cleffler - 2014-12-29 09:39:24

Placeholder until I find time to rewrite this.         

leonard06 - 2014-03-13 18:03:51

Story: Subaru Hasegawa was a high school freshman who used to love playing basketball but eventually decided to stop playing it after his coach gets fired for being suspected as a pedophile and the club disbands. One day his aunt Mihoshi Takamura asks for him to coach some girls at Keishin Academy for three days. He relunctanlty agrees, but as he spends more time with them and learns about the circumstances, his passion of basketball gets reignited and has decided to coach them all to better players until they graduate as they all slowly become close friends.

The story is well done, especially since the characters are all so wonderful. It's all done in a realistic manner that kind of makes you emphatize with them (its surprisingly deep for a show like this, which was not what I was expecting at all when coming to this) and they all get such great development as the show goes on. The climax however is a bit disappointing (mainly cause the girls lose the basketball tourney. Yeah they had fun but still, it wasn't cool to see them lose to those mean girls), the one from the second season was much better (the mean girls at least become nicer and befriend the girls).

And now for the biggest problem with the story, the fanservice. There is fanservice, not a whole lot, but its there. I wouldn't mind so much except for the fact that its from little elementary girls. I don't know who came up with that idea (I blame Kodomo No Jikan just cause) but its... so bizarre. Thankfully it isn't used too much but still.

Characters: Speaking of girls, lets talk about them: Tomoka used to be so obessed with winning in games that it caused her to be isolated and forced to transfer to a new school. Eventually she realized that after making some friends, winning isn't everything and it matters if you have fun or not and refuses to play in matches without her friends there.

Maho was the first of the girls to befriend Tomoka, as well as the reason Tomoka decided to form the girl's basketball club. She's afraid of the dark, is hyperactive and loaded with zany ideas, and likes going to clubs to check them out but then loses interest immediately... that is until she came to the basketball club and found an interest and passion for it.

Saki is the bespectacled and level-headed member of the team, who keeps Maho in check whenever the latter goes overboard with her enthusiasm. She also has good composure and a solid personality at that, as well as caring about others whenever something bad happens.

Airi is quiet and very shy, having an extreme complex with her height for an elementary schooler and cries whenever it gets mentioned. She also developed a fear of water after nearly drown from falling off a boat in the lake. She feels useless but thanks to the others who have helped her off her feet, Airi now feels more confident and shouldn't doubt herself and get others upset for it.

And lastly Hinata, the smallest of the girls who often speaks in a polite manner and has a huge collection of plush toys. She wishes though that her older sister would stop worrying for her and just let her play (she has a good reason for this, but Hinata doesn't remember it).

Also I know I said no complaints on the character side, but Subaru is just a generic main character. He is nice and all and does get a little developed but not much else is there to him. Also there's these really mean girls near the end of the show which ticked me off (they get better in the second season but still >.

Animation: The art, animation, and voice work is adorable, it could turn someone into an actual pedo if one is not so careful >///

The music is also really enjoyable to listen, its upbeat, catchy, and will probably never leave your head. ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Se-ZYcfIEg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmI8X2lkhx0

Overall: I like this anime, its a greatly underrated sports anime that really does deserve more. Please don't be put off by the little girls (though those who hate fanservice or sports entirely can skip this one altogether), I almost left this but my curiosity peaked and I'm glad I saw this one. Check this out if you love sports, cute girls, and/or humorous/deep moments :)

Pros: Cute animation and art, cute voices (for the most part), awesome and cute music, mostly great and developed characters.

Cons: Fanservice from elementary school girls, Subaru is bland, mean girls at the end of the show, and the climax was disappointing.

Thanks for reading my eighth review~