Angel Beats! (2010)

Director: Seiji Kishi
Studio: PA Works
Starring: Hiroshi Kamiya, Harumi Sakurai, Kana Hanazawa
Episodes: 13

Synopsis:
A young man finds himself in the world after death, where a small group of rebellious students fight against their fate and the "angel" who would subdue them.

Impressions:
Recently I've started playing Heaven Burns Red and I've been enjoying it immensely, namely for the character writing, so I wanted to look into the writer's other works. And who would it be but Jun Maeda, who I've encountered before with The Day I Became a God. Back when I was watching that, I remembered this series come up in discussions. It didn't take long for me to pick up the common thematic threads, a cast of eccentrics whose comedic antics are undercut by deep personal tragedy and a struggle against forces far greater than themselves. I enjoyed watching the mysteries unravel and I did appreciate most of the characters, but much like The Day I Became a God, I felt the third act of the story was rushed and undercooked. The setup would've afforded a great opportunity to build up the supporting cast, but we still manage to get a fairly poignant conclusion. It has some rough edges, but this high school purgatory is a neat concept and this is certainly worth a watch.

Rating:
Watch It