[Southern Cross]

7/10

While I appreciated the attempt to utilize the omnibus format to create multiple self-contained and non-conflicting romances, a lot of it was hit-or-miss. Some of the arcs' plots and development were exceptional. At the same time, however, there were some really dull ones.

When it "hit" for me, as in the first arc with Haruka, it was amazing! I loved the chemistry between Haruka and Junichi. There were some memorably hilarious moments of ludicrous, as in that one scene when Junichi wanted to give Haruka the greatest lunch experience ever. I was engaged and entertained all throughout. The end was a satisfying conclusion to their romance and did a good job resolving Haruka's conflict of accepting her feelings for Junichi.

When it "missed," as in the Rihoko arc, I was neither engaged or entertained. Watching that arc was almost a chore for me, and I only continued watching the series because of my anticipation for Tsukasa's arc. As much as I wasn't a fan of Rihoko, I felt sorry for her arc's resolution (or lack thereof) - she was the only heroine who was shortchanged at the end of her arc.

From a technical standpoint, I loved the visuals and the animation quality. I also thought all the seiyuus chosen were spot on. The music was additionally fitting, but nothing really stood out.

When it came down to the characters themselves, they were good, but not always memorable. While they stuck to certain archetypes, at the very least they were able to develop - all the characters had some sort of personal conflict they had to overcome in order for them to devote their heart on Junichi and most of them were resolved satisfactory enough, except Rihoko. I mean they resolved the whole "getting members for the tea club" conflict, but I truly doubt her feelings are ever going to reach him. That's pretty tragic for what is supposed to be a romance like Amagami SS.

In conclusion, Amagami SS is "good," but it certainly isn't groundbreaking or exceptional to the point of being a watershed anime introducing the omnibus format. It will satisfy most fans of slice-of-life romances, but it isn't among the best titles of the genre.