Ethan Austin

There are so many things I could say about this show, I honestly don't know where to start cause it's good in so many ways. One of the most important things I feel like I should mention first is how different it is from most of the things I'm used to watching. VE has a vastly different tone, style, and genre from the more colorful, action-driven Demon Slayer and KonoSuba, but even if the tone is worlds apart from what I'm used to, it's one I could really get behind. I am so glad I decided to actively explore all different kinds of anime genres instead of sticking to one because it showed me how I can enjoy multiple kinds of anime in different ways. I don't end up comparing VE to other things I've watched since it's a whole different kind of enjoyment from them. I really, really like how the anime is able to have such a relatively small, simple scope (which isn't even that small or light the further the story is fleshed out and the more I empathize with the characters in my opinion) and give such depth and meaning to it. It focuses more on the individual characters' meaningful personal experiences and maximizes the empathy we have for them. They're able to take something as simple as writing letters and convincingly convey such strong emotions and values through it and the touching stories built around it that really resonates with me and whisks me along on the emotional journey. I also just can't get over the incredible writing. I find it really poetic how they weave the story together and use symbolism and analogical allegories that sometimes even refer to other parts of the story and reveal their deeper meaning later on. Of course, not to mention wonderful character development, visuals amazing from the very start, and the perfectly suitable pacing that allows me to slowly connect with the characters more so it delivers maximum impact near the end. The art style and animation are so breathtaking and smooth contesting even against KnY's ufotable art style in its own unique way Kyoto Animation is a blessing to this world. The OP, ED, and so many OSTs are also way too good and even when I listen to them now long after I've finished the series they still emotionally impact me so much and can change how I'm currently feeling in an instant. Of course it would be an unforgivable sin to rant about VE without talking about just how inexplicably sad it is. I can't even find the right words to describe how sad it is. It's legitimately sad, just how much the series is able to make the audience emphatize with its characters and their experiences is astounding. Very unfortunately, I can't talk about the specific scenes that made it so emotional cause that would spoil it and I just don't have it in me to do that even with a spoiler warning. But the seamless combination of beautiful animation, heart-wrenching OSTs, and ingenious storytelling and character design perfectly sets the scenes to hit you right where it hurts. Even if I had already expected it after seeing the first few episodes this anime hit me really hard. I cried watching it, which is saying a lot because I am really not an explicitly emotional or sensitive person. Even for the parts where I didn't cry, anything emotional enough to send chills all over my body (and very different chills from seeing smth scary or super cool), cause a physical ache in my chest, and make me barely notice the deep, shaky breaths I'm taking to fight back the lump in my throat in almost every single episode is nothing short of a masterpiece.