Oh? First review for the Date A Live Light Novels on here? I hope I can convince you to give this a read then. Date A Live is a series Id never thought Id bother reading. Much less have it become my alltime favorite but guess what? It did happen. Ill try to keep this spoilerfree and cut straight to the point. I have never been more surprised by something. If you liked the anime I suggest you read this. Expressing the difference in quality is impossible. If you didnt like the anime I implore you to give this a chance. Ill admit the initial premise does sound a bit silly. A disaster called Spacequake appeared in Eurasia and killed 150 million people. Itsuka Shidos serene life will alter as he meets the cause of the tragedies a Spirit 30 years later. Then he discovers that the only way to stop said spirit is by making her fall in love with him. https://files.catbox.moe/jvob4e.png Admittedly that doesnt leave a very good first impression. It might do for the harem fanatics though. Believe me that premise is just a surfacelevel description of this series. Under that silly premise is a brilliant story that really encompasses elements from many genres and is an absolute joy to read. It accommodates a genuinely wellconstructed narrative. Each volume raises new questions that eventually get answered spectacularly. The author constantly drops clues for massive climaxes at the storys beginning. How it seems to click whenever you come around to said event completely is undeniably satisfying and brilliantly done. Foreshadowing seems to be one of this seriess strongest suits. Id genuinely like to talk more about the story but a minor slip could entail major spoilers and this isnt an analysis. More so me trying to convince you to give this a read. https://files.catbox.moe/hz3aud.png The best aspect of Date A Live are the characters and how the series deals with said characters to make them grow. It wouldnt be a stretch to say that Date A Live has one of the best cast of characters Ive seen. Each volume or two tends to introduce a new character and work with them. This formula continues until volume 16. Now it initially might seem formulaic but it works so well. DALs cast is much more than a harem protagonist and a bunch of cute girls. The characters are fun charming and have a lot of depth. Each of the characters respective arcs covers many humane yet important issues. The fear of rejection the inability to wholeheartedly trust others selfloathing the consequences of being isolated and how ones sense of value might turn distorted. Theyre well thought out. As for the protagonist himself Shidou is an amazing character. He constantly grows with each event and his relationships with the spirits have a unique dynamic to offer with each having its sense of flair and charm. Throughout the story I never felt like there was a single character that was wasted. I cant even talk about how good the antagonist is without spoiling. Each of them naturally fits into places and roles made for them. They are a lovable cast made with a lot of heart and they all grew on me fast. https://files.catbox.moe/s7t9qg.png A delightful aspect of the series is its power system. Astral dresses Angels Weapons etc. Their names are based on many mythological and religious figures which I found very enticing. Date A Live has an incredible illustrator too. Welldrawn volume covers and the colored illustrations are gorgeous. They are detailed and eyecatching. Character designs are unique too. None of them feel like copies of each other and have unique charms. Theres fanservice but it never feels out of place and always fits in. This caught my eye and sparked my initial interest in Date A Live but I stayed for much more. Congrats Tsunako The cute girls bait worked. Its a series that genuinely offers everything. From good sliceoflife moments thatll get you attached to the characters some amazing fanservice emotional moments thatll make you shed tears and a fantastic endgame. Volume 17 22 is one of the greatest stretches Ive seen in any series. That doesnt mean there arent good volumes before it. Far from it actually. Most volumes are very enjoyable with Volumes 7 and 10 11 showing glimpses of the more serious side of the series. Its a great experience overall. Its a series thats pretty overlooked cause of its silly premise and appallingly adapted anime. It properly develops and gives the perfect conclusion to each character. I want to stress that its not anywhere near a generic harem story. Im really glad I gave this story a chance. Its a series I feel has a lot of heart and passion put into itfun heartwarming emotional and epic all at the same time. With a wellplannedout story an adorable cast of characters and some hot but perfectlyplaced fanservice this is nothing less than a hidden gem that you all whove read my little rant until this point should give a shot sometime. Also Shido and Tohka clear anyone and everything in this series fr. Ratings are arbitrary thus saying its a 10/10 wouldnt do justice to this masterpiece. I am in tears https://files.catbox.moe/bhs0ds.png