Sakamichi no Apollon (Kids on the Slope) is an up and coming new series, with Episode 1 being released not too long ago. It seemed to have an interesting premise, and after watching for a while, I decided that something inspirational could be drawn from this, with some patience. This series, much like Natsurio Kiseki, I had a little bit of trouble getting into at first.

The opening scenes seemed rather depressing and dark, so I was uncertain how things would play out. Nonetheless, when I stuck with it, the plot seemed to be heading in an admirable direction. Kaoru Nishimi our protagonist, struggles with moving to a new school and is often the subject of bullying and pranks. Those he can befriend are few and far between and he generally keeps to himself. Through the mysterious and beautiful art of music he is able to meet new friends and find passion and happiness in his life. This title seems heavily influenced by American Jazz music and the culture of the 1960's.

Sakamichi no Apollon Episode 1