Guilty Crown: ANIME REVIEW

First review request from a good friend of mine, I hope you like it!

Imagine this anime as a copy-paste document form Code Geass where the makers just changed the font style and color and maybe added or deleted a few sentences. Unlike other reviews I'll write this one as if we are living in an universe where Code Geass does not exist and just focus on this reviews topic, Guilty Crown.
A rating of 7,89 on MAL (My Anime List) is just right to describe the 22-episode-long anime that finished airing in 2012. The pros and cons of this series kinda cancel each other leaving a nice anime with an 35% approximate chance that I'll watch it again. Probably not...

Plot and Storyline:

I don't know why, but if anime makers mess something up then it's always the end, or in this case the whole second half. Guilty Crown would be much better if it only had the 12 episodes it has in the beginning. The rest is nearly trash. The end was so rushed, the happenings were all so sudden and the  plot was somehow made up of loosely connected events that just caused a lot of plot-holes. Not to mention the untold love story between the main two characters. While watching the second half my facial expression only changed from What? to What the Hell? 
The idea it self seems okay to me. Tokyo, 2039. Ten years ago a lethal virus broke out causing a lot of deaths in whole Japan. This event is known under the name "Lost Christmas", and since then Japan has been under control of the multinational organization called GHQ. The GHQ however just kills everyone that might be affected by the virus resulting a lot of innocent lifes to be taken. Against the GHQ fights a terrorist group named "Funeral Parlor". 
In the middle of the story we have 17-year-old Ouma Shu who by accident meets Inory, a member of Funeral Parlor. After getting into a fight with the GHQ, in wish to save Inory, he gains, trough her, the power to extract voids from humans, tools or weapons that manifest a person's heart. Soon after, Shu joins Funeral P. and begins his fight against the GHQ.

Characters:

As for the characters of this anime, they are some interesting personalities and some you really just want to punch in the face. Let's start with the main character, Ouma Shu. 

He is the one I'd like to punch in the face. Ouma Shu is such a cry-baby, a guy that never knew what he actually wanted. I've never seen such a self-centered anime character. I think that he really never trusted anyone to the fullest.  But...(yeah there is a but). The only good thing in the second half is his character development. He becomes a good leader and finally starts using his own head instead of letting his mind being pumped with lies and promises. Also he shows that jealousy really results in  distrust. 

She is literary the puppet in this anime. Inory is to me just a little robot used by Funeral Parlor because of her talent and naivety. I was so sorry for her when "a certain someone" (no spoilers but I think you know who it might be) uses her love. "Even if everyone calls you a liar, even if you hate your self. I'll be on your side."
                       -Inory Yuzuriha 

This is a typical leader character. Strong, determine and smart. Gai Tsustugami always knew what he wanted and knew what he was fighting for. To bad that the ghosts from the past found him again. 

This girl is also one of my Guilty Crown favorites. Always strong, on her own, showing no weaknesses. That's a great characteristic of a disabled girl and besides,  if you show no weakness, people won't be able to find a way to hurt you.  
Thanks for teaching me this, Ayase Shinomiya.

Animation:

The thing that definitely makes everything right after the bad story end is the animation. It is the best animated anime I've ever seen in my life. The visual effects, the landscapes, the fights,  the character looks. Masterpiece! I mean, just look for instance at the way Shu pulls out the voids, that silver things around and....Awesome! 

Conclusion:

Okay, this anime really has a few setbacks. The second half really bombs the watcher with background stories and events that just complicate everything. You get the feeling that even the makers didn't know how to finish it leaving us with a disappointing anime that actually started pretty good. As said before, the animation on the other hand fixes most of the mistakes and really makes you wanna watch the show. One more good thing I want to commend is the imperfection of the main character. Shu is a bad character, but his personality gave the show that little drama. 

After considering everything I would give this anime a 7/10, I liked it and the only thing that I won't forgive the makers is the untold love story. I recommend you to watch it but don't get too disappointed, I've warned you.

Your AnimeGirl <3