On Fairy Tail

I haven't watched anime in a really long time and maybe it's just that I got bored of everything. After Gintama was done, I felt like there was an emptiness which I didn't know how was going to be filled (sad but true). Then I remembered that a couple of years ago, I started watching Fairy Tail but only got to the 14th episode or so. And so, I decided to watch it again from the very beginning to remember all past events and I'm glad that I did. Not only have I discovered that I pretty much forgot everything that has happened but also that there's something different about it this time.

It has been argued that Fairy Tail is pretty much about nothing except the main characters powering up or whatever but I beg to differ. I don't want to to ruin it for anyone who is currently watching or planning to watch it but there is a point to the anime. However, even if there wasn't any point to it, I would still watch and recommend it. The Japanese culture is very family oriented and establishing good relationships with everyone around you is of vital importance and that's exactly what anime tries to get across, stressing on values such as the importance of family and friends, and to always be in search of your dreams and never give up. Things such as this make anime worth watching even if there is no specific goal for it. 

From left to right: Natsu, Gray, Erza and Lucy.

As for Fairy Tail, I have to admit that I haven't watched anything this exciting since Gintama stopped airing. For you who don't know what Fairy Tail is about, the story takes place in the kingdom of Fiore where magic is a common practice. Seventeen year old Lucy runs away from home to join the rambunctious wizard's guild Fairy Tail and happens to run into one of the guild's members, Natsu.

The first season doesn't seem to be all that interesting regarding the story line and the animation is average, but as the story progresses, both the animation and story get better and the anime gets closer to the manga. However, I got hooked from the first arc and the fillers are actually worth watching (I watched all 134 episodes so far in a week). I find myself getting really into it emotionally and I feel all the suspense in all the serious moments of the anime. 

I happen to like the soundtrack from the very start and although some themes are common and get replayed in different versions, they're still as enjoyable to listen to. The sad scores are used very well, in the right moments and it adds a lot of more emotion to sad scenes that just make you feel like tearing up (I cried a few times). To me, the soundtrack makes or breaks the series. 

What I really like about this anime is the characters; they're all very well thought out and they have very unique personalities that make it hard to choose a favorite. Each character has his/her own quirkiness with a funny/known catch phrase and comedic antics. Also, you don't feel like one character is hogging the whole show but a number of characters get good screen time. The bonds of trust and friendship between characters is highly commendable and it just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. 

All in all, it's a spectacular anime with a lot of laughs, tears and suspense and I definitely do recommend it to all anime fans.