True Tears - Overall Series Impressions & Total Series Rating

[Pellissier]

This thread is to be used for discussing the entire 13 episodes of True Tears ... your thoughts about the show, overall impressions, expectations and hopes about the DVD only footage etc.

A few subjects you might want to ramble on about:

• General impression of the series.
• Opinions on the overall story, writing & plot devices.
• Thoughts about the animation quality.
• Characters/Character Design
  
  
• Which kind of footage (DVD only) you feel you'd really like to see.
• What the show meant to you.
• What could the creators/animators/writers have done better.

And so on.

The poll represents your total series rating. In other words, how you would rate all the episodes combined (1-10)? If you'd rather rate the whole series by technical/artistic merits, you can do so. An example:

Animation Quality: 1-10
Voice Actors: 1-10
Script: 1-10
Editing: 1-10
Emotional Involvement: 1-10

Average = Total Series Rating

Or a combination of the two. Or your general gut feeling.

Feel free to discuss and more importantly, have fun

[Guardian Enzo]

Best anime of the year so far, IMO. That sums up my view pretty simply!

[serenade_beta]

One of the best series this season, with a very satisfying end.
10/10

Until the very end, I was unsure who Shinichirou would choose, which was one of the more interesting (and annoying) parts to the show.
Great OP, pretty good ED. No complaints about the BGMs.
No problem with the animation either.
My feelings for the characters sure varied, from the annoying Jun to the less than sane Noe to the much more likable characters.

Anyways, it was an enjoyable ride all the way through.
And so, true tears ends. *raises hands in the air*
めでたしめでたし

[Rembr]

I thought it was a decently well-rounded show but with a weak ending. Clean art, coherent plot, a touch of depth. Yet I think I drew more entertainment from everyone who was so enthusiastic about the characters than the actual show itself. I sort of wish I could really get fascinated by the characters as a lot of the posters, but towards the end, I saw Hiromi and Noe only as a couple of psychotic b*tches. Also the ending, while conclusive, wasn't as climactic as the show kept building itself up to be.

The show truly did shine as a creator of the whole Noe vs Hiromi race. Apart from that though, it's pretty much a chick show.

[vio5555]

Easily the best romance of the year thus far, and I doubt anything on the horizon will be able to top it in my mind.

From the fleshed out characters, the "competitive" romance, and the fact that Shin developed feelings for both of the girls as we saw and had to resolve it lets me put this one at the top of the genre in terms of its punch.

I don't think it was perfect, but it's probably as close to perfection in terms of how everything resolves that I don't think I'll see anything quite this good for a while. Sure the style doesn't lend itself to much rewatchability, but I do think it's worth rewatching for the missed hints and whatnot.

Also, the writers managed to make me like all of the characters more at the end than I did at the beginning (with the lone exception of Shin somewhat) but I think that's something amazing.

One final thing, the ending of this series is perhaps the best I've seen in a while in this genre. It picks up all of the pieces from earlier and melds them together in as satisfying a way for all of the characters involved as I think is possible; it really left me with a complete experience and no big questions.

[Irenicus]

Melodrama done right.

That's just about it.

[be0wulf]

Show had a strong start, and at the beginning I'd thought it would be one of the stand-out anime of the year. Art was nice, characters were relatively cute, voice acting was well done. However, shoddy writing, plot holes, rushed ending, and the plot in general (or lack thereof) kept this anime from being anything better than average. Six out of ten for me.

To sum up my overall thoughts on the series:

[image removed by a moderator for steering the discussion in a direction we want to avoid]

I'll still miss my weekly dose of Noe-chan. My Sundays will be dark and bleak from now on.

[Liddo-kun]

Never seen anything quite like True Tears.
P.A Works really did a good job with this one.

*votes a Perfect 10 without a second thought

[Falkor]

Isn't the creation of the 'Overall Series Impressions' thread a bit too soon? the last episode finished one day ago, but oh well...

Best animated tears
With each passing episode I was expecting one character at least to shed tears. The process was simply beautiful, yet poignant within the context of the story; it was animated to the point of perfection, but never going outside of reality. It’s strange to watch a show with this sort of expectation, but in retrospective, it was only one of many reasons. I enjoyed each part/aspect of the show; being that the music, the characters, or the plot, there was always something worth of noting. Although I still need to finish the last three episodes properly, I wouldn’t mind watching the show again, or even buying the costly DVDs. This show is one of my favorite romance as of lately, and probably one of the best shows the winter season has to offer for those looking in the romance genre.

I will post a more serious lengthy objective somehow easy to read review analysis opinion on the show as soon as I can finish with that other thing (actually, as soon as I can find the escape to my busy life!).

[Westlo]

9 out of 10 but it's a high 9 and I don't give out 10's easy. Six shows have received a 10 out of the 132 completed shows I've seen and nothing I'm currently watching (25 shows) or have on hold (95 shows) is on a 10 as well. In a few days I'll post up a proper/detailed review.

Originally Posted by Liddo-kun

P.A Works really did a good job with this one.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what P.A Works comes up with next, hopefully they can keep Junji Nishimura around because his last two shows in True Tears and Simoun were both excellent. I can't believe this is the same guy who butchered the Samurai Deeper Kyo manga...

[Master Chibi]

Freaking 5 out of 10.

Only because of Noe.

You people have odd standards.

[Liddo-kun]

Originally Posted by Westlo

I'm really looking forward to seeing what P.A Works comes up with next, hopefully they can keep Junji Nishimura around because his last two shows in True Tears and Simoun were both excellent. I can't believe this is the same guy who butchered the Samurai Deeper Kyo manga...

Or they could be really nice and make one or two special episodes for True Tears before moving on with their next project.


Animation Quality: 7

Characters are not as moe compared to other slice-of-life animes like Clannad.
But after awhile I realized that True Tears want to capture audiences by giving a good story and not by eye-candy.

Voice Actors: 8

Quite good, everytime a character speaks there is real emotion. It's not forced in any way.

Script: 10

Now, this fully made up for the not so good animation. It's the first time I've encountered a story like True Tears presented.
It's very unique, and an enjoyable ride for me

Emotional Involvement: 10

Another part that True Tears got perfect. While some people disliked the "uncertainty" of who Shin will choose at the end, for me it's the strong point of True Tears - this made me anticipate each episode with excitement.

Average: 9 + 1 for Hiromi winning xD = 10

One of the best romance series I've watched this season, closely followed by Spice and Wolf on my list.
I definitely recommend True Tears to fans of romance anime who want to experience something different.

[qtipbrit]

Animation Quality: 9
Excellent. At first, I disliked the character designs, but I eventually got used to it; the animation was constant at good quality, no specific complaints.

Voice Actors: X
I can't comment much. Personally, though, I didn't find the voices very appealing, Noe's held the cute innocence, but it was quite annoying at times when it was overused. Shin'ichiro trying to cry and sing in the last episode sent shivers down my spine (and not the good kind.) Aside from that, I'd say it was pretty good.

Script: 8
A solid script. Each episode ended on a good note with a strong cliffhanger to have the viewer wanting to see the next episode.

Characters: 7
I personally didn't like the characters much at all. Shin'ichiro was a pretty weak male lead, though not to the level of Makoto or general shounen harem leads. He was indecisive up until the last minute, and even still, it's not clear whether or not he was able to "get over" Noe.
Hiromi is a character I have mixed feelings over, she was also quite indecisive, though I favoured her over Noe due to her "childhood friend" status and long hair (though it's revealed that she's a meganekko later in the series. ) I didn't find her shenanigans with Noe's brother (he didn't impact me enough for me to remember his name.) to be very entertaining, and I really did feel School Days vibes nearing the end of the series (though I knew it wouldn't end that way.)
Noe was one of the characters I had few qualms about; she was unique, but just enough so. At times, she would be a bit brusque and childlike, but it was in her personality to do so.

Emotional Involvement: 7
Compared to the rest of the winter season (except Clannad), it was a lot of "emotional involvement", but the situations, characters, etc., weren't as dramatic as I thought they would be.

Overall: High 7
One of the better series of the Winter Season, something not to be missed by romance fans, though a bit lacking in touching drama. Probably one of the better recent romance series, behind Ef - A Tale of Memories and Clannad (if you classify it as a "romance").

[KholdStare]

Animation Quality: 9
Voice Actors: 7
Script: 9
Editing: 5
Emotional Involvement: 6
There are other categories that I take into consideration which were not present.

Total Series Rating: 7.7 => 7.0

True Tears is definitely one of the best anime this season, second to only Clannad (in my wonderfully biased opinion). It is truly one of the better romance/drama series, and I enjoyed watching it.

Disclaimer: You are welcome to disagree with a personal opinion.

Overall, the most lacking aspect of True Tears is consistency. I like how Shin's choice was ambiguous until the very end, but they were overdoing the drama around episodes 7-11. It also failed at trying to integrate meaningful symbolism with the romance plot, which led to me seeing True Tears as two completely separate anime. This series could have been a lot better if they let go of the Hiromi/Shin drama for 2 episodes and focus on another couple/relationship instead of going back and forth. Aiko was made into the main character for about two episodes then got five seconds of screen time in the end. Another thing is that the "fly" motif is overused, and I also think that it's supposed to be the backbone to the story also. However, True Tears focused on the wrong story, because the series concentrated more on its romance aspect and then throwing in the "fly" and "true tears" motifs when it sees fit. From an analytic point of view, this series makes little sense, is more confusing than it should be, and there isn't an "epiphany" moment at the end to justify its actions. In short, I kept watching True Tears for something amazing at the very end, but that did not happen.

That aside, it's one of the most enjoyable romance/drama series that doesn't choose to include death, war, or other emotional subjects just to make the series more emotional. In many ways this series saved me from going insane this season, because I always look forward to seeing it, and having a good ending makes me feel happy. It is not a perfect series, but it offered something unique and fun.

To me, this is in many ways similar to Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho. Both had a great plot, but the storytelling part is lacking.

Final score: 7/10, "Very good"

Spoiler for My Rating Scale:

10: Masterpiece
9: Excellent, memorable, and usually has some kind of personal impact
8: Very enjoyable, meaningful, and often addictive. Ratings of 8 or higher are considered exceptionally good.
7: Very good. Most anime I enjoy goes here.
6: Good, enjoyable. Most anime I watch starts here.
5: Average, kept my interest somewhat, but nothing too memorable.
4: Below average, watching it feels like an obligation.
3: Very bad, but I only watched it due to obligation. (if finished)
2: Painful, why did I watch this at all? (if finished)
1: Nightmare beyond words. Thankfully I've never rated anything this low.

For more info on my anime ratings please refer to the link in my signature.

[ani_d]

Story. Contrary to my impressions of this show, which is the "stereotypical" harem show with a stereotypical resolution, I have to admit it is different if you take into account how things reached the conclusion. The concept of a boy filled with self-doubt, stationary lovelife, and unmotivation suddenly meeting a girl that inspired him to 'fly' was the most unique scenario I've seen so far. The show told us the clear goal of Shin from the very start and chose to end it as it is. Shin's direction didn't change, but the manner of how he got there was, in my opinion, what made the difference.

Except maybe for Shin's dad (maybe he already did a long time ago) and the bald kid, all characters were given a hurdle they needed to jump over.

Animation. Beautiful. I love how deep the eyes were, especially Hiromi's since she's always crying. Like Falkor said, 'best animated tears.' The way they animated the tears was awesome. Even when Noe cut her finger. The blood trickling down seemed like the real thing. The background scenes looked so laid back and gave off the slice-of-life feeling. Makes me want to go Japan even more.

Voice. I admit there were times I find Hiromi's tiny voice annoying, and Ai's clingy voice made me hate Ai. Still, I think the VAs are really good and my pet peeves were probably because of the characters not the VA. I haven't heard the english dubbed yet, but I doubt they can top the original VAs. I heard Noe's VA was 22, and I was so impressed how she could make a voice that young. The roach song keeps sticking inside my head thanks to her.

Anyway, good show all in all. I enjoyed it. 10/10

[hai_san]

just finish the show i will give a perfect 10 seeing as how the show ended. There are still points missing, eg Shin Mother why did she bullied Hiromi in beginning, or the very few or to few scenes with Ai&Miyokishi, but overall consider i still give it a 10, because Hiromi&Noe&Ai are just sugoiiii!

[Liddo-kun]

Originally Posted by ani_d

Story. Contrary to my impressions of this show, which is the "stereotypical" harem show with a stereotypical resolution, I have to admit it is different if you take into account how things reached the conclusion. The concept of a boy filled with self-doubt, stationary lovelife, and unmotivation suddenly meeting a girl that inspired him to 'fly' was the most unique scenario I've seen so far. The show told us the clear goal of Shin from the very start and chose to end it as it is. Shin's direction didn't change, but the manner of how he got there was, in my opinion, what made the difference.

Except maybe for Shin's dad (maybe he already did a long time ago) and the bald kid, all characters were given a hurdle they needed to jump over.

Well said, you get a cookie.

Animation. Beautiful. I love how deep the eyes were, especially Hiromi's since she's always crying. Like Falkor said, 'best animated tears.' The way they animated the tears was awesome. Even when Noe cut her finger. The blood trickling down seemed like the real thing. The background scenes looked so laid back and gave off the slice-of-life feeling. Makes me want to go Japan even more.

Anyway, good show all in all. I enjoyed it. 10/10

Yep, red human blood - not the censored black blood we see so often nowadays.

[arkxkra]

give it a 10.

It is one of the best series of the season. Although the story quite twist(hopefully i use right word) and I alway being misleading by the way they make, but it is nice. The bgm, music, song all very nice, it OP ED OST become one of my favourite as well. I love this series

[ZODDGUTS]

Loved it the animation in the series was great top quality not one scene had me thinking "uh oh they gotta fix that in the DVD release" like in other shows. Liked basicly all the characters yes that even includes Jun and Shin's mom in a characters that you love to hate type of thing.

Shin annoyed me a bit in episodes 11/12 but thankfully he's character was redeemed in the last episode and he also suffered for it for not clearing things up earlier like he said he would in ep 10. Hiromi also stop being damsel in distress she fix her mistakes she broke it off with Jun and made her feelings for Shin cut and clear.

The music also was great it fit very well in the series including the OP and ED.

Really looking forward to more of P.A. Works for their first work that they've made they impress me. Actually I would like if they would animate Ahiru no Sora a basketball manga series because the basketball scenes were so well aniamted, they didn't cheat their way out by doing "stills" in those scenes.

Overall I would give the series a 9.5 out 10 this is one of the very few romance series that I would like to watch again.

Freaking 5 out of 10.

Only because of Noe.

You people have odd standards.

Still bitter with the ending eh.

[BigGimp77]

+ Solid Animation
+ Voice acting was strong throughout the show.
+ Lots of plot twist...
-... maybe a couple too many.
- Characters didn't grow on me
- Story was predictable for the most part.


Uggh I really enjoyed the first half of the series.

Ever since the half way point I thought the show sputtered and really got silly. I found it hard to root for anyone in the triangle. Noe was insane (ok the girl just jumped off of a tree... WTF that should send up some red flags). Hiromi was over possessive and a moody b*tch most of the time, and Shin was a indecisive flip flopping jerk.

Idk what happened. In the first half I thought Noe was kinda weird but a cool character. Hiromi was trapped in a horrible situation but shows a sweet side. Then at some point they just seemed to change and I began to despise them.

There were a ton of plot twist and every episode seemed to end on a cliffhanger, but it seemed that they attempted TOO many plot twist. And despite all the silly plot twist they tried to invoke, the series was still relatively predictable till the end.

At the mid way point I woulda gave the series an 8.0/10. It's kinda hard to really like a series like this if you end up not liking any of the characters. It's a shame they ruled out Ai-chan so early(the only normal nice girl of the bunch).

Overall Score: 6.4/10 (Rounded down to a 6 for the poll)




And just for the Clannad/TT comparison.
Clannads main theme isn't even about the romance. It's about family. Every arc centers around the theme of Family. Clannad is not a Harem.

And are you serious that True Tears kept you guessing till the end? I probably could have told you that Hiromi was going to win within the first 3-4 episodes.