At the start of the season I most definitely didnt think that Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai would be my favorite show of the fall. And I certainly didnt think that Id be fighting countless other glowing reviews upon completion like I am now but such is the way of anime. Good shows like this dont remain unknown for long even if they dont have a lot of buzz about them going into the season like Bunny Girl Senpai did. I distinctly remember adding Bunny Girl Senpai to my watch list because I heard from someone that it was a lot like Monogatari which I absolutely adore. However I found myself not agreeing with the comparison as much as the episodes ticked on. While there are absolutely similarities between the two a snarky main character a new girl of the week with new issues a main love interest for the main character etc I found that while Monogatari was surreal and ethereal in nature Bunny Girl Senpai was grounded and had a distinct realism to it as if these issues could be happening to you or your friends despite their innate supernatural nature. But anyways on to the meat of the review. While I was never absolutely blown away by the animation or art style of Bunny Girl Senpai I was never really focusing on it enough to notice it being anything worse than good. I actually really fell in love with the character designs in Bunny Girl Senpai more than anything. There was this vague similarity between some characters but at the same time every character was unique in a way that youd never confuse them. At the same time the color palette of the show was absolutely fantastic for its setting. However If I had to name the technical aspect of the show I loved the most it would be the sound more specifically the music. Ive said it before and Ill say it again music elevates shows from a 9/10 to a 10/10. I mean I look at the majority of my favorite anime and realize that a huge reason for them being there is because they have phenomenal soundtracks. Bunny Girl Senpai is no different. The OST is fantastic and actually memorable which really makes me look forward to its eventual release. But more than anything I loved the opening and endings. All five of the variations of the ending are fantastic though the Mai version is still my favorite. But I have to say the compilation version is probably the best. However my favorite song in the entire show is easily Kimi no Sei the opening. Ill just leave it here because I feel as if it needs no explanation. https://www..com/watch?v=EnUlFG7pjo Favorite Character: Sakuta Azusagawa https://i.ur.com/BWax5iR.jpg Yeah its a bit of a boring choice but for me Sakuta is only choice. So few other characters exist with Sakutas snark and wit and those that do are in my opinion outclassed by Sakuta in certain ways. Not to say that hes a better character than say Araragi or Hachiman but I certainly related to Sakuta far more than either of those two. Theres just a realism to Sakuta thats hard to match. Hes snarky and standoffish but also a caring friend who would topple mountains for those he cares for. He has a cold exterior but even he isnt completely without feelings. I think the last arc of the show really drew out the depth in Sakutas character for me all while keeping him consistent with his character. And this isnt even touching on the real strength about Sakuta and Bunny Girl Senpai in general. This strength that Ive alluded to is simply the chemistry between Sakuta and the rest of the cast. You have Mai who is Sakutas main love interest who provides us with the cutest relationship in the show where they banter and flirt back and forth in an extremely endearing way. You also have a myriad of other characters with similar albeit less engaging relationships with Sakuta Futaba who explains things to Sakuta and essentially the audience Kaede Sakutas little sister who absolutely adores him but is stuck indoors from trauma and the list goes on. Theres just something so special when this cast of characters interacts. Its captivating even to listen to those friends go back and forth constantly evolving their relationships with each other deepening their bonds and overcoming their problems together. If I had to say anything bad about Bunny Girl Senpai it would be that it never quite reaches the greatness of the first arc again though Kaedes arc comes closest. And that is by no means a bad thing. Its just that that first arc was so good that it set completely unrealistic expectations for each and every arc and the fact that it almost reaches that mark every time is incredibly impressive. Sure I was worried about the Koga arc since it was a little more of a drag but it certainly rebounded strongly once I had tempered my expectations a little. Seriously. Thats all I can think of. Anime like Bunny Girl Senpai dont come along too often maybe once a year or so. For me Bunny Girl Senpai really struck a chord in me and I remembered how it was like for me in those tumultuous times how you felt as if no one could see you or you wished some part of you didnt exist. Its truly a haunting time one where you usually have to come to terms with those things in time but to see those issues put under the microscope to see them visualized thats hard to handle in some cases. Its this combination of fantastically written characters and deep thoughtful subject matter that truly makes Bunny Girl Senpai special. Its all these little things in unison that make Bunny Girl Senpai most likely my anime of the year.