An undeniable return
Only a few months have passed when I realized that I did not possess the gusto for anime as I once did. It was even a shock for me when I felt that everything was merely a re-hash of what has been. I am sure, however, that most hardcore anime fans have felt this at least once in their lives. I searched for another medium to sate my desire for entertainment; thankfully, with some well-written Korean dramas, they have been temporarily fulfilled.
Still, I wanted to return to anime, but having seen the brunt of the anime this season discouraged me from finding the series that would once again firestart my love for it. It was with irony that I submerged myself into anime fandom once again merely with a meme and a picture of a well-endowed girl (Katsura Kotonoha). Yes, it wasn’t the complexities or the search for a raison d’etre featured in series like Ergo Proxy that made me enjoy anime again. It wasn’t even the intellectual masturbation featured in Lain and her kin. It was merely a sexy girl, and a NICE BOAT.
I am glad I watched School Days, though. For one, it turns the harem genre on its head and takes it for a spin. For another, it has hot girls. But most importantly, it possesses the realism that can barely be seen in most harem series.
Murder?
Insanity?
Death?
Such strong words, as cardinal rules of making harem series, simply do not belong. In fact, the harem series must stay away from these occurrences. Death, perhaps, is acceptable in terms of evoking emotion, but murder and insanity are often no-noes (if ever insanity appears, however, it is temporary and has no ill aftereffect on the person). This is not so with School Days.
School Days is a lot more realistic with regard to its characters. It is so realistic that it frankly becomes scary later on, especially in the final episode. But because I’m too tired to post pictures and too tired to write more, simply put, you should see it to believe it. 
September 30th, 2007 at 2:41 am
Glad to see you back, Michael! Honestly, while School Days was tons of fun to write about (and popular to boot), whatever realism it had was squandered in my opinion by episode 7, at which it became a really lurid and ridiculous soap opera. And I found the ending too sadistic for my taste. It has its pleasures though, and is definitely unique in the annals of harem anime. I’ve never seen such a dislikable protagonist anywhere before. Maybe that this is a massive deconstruction of the harem genre.
October 1st, 2007 at 10:25 pm
New season, new beginnings.
Ah, School Days, must finish. I had to get past the male lead to enjoy the complex emotional bishis.
Whee
October 2nd, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Thanks guys!
@Mike
Hm, I’d agree. I still think that series was awesome, though.
@RyanA
The male … is absolutely unforgivable as a lead. Honest.
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:01 pm
yeah
simply put
he’s an asshole of epic proportions
imo, a billion times more than he was in the game if you played that : o
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:03 pm
ah crap, forgot something
double post!
welcome back dude!
you are the shit and whatnot! XD
October 3rd, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Haha, I am the shit. Thanks, I guess?
February 21st, 2008 at 4:45 pm
[...] one for the “stuck in the anime rut” pile, Michael at Anime| Otaku had at great post about feeling refreshed when he started watching School Days. I completely understand the sensation [...]