Full Moon wo Sagashite - Reviews

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FreddyCrab's avatar
May 12, 2012

Story: Prior to watching this anime, I had already read the manga of Full Moon and was very familiar with the manga. It takes a good manga to persuade me to watch the anime as well- usually I go for something different so I can hopefully uncover a new, shiny gem instead of just re-experiencing the same old story. But the manga of Full Moon was good, so I gave the anime a shot.

The story was alright. But it came clear from both this and from prior opinions I've recieved of this anime, that fillers are abundant in this show. In a way I did see them as a necessity- time is an important part of this storyline, and if it were to be a short anime then it wouldn't seem as realistic that Mitsuki's last year to live had been fully drawn out. But the fillers were aggravatingly annoying and pointless. I thought the story was poorly narrated and shown in a way far too childish- Full Moon is a teenage story, and although it seems happy on the surface, deep down its really rather morbid, yet this wasn't shown in this anime, it looked like a show for three year olds. 

The end episode I decided to watch regardless. Suprisingly, despite it not being narrated as well as the mange version, I actually preferred the ending of the anime to the manga. The manga ending didn't bring tears to my yes like the anime version did, and if it can do that to me when I haven't even watched all the anime version, then I can only imagine how powerful it must be to a first-time viewer whos watched all the episodes loyally.

Animation: I couldn't believe how gaudy and tacky I found this when comparing it with the manga. Sure it isn't particularly recent, but even so, for 2004 or whenever it was produced around that time, the characters looked poor. Eyes were so rushed and simplified it just ruined the characters. Hair looked weirdly chubby and messy. In general colours were dull, uninteresting blocks of childish primary colours what only further made this anime look like something for three year olds. 

Sound: Meh. I liked a few songs, but many were also gaudy and unappealing. Thankfully the majority of these weren't as childish as the animation was. But the opening and ending songs? Oh. My. God. Worst music EVER. And what was with the weird animations of characters dancing in the opening? Cringe, cringe and cringe.

Characters: These were, I felt, badly percieved. They didn't do the characters justice at all in whatever animation studio created this anime. Meroko was more bratty and annoying than the manga- in the manga you could relate to her, but in the anime she was just a pain. Takuto seemed....vague, and not in the mysterious way he was meant to be. He just...wasn't done. A part of him was missing.  And Mitsuki? Annoying. -_-

Overall: Maybe younger kids could watch this- its certainly aimed at their target audience, but they just wouldn't be able to fully appreciate the subtle themes and quirks this story has. I strongly suggest reading the manga instead.

7.5/10 story
6/10 animation
6.5/10 sound
7/10 characters
6.5/10 overall
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ladycloche17's avatar
Apr 18, 2013

Full Moon wo Sagashite... Where to even begin? First of all, I went into this anime without having much hopes for it. You see, I was really just looking for a good gxb romance- a decent one even- because I've seen just about all of them. however, despite the cheesey shoujoness of this anime I quickly became quite attached. Within three days I completed all fifty episodes! The story on the surfaced may seem shallow, and the whole idol thing cliche, but that couldn't be further from the truth!

For a magical shoujo such as this one might expect happy goodness all round, but I have NEVER been on such a roller coaster of emotion as I have watching Full Moon. While admittedly, it did take me some time to adapt to her constantly crying for Eichi, I just told myself Mitsuki is only a fifth grader after all, plus she has cancer- I should give her a break. Anyhow, the story and tempo is so riveting partly because of the characters and setbacks. I wouldn't have been able to sit and enjoy 52 episodes at this pace if things were going like they did in Shugo Chara Party (which I only completed for Ikuto and to finish the series). The sadness is so touching, but that itself would be a complete soapbox. indeed, Full Moon is in no way lacking in comedy and good times either. The ending was great; it was sensible, and left you wanting more like, "now what do I do with my life?" haha My only regret is that they didn't delve into the Shinigami world enough. 

Next, animation... *sob* I'm still crying bittersweet tears from this one~ Anyway, the animation did what it was supposed to in my opinion. It wasn't distracting by being either too good or too bad. In fact, it wasn't fancy at all- just average. Some people might want more in this department, but I think Full Moon is all about the sound and what the sound was based on (character's feelings, story, etc.)

The sound in Full Moon was beautiful. Even without subtitles, I was able to feel so much from them. I want this soundtrack! ;w; My only complaint is that for an anime about singing, there don't seem to be enough songs (and sometimes it gets predictable about when they'll play and such), however, that is easily overlooked and forgotten about in this one.

I'm pretty tolerant of all charcter types in anime, but Full Moon sure made me hate one or two for a while. I usually love the conceited female rivals, but I spat in my computer anytime Madoka appeared. Haha, of course- this was the intent all along. I was kind of mad at myself when I found myself liking her later on... At any rate, no matter the range of personalities, or the roles they played I felt very strong distinctions between every character in Full Moon! There were some many relationship twists and pasts that took me for a ride. Sometimes, I'd be crossing my fingers hoping I was wrong- then I'd have to dance when I learned I was mistaken. ^.^ I would have ranked characters a perfect ten if some of the roles had developed a little further (particularly Izumi and Johnathan)... Well, there are some other questions I have that are really eating at me- but I understand that they had a reason for never revealing those answers...

Overall, I couldn't praise this anime enough! I'd surely write so much more, but, as I said earlier, I've watched 52 episodes in three days, and I'd better dry up my snot and sleep. I hope everyone considers Full Moon wo Sagashite, because I never bother writing reviews, no matter how good/ bad an anime is. If you have any doubts due to the genre, worry not- I certainly didn't think it was for me either! Well fellow otakus, ta-ta for now.    \(o.o)/

p.s. Forgive me, but I don't proofread. TuT

8/10 story
7/10 animation
9/10 sound
9/10 characters
10/10 overall
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elusify's avatar
Jan 17, 2016

Okay, I'm going to be a little biased, but deal with me here -- the anime basically veered off the path of the manga at a certain point, but I can say it's more "realistic" (I mean, as realistic as it can be for a story where two shinigami who can turn into tiny cat and dog figures), and it has an ending (I won't give anything away) that was unlike the manga. I won't say much more about this, but I can just say that you shouldn't avoid the anime just because it's not like the manga -- every episode was worth the watch!

8/10 story
9/10 animation
10/10 sound
8/10 characters
8/10 overall
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KiligPanda's avatar
Mar 21, 2018

The story was fantastic, you fall in love with the caracters and get attached to them as you continue to watch and you can definetly feel the moments when there is something you know will make you cry. I feel like there wasn't much shown for much of the shinigamis or Eichi's past or what happened to them, it was focused on the main protaginist and even though thats that the story is 100% recomended for me

10/10 story
9/10 animation
7/10 sound
9/10 characters
10/10 overall
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KirariChan's avatar
Dec 9, 2018

Full Moon wo Sagashite is honestly one of the best anime that I've watched in my whole entire life. 

The story, the characters and the whole entire anime captured my heart, tearing it to pieces every episode. No words can describe how amazing this anime is.

The story follows a 12-year-old girl Mitsuki who has a throat tumour and two new found friends that were fated to take her soul. She wishes to sing when she finds out she only has a year to live so her new friends Takuto Kira and Meroko Yui help her become a professional singer in the time she has left. Full Moon wo Sagashite follows the emotional story of Mitsuki and her shinigami friends as they discover what it means to sing—and ultimately, what it means to live. It's heartbreaking and emotional (I was crying throughout the anime and my family kept asking me if I was okay. I WAS NOT OKAY) but you see the characters grow immensely. 

  • You have Mitsuki's grandmother who had a bad past with music who now loves music because Mitsuki has shown her how wonderful it is. 
  • Mitsuki herself has grown. A 12 year old girl learning to feel what it's like to live. FInding out that her childhood friend is no more and ending up feeling sad but in the end, Takuto and Meroko stick by her side until she's back to her old self. 
  • Meroko. Oh our sweet Meroko learns that emotions aren't just shared by one person. She learns to love more and find herself in the story. In the anime Meroko deals with a lot. Feels she has to shoulder everything and that's what I like about her. In the end, it sucked that Meroko left Takuto and Mitsuki as an Angel, to let Mitsuki and Takuto find their own path. She left with no regrets, now climbing her own journey and watching over her two precious friends. 
  • And Takuto. He's a stubborn one. But he stuck by Mitsuki, believing that fate isn't everything, that Mitsuki deserves to live more than anyone. Then he finds that he lovessss herrrrrr oooohh. He grows a bond with her, even bonding a close-knit relationship with Meroko. Takuto throughout the anime never gave up on Mitsuki. Never. 

I'm saying this. WATCH THIS ANIME. I DON'T CARE IF YOU CRY. WATCH THIS ANIME. If You like magic, singing, emotion, tears, laughter and a bit of a silly main character, this is your anime. You won't regret it. 

10/10 story
10/10 animation
10/10 sound
10/10 characters
10/10 overall
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