Now that it looks like that the final episode is going to be a DVD-only episode, I decided that I didn’t want to wait for such a long time just to close off this series. After all, it’s not like a bloody ending is going to save this series and heck, we all know what’s going to happen anyway. Shows like Red Garden and Zombie-Loan who also have a few DVD-only episodes have shown me that by the time they’re finished, my memory will have become too fuzzy to write a good review of it. I may edit this post after watching the final episode, but for now I just want to get over with this series.
Okay, let’s get started with this train-wreck now, shall we? School Days is another one of those hentai-game adaptations, but it’s a special one: the original game became notorious for a few of its rather bloody endings. Because of this, it’s become a fan favourite: you can’t go to any on-line anime-community where you won’t find tons of fans rambling about various death treats towards the main character. In the end though, this series became an utter failure.
Let’s start with about the only good point of this series: the male main character, Makoto. I know it’s ironic, but this guy actually finally deviates from some of the clichés that plague all of his colleagues, and most important of all: he’s realistic. It’s a sad thing, but in real life there are tons of idiots who just date girls without caring about any of them. You’ll love to hate this guy, and the things he does to all the poor girls in the series.
I wish I could say the same about the female characters though. The story is just so incredibly fixated on that bloody ending that it turns every single female character into a plot-device to get toward that ending. Actions are forced, characters conveniently run into each other, and most of them are a tad too often in too much angst, preventing them to connect with the viewers.
Still, at the halfway point, I would have actually considered School Days decent enough. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but the love-triangle that develops was interesting enough to make me keep watching. And then, as the series draws to its end, everything falls apart with some of the most forced and blatantly obvious plot twists I’ve ever seen. I won’t mention them for the sake of spoilers, but you should be able to guess their nature, with School Days being a hentai-game adaptation and all.
And then the setting! Seriously, it nearly looks like Makoto is in a school with only TWO GUYS in it. There is another guy (the so-called “rival” that you see in nearly every hentai-game adaptation) but he’s just good for one minor plot-twist and he just disappears afterwards without leaving any trace.
Seriously, if you were planning to watch this one: don’t. The scriptwriting and plot twists are just too forced and artificial to really form a connection, not to mention that 75% of all the scenes are incredibly annoying to watch, due to the characters being teenagers and all. While I admit that it could have been good, the scriptwriters just ruined it completely.]]>
School Days Review – 49/100
Around episode 7-9 I realized that the show had jumped the shark–prior to that, like you did, I was trying to take it seriously. After that the plot turns and the behavior of everyone involved got totally ridiculous. The key to my subsequent enjoyment of it was that I stopped taking it seriously and joined in the schadenfreunde!
Your review is more like the review I would write if I was trying to reconcile it with my earlier midpoint review, which wondered if something more complex and rich was going to happen. It didn’t, and just became a lurid soap opera instead. Which has its own pleasures!
I agree with most (not all) of your review, given what we’ve seen thus far, but I’m going to wait at least a week before assuming that the final episode will only be on DVD.
Pretty much almost everyone is watching it for the BAD END. I’ll assume that there is actually a very small population who’s watching it for the supposed “romance”.
I agree with your review, but I actually enjoyed all the cringe-worthy scenes and hating Makoto like everyone else (for laughs, of course). It makes it… stand out from the rest of the harem crap. And especially in comparison to KGNE – I feel like this is the next big “romance” anime to break popularity. The show sucks, but it sure was fun!
Indeed. I really have found that I enjoyed this series compared to other harems. It’s totally different and plays mind games on you if you have been spoiled about the pc game endings. Which are very very violent.
Initially, after watching the first episode, I decided to not watch it because it seemed to be just another anime about a love triangle. Later I’ve read a few short episode reviews and it had evolved into something very different. I found it rather amusing how everyone to hated Makoto and I decided to check it out. I think it helps that I could watch most episodes without having to wait another week. I guess being male helps too. If you don’t take it seriously but rather consider it a parody of the genre, it’s a lot of fun to watch. It’s not really something to recommend but I’d prefer it over the next luke-warm harem anime anytime. In my book, it’s certainly not a train-wreck because it never bored me. Sure, it’s only 12 episodes but apparently it takes some guts and brains to make that decision considering the large amount of dragging, filler-invested 26-episodes shows.
Of course, anyone who expects a show about romance, love or the typical harem will be disappointed, especially those people who always cheer for the goody-goodies.
I actually thought the hate of the main male character (who acts like a semi-real guy for once) was kind of amusing in a way. Harem leads are always calling wussy and when there is finally one who does the deed so to speak, he’s hated. That being said, the show was OKAY at one point. I guess we can all realize when it totally became ridiculous and something to never be taken seriously. At this point the only saving grace IS the bad end.
The final episode is now available at Tokyotosho. The ending was not broadcast for good reason and even with the edits made, the episode was still very disturbing.
I completely disagree with your review. I don’t think the entire anime was just buildup to the ending — I don’t know how you can make that conclusion without actually seeing the ending. The series was amazingly well-crafted, in my opinion. The director seems very aware of clichés, and he allows them, and pokes at them occasionally. This includes chance meetings and incidents that occur in the series. There was a great amount of character development in the series. Things got crazier near the end, but I feel that a good amount of the characterization was realistic. There were things that happened in the series that I connected with and empathized with because I had encountered similar situations or feelings. I would go into more detail (who WOULDN’T connect on some level with a romantic story?), but it’s not possible without spoilers.
The plot progression is smooth, and there’re a number of things that shouldn’t be taken too seriously. In my case, I didn’t take very much seriously at first, since it begins as a romantic anime love triangle. The series is called “School Days”, so the viewer can immediately apply all of the knowledge he/she has of animes that take place in a similar environment (there are a ton).
There was a lot I hated by the time the series ended, but I didn’t hate the series. I think the series was very well done. I hated people, and myself, I think.
I wish I didn’t watch the ending. It was too disturbing for me.
oh men i just wish i didnt watch it at all, i so agree with what you have just said, I just wish I have read your review before I bought the dvd,
“Seriously, if you were planning to watch this one: don’t.”
Im so affected, im disturbed. oh i just hate it. T____T
I think the serious was good, for the most part. I liked how the series wasnt like your typical romance anime, it started to build this very dark like something bad is going to happen feeling which was very unique. I think the main male character was done very well and acted like a horny teenager i thought it got a little far out there, when all the girls in his grade started to sleep with him. But some parts with the supporting characters like all the girls besides the two main ones, did bore me and i just fast forward them, it could get really annoying with the voices and things all high pitched but another thing that really stuck out to me was the way the main male character and the main female characters just evolved, one day they would be scared to kiss and then a day later his grabbin her tits so it was very surreal to a point. So the last thing about the series was the ending, i thought it was very different and really good and true to a certain degree it kind of reminded me of Death note how you see the bad side but also feel bad for them like light, yes he was wrong but i didnt want him to die. The only thing here is you didnt expect the ending but thats really a big chance to take with anime, hey some people will hate it and some will like it and i liked it. It was very disturbing but also real, because people will go crazy over the ones they cant let go off, and at the very end on the boat was a good scene but very different or you can say very very disturbing. The point is if you never watched the anime and never heard of the ending watch it, it will blow your mind, you will be sitting there like what the fuck just happened and it will leave a bitter taste in your mouth but will also leave you thinking about it for a few days.
I must say that liked this serie and especially the 12th episode. The character design was great too. But it turns out to be really dramatic and scary at the end. But to understand the serie you have to watch it till the end. I was quite terrified but I must say it’s a good work.
yeah im gonna have to say i wish i didnt watch this anime. like most of you have said, the first half of this anime was watchable and even interesting. but when things started to get ridiculous, i watched the rest purely out of my need for closure. and the ending. i watched this anime not knowing what to expect. in the latter half as people started to lose their sanity and all sense of rationale, i was still not prepared for the utter madness that was the ending. this anime left a seriously bad taste in my mouth that after 2 weeks, has still not subsided.
call it guilty pleasure if you must, but i kinda like the show. i didn’t see it coming, the ending that is. despite the disturbing ending and the cheap girls in sd (how easily they gave their bodies away 🙁 ), i think it’s pretty good.
and i’ve read somewhere that you question the police not being there and what not. well, when nobody noticed your death than nobody noticed your death, including the police.
Well, I just finished watching the last episode. (Without the boat thing)
Even though you’re spot on in your review with critique, the ending actually saves the series, ’till a certain extent.
I already knew what would happen in the end… or so I thought, but there’s just a little more drama on top of that, plus 2 more plot twists which make the obscenity of it all complete.
I still can’t help the feeling that this series should’ve been a one-shot movie in the first place. They could’ve easily tossed out, I dunno… half of the characters, since indeed they just disappear after they’ve done their job. The show gets so dull halfway, the bullies are bothering Kotonaha in each damn episode and she replies in the same damn way when Makoto reacts in similar situations the whole damn time… I stopped watching then, and only picked it up again after nearly 2 months.
All in all, I think your score might be a tad too negative, the ending might seem too forced, but it’s the only way it could end to stand out among other love triangle-anime’s.
PS: I actually liked Kotonaha when she’s behaving psychotic in the latter episodes… maybe because it just reminds me of myself at times. I still manage to not do irrational things, though :p
i agree with the others who say the whole show was predicated upon the ending. i actually watched the show with no prior knowledge of such ending, so maybe those who watch it for the ending are just biased by all the hype and are let down in the end. despite all the ridiculousness, i went along with it even when it started getting all crazy with all the girls he was sleeping with. i guess i caught onto th e possibility of such a dark ending when they showed kotonoha at the sink and they zoom in on the knives. i was like… uhhhhh, really?
in the end, i was satisfied with the ending. you can’t wrap up all the loose ends created by the madness in previous episodes but i did get some sense of justice even if in a very dark, twisted way.
i don’t think its fair to tell people that a series is not worth watching for the reasons given in the review. i’m glad i watched the show and that the anime departed from typical anime genres. i would recommend it to people without warning of the ending tho so there are no expectations to get in the way. thanks for you review.
my, my……
for so many anime i’ve watched this is my first time i’ve reacted through…. as in, shocked….
from fantasy to friendship to love to betray to (sex maniac) to psychotic case… wah…
what the hell was the creator thinking at first..
either way, thanks for a wonderful piece of anime.
ps. pls check if your lover like sekai or kotonoha.. hehehe, may we fuck up….
I for one, seriously loved this series. and easily give it at least 4.25 out of 5
This was probably the most fucked up anime I have seen. Ever. And I really have seen many other one’s that are quite messed up. God. I hated Mokoto so fucking much and pretty much alomst all the rest of the girls for just being fucking sluts.
I hate how motoku just bangs all the girls without thinking about the fellings of the last girl he was with. I hated this series for the fact that it was completely about cheating. I was ok with the sex parts, but mokoto was just one really, really, really ef’d up perverted kid. I think he deserved to die and I hope that he goes down to the deapeast part of he’ll.
Like alot of people, what I’ve hated most about this series was the bloody ending..
Yes , it may have been unique but seriously , I’ve seen a number animes that end in a tragedy , but most of them were “beautiful” tragedies , animes like Basilisk , Gungrave and Chrono Crusade, they may not be the same genre as School Days but still they had an obvious message. Now what was the message here?
Your ex.girlfriends might stab you to death?
seriously. the animation was good and there the characters were designed appealingly, etc – kotonoha.
but that ending was munted.
Wow, this may be the most idiotic review I’ve ever read. 49/100? Are you kidding me? We must have been watching different shows. Perhaps you should go watch an anime designed for those with simpler minds…
I agree with the last comment. You are supposed to despise Makoto, for the way he treats people. In fact it is very realistic in the sense that their are a few people out there who behave like that. And I would not say katsura kotonoha was psyhcotic, she was delusional, her love was so strong, she couldn’t act rationally. The message was that even very good people like Katsura Kotonoha can do bad things if pushed and pushed by bullies and by an unfaithfull boyfriend. It was also about life sometimes not being fair. Why would all the girls go for Makoto? Sometimes it does happen. Going back to Katsura, she had seen many different girls kiss makoto in front of her to hurt her, to use sex as a weapon, so she got her revenge on sekai by doing the same and telling her of her friends betrayal, a very deep and very true message, as I am also a very good person but have cracked under the same sort of intense pressure, truthfully could any of us say that if we had that pressure + a lover who had been unfaithfull+ we had just got them back after they had realised their mistakes, could any of us say we wouldn’t get a revenge killing. Perhaps the overall message was to show the darker side of human nature. It wasn’t true to life in the sense that more good would be shown in real life, but it did reflect well on every ones darker or selfish side. It was also true in that there are periods when the world seems against u, as it was for Katsura. I have to say this is a great anime, I only dislike the over the top sex bits, there should have been more of the elequent things like kissing or the scene under the blankets, the other stuff is a bit dodgy in my opinion.
this is not my most fav anime(which is dragonaut)..bt this is one anime il never ever forget. personally speakin, i was happy that bas**rd died. he was foolin arnd wit every girl n was takin advantage of their feelings n emotion. bt honestly, i hav huge and profound respect for katsura.dat girl stayd tru for the guy n stayd calm even after seein the luv of her life lyin der dead. as for sekai..well..cant blame her…that sex maniac makoto was responsible.
aah….feels good lettin my emotion n anger out for makoto..
anyways, the review :
i think all in all, the series was very poorly directed/sketchd. however, i did understand wot the director was tryin to convey so hats off to him for that…if only he cud express it well…sigh. there r many ways to drive a girl(katsura) insane…..random sex(by makoto) is not the ONLY way.
the ending was amazin, it literally spoke a thousand words. the poor girl finally found sanctuary. ofcors it gave multiple meanings to diff people.
my rating is sadly 2/5 jus cos of the unnecessary sex bits….
Well, I’m not trying to be different and all but I really loved the ending of School Days. I actually wanted more gore and blood (or Kotonoha *spoil* herself as well). What I didn’t like about the ending though is its irrelevance. What I mean is, from Episode 1 to at least Episode 8 I think, there are no signs of psychological troubles from Kotonoha. That’s utterly disappointing: it gives the anime a feel of incompleteness. That said, I would say that the anime is not blatantly predictable. No one would’ve guessed the ending right if there hadn’t been the hentai-game it came from… or Internet spoilers.
Anyway, about your review, I find it somehow odd that you think Makoto is the only good point. He may have deviated from the cliche but it’s not a good deviation at all. He is an apathetic idiot, a maniac nurtured by the two-guy setting, and his actions and decisions are, for the most part of the series, the main plot devices, not really the girls. Although, I have to say, it’s Sekai who did most of the work here.
the ending was not really disturbing i mean i have seen crap like elfin lied and gantz and thats some heavy stuff i just thought it was wacko crazy lady killing her cheating boyfriend kinda like one of those lame romance novels at 2$ a piece
CRAP CRAP AND MORE CRAP the 1st 5 episodes were good I mean really good. after that it just went berserk I hate this series I hate every character out here except kotonoha she was the only character I wanted to see in the series. actually I dont want to see her after 6-9 and 11
because through out that span shes always suffering and I really think she deserves more
than that however when the series was falling into place when makoto feels like hes gonna change at episode 11 they just had to kill him and leave kotonoha with a head??? its crap man crap excuse me its not crap its A HEAD!!!!!!
I loved the end and this series was enjoyable for me, but the end turned out sooo creepy and bloody , it gave me shivers! But whoah, it was great, don’t know why but it was indeed great!!!
School days… It interested me at first until I started feeling sorry for kotonoha then i just skipped through like episode 6 ~ 12… Personally, not my type of anime, Makoto was just such a ass and perv, like the biggest pervert i’ve ever seen with no common sense…
This anime was different (and bad)…
the only good thing about this anime.. was the music ^^;;…
WOW.
I just finished this anime and I have to say while it was exciting, there is no character development at all, only making it more confusing.
Like, there is usually some sort of backstory explaining why people are the way they are.
What the hell was up with that girl suddenly turning all insane- it just doesn’t make sense.
I don’t think the “lesson” at the end was very good either. I’d like to think people wouldn’t cheat for reasons other than “they’ll get their shit ruined if they do”
Overall, I don’t think it deserves a 49%, because there were some enjoyable moments.
More like a 65%
I also write something in my blog about this series. And looks like many people have same opinion like me.
So do I, after watching some episode, to be more precise it’s at the point those girls lose their sanity and then things become ridiculous like what you said, i can’t help but wish that i never watch this anime in the first place.
True, this is one of many reasons why I hate it. The only “strong” backstory I found is Kiyora’s and Katou’s (even if there’s no scene that showed it, she only said that Itou was a good person when he’s in middle school). I see no reason why Itou can make those other girls have sex with him. Now this is what I means with they lose their sanity, and things really become ridiculous.
At some point, it’s kinda realistic (about a perverted guy who only aim for sex, no more, no less), but at another, it’s really unrealistic (how the girls act and willing to have sex with that bastard for no apparent reason).
For the whole episode (pre-ending) I always wish that bastard to die. I’m glad he really died in the last episode. I don’t play the game, nor read any review about it before. That’s why I’m kinda relieved after watch the ending. Gruesome ?? I prefer said “serve him right !!”
Also “serve her right” for being a slut. It’s all her fault anyway. You may said that she’s the one who trigger the “beast” inside that bastard. Like Katsura said, if only she never did it in the first place, then everything (maybe) wouldn’t happened.
I feel sorry for Katsura, she’s just an innocent girl. Well I can understand why she become a pshyco like that. She’s just roneri.
I agree with 49/100 score IF I hadn’t watch the last episode. Since the last episode really the saviour, I agree with comment above me, I score it around 65/100.
It’s realistic, but at the same time it’s not. If only they polished the girl part a little bit, maybe it would be an excellent series.
Well I guess I can’t expect much from anime that’s adapted from H Game.
hey, just finished watching school days, guess what, it’s soooo fucking screwed up, first of all, the title was school days, SCHOOL DAYS for crying out loud, i really wasn’t expecting it to be as such. lets just put it dis way, ep 1 to 8 were a bit decent, it wasn’t that bad at all, it slipped at ep 9 and like what makoto was doing in the anime, instead of climbing out of the hole it dropped inro, it just kept digging deeper and deeper to its grave, utter failure isn’t enough to describe the bad taste this has left me, makes me wonder if the people who wrote the story had been on crack, my god, SCHOOL DAYS my ass, call it something more fitting, like the fucker or something. now excuse me while i pour acid on my eyes to wash off this anime.
I’m sorry but I completely disagree with this blog’s view on the script writing.
How many writers can convincingly start an anime off convincing 99% of viewers that it’s just your typical rom-com, and then totally blow away your mind with its unpredictability?
I fail to see how the girls were just plot devices to move the story along. Each move Makoto made shocked me, and I loathe him. Yet this anime is (apart from the ending) one of the most real I have seen.
I don’t think I will re-watch it, but it’s definately shocked me to the core. Beautiful writing, ecspecially when Katsura is losing her mind. Not artificial atall. If you want artificial, watch your typical rom-com (which by the way I love). I recommend it, if you have a strong capacity to hate.
I agree with this review almost completely.
*Spoiler*
I have to say one thing though, another poster said that Katsura wasn’t psychotic… DUUUUUUDE! She cut her boyfriend’s dead head off, put it in a bowling bag, and showed it to the girl pregnant (possibly) with his child!
That is the textbook definition of psychotic! She was even holding his head on a yacht at the end of the episode!
I just recintly wached “school days”. And found miself very interested. the plot seamed intreeging and the anime style was very good. But I have to admit that I did kinda skip 2 or 3 of the mid-way epasodes (I geus at the time I felt like I already new what was going to happan next) I resumed on epasode 8. By this time the theme seamed to be changing. Meny of the main characters where experienceing relationship complacations. And as the series progresed these problems becaim more and more evident. By epasode 10 the mood of the story was camplitly diferent from what it had been in the first half of the series. Through edasode 11 the mood continued to darken. (You know that feling you get when you know somthing realy bad is about to happan). After watching epasode 11 I was sure that this was’nt going to end well. And I was right. Epasode 12 (the last epasode)was somthing I simpaly could not have predicted. the ending was so violent.so disturbing… I hated it! 2 of the the main charicters were so brutaly murdered. The second beeing even more harific then the last. Neather of them disurved to die the way thay did. If you’ve seen the series and ending then you know the exact circumstances of what happan that Night. I don’t know about you. But epasode 12 truly ruened it for me. It was days before those terable seans had finely faded from my mind. If You have’nt seen this series but get oround to wacthing it one-day. I strongly advise that You stop at epasode 11. Fore Your owne good. As for me. Needless to say I’ll probobly never watch “School days” again. Well-then. I guess that’s all I have to say.
Well it’s me again (Neal). I just wanted to give you a little more insite on how I feel about “School Days”. (And similar anime series). OK. As I agknowleged last time. “School Days” has a very disturbing ending. Which I Utterly despised. Those terrible images (mainly the scene where Mokato dies) are still lingering in the back of my mind. I think Mokato crying at the very end of his life was both. very sad and realistic.Yes he made some bad decisions. But he did not disurve what happen to him. I’m not sure exacaly how meny times he was stabed.(honestly I could’nt stand to watch that scene again).Things could have been so much different. If only those 3 (Mokato.Sakai. and Kotanoha) had just been frends. that way everyone would would’ve happy. But no. it had to be a love triangle. I hate those situations! someone always gets hurt in the end. OK. I’ve made it pretty clear that “School days” is’nt my favorit anime series. oh yes. there’s somthing else I wanted to talk about also. I’ve recently discovered that I have a deep interest in Anime series which take-place in school environments. (and there are very meny). Now is’nt that strange. (refering to my horrible school life). But This must be very popular in Japan. seeing that there are so meny anime series which take-place in this environment.(typically high-schools) Such as: Best Student Council. And School Rumble. these are just 2 of many that I truly enjoyed. Well my interest in this type of anime is still very strong. Even after seeing epasode 12 of “School Days”. That ending truly shocked and disturbed me. It’s been almost a week now. and I am geting over it. slowly. But Steadily. now-then. I wish all of you the best of luck! Remember. There will always be another anime series. the one you’ve been searching for. Could be just over the horizon!
Well once again it’s yours-truly,(Neal)reaporting back to you with more insite on how and why the anime series “School Days” efected me and so many others the way that it did. Now, your probably already aware that it’s almost imposible to discus this series without adressing the ending.(however you may feel about it) I personally hate it,which I have already made very clear. But you may have a different opinion, if so that’s fine to.(hey, everyone is different after all) Oh, I almost forgot, remember in my first review when I told you I skiped 3 of the midway epasodse?(epasodse 5-6-7) well, I felt rather guilty that I skiped through it. So the day after my second review, I went back and watched them. And was shocked at epasode 5,(yes I’m refering to the “practice” sessions between Mokato and Sakai) it quikly became odvious who was realy at falt here. yes, you guessd it, Saionji Sakai, who volunteered to help Mokato… (I’m sorry somthing has come up, I’ll be back later today)
OK, I’m back, so sorry about the inconvenience, I’ll try not to let it happan again. Now as I was stating earlier, from what I’ve seen in episode 5, Sakai is at falt for just-about every thing that transpired. Especilly the love triangle, It all started when she volunteered to help Mokato start a relationship with another girl. (Kotanoha Katsura) So, as Mokato and Kotanoha grew closer, Sakai began to also have for him.(see were this is going) So what does Sakai do? She continues to assist Mokato with his reltionship while fully aware that she, hersef was falling in love with him. Now what could she have possibly been thinking? Then in episode 5 she sudeces Mokato by encureging him to fondle her. He quickly givse-in, (of cours) regardless of his relationship with Kotanoha, that was his mistake, and so the love triangle begins. (Oh I have to go again, please exuse me)
OK, please forgive me for leaving you hanging like that again, today has been so hectic for me. Now were was I…? Oh yes, Sakai pretty-much started the whole thing, first by encureging Mokato to pursue the girl of his dreams, then tempting him to cheat on her.(oh Sakai what were you thinking) It is’nt long before Mokato is tempted by several girls and begans sleeping around, another mager mistake on his part. Throughout the series Mokato seems to exhibit severe lapses in judgement. For example, after Mokato coerces Sakai to sleep with him she feels very guilty that he cheated on Kotanoha with her and trys to convence Mokato that thay should adress the situation to her. But he diclines, saying that Kotanoha would get angry, I think by this time he was simply telling Sakai anything he could in order to “keep his hands on her”. Encluding the frase “I love you” which he said to her on a few occasions. (though I doudt that he ever meant it) And one time he even told Sakai, “I don’t care about Kotanoha” (now I’m pretty sure he did’nt mean that) falowed by more bogus linse axpressing how much he “cares” about her. But Sakai bought all of it, her feelings for Mokato could not be more evidint, but neather could Kotanoha’s. Now don’t forget by this time she was campletly aware of mokato’s cheating, but seemed to look the other way, she never once confronted him about it. Even after watching him kiss Sakai!(now that’s love would’nt you say)OK it’s geting a bit late, when I came back We’ll discus the anatomy of how Mokato ment his end. Well, see You then!
OK everone, it’s time to discus how Itou Mokato ment his end, and the fetal mistakes he made which led to his demise. I’m going to reivew the final moments of Mokato’s life, please be advised it may get a little graphic. And as I go on I’ll note the 3 mistakes which when put together prooved to be fetal. OK… here’s how it happaned. Mokato and Kotonha are out walking the streets with her clinging to his arm. Just then, Mokato stopts and mutters to himself, “It’s cold”, then Kotonoha takes his hands and puts them on her chest.(she sure has changed hasn’t she) but she still looks very out of it, (maybe even depressed) the scene ends there, we don’t get to see Mokato’s reaction. Meanwhile Sakai was at Mokato’s apartment cooking dinner, (yes it was intended for her and him) by now Mokato had ended whatever he had with Sakai, but this did’nt sit well with her at all. She continued to call and spend as much time with him as possible, But Mokato now only wanted to be frends with Sakai. At this point he had turned all of his attention back to Kotonoha, the sleeping around also seems to have stoped. (mokato apears to be changing his ways) Now back to where we were, while cooking dinner, Sakai (while looking rather depressed) gazes at a selphone picture of her and Mokato dancing beside the school bonfire. After staring at it for a while, she decides to call and ask him to come home and have dinner with her. But he refuses, sure anough, he’s in a resturant having dinner with Kotonoha. So the conversation quikly turns into a rather heated argument,(involving Sakai’s pregnancy) and in the end Mokato yells at her to go home and hangs up on her, just then, we hear the sound of plates crashing. OK there’s somthing I have to attend to, so I’ll resume when I get back, so, so, sorry.
@Neal: Always a pleasure reading you…
OK, picking up where we left off, after Makoto yells at Sakai over the phone she leaves his apartment in anger. While he and Kotonoha were geting on the train to Makoto’s home, now, we all know that Sakai also needs to take the train home. But what are the chances of her noticing them? Well when Sakai arrives to get on her train. Sure enough, as the train with Makoto and Kotonoha passes the station, she breifly catches sight of them, much to her shock and disbelief. (Kotonoha clinging to Makoto) Now, She must have pretty good eyesight to notice them on a speeding train. After it passes Sakai immediantely turns around and runs back where she came. (Makoto’s apartment) Makoto arrives home with Kotonoha and he goes to make some tea, in the kitchen he finds Sakai’s dinner splattered all over the floor. Apparently she swiped everything off the table in anger, Makoto starts to clean up the mess, though he doesn’t appear to be angry. Just then the door-bell rings and Makoto goes to answer, though it looks like Kotonoha got to it first. And sure enough, gets slaped by Sakai, who then yells at her for being with makoto, then she demands that Kotonoha leavse while shaking her violantly. Kotonoha reacts very calmly, and accuses Sakai of trying to pull her and Makoto apart, and mentions that Setsuna must have been acting on Sakai’s bihalf. Sakai doesn’t understand, so Kotonoha reveals that Setsuna also had sirius feelings for Makoto which is a huge shock for Sakai. Setsuna is Sakai’s long time freind, but completely unknown to Sakai, Setsuna is her half-sister. (I know it’s weird) Though I’m not sure of wether or not Setsuna was aware of this, she never mentioned it to Sakai, nor did she reveal that she too had feelings for Makoto, because of this, there freindship has been under a lot of strain lately. OK back to the story, after revealing Setsuna’s true feelings, Kotonoha says she won’t hesitate animore and then kisses Makoto (very passionately) right in front of an already emotionaly distressed Sakai.Ok this is where Makoto makes his first of the 3 mistakes, he kisses (I mean realy kisses) Kotonoha (Sakai’s rival) right in front of her, how could he do this to her? This proofs to Sakai beyond a reasonable doubt that he realy doesn’t care about her. She watches and screams in shock before runing out the door. As she’s walking home, she remembers a conversation she had with Setsuna a while ago.(Setsuna seems to have been much more soft-spoken back then) When she first tolled her about Makoto, the cene quikly shifs to darkness and several cloaked figures wearing wasks appear. (OK now I’m sure she’s hallucinating) The one with the red mask accuses Sakai of being responsible for all that has happened. When she tries to deny it the figure removes the mask, turning out to be Setsuna, which cuases Sakai to campletely break down, You realy have to feel sorry for her at this point. (I realy wish I could do this all day but I do have things needing to be attended so I’ll cunclued the story next time)
OK evreyone, lets just finish this. Now back to where we left off, the next morning Sakai gets a messege from Makoto and is overjoyed, (she just never learns does she?) and as expected, her joy is short-lived. As Makoto mentions one of Kotonoha’s acquaintances who works in a hospital, basically suggesting that she have an abortion. Sakai is utterly shocked by this, now, could he have possibly picked a worse time to say something like that to her. I think at this point, any rameining hope Sakai may have had left was destroyed. Her love for Makoto had all but disappeared, and in it’s place, anger/jealousy, and those feelings don’t coexst well. now back to the storry, at school that day Makoto looks relieved seeing that Sakai didin’t come.(probably having the abortion.) After all he gets to spend time with his new found love, Kotonoha, thay have dinner on the school roof. And after thay finish he starts acting all caring towards her, similar to how he was toward Sakai when thay first became…”close”. But in this case, when he kisses Kotonoha he keeps his hands to himself for once. (could this be a sign of true love?) Later that evning (after school) brings Makoto a not so pleasent experience, A canversation with Sakai of course. Which he so willingly envites into his apartment, not the smartest decision, (not after what she’s been through.) the 2 sit down and Makoto asks “how did it go”. (referring to the abortion.) mentioning the abortion, another bad choise on his part, But an evidently depressed Sakai doesn’t respond, staring down at the floor. After a long moment of silence, Makoto goes to make tea, but Sakai abruptly gets up and goes to get it instead, Makoto sits back down. This is where he makes his second life-threatening mistake, can you guess what it is? Well, if you were thinking: leting Sakai, as emotionaly desstresed as she was, go into the most dangerous room of his home, (the kitchen) unattended, you’ve realy been paying attention! While in the kitchen she takes out her cellphone and sends a text messege to Makoto,which distracts him. While he goes to the back bedroom to get his cellphone, Sakai glares at him very ominously, while holding in her right hand…yes you geussed it, a ketchen nighfe.(oh, now this can’t be good.) And this is where, Itou Makoto makes his third and fetal mistake, he left Sakai alone in another room, complteley unattended. Also, he had his back the door, Now, could he be any more incompetent? Well, when he opens his cellphone he’s surprised to see that it’s from Sakai, the first line reads: “I am sorry”, then a lot of empty ones, when he scrolled down to the last one it read: “goodbye”. (god, I hate what happens next) Makoto turns back around with a shocked exression only to find Sakai charging at him with the nighfe and it was to late for him to react. OK I’m just going to say that he was stabed 4 or 5 timse, I don’t know, I wasn’t conting and no, he did’nt make it. When I come back I’ll review the 3 fetal mistakes and how you can evoid making similar ones, well, see you then.
OK, in my last review I chose not to describe what happened to Makoto in detail, But if you really have to know, hare’s what transpired. Oh, and be advived, it is very disturbing. Well…here goes, as Makoto turns around Sakai charges at him with a nghfe and before he can react, she stabs him in the lower abdomen. He then falls to the floor and Sakai continues to rapidly stab him in the chest, at this point, poor Makoto is crying very much. He knows his life is about to end, who would’nt cry in a situation like that? When he does die, his eyes stay wide opened, looking straght up, and Sakai apeared to have no remorse for what she had just did. OK, now, I hope you’re happy because that wasn’t easy for me. Geez, I was so surprised by that ending, I mean, if you’ve seen this series, you know how relaxed it was in the begining, episodes 1 and 12 when compared to each-other seem like 2 differant series. Take Sakai for example, you saw how she was in the when the series first began, now how can someone go from beeing so happy and carefree to beeing a…murderer? Well I have the answer to that question, 3 words: complications regarding affection. If you’re surprsed, don’t be, because over half of all murders committed by women are motivated by some kind of compication regarding affection. OK, now, When I get back I’ll review Makoto’s 3 fetal mistakes and how you can avoid making similar ones.
OK, now you know how Itou Makoto ment his end and the sequence of events wich led to his tragic demise. Now, as you probably already know, love is a very strong emotion, wich can be extremely difficult, if not impossible to control. You see, love can motivate people to do things that thay would otherwise never do. (referring to Sakai) because of this, love triangle situations can be very unpredictable and potentially dangerous. And it is very coomen, So many people are falling victim to misguided affection these days, most people just don’t seem to realise the seriousness of a love triangle situation before it’s too late. Now, it is true that most love triangles don’t end in violence, but for the ones that do, the victim olmost never sees it coming.(referring to Makoto) And there are some leasons I wanted to give you regarding love tringles, now, thay won’t guerantee anything, but it is good to know. and for your information, I’ve never been in a love triangle situation, but
i’ve seen enough of them (mainly at school) to know pretty much how thay unfold. OK, the first leason is on how to avoid ending-up in a love triangle all together, oh, and be advised, these leasons are for males only sorry. out of all the love triangles I watched unfold, the type that invoved 1 man and 2 women seemed to really catch my attention, mainly because I was so surprised at how easy it is to slip into that situation. Here’s how it usually starts: a man and woman fall in love and start a relationship, everthing is going fine, but then, the man is ether timpted by another woman or he intionaaly seeks it out. ether way, he eventually tells his current girl-freind that he’s leaving her for someone-else, but this doesn’t sit well with her and the love triangle begins. OK, if you ever have to tell your girl-freind that you’re leaving her for another woman, inform her in a way that shows her that you still care about her. you have to be as comforting to her as possible, this should’nt be done over the phone, becuase to her it would appear that you don’t care. And if she asks who you’re leaving her for, only tell her if it’s someon she knows, if not you should’nt tell her anything about the new woman because it would only make her more jealous. And you should stay in contact with her as a freind, until you can conferm that she’s moved on, now, I’m not saying continue dating her because that’s the worst thing you do, just act as if you were freinds. But this doesn’t always work, and you could still end-up in a love triandle, it’s time for second leason: what to do if you’re ever in a dangerous love triangle, I’ll review Makoto’s 3 fetal mistakes and how he could’ve saved himself. But most importantly, how you can avoid falling victim to a similar act of misguided affection. when I return.
OK, I’m back, you all know how much I hated this serie’s ending right? Well
I just went back and watched it again, (only the part where Makoto dies.) I needed to get all the details in preparation for the second and final leason. And yes, it was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. It was so horrific and disturbing that I almost had to stop in the middle of it, and as it turns-out, Makoto wasn’t stabed 4 or 5 times, the poor guy was stabed at least 10 times. And while Sakai was…doing it, she was shouting: “your so selfish” and “all you ever wanted was Katsura”. And did you notice the ominous music that was playing during both murder scenes? It just made the hole thing that much more disturbing. I’m not happy with Sakai at all, (though, in the very begining, I did think she was okay.) now it’s time for the second and final leason: how to resolve a dangerous love triangle, and more importantly, how to escape the situation that killed Makoto. OK, resolving any love triangle can be risky, especielly if it’s like the one depicted in “School Days”. (although a-lot of it was Makoto’s falt.) Continuing to be freinds with Sakai as she slowing got over it (which is what you should do to resolve most love triangles.) wouldn’t have worked here. Sakai did not want the relationship (or what ever it was) to end, now, this is a much more dangerous situation. Simply ignoring her is the best thing to do in this case, OK, now it’s finally time to discus how Makoto could have saved himself. OK, lets say (hypotheticlly) that your in Makoto’s situation, after the brake-up, Your very emotionally disstresed ex-girlfreind unexpectedly shows up at your home for a visit. Beeing the nice guy that you are, you dicide to let her in, OK, here’s what you should do: as she rings the door-bell walk over to the door and look through the peep-hole. After seeing that it’s her, crack the door open just slightly, then glance down at both of her hands quickly, if she’s not holding anything dangerous. go-ahead and open it all the way (and don’t forget to greet her.), now, as she goes to have a seet stay right beside her, because her hand-bag could also cantain somthing dangerous. As you start a conversation be as frenidly as possible, what happaned to Makoto was murder in the first degree, Sakai planed what she did, that’s why she was so unresponsive. She was only there to end Makoto’s life and she knew it, think about it, the text messege which distracted him, that had to be planed. Yes I’m awere of his bad decissions, but thay do not make what happened to him any less of a tragedy and if you disagree with me, you need to go back and watch that episode again, if you can stand it. OK, now back to the leason, you should never, ever leave her unattended, remember, she can not be trusted, not after what she’s been through. Which means you and her can never be in to differant rooms, this means you shouldn’t even use the bathroom while she’s there, think about it, you don’t know what you’re going to walk out into after you’re finished. That’s the apsolute worst pasition you can be in, so you should just hold it, because it’s just to danderous. And if ever goes in the kitchen you stay right besibe her, and never let her touch the nives, (needless to say) if she offers to make dinner, you help her the intire time. Never leave her unattended. And when the visit ends stay biside her until she’s out the door, I truly beileve that if Makoto Had this knowledge he would still be alive. But now, you know, I know every case is differant, but at least now you won’t be going in blind, this will probably be my last review. I wish all of you the best of luck! Goodbye!
Oh, and by the way, I wouldn’t recommend this sires for enyone without first warning them about the ending. I mean seriously, if you haven’t seen this one but are planning to, please stop at episode 11, trust me, you won’t regret it. I completed “School Days” on 9/11/09, now, I’ve been an anime fan for almost 10 years and what transpired at the end of episode 12 (Makoto’s murder) stands as the most horrific, disturbing/realistic anime murder scene that I have ever seen in my life. I know of no comparison, and that is a cold-hard fact. I will never watch any episode of this series again…it’s such a shame, in the begining I honestly thought “School Days” would be my absolute favorite anime series. needless to say that didn,t last long, now, I know some of you might have different opinions about this serie’s ending. But if you feel the way I do about it, it’s completely understandable, and you’re not alone, not even close, well, that’s all. Farewell!
I liked this anime ^.^ If I was Makoto i said ”Things are realy fucked up” xD . Anyway the ending was good, the food was good, and the makoto was fucking asshat. Have a nice day.
i personally loved the anime till episode 12 that wuz one of the most shocking anime scenes iver seen and i seen elfen lied personally i loved elfen lied it wuz great but all the emotional moments in elfen lied didnt come close to the ending of this anime ie this 56% rat
Hmm, Watching this anime is like having your hair pulled, or nails on a chalk-board, or a knife twisted in your gut. Unpleasant and frustrating. That being said, it kinda liked it anyway. Does that make me a masochist?
Wanna hear something funny,when I after finishing Love Hina I asked around and somebody recommended me this anime
What kind of a sick bastard that was ..
First of all I heard School Days…I thought of something like maybe Love Hina or Ouran.Then from the second episode I thought maybe this is a deeper emotional real relationship kinda anime and I was intrigued but from the moment he fucked Sekai or whatever the psycho’s name is.I felt disturbed.
From then on,I actually forced myself for one or two episode.then I just stopped watching.And it looks like maybe one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.Its sick and vile,disgustng if you enjoyed this you must be one twisted social reject,or dumped by a guy and still can’t get over him kinda fuckstick.
It really messes with your head if your in a relationship.I couldn’t even look at my gf for weeks.(I just skipped and I watched the ending…I regret that very much.).
And for people who r trying to make this anime sound like some kind of “profound hidden gem with real human emotions”…Im extremely happy to give them a finger and say Fuck you!.You are sick in the head and go to the nearest insane asylum.
I dont recommend to this any human being and I would advice any anime fans to stay away from this far as you can.You would thank me!
i know i would rate 45/100 on the episode 6-9 because it pissed me off but after watching the last 3 more episodes it made me realize that he only got addicted because he was attracted by that girl to have sex after finishing it my rating is 91/100 its because the ending makes it all [b]CLEAR[/b] u will also change your rate if you watch the last episodes 🙂
Don’t praise this anime for being “different”. Holy hell. This is not the kind of different you want to be. You don’t just a make a bad story about bad characters with a bad ending and say it’s a work of art.
I don’t think there’s anything in particular that makes School Days inherently bad. It failed pretty hard on all fronts. Almost everyone in the series was a terrible person and it was really hard to watch. Everything got worse, no one learned from their mistakes, and the anime ends with some crazy bitch cuddling her boyfriend’s severed head.
Wow everybody seems to hate this anime.
Personally I thought the first half with Makoto getting bored with Girl #1 and realizing that he actually loved Sekai (and Sekai’s reaction) was absolutely brilliant; honestly one of the most realistic and moving portrayals I’ve seen in any anime or TV program to date, no exaggeration. I actually felt the same way as the male lead as the story progressed. The emotion slowly builds up to a dramatic scene where he finally decides he has to be with Sekai instead, and both characters were amazing all throughout.
Then the guy turns into a pervert and a jerk and that’s where I lost that synch feeling. He wants nothing but sex and refuses to tell girl #1 he loves someone else. Hell, he doesn’t even seem to care at all that he’s cheating, though Sakai’s character remains fairly realistic.
I haven’t finished the whole anime as of yet, but the only qualm I’ve had so far was with girl #1; she’s pretty much been a nobody so far, that’s probably why I don’t even remember her name. She seems to exist simply to make matters more complicated. Compared to the great depth displayed by the other two leading characters, she’s as shallow as the cookie-cut heroine in any third-rate romance series’.
I haven’t watched the entire show yet, but so far I’ve been very impressed with School Days. I didn’t even realize it was based off an ecchi game until I read it here; the drama has been too good for me to pay much attention to the occasional butt-rub the newly-assified Makoto throws in.
school days is a nice twist that shows wat happens wene the main guy gets all the girls it can help us understand way naruto dosnt get both sakura and hinata or in blech ichigo rukia and orohime i like it its one of dose animes that u will learn to hate and love
Poor Katsura, man. Seriously. And I know you’re SUPPOSED to hate Makoto, but damn, that guy was insanely easy to hate.
The series is extremely melodramatic, yes, and towards the end it was a cringefest. But I feel as though some of those situations (save perhaps the end event) resonate with many viewers on some level. The themes of cheating and mean girls and high school drama are all overused and quite annoying though.
And why the hell does everyone fall for Makoto? They don’t show him to have any redeeming qualities, though I assume he’s supposed to be attractive. There’s no interaction between him and those stock harem chicks, save for them glaring at him and Katsura all the time, and yet they are apparently helpless before his manly wiles.
A short bit on the ending now, since it seems to spark debate: Nah, the dude didn’t deserve to *HOLYCRAPSPOILER* die *END SPOILER*, but he did deserve some freakin’ pain. It’s just the depiction of each of these girls apparently having no choice but to sex this guy that pisses me off. Something that I believe could have made this series a lot stronger would be just one strong-willed, half-intelligent female character who warns these other chicks to watch out. Or maybe I just hate sad endings. That one was downright spooky though.
So all in all pretty unrealistic (yeah, Makoto was more believable than most male leads, but come on, there has to be at least one poor girl somewhere that he doesn’t want to bone) and really funny in a bad way, but entertaining-ish. At least it’s only 12 episodes.
well after watching the final, i actually kind of liked it. I know it was a very horrifying ending, but these was obviously a tragedy, happy endings are often not real. The guy you meet is not the nice cute guy, the friends sometimes are not the best ones and things are just not mend to be. I think the author gives away the message or more like a warning to people to let go of someone that can ultimately lead you to suffering. I have known many suicidal girls for love in my high school no kidding. I think at that age people are just not mature enough to accept that forever love is not very realistic. And people do get psychotic about that, if we think about all the stalkers, suicidal and just plain violent people in relationships. At least that is my opinion because I have been in the situation of the crazy girl with the cheating and the pregnant girl and all, and sometimes specially when you are young you really get crazy and obsessed with that. Im lucky i decided to get out of the crap i was in but for many girls that just can’t get over it and have no one to turn to its very horryfing almost surreal. This anime ws like the biography of the hell i went through for reals!!!!lol never going back that road again.
After reading the review, and the comments (thanks Neal), i’m definitely won’t watch this.
After watching this anime, I deleted it from my computer. The first half was excellent. However, the later episodes were a little disturbing. The ending was just shocking.
Omg awesome anime for me guys, dont judge me. Had a disturbing ending that just makes me not want to date anyone anymore
heres the message:
watch out who youre dating with
DONT FUCKING CHEAT
dont trust a girl who wants to connect you to a girl
and last but not least
DONT FUCKING MAKE A BABY TO A GIRL IN TEENAGE YEARS!you’ll ruin her life,and yours too!reffering to the dont cheat message,dont go fucking around f’ing around girls and being a perverted jerk.
It has the most mentally traumatizing story. I was lured to the anime after stumbled across the last 5 mins of the show. Got me thinking about it for 3 days before I finally decided to watch it. It’s the best anime ever. I think I might need to speak to a psychotherapist to help me recover from the event within.