Pros:
- Good animation.
- Decent storyline
- No filler
- A lot of the characters are touching and presented well.
- Starting from the second episode, it is a thriller.
Meh:
- Faces are strange
- Some plot twists might have been better without them
- Adults do not need (and thus likely wouldn't) to act that way.
- The logic used is a bit over the top.
- The outsmarting is a little annoying at times.
Cons:
Starting from the second episode, this anime kept me wanting to see the next one, so much so, that i watched it all in one sitting. A lot of the show is done well, such as the colors, music, voices, relationships, and setting. The setting itself is laid out in the first episode, and the plot starts with the second. It really does flow well.
The story ends up being about accepting fate or challenging it, and logic, wits, acting, and outsmarting. This is a double edged sword. For the plot to work, they must be children, and yet, the maneuvering and most of the emotional states are far beyond what a child could muster. I was thinking it'd be better with teenagers or older, but then the setup would have to be different. So, you have to suspend disbelief to enjoy the machinations. Obviously, for the whole premise to work you must suspend disbelief, but that's to accept fantasy. Here, you need the main actors to be children for this to work and at the very same time, they act like adults. The actions and reactions are in stark contradiction.
The adults are also a little unbelievable, but it's nothing out of the ordinary for this sort of story. Sometimes they don't seem to think things out well, even though other times they are well ahead of the kids. Meh.
The faces are drawn a little strange, but that could just be the animation style. Maybe a face was too pointy, and a smile looked strange. Nothing major, just a little weird.
The history of the world they live in is unknown, and that is part of the plot. Some characters point out the unknown, and that works out well. As much as i want to no more, the story (at least season one, which is all there is right now) demands you do not, which keeps the suspense fresh and interesting. There aren't too many surprises on this front, which is nice.
The plot has a plot twist here and there to fit in with the outsmarting, and outsmarting to protect you. It's not terrible, but i thought the show would be better without it and just focus on the main plot. It's already good as it exists and the twists are not required.
The final episode has its own twists, which is mostly done well. It's quite touching and a good final episode for the season. It provides some satisfaction while leaving room for more. Well done.
All in all, this is a decent anime, and i would probably like to see another season, just to see what they do with the characters and the world they live in. I just hope they tone down the smart/outsmart plot twists a tad. In any case, it deserves a solid 8.