowing. The romance is great throughout the anime. I believe this is one of my favorite since it is kept short and organized. As of now, I can't really watch anime with romance that takes more than 10 episodes to develop a relationship. I'm not saying that they're bad, but I want to know more. There is also drama which I felt put a unique feeling in the anime. The dramatic approach is good in certain aspect and Amagami SS played it out well.
Besides the plot, the character development is amazing. An example of this would be a shy girl and a boy. Having a shy girl in an anime is difficult to build up plot and development since the girl is obviously shy. Amagami SS took a nice approach to this and was able to tie the knots. Each girl has their own insight. Since this is based off a dating game, it would be pretty awkward to have girls with similar personality and approaches. The flags that were raised were smart and were implemented perfectly. I guess you can say that Junichi is quite smooth. Throughout Amagami SS, Junichi is a great character. Being heartbroken is one of the worst feelings anybody can have. Especially if you were waiting for your date on Christmas Eve yet that person doesn’t show up. If that happened to me, I would never open my heart to anyone. Due to that, Junichi has a unique way to build up his character in each arc. Another thing I like about Amagami SS is that the staff didn’t make him change drastically (out of the ordinary change that doesn’t match his character).
The audio is amazing. It is very detailed. An example of this is when there is a scene in a classroom full of classmates; you can hear other people talk. This is important because it describes the scene and brings light to it. The OST is well put in the anime. The music is amazing and it highlights certain scenes. It is nice to hear soothing music along with a nice scenario. What I favor the most in music is piano and they did have beautiful piano plays. Music and cinematic plays an important role in shows. The opening is one of my favorite. The lyrics are catchy and the animation for it is good. The translation of the lyrics is quite good for a love song. Another great part is that each arc ending is sung by the main female protagonist. It is just like Bakemonogatari. The lyrics for the ending are well put and it describes the feelings of the female protagonist who sung it.
The art style is good for 2010. I believe this anime has more focus on the plot and audio rather than the art. The art style is not bad, yet it is not superior. Amagami SS is made in 2010 so I can’t argue and compare it to modern anime (2012~2013). I take art very seriously and I can’t watch anime with badly drawn characters or bad coloring. I can say that the art was still beautiful in certain ways. If I have seen Amagami SS when it was airing and compared it to the airing anime, it would be near the top. Besides the art, we have the animation. The animation is pretty good. There are beautiful events where I feel that are touching. There were great camera angles and such. The animations are detailed along with the background and such. Overall, it is clean and does not look like a potato for sure.
Finally, we have reached the conclusion. I felt like I should have explained the arc in this review, but then again it would have been too long. I already had explained three arcs, but then I decided to erase them because then it would feel like I’m writing my opinions with relation to life. There is nothing wrong about writing my opinion as it is for a review, but then I want to hit the point to why Amagami SS is a great anime and add my points. The romance is surely amazing. I guess nice guys don't always fail. I’ve enjoyed writing this review just as much as I’ve enjoyed watching Amagami SS. I’m really happy that there is a sequel, but I had to stop and take my time to write this review. If you found reading this review interesting and good, you would definitely enjoy watching Amagami SS (vice versa).
Here is what to expect while watching Amagami SS: http://imgur.com/a/0SbqD
Andristian
Amagami SS is a lighthearted romantic high-school anime with a little bit of humour here and there, telling the story of Junichi Tachibana, who had his heart broken two years ago on Christmas when he got stood up by his date. Therefore, he has a hard time opening up to his feelings and fears that he will have to spend another Christmas alone. Luckily for him, there are plenty of girls in his high school that he will soon get close to. This anime consisting of twenty-five episodes is divided into story arcs, each leading to a different path for Junichi as he gets involved withdifferent girls. There are six girls in total, each developing a deeper relationship with Junichi over the course of four episodes, after which everything resets and it starts with a different story arc. The last episode is sort of an arc on its own, and it’s mainly there to explain some stuff such as why our hopeless romantic protagonist got stood up two years ago.
Watching Amagami SS can be kind of an unstable experience, as some episodes may be better than others, or even entire story arcs could go right or wrong for each individual viewer. I did enjoy most of it, although there were indeed some ups and downs here and there, and by the end it was pretty obvious to me how I felt about each story arc in particular. As such, I’ll be giving you a closer look into each arc and why exactly I liked or disliked it. This remains, however, my own personal opinion, and I’m sure some may have a different view on the whole thing. Let’s get started now, shall we?
Some minor spoilers ahead.
Haruka Morishima
The first story arc starts in a pretty great way and I have to say that even though I did not expect much going into this anime, I was entirely captivated by the first episode. It was very entertaining and kept things at a casual level, which made it an easy and pleasant experience. Regarding Haruka Morishima, she’s in her final year and is considered one of the most popular girls in Junichi’s high school. Like I said, this story arc had a good start, but over its course I kinda felt more and more turned off by it. First of all, there’s a scene involving a weird fetish that even though is somewhat cute, feels awkward and ultimately throws that entire episode off balance. Then there’s Haruka’s personality – her insensitive manners and the way she treats Junichi at times doesn’t give much credibility to their whole “love story.” Plus, there’s little to no chemistry between them, which makes things even worse. The 10-years-later scene at the end of the arc was a nice little touch, though.
Kaoru Tanamachi
A huge improvement over the first story arc, this one works much better as it features a good sense of progress between the leads’ relationship and some drama over its course keeps things interesting and more emotionally involving. One of Junichi’s childhood friends, Kaoru Tanamachi is in the same class as him and works a part-time job as a waitress. There’s a good sense of development between them as the story goes on and the final episode delivers a satisfying conclusion, even if it feels a little rushed. The chemistry between Junichi and Kaoru is also excellent and their interactions are quite enjoyable, often accompanied by some good laughs. One of the better story arcs of the series, for sure.
Sae Nakata
Next up is Sae Nakata, an underclassman and friend of Miya’s, Junichi’s younger sister. Sae is extremely shy and the reason why Junichi and her end up spending so much time together is because Junichi decides to help her improve her social skills. Do not be surprised if you find her voice to be annoying, which many actually did. For those who enjoy Sae’s personality, this should prove to be a really nice arc, as it does pretty much everything right, including the ending.
Ai Nanasaki
Another friend of Miya’s and around the same age as her and Sae, Ai Nanasaki is part of the school’s swimming team and her first encounter with Junichi leads to her calling him a pervert. Unlike many of the other girls, Ai’s personality is easily likeable and her relationship with Junichi develops in a natural and pleasing way. Unfortunately, there were some weird stuff in this arc as well, including a trip to the amusement park that makes for some odd moments that just don’t fit in this anime. Nevertheless, Ai’s arc is an enjoyable one and has become my favourite, especially due to the well-done ending.
Rihoko Sakurai
Rihoko Sakurai is another childhood friend of Junichi, although their relationship has been minimal over the years and mostly held at a casual level. Most of this arc centers around Rihoko’s battle with her unusually big appetite as she tries to go on a diet. For me, this arc has been by far the least interesting, especially considering that nothing really happens, even in the final episode, as Rihoko and Junichi actually don’t end up being together, although it isn’t out of the question in the long run.
Tsukasa Ayatsuji
Coincidentally or not, the final story arc is the one I’ve been looking forward to the most, as I found Tsukasa Ayatsuji quite intriguing as the anime progressed. Unfortunately, this one took a surprising turn when it was revealed that Tsuakasa actually had two personalities and her real one was marked by extreme tsundere qualities. Not to say that the arc wasn’t interesting, because it really was, and the ending was satisfying enough, especially since it showed us another “10-years-later” scene, but Tsukasa’s sudden change of personality simply ruined my view of her for the rest of the arc. Still, it’s one of the most well-done arcs in the entire series.
Final episode and closing comments
The final episode features yet another girl, Risa Kamizaki, with her very own little story arc that develops in the last twenty minutes, as well as explaining why Junichi got stoop up on his date two years ago. I was mostly lukewarm towards this episode, although it was somewhat of a nice addition to the end of the series. Risa’s actions, however, made it hard to root for her or even like her, but it seems that Junichi had no problem with that at all.
All in all, Amagami SS turned out to be quite a good anime and made for some really pleasant experiences. I found it to be very addicting to watch, especially since everything develops so fast and new story arcs always make for a breath of fresh air. On a visual level, Amagami SS looks great. The art is very fitting and the animation is very well done. You won’t likely end up calling this one of your favourites, but it’s still a series well worth watching.
ClockTimes
(Sorry for this being such a long review, but please enjoy.) "They spoil every romance by trying to make it last forever." - Oscar Wilde Many believe that love is eternal, and that even after death those who love, will always love. Some may disagree, but I believe that romance will last forever, as long as the two who are in love, love the other until death. Romance is not spoiled by trying to make it last forever. If the ones in love don't believe it will last forever, then they most likely have doubt in their love, and it will most likely end at some point. Theopening may have seemed random, but it helps me describe what I want to say.
Amagami SS, doesn't allow the thought of love lasting forever to occur for very long. The relationships that were built, crumble into nothing when the story moves to the next arc. When I finished the series, I couldn't find enjoyment from the romance as much, because I don't know what actually occurred. My disbelief of this anime centralizes on one question, who did the protagonist end up with? This question can not be answered because, the protagonist ended up either with none of them, or all of them. But for either of those answers to happen, it would have to be either a dream, or there would be multiple dimensions where the protagonist falls for each girl.
You may be saying right now that "anime isn't real, stop putting so much thought into it", but let's think of it like it actually is real. The most likely occurrence would be that this was a dream. I can't go with the multiple dimension option because I don't know for sure if there actually are, so I'm choosing the more realistic thought. The problem is, nowhere in the anime does it say that it's a dream, which disapproves that idea.
So basically, with all of that ranting over, I'm trying to say one thing, why did it have to be split into different arcs? I'm not saying I'm unhappy with it, because my favorite heroines got the guy, but it doesn't allow any story to grow.
So, let me explain what I like when I watch romance anime. I enjoy happy endings where my favorite heroine gets with the protagonist. It sometimes doesn't work out like how I want it to, but if the ending is a good one, then I will most likely enjoy it overall. I like a central storyline about the love interest with possible multiple heroines, but without the harem ending. I think the protagonist should choose instead of messing with all the girls and trying to keep them all. Sometimes the person who's picked may seem like a dumb decision to me, but at least it doesn't end without a decision. The heroine can't be a complete idiot, or someone who is really lame, but somehow always does the right thing, and obtains the girl. The story can't be too cheesy and have things that would never happen, actually occur. Romance anime should be made with at least some sense of reality.
Oh, also I hate super, perverted protagonists. For example Ichigo 100% (he really bugged me). A little perversion is fine, as long as it isn't taken to a whole new level.
Well, actually the perversion in this was sort of taken to a new level, in a funny way, not a super annoying, ecchi way. (You will see when you watch the first and second arc.)
Now back to the review.
Amagami SS defies what I look for in a romance anime in both a good way and a bad way. It splits the story up into 6 different parts, one for each heroine (plus a final episode for an extra heroine). The plus side to this is that all the heroines get a chance to be with the protagonist. Nobody is left in the dust with unrequited feelings, and all the characters are happy. The one thing that I truly dislike is that, after one arc, the relations that were built are reset, basically saying that the story had no meaning behind it. I'm not saying that I rather have a harem where the protagonist gets all of them at once and everyone miraculous agrees to it (which happens in a lot of harems), but I think the story should have only focused on one love, or make him to choose in the end (which would be a great twist that doesn't happen in many anime).
How the story is split really effects the chance to know the characters better, and to like them more too. It pains me to see the protagonist interacting with the females from the older episodes when it's brought to a new arc. Nothing beforehand happened, and it's basically a new anime with the same characters. I know it's based off a dating sim game, but it doesn't need to go down all the different paths.
I sort of went off on a tangent with my rant on why the separate arcs bugged me, so I'll get back on track.
The story is basically six different stories which I enjoyed on the most part. But, as I was saying before (without digressing from the review) it's not enough for each character, and I think more of a story should be put into it.
(Note - I know Amagami SS+ plus is out but I'm writing this as if I didn't know about it.)
The art is a more realistic type. It doesn't have any unproportionate characters, with wacky hair colors.
(Note - I don't really look into the art as much when watching anime so sorry if what I said doesn't help at all.)
The sound is splendid. I highly enjoyed the second op, and a lot of the random music put throughout which makes the scenario even more interesting. Each arc also has the seiyuu singing their own ending. I didn't enjoy the endings so much, but that's just my preference.
(Note - I also don't really look into the music very much when watching anime, but I did hear many little tunes that do add a great touch to the story.)
The characters are wonderful on the most part, but you don't really get to know them due to the way it's split into arcs. The protagonist, Tachibana Junichi sort of falls into traditional harem protagonists. One who is perverted (only a bit), had trouble with girls in the past, innocent with girls, and other things that I'm too tired to list, but you most likely get it. Junichi, isn't fully like the harem protagonist, but I'm only saying this because Amagami SS isn't really a harem, so it's hard to explain.
Overall, this anime was a fun one to watch. Nothing really disappointed me other than the way it's split and how short each arc was. I enjoy seeing all the girls ending up with the guy instead of allowing the story to end as a harem.
So, basically if you enjoy a good romance, I would recommend this, as long as you're fine with it focusing on six different short stories instead of one.
Simpsonhead3
Because it's a multiple arc-ending Anime for six heroines, there won't be any filler episodes. At the end of every arc, it immediately goes into setting up the foundation for the next heroine in the next episode. There isn't any link between arcs either; it's as if the whole story restarts from the beginning for each arc. If you can get past that, this was a very enjoyable series. Each heroine is given four episodes, so some people (myself included) may say that each heroine can be not as detailed compared to Junichi Tachibana or other main characters from another Anime series.
NoobHunterD
Amagami SS Review Presentation: The art of Amagami SS was pretty standard. I hate how the characters don't blink passively. It made some moments unnatural. They only blinks when they are performing an action. The sound design was standard as well. It was good but it did not made me go download the OSTs of the anime. I loved the first OP theme. It felt like one of those eroge video packages that presents the heroines. Even though the lyrics sounded so dull and typical, the video package saved it. I wish they kept the OP theme. It made me felt like I was about to playan eroge! They had different ending that fits the styles of the 6 heroines. I like the extra effort but I would rather have one solid ED theme than 7 different average ones. I love the voice over on this one. They did a great job on assigning them on the right character.
Characters:
There are a lot of them! Actually, too many for a single 25 episode season! Only 4 episodes on the main heroines and a bonus one?! The episodes were definitely QUALITY but I'd rather had a fewer arcs and more episodes to them. The main hero was normal with an overused name called "Junichi." Use another name for fucks sake! He looks too normal it pisses me off. Anyway, the heroines on the other hand was diverse to say the least. I enjoyed most of their personalities and differences.
Story:
It felt like an eroge, and a good one! I'll briefly state my opinions on each arcs.
Morishima Arc - Probably the best arc they could start with. It got my attention with the first minute of the story.
Kaoru Arc - Was sad when the first arc ended abruptly but this arc was unexpectedly good.
Sae Arc - Shitty narrator. would have been much better without him. Start of the downfall.
Nanasaki Arc - I was expecting more TSUN and less DERE. I was disappointed.
Rihoko Arc - No progress, wasted episodes. at least they presented a different kind of ending.
Ayatsuji Arc - Amazing arc. I was expecting something but it gave me something different.
Bonus Arc - Deep story line for a solo episode. Was hoping for the BAD END and BLOODBATH. Too bad, maybe next time.
I didn't like how it didn't had any sex scenes. Not even nipples on the BDs. Your an eroge. You audience are the perverted adults! So give us something to fap to!
Verdict: 7.6/10
+ Diverse characters
+ Feels like an good dating sim
- Too many arcs
- No adult scenes
Nikuman out of 10.
Heralder
Amagami SS is 25 episodes anime set in highschool setting and splitted into multiple story arcs. Story:8 As mentioned above story is split into multiple arcs which are not connected and feature are lonely(slightly perverted) protagonist Junichi Tachibana trying to heal hes broken hearth and give love another try. Art:8 Animation and art is consistent through out the show but some characters are kinda similar. Sound:7 Sound is weakest part of Amagami since its forgettable and quite plain i found myself skipping OP and ED all the time.Characters:8
Amagami features a vast cast of characters and menage to have every archetype that is seen in similar animes.There is senior tsunderish character,fluffy girl,quiet and shy one,split personality and so on.Main protagonist Junichi is kind and slightly introvert in the begging due to events from first episode and through out show he's opening and changing.
Enjoyment:8
I enjoyed Amagami some arcs were better than some and all around it was a step up from generic highschool harem series.
Overall:8
I can safely recommend this show to any romance lover.this was Heralder and im out!
The_Pro_At_Stuff
Yes, this is indeed another generic romance story. A love story between a boy and a girl in high-school which sparks into a relationship, except it is six different girls this time (and no it is actually not another lame harem). Amagami SS is told in a dating sim style that separates the show into 6 arcs, Each arc focuses on one of the six girls that the main character can end up with. Just this already sets Amagami apart from the other animes from its genre because you get to see individually how each girl interacts with the main character for a straightfour episodes. In other animes of this genre, they would have focused on one girl then quickly switch to another in the next episode. Doing that makes it hard for you to get to know a character. However, Amagami SS does it right by really focusing on each of their characters and developing them each very well.
This method of story telling does have a major flaw though. Four episodes for six different characters is not nearly enough. It was enough to make me enjoy each character fairly well, but it is not enough to fully develop them. There will be times when the story feels rushed and it will appear as if a whole step was skipped in the main characters relationship with a the girl.
Even though each arc was too short, the story for each them are still very unique and different from each other. Each one is different than the one before it, so by the time your done you'll defiantly have a specific girl your rooting for. Some have more happy endings than others, but by the end of each you will definitely be satisfied with what you've seen. After one arc is over,the story switches to a alternate world or something. The events of the previous arc is null and void, so the main character is not just some player who moves from girl to girl
Like i mentioned in the second paragraph, this way of story telling lets you get to know the characters more without having random interruptions. Each episode of each arc focuses solely on the relationship between the main character and the heroine and nothing more (so no fillers yay!).
Moving on to the art of the anime, it was pretty "meh" in my opinion. It was nothing too special and did not stand out way too much. I actually preferred bland/plain art style for the characters though
In your average anime, all the characters would usually have hair colors ranging from purple to pink and busts that are pretty much unattainable for the average person in real life. The characters in Amagami SS look and act more realistic while still being very likable. They have normal hair colors (dark hair and some brunettes) and not every other girl is a f-cup.
I usually don't enjoy the type of music on these pure romance animes as much, but for Amagami SS i had to make an exceptions. Both openings," I Love" and Kimi No Mama De", were very catchy and soothing. They fit the mood of a happy relationship very well and are now a part of my favorite openings list.
The rest of the sounds in the anime (music/OSTs/voice acting) were also very well done. The music when played would fit the mood, and the characters voice actors would fit their role. The only complaint i have would be the voice for one the heroines, Nakata Sae. It is probably just my personal distaste, but her voice kind of annoyed me. I realize her character is supposed to be shy, but it was just too much for me. The other heroines voice acting were pretty good, but the side characters did voice acting did not seem too stick out too me very much (probably cause their side characters).
Overall, i really enjoyed this anime. The characters are all very likable and you really cant hate on any of them (except the main character for being a lucky a-hole). The arcs, despite being cut off every four episodes, are actually very enjoyable. It might feel a bit rushed at times because of the lack of episodes for each arc, but they still manage to rap things up very well by the time an arcs over.
Even though i really liked it, i still cannot deny that the whole anime is actually pretty generic (a boy and a girl fall in love and relationship ensues). As a whole, the anime is not something spectacular, but that does not mean it is not fun to watch. It is still a very amusing group of love stories, and i recommend you all to check it out.
OhsnapitsDavid
Amagami SS is one of those shows I still can't forget about because not many romance shows actually complete a full love story, and Amagami has 6. Talk about a romance watcher's dream. This show excels in making sure every girl gets her happy ending, and without spoiling the end, it even makes sure no one gets left out of their resolve. Some argue that they have a real problem with how "inconsistent" this form of anime is to watch, but those are just ignorant people that can't accept when an anime does something differently. You know, lord forbid there could be a different wayof showcasing a story outside of a straight line with obligatory filler inbetween.
No, Amagami SS takes time on each main character to showcase the cold beginnings of romance, to the end. From total strangers, to each girl's true end. Well, except for one that was given in the second season.
This is why Amagami SS is still so true to my nods of agreement even years later. I watched this show once as a newb not knowing what to expect, and years later, I still can't help but admire the bonds I had watching each main character undergo their happy ending. It's so eye tearing...I just can't. This show is so wholesome, it will make you remember about how love plays a role in our lives.
Also, the music is killer.
DandyHam
~Note~ -Possible Spoilers - I have the second season in mind. If you are a harem fan you would probably at least once ask the question, "What if the main character chose the other girl." Amagami SS is the answer to that question. I'm a big harem fan, but was never the romance specific type; that was until I watched Amagami SS. -Story: You are introduced to the story with Tachibana Junichi. He was stood up by a girl on Christmas Eve 2 years ago, and now he has given up on love. The story follows with that mindset at the start of each story arc. Each arcincludes Junichi, our main protagonist, and one of the six girls as the main heroine. There are six main arcs that are four episodes long, and two other arcs for Miya, Junichi's sister, and Risa which are one or two episode only. As far as story goes, these six girls are either girls he already knows or never met before. What I really love about this anime is, each girl has a happy ending. It doesn't matter if you like one girl more then the other, because they all have happy endings regardless.
- Art: The animation is good. I seen a lot of anime that aired in 2010-2012 and this is got to be one of the best. One thing that stood out, which was really original, was how they changed the opening and ending animation to which girl is the main heroine for that arc. I really like how in the second season, they would put the main heroine in the last to show us that was for their arc. Even some little animation changes really made this anime better.
- Sound: The sound for this anime was outstanding as well. There was a lot of likeable songs. In the first season, at the end of every episode; had different ending songs for each main heroine. The opening songs for both seasons were all really upbeat but it's amazing how they also set the mood for a romance anime.
- Character: The characters are this anime are just the best. I have no way to describe them with words but the best or perfect. The character development for this anime was one of the best I ever seen in an anime.
To think they did so much with only four episodes each girl is well deserved of praise. Sure, in each arc only one girl gets basically 100% attention, but they have their own respected arcs so you can't complain. All the girls have their only unique personalities which is one thing I really like about this anime. They make it so you at least like one girl. But I liked all the girls, they were all unique, had their own problems to deal with. The only thing I could even say I didn't like as much, is the main character Junichi. There were some moments where he just seemed so oblivious of things, that it was annoying. But I won't hold it against the anime because it made things more interesting to watch.
-Enjoyment: Let me just say if you don't enjoy this anime, you probably won't like any other romance anime out there. You are given six arcs with different girls with different personalities. Because of their different personalities we have to watch Junichi approach them differently. This anime has also a lot of comedic moments. Lots are revolted around Junichi, because his the typical perverted guy. So I hope you can imagine some things he does. Each arc has a different senses of comedy because it revolts around the girl's personalities but there are definitely comedy in this anime for sure.
-Overall: No matter what mindset you watch this with, I guarantee you will like this anime. I was a person who did not pick up on the romance genre but after watching Amagami SS I will start too. Whether you watch this with a open mind or expectations, you will be begging for more.
-Pros:
- Six different girls.
- All have Happy Endings.
-Anime very is original in every way.
-Likeable characters.
-Very well developed characters.
-Cons:
-I beg for another season.
Random45
This is an odd show to review, since the story sounds so run of the mill and bland that I would usually write it off if not for the interesting premise. Basically, it would do a continuity reset every four episodes, which were aptly named after the girl they were based around. After one of these resets, the story arc would then shift to the new girl and we'd watch as our main character interacts with her and witness as they begin to fall in love with one another. Rinse and repeat. Thankfully, each of the girls is different from one another in their own distinctway, so it's never bland, even if the story keeps reusing the same Christmas festival as the ending point, which got pretty old by the third reset. For most of the arcs, the characters themselves were usually able to keep it afloat, even when it was reaching a slump.
Each arc opens with an explanation about our hero: Junichi, and how he has been brooding for the past two years, ever since he was stood up on a date that he planned with a girl he liked in middle school. Since then, he has been reluctant to love anyone, and instead, digs into porno magazines with his best friend, Umehara.
I'll review each arc individually, since you could pretty much watch them in any order you so please.
Arc 1 - Haruka Morishima:
This was easily my favorite arc of the bunch, which is unfortunate because it was also the first one of the bunch. Haruka is a fun character to watch, since she's both eccentric, and very damn weird. She's playful, and has a soft side for the adorable (Most notably puppies). Oddly enough, despite her oddity, she's the most popular girl in the school (And in my opinion, she easily has the best drawn eyes of the entire cast). Our protagonist has heard the constant rumors of her, and by mere chance he meets her during lunch one day. Like any other boy in the school, he's immediately smitten by her, and he decides to try and pursue her romantically from there on.
Saying much more would be going too deeply into spoiler territory, but suffice to say, the two of them complement each other well, and the conclusion to the arc is very fulfilling. I'd give it a 10/10 relative to the rest of the show.
Arc 2 - Kaoru Tanamachi:
Kaoru has been Junichi's friend for three years now, ever since she invited him to her house on the fateful day when he was stood up. Due to that, his personality in this arc is different than the previous. Where in the first arc he was a brooding kid, this time he doesn't waste any time brooding thanks to his dear friend. Unfortunately, this arc is just ok for me. I don't particularly care for it, and the writing isn't well done, since I got confused about what exactly some of the later conflicts of the arc were about. Kaoru herself though is a pretty cool character, pretty much a female version of a bro for Junichi, doing whatever she can to make him feel better whenever.
The arc isn't necessarily bad, but the conflict felt forced, and honestly kind of stupid. Perhaps it was because they didn't have enough time in the four episode frame they put themselves into, and couldn't go deeper into her reasons. However, despite that, this one also had a fairly good ending. Relative to the rest of the show, I'd give this arc a 6/10.
Arc 3 - Sae Nakata:
Sae is a textbook definition of Moe. She is painfully shy, she has big breasts (Which is constantly lampshaded), she's only a first year, she calls Junichi 'sempai' all the time, and she can't speak above a whisper. What isn't there to love about this character? This arc takes a more refreshing direction than the last ones, focusing much more heavily on comedy, and breaking the fourth wall more than once to do so. It's also the only arc of the bunch to feature a narrator, oddly enough. The two of them definitely make a cute couple, and their sensei- student relationship is a LOT of fun to watch, and it all adds up to a fun ending, that might possibly kill you on pure Moe alone. This arc gets a 7/10 from me.
Arc 4 - Ai Nanasaki
This arc returns back to basics set by the first two arcs, however, it focuses on another first year student this time around - Ai. Unlike Sae, they cut out all the Moe, and instead make her out to be a calm, determined, hardheaded, and dry-humored girl. I actually really liked Ai, she was the first girl to be 'normal' relative to the rest of the cast, and while that sounds like it's a bad thing, it actually works very well. The only problem I have with this arc is that it felt as if the romance occurred too quickly, and Ai warms up to Junichi way too quickly. Again, this is probably an issue involving only having 4 episodes to show it in, but other than that minor complaint, I really liked this one. Ai is also freaking adorable, so bonus points for that. 8/10 is what I rate it.
Arc 5 - Rihoko Sakurai
Rihoko is Junichi's childhood friend, whom she has known since she was in elementary school, with that premise alone, you'd just expect it to be like any other romance anime. Unfortunately I did not care for this arc at all. Out of all six arcs, this is the only one I would actually recommend skipping. It goes absolutely nowhere in the four episodes given, and I read online that it's because the people who made it absolutely butchered her storyline. I'd just recommend reading up her best ending from the game online, because that is MUCH more satisfying than watching this. I will give this arc some credit though, since it focuses on the girl instead of Junichi this time around, and it also has a heavier emphasis on the side characters than any of the previous arcs did. Despite that though, the ending, if you hadn't have guessed, absolutely sucked. It's so poorly done that I can't think of a single memorable moment from it other than how it ended, and I just finished this show a day ago. This arc gets a 3/10 from me.
Arc 6 - Tsukasa Ayatsuji
Right when the show starts to get stale, we get into this arc, which seems to just be another 'boy meets a nice girl and falls in love' routine. However, unlike any of the other arcs, this one has a twist I absolutely love (It's actually foreshadowed in Rihoko's arc a little bit, but I still recommend staying away from Rihoko's arc). Tsukasa is a very interesting character, and seeing her different layers of her personality is a whole lot of fun to watch. In this arc, surprisingly the romance starts early, and then takes a backseat for a little while as it focuses more on Tsukasa and her problems setting up the festival and other issues she has to deal with. Out of every arc, this one deserved the most at least another two episodes to fully flesh out, because by the end there were a few unanswered questions that I was left asking. Oddly enough, this arc is also the one that fleshes out Umehara the most, and you can see here why he and Junichi are such bros with one another.
It ultimately came down to preference with me - while I highly enjoyed this arc, I just preferred Haruka from arc 1 more than I did Tsukasa. However, even saying that, if I had to choose which ending to be canon for this show, I would go with Tsukasa. A quick note: If you do intend to watch this show, while you can watch every arc in any order, this is the only one in which I would highly recommend saving for last, you'll know exactly why I mean that when you do watch the arc. This was easily the second best arc in the show, earning from me a 10/10.
With the plots and characters out of the way, there are just a few more things I feel like mentioning:
The art: I LOVED the art style in this show. It goes with more realistic proportions, but it still has the undeniable anime charm, furthermore, I LOVED Haruka's eyes - too bad so few other characters were drawn with those kind of eyes. However, there were a handful of weird shots from oddly placed camera angles that made the characters proportions look off model, and a few more times when their heads looked awfully weird. More often than not though, the art was consistently good. Also worth noting, is that despite the more realistic art style, every character looks different from one another. Each of the six main girls look way different from one another, and every side character also looked much different. It's pretty impressive that a cast of about 15~ or so characters don't look even slightly the same (Except for Miya - Junichi's sister - and Ai, I had a hard time distinguishing them apart for a little while).
The animation: Well, it's not an action show, so animation isn't quite that important, but for the most part, it was nicely done. They don't go out of their way with the animation like Kyoto-animation does in their own shows (ex: Eyes don't move when they are reading books, they repeat a few basic movements while they are talking), but it never looked choppy at all. Also, I noticed that in almost every arcs ending the animation quality went up. This is most noticeable in Ai's ending (Look at her lip movement when she talks, it's really smooth and a pleasure to watch).
The Music: Mostly forgettable. The only two pieces of music in the show I liked were the openings, the rest didn't leave much of an impression on me at all. Each girl also gets to sing their own ending song, but like I said, none of them stuck with me and for the life of me I couldn't hum a single one even though I have watched all of them at least half a dozen times. Basically, the tracks are good for what they set out to accomplish, but it's not anything I will be going out of my way to download (Unlike the Clannad soundtrack).
Opening/closing credits evolution: Heh, this one probably doesn't need its own category, but I would just like to point out that in each arc the opening is slightly different depending on the girl the arc is based on. I love things like that, and while it's nowhere near noticeable like how it was in say, Angel Beats, it's still a very nice touch. Furthermore, as I mentioned earlier the credits change depending on which girl the arc is about. It's kind of funny to listen to some of these, because in one case, I remember thinking that it didn't sound like the girl at all.
Overall, it's a fun show to watch. I recommend it to people wanting a short and sweet romance, but don't expect anything very deep. With a good cast of characters, good art and animation, and a strong enough story to carry them all, this show averages out to an 8/10 from me.
ZawtheCore
This Anime in Step To Step: 1. Be sad about lost waifu 2 years ago 2. Chase Crush-Waifu 3. Get Closer to Crush 4. Love Waifu 5. Go back in time, chase a new waifu, be happy. 6. Repeat ^ This anime is fairly average.Story: Sad loser is sad about waifu not showing up at to date christmas evening. He then decides to move on, and get a new waifu. It's basically 5 Stories, with 5 different girls. Though, the last story tells you about the X-Mas night.
Character: I will mention the girls shorly in 1-2 words, as they are only important for 4 episodes. :3
Junichi Tachibana, a guy who is bad at talking with girls (imo), but he is scarily lucky. He is so lucky he get's whoever he wants, apparently.
Rihoko Sakurai: Childhood friend.
Ai Nanasaki: Imouto-chan. (Not a waifu. No incest here.)
Sae Nakata: Timid.
Haruka Lovely Morishima: Senpai&Straightforward
Risa Kamizaki: Bitch, stalker + Silent Yandere. (Important to the story, but only important one episode.)
Tsukasa Ayatsuji: Rude, kinda Tsun-tsun.
Enjoyment: 5.2 It was very decent and mediocre. It just felt like Higurashi all over again. It's 5 stories, and each story is 4 episodes, till episode 25.
HunterTennouji
I am sure that most of you that I have heard about Amagami SS is because of its unique omnibus format, same as me. The omnibus format is, to summarize, a visual novel-style anime, not only an adaption of a visual novel. A set amount of episodes is dedicated for each arc and after each arc, time is "reset" to allow the story to follow a different route. After watching Amagami SS, I can say that the format is great. Amagami SS is your typical romance story set in a high school setting and lacking the supernatural happenings that most other stories wants to incorporate withvarying success. The story stars Junichi Tachibana, an, in most senses, a typical guy that through various events tries to improve his love life. His potential love interests, which the anime cycles through, possess standard Japanese traits. School idols, childhood friend, kohai, senpai, tsundere, most of which many has seen in other series.
Now here is what Amagami SS is great. The story is cliche Japanese high school romance, but it's actually romance! Thanks to the omnibus format, the story can progress where the protagonist and his love interest actually gets closer and every heroine gets a resolution. This is a very refreshing change to the dozens of harem anime where the protagonist is super dense yet every girl wants him but nobody gets him in the end. As such, the story can actually focus on the romance aspect instead of the fanservice. Seeing the resolution of the arcs can be really heart-warming, since every arc has Junichi evolve from his depressive self to someone reliable.
This anime reminded me of how much I love cliche anime romance story, as long as they have resolutions. As an avid visual novel reader, I am also satisfied over the dividation and focus of the separate story arcs. Four episode per arc can feel somewhat short, but every arc contains enough story, development and fluffiness that I can feel it is enough. I do hope one day that the omnibus format will be a more viable option for visual novel adaptions, since we all know what a disaster those can be if they follow a linear route.
So anyone that loves romance, and I mean real romance, and/or likes visual novels, romance or not, and/or wants to try something new, this anime is definitely something I recommend.
