Is Angel Beats! A Good Anime?
Angel Beats (2010) is a 13 episode anime about a group of teens in a “suspended” state before they move in to the afterlife. To answer the question posed in the title of this post: Yes, Angel Beats is a very good show, and it is definitely worth your time.
Although it might seem like it during some episodes, Angel Beats isn’t really a romance anime. It’s kind of like a sci-fi/slice of life/comedy anime, with some action elements weaved into the plot. Thinking about it now, I don’t even think I can really categorize Angel Beats anywhere because it’s touches on a variety of themes.
The series does a lot in 13 episodes, but it never feels too rushed. Of course there are episodes that are better than others, but nothing feels too out of place with Angel Beats. The main characters anchor the series emotionally, and it’s the emotional aspect that brings the series to life.
What Is It About?
As I mentioned before, Angel Beats is about the afterlife. To explain it simply, the series follows a group of teens as they resist “passing on” into the next life. So spoiler alert: Everyone in the show is already dead. This is where the sci-fi/slice of life genre come into play.
The main character is a teenage boy named Yuzaru Otonashi who arrives in the afterlife (which is in the form of a school), and he has no recollection of his life prior to dying. He meets up with a group called the “Afterlife Battlefront”— a group set on rebelling against God’s will to pass on—and he teams up with them for no true reason.
As the series progresses, the main cast of characters begin to uncover the true reasons why they are in this afterlife, and they are forced to face the things that they couldn’t in real life.
This quality alone gives Angel Beats a nuanced storytelling voice, as the “goals” of the plot aren’t established until later on in the show. Angel Beats might make people who watch it reflect on their own lives as they can draw parallels between themselves, and the characters.
Although this story is fictional, the emotions fleshed out feel real because the stories of the main characters can be real. Angel Beats seeks to answer the question many might have for those who have passed on too soon, or at a young age. How would they feel after their lives were cut short? What would their actions in the afterlife be like knowing they had a traumatic real life?
Even though the series deals with a gloomy subject such as death, it handles it in a very productive way. It answers all of the questions posed early on, and it does a lot of character building in 13 episodes.
Final Consensus
As Angel Beats is 13 episodes long, I would recommend watching the show in one sitting. I say this because the plot is very linear, and it might gel better for those who forget what happens in previous episodes. Emotions from one episode carry into the next.
Angel Beats is a show that deals with a unique topic for an anime series, and handles it with action an comedy elements. This show is a funny one, and a tear-jerker rolled into one. In a world where anime titles and genres can all start blending because of their similarities, Angel Beats provides a breath of fresh air to avid slice of life watchers.
In fact, Angel Beats is probably one of the more notable slice of life anime. It has been a mainstay in the anime community for years, and after watching it, I can agree that it’s pretty dang good.
Angel Beats is not a perfect anime by any means, but this doesn’t mean it isn’t great. This show is one that anime fans should watch. Another anime similar to Angel Beats is another popular one called “Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day.”
Watch Angel Beats, and I guarantee you will be able to identify with it. It is a very good show to watch!
