Sangatsu no Lion story is not that impressive, and this is not only an anime about shogi, but its more about coming-of-age story of overcoming depression. It's a surprise for me because i was expecting a depressing drama like Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, turn out complete opposite of that. What spectacullar about this anime is the character. Rei, the series' protagonist, resonate with me very close, it feel so real to me what & how he feel.

Altough Rei have very different story & living place than me, still i can relate so much with him. For example many characters do not understand how can he sad, and indeed, for someone so gifted enough as to turn it into a career from a young age how is someone like that be unhappy with what he do?. I think that's what people around me think too, but also for myself, "I should be happy for what i do, why i'm not?" that word keep coming to my mind over and over. Then, how Rei keep moving with his life silently and leaving his problems unresolved, this feel so much realistic. Most people have many problem, but mostly rather than solving like much fictional story that just focus on single problem, we usualy leave it there, there is so much more to do & think than just that. I think that one of Sangatsu no Lion message is that okay to have a unressolved problem, it's normal, just keep moving foward.

People could argue that there is a bit too much comedy in this show. And, certainly, if you are looking only for serious storytelling from start to finish, you may end up feeling somewhat alienated by the end. But this is what real life does, you can cry then five minutes later laugh. Our feeling is not one dimensional. when we depressed because something, we still can be happy because something else, while depressed feeling still there. Our emotion is stacked, not cancel each other. This mean when someone is happy, not mean he is not depressed. And when someone is depressed, not mean he is not happy.

The show is not about resloving problem, but about to accept it is part of normal life, and how to overcome it. Also I find more about happiness in this show than any other show. But certainly this show not for everyone, without you resonate with the character i think it will be bit hard to appreciate this show.

Many reviews, usualy discuss the anime in a technical way. "The animation is excellent", "the characters well developed", "the story is weak". But Sangatsu no Lion can't reviewed that way for me. It feels more real. And so I write something more personal.