Alexaros

When I read the reviews I was confused. Some people said it was lame and a waste of time, as I started to see it I thought "are we talking about the same anime?" 

I imminently found myself immerse in this amazing universe that Kore Yamazaki created. I wasn't very fond of the character design but Oh boy! When I saw the magical creatures and the background art everything changed. At the begging I had my questions about Chise and Elias relationship. I was a little concerned about the whole codependency narrative and the mental health development, but as the show advanced they learn more about each other in a very slow and in my perspective a very human way. It's a hard process, and they don't fully recover from their past, but they are willing to be better each day and that's beautiful. 

Sure, the formula of the show gets worn out by the middle of it (she's about to die, then they go back home) and I get some characters were abandoned, thereby the critiques on the lack of character development. For me, every chapter teaches a valuable lesson to Chise, she learned that almost everybody feels alone, that they have suffered and that love is complex, but she deserves it. Also, the vulnerability of the characters is amazingly portrayed, they were all so lost until they found each other, and to see different perspectives of one sentiment in a short amount of time is a success. It has its flaws, I agree, it was sometimes lame, but I think in a way is a study of the human condition and a story able to explore that deserves your time. 

Overall, it is a good anime, give it a chance, the whole journey is worth it.