Kids on the Slope: A Unique Slice of Life

gamerant.com:

Shinichiro Watanabe has helmed quite a few anime, though none quite as revered as Cowboy Bebop. The acclaim of Bebop and the strength of Watanabe's name means more people are discovering his works each year, witnessing his expansive repertoire with such shows as Kids on the Slope. At the same time, audiences are very aware of the similarities, and 2012's Sakamichi no Apollon, or, Kids on the Slope, is a jazz-heavy musical character study. Set in 1966 in Kyushu, Japan, it's the story of unlikely friends, young love, and the march of time into adulthood.

Watanabe's anime have always been unique for how they seem to draw inspiration from all around the globe. Famous artists in anime have often found inspiration in musical genres from around the world or from other cultures, but Watanabe always seems to hunger for diversity. Even Kids on the Slope, which could be boiled down to being called another high-school anime, has an elevated sense of what kind of story it is. It's simple, but its presentation and how the show leverages its strengths lend the story a classiness that never goes unnoticed.

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A pianist named Kaoru moves to Kyushu, shy and unwilling to make friends until he meets Sentaro, a delinquent. This anime being a manga adaptation, it's unlikely any story decisions hinged on Watanabe and co.'s approval, but their meeting is deceptively queer. It almost gives one the indication this is a romance between them.

Unfortunately, this show doesn't quite go down such an interesting route, but the two of them, as polar opposites as they are, come together over a shared interest in music. The two of them become friends and start playing jazz together in their friend Ritsuko's record