poorbabydabi

Story | 7/10

Absolutely adorable and beautiful to me, but lacks essential build-up. It was more focused on Tsugumi and friends, leaving little screentime for the villain’s development. However, it still had that little touch of mystery to it. I also very much appreciated the bonds that were made and sustained. The story was simple and well-executed. It also further humanized the experiences new students of the D.W.M.A. go through.

Although Soul Eater Not! is certainly not like the original Soul Eater series, I find this anime is best appreciated for what it is in its own right. I personally enjoyed Soul Eater Not! because it made me feel so much, with its funny or sad or even a little disturbing moments.

Animation | 8/10

Beautiful animation. Many colors and a lot of adorable visual motifs. The emotional expressions could have a little more detail to them, but in spite of that, some moments indeed stirred my sympathy. The animation altogether is definitely quite the upgrade from Soul Eater, I find.

Sound | 8/10

I am yet to watch it in the original Japanese, but for the English dub, I am pretty pleased. The voice acting may sound a little annoying at first, but you get used to it. In fact, with just how expressive the voices are, the characters may even grow on you. I love how distinguishable the voices are as well. Only complaint I have is how repetitive the dialogue can be at times.

The original soundtrack is nice, but hardly noticeable if you’re caught up in the visuals or voice-acting (that is, if you are a big fan of this anime). I loved the opening theme song because it was so upbeat and catchy. The ending song is beautiful and catchy, but it also pulls at my heart strings, because it also seems nostalgic and a little sad.

Characters | 7.5/10

The characters personalities remain the same, but what developed the most were their friendships. I appreciate how well the characters learned to get along better with each other. I also especially love their diverse personalities and how they seem to go well together for the sake of the story.

Overall | 7/10

I’m sad to see Soul Eater Not! get so many disappointed reviews, so I decided to write this review to remind us we must see Soul Eater Not! for what it is, rather than what it could have been. What this anime was really about may seem dull to others, but it does have its own charm, quirks, as well as meaningful gestures.