Arte

Arte (2020) 

Let me tell you about how the reviewer Scalpelexis totally spoiled my enjoyment of this anime series! I kind of liked it, especially the animation which I think is beautiful, and I also liked some of the characters (especially Leo). Then, after reading Scalp's review (at the time he wrote it), I had to admit that he seemed to be absolutely sure, plus, he even knew exactly where this whole thing was heading after only the first episode?!?? What really spoiled my enjoyment of this anime series was that I got the feeling that the manga author completely neglected the fact that Asian people behave in a totally different way to Europeans because we are definitely not as overly deferential to each other. The fact that the main protagonist deals with her problems in a typical shonen style - refusing to give up, and working harder than others, because it is bound to be noticed and appreciated - does not fit me either. So thank you, my dearest colleague, if I had not read that review you posted (so it is actually all my own fault), maybe I would not have noticed all those things, and I would be now writing a mainly positive review of a really nice anime series... I would however like to point out that the manga author skillfully portrays a young woman's struggle with her place in society and shows it firstly from one perspective, and then in the second half manages to turn it around (disadvantages become advantages) from a different point of view. I would also highlight the lovely animation and respectable soundtrack. I could go on about how I found a lot of the characters quite endearing and that it actually had a nice atmosphere. However, I had to watch a lot of the episodes through gritted teeth, because I started noticing those little discrepancies, things that just did not sit right with me, so I just could not get into the right mood and completely chill out. Should I award this show a feeble four stars or a strong three stars? That is all that matters! OK, a strong three stars... 6.4/10. (21.06.2020)