I just want to say what an amazing piece of art that Natsuki Takaya, TMS Entertainment, and 8 Pan anime have created together.
As a quick disclaimer for this review: I'm not only talking about the final season but the series as a whole, now that it is finished. This review doesn't contain any spoilers, other than character names, but it does require that you at least understand what the story is about, or have watched/read some of it.
The story is a good mix of some cliche tropes along with a great deal of originality. It manages to make a good balance between silly funny moments and the heavier scenes that bring a tear to the eye. the progression is easy to follow and goes at a reasonable pace. It does a very good job of creating character progression, that fits with the storyline. There is always something keeping the plot interesting barely at reach, so the viewer will be eager to continue watching. As a person who read the manga before the anime reboot was released, they did an amazing job at still filling me with anticipation for the next episodes, even though I technically knew what would happen.
The animation is stunning! This level of quality was such a treat when the only other comparison was the 2001 version. It feels almost as if you are watching an anime movie. They do a mix of beautiful cinematic shots and also some derpy drawings, to compliment the humor in the anime. The ability that these animators have to make facial expressions so full of emotion is amazing, I applaud you.
The sound in the anime is great, no complaints there. The openings and endings are so beautiful, especially for seasons 2 and 3. The voice actors (for the Japanese version) do a wonderful job at conveying the emotions of the characters, and the voices fit each character so well, nothing really sounds off.
The Characters are each so well written. Some are obviously given more attention than others, and the show takes a turn for introducing each character and creating their character development, so those of the characters who have minor roles are sometimes forgotten and not really mentioned much in the later seasons and or episodes. This is an understandable decision, and they still do well in progressing the character development for the characters that are most important to the story. As a manga reader, there is one person in particular, that I felt was a bit too overlooked. That character is Katsuya, Tohru's father. In the Manga, there were a few chapters dedicated to the backstory of Katsuya and Kyoko, while in the anime they give only a brief summary, like when Kyo talks to Tohru's grandfather. I believe it was a creative choice that fit the anime and had I not read the manga beforehand, I would not have missed seeing it as it isn't really necessary or a central plot point. If you want to know more details about some of the characters' backstories, I recommend reading the manga. There are some things that the anime leaves out, nothing major of course. The anime does do a nice job of including a lot, but they can't show everything obviously.
Overall this anime is probably my favorite of all time. People have very different tastes, so this won't be for everyone, but I recommend this to anyone who likes Shoujo, slice of life, or an anime that has both sweet, funny, and deep moments.
To the creators, thank you for making this anime, I feel absolutely blessed, and to you, thank you for reading my review. I hope you found it helpful!
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