No subterfuge or trickery in this title; Given has concluded, it’s absolutely one of the best shows of the year, and I felt duty-bound to sell it as hard as I possibly could. I say “one of” in the post title, but honestly, there’s not really any competition for that title; it just is the best character drama of the year, full stop. Incredibly convincing dialogue and rich, vulnerable characters, terrific layouts and bold, uplifting dramatic turns; Given was altogether stunning, and I’m thrilled it ended so well. By the last few episodes, I’d transitioned fully into “as long as they don’t fuck up, this will be a classic” viewing, and guess what, they didn’t fuck up. If you haven’t watched Given and you like the sort of stuff I tend to like, you should probably give it a try. If not, maybe one more article will convince you!
Given is One of the Best Anime Dramas of the Year
When your last weekly recap was a bit short regarding Given, it made me hope you were working on a longer article! Thanks for covering the series. It was truly something special.
Thank you so much for giving this anime a chance. I see so many reviewers skipping it just because it’s BL, thus missing out on great shows like this one.