Not even regarding the style, the plot is still executed very well. For a visual novel adaption, this alrealy elevates its status. Throw in the animation, style and panache it has, and it makes it a very, very good show indeed. Like you said, it doesn’t muck about with issues that other shows of this type think are serious business, which makes it much more realistic. It really ramps up the drama when it wants to as well.

I don’t care how many times it’s been mentioned – my heart was in my mouth for that phone box scene. The music, the words, just everything about it was pure class.

Martin – I’ve never seen anything described as Anno-esque, but I suppose it’s apt. Although anything truly Anno-esque would have to demonstrate just a little contempt for humanity (and the viewer…)

I think pretty much the same thing as you do on the first ef series (although I’m one of those people who probably read too much into it!) – as Ted said here, the storytelling is so well done that originality isn’t an issue.

I suppose the art style really helped gain it some of the attention it got from the viewers but as much as this in turns baffled and amazed me, it was a good old fashioned romance story about characters I could care about.

It’s been said many times already but that phone scene was absolutely superb. Anno-esque, almost. ^_^

That’s just about the love triangle though.

In the memory loss story… Holy God. Those were some of the best characters I’ve ever, ever seen. On par with Eva, definitely (not in terms of the show, just as far as the characters go).

That being said, it’s not like, anime canon or anything. It’s not seminal or revolutionary, although its direction is pretty orgasmic. It’s just an arty, metaphor-laden drama. One of the best dramas I’ve seen in the medium. Watch it. It’s good.