Shinigami no Ballad: Warm Sorrow is Preferred Here

So I’m only halfway through Shinigami no Ballad (which isn’t saying much as the series is six episodes) but it’s impressed me every episode (all three of them). I’m a big fan of Mochizuki Tomomi’s direction (especially in Zettai Shounen, expect a post on that once I finish rewatching it), and he’s certainly at top form in this anime. Witness what is becoming one of my favorite Mochizuki camera angles ever:

The camera in INSIDE THE ALARM CLOCK. How is that not awesome?

Random comments on silly camera angles aside, the series really is warm. The story of episode one is probably the saddest one, although, by the end of it, it’s kind of heartwarming. The other two episodes I’ve seen have all been much less sad, but the important thing that ties these episodes together is that they’re all simple tales of romance. And there isn’t much more I like in anime than a softly-told romance (hence my predilection for yuri), so that just makes this series even better, in my opinion. And it’s always been my opinion that Mochizuki does soft real well–he directed Twin Spica, after all.

Short post, I know, but more people need to watch this little gem of a show. It deserved more than six episodes, and it’s a must-see for Mochizuki fans (all five of you). I hear it was based on a light novel series–maybe if my Japanese reading ability ever gets up to snuff I’ll read them.

UPDATE: The light novels are LICENSED so I don’t have to worry about reading Japanese! I can read them in English! Hooray for laziness!