EDIT: Now that I have read the manga the anime completely botched the ending. The source is fantastic and fully realized unlike the animes unfortunate and somewhat contradictory ending. Paradise Kiss is a comingofage story that follows the journey of Yukari a young woman who has never found her passion in life. But after being thrown into the world of fashion modeling she finally discovers something she loves. However this is not just a feelgood story of escapism. The show delves into the harsh realities of pursuing ones dreams depicting the constant obstacles and struggles that come with it. The relationships between characters whether they be familial friendly or romantic are portrayed as complex and challenging. The show does not shy away from depicting the toxic and imperfect nature of these relationships. A prime example is the relationship between Yukari and George which is filled with uncertainty and often feels onesided. George treats Yukari more like a sexual object than a person while Yukari herself is still trying to understand and navigate this new adult world she has found herself in. These relationships can be seen as a representation of the difficulties and complexities that come with growing up and finding oneself in the world. Paradise Kiss also highlights the idea that even when working towards our dreams there will always be rough spots and difficult decisions to make. This theme is echoed in the relationships between the other characters as well with familial and romantic ties being portrayed as complicated and messy. This story does not sugarcoat the harsh realities of life and the struggles that come with it. However despite these obstacles Paradise Kiss manages to capture the beauty of pursuing ones passion and the sense of fulfillment that comes with it. It is a reminder that the journey towards our dreams is never easy but it is worth it in the end. The first 11 episodes do a fantastic job of capturing this theme and capturing the audiences attention. Unfortunately the final episode which had the task of adapting the final and longest volume of the manga falls short. Instead of giving proper development and resolution to the relationships it relies on melodrama as a cheap substitute. This leaves the story with an unsatisfying and unfulfilling ending despite the promise of the first 11 episodes. One of the biggest disappointments was the conclusion of Yukaris character. A story all about learning to live by herself and developing her own agency ends with her missing George 10 years after the conclusion of their relationship a pretty strong contradiction to these themes. Its a shame that the story didnt receive the justice it deserved with just a few more episodes to satisfyingly conclude all of the plot points. Another important aspect of Paradise Kiss is the representation of Isabella a trans woman. While she is mostly a background character throughout the series Yazawa Ai handles her story in a sensitive and respectful way. The reveal of her identity as a trans woman comes in the 10th episode and it is done in a way that is both heartfelt and nuanced. It is unfortunate that Isabella does not have a more prominent role throughout the series but the moments that do focus on her are well done and a highlight of this show. However the final episode does not do her justice as it ends with a cliche unrequited love story between her and George. This is a common trope for LGBT+ characters in media and it is a shame that the series ends on this note. Its worth noting that the manga source material may have handled Isabellas story differently I am fairly certain it does and I plan on reading the manga to see how it compares.