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Rating: 9/10

Impressions:

Now that’s a rather big quality drop, but at least it isn’t in any of the aspects that actually count. There are still no flaws in the character animation and drawings, though you just have to notice the amount of simple smileys used for faces. I mean, the most noticeable would have to be Puchiko’s band members, who all had a retarded look. I was surprised that such little effort was put into the concert though, even though it’s still awesome (since I love concerts and performances in anime). This ending in my opinion is slightly too vague, as it doesn’t solve anything, but rather just gives the possibility of Dejiko getting back together with Takurou. And exactly how long must Dejiko and Puchiko return home for? I guess the ending leaves you to wonder about the possible outcomes; though all the happy ones will all end in the same way. It becomes pretty obvious that Aiko is Takurou’s sister by the end, as it can be expected that this guy, who has been portrayed as a nice guy, wouldn’t two-time so guiltlessly and chase after one while he’s with the other.

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Popularity: 10% [?]

Rating: 8.8/10

Impressions:

Genres: Romance(?)
Episodes: 2
OP: “Forget-me-not�? by Hiromi Satou
ED: “Winter Garden�? by Asami Sanada
Studio: J.C. Staff
Official Site: http://www.broccoli.co.jp/dejiko/anime.html
Official Site: http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/wintergarden/

Winter Garden, the spinoff of Di Gi Charat, where ten years have passed and Deijiko and Puchiko are 20 and 15 respectively. It doesn’t look like there’s any connection between the two shows apart from the two characters with the same name. They don’t even look anything like the characters from Di Gi Charat. Well anyway, the quality is rather high, though with one very noticeable flaw; the shadowing. Hardly anything is shadowed, and this is obvious on the clothes and face. However, it does blend in well with the watercolour/washy background, so it’s not that bad. Apart from that though, the character design and animation is exceptional. Walking sequences now don’t just mean making heads bob up and down. The movement is fluid and obeys the laws of physics more closely than your average anime. It is also more biologically correct, since I don’t think any normal person walks without moving their shoulders. I love the character design too, and the character I instantly found as my favourite would have to be Puchiko!

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Popularity: 11% [?]