are judged equally as harsh by the results they produce. In a generation that values the credentials of people more than the people themselves, people who fall behind even a little bit are often shunned or overlooked, just as if they are worthless livestock. Therefore, people of all ages, especially those that are younger, are put under a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed and sometimes forced to take on undesired paths for life. And sadly enough, running away never seems to be an option…Or does it?Gin no Saji (Silver Spoon) tells the story of Hachiken Yugo, a boy that decides to go to an agricultural boarding school far away from home after getting rejected from the high school he was aiming for. Hachiken’s tunnel vision to get into the high school causes him to lose sight of what he really wants to do, and so he chooses the agricultural school to get away from being considered a failure. All of us, especially in our teenage and early adult years, can relate to this experience one way or another: the fact that you work diligently towards a goal and realize soon after that the goal can never be reached is a daunting and depressing thing. To make matters worse, you are forced to see your peers achieve that same goal and become afraid of them lest they judge you for failing. You want to escape, but sometimes the pressure from society, from your family and your friends, all chain you down to sometimes lead the life that you don’t necessarily want.So for all those that are troubled like Hachiken, I recommend this slice-of-life anime series. One of the core things that Gin no Saji teaches the viewers is to take a break from all that unhealthy pressure for once and reflect upon what is most important FOR YOU in life. Luckily for Hachiken, he is surrounded by classmates that are all passionate about what they want to do in life. For someone without a goal, seeing determined people who constantly pursue their goal may be discouraging but motivating at the same time. This indirect pressure encourages Hachiken to think earnestly about what he wants to do in life. The new experiences and fun memories made at this new school start to bring out a new side of Hachiken that surprises those that have known him in the past.The magic of the character of Hachiken is that he came in knowing absolutely nothing about the agricultural high school. At least for me, I could personally relate to Hachiken, only because I had to face the same amount of pressure to do well in school. But not only that, just as Hachiken felt bad for the farm animals being killed off out of obligation, I did too; just as Hachiken had to wake up every morning around five to do work, I could relate to how painful that would be; and just as Hachiken felt indirectly pressured by his passion-driven friends, I did too. That’s why this character is really dear to me, and his development as a person is all the more exciting as this series goes on.But if the story of Hachiken Yugo and his friends don’t appeal to you, Gin no Saji has high educational value. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of the agricultural businesses and farms, then this anime gives you a glimpse of what it’s like. And in addition to the fun facts about farm animals, equipment, and techniques, the anime takes on philosophical views on what the animals teach humans, and how the animals should be treated. For one thing, everyone in this anime has deep rooted respect for livestock. There are owners that hold extravagant funerals for horses to honor them; there are people who appreciate the animals for providing them a new insight or viewpoint in life; and there are people who make the necessary killing of farm animals as quick and painless as possible. Finally, this anime touches upon not only the future of the agricultural and farming businesses, but also sensitive topics such as animal cruelty and cloning. I value this anime highly because of what it teaches me, each and every episode.Since Gin no Saji was in an entirely different setting, background, and pacing from Fullmetal Alchemist, I laid off the manga after two chapters or so. But the anime brought me back to the manga, and what a delight it’s been. As a fan of the slice-of-life genre, Gin no Saji is without a doubt a fresh addition to my list. I look forward to more heartfelt and warm moments awaiting Hachiken and his friends at Oezo Agricultural High School!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Review by MAL criteriaStory: The synopsis is available in the MAL page as well as in the second big paragraph of this review. What gives the story an overall 10 is the number of characters that have very relatable and realistic problems and backgrounds. In addition, as mentioned before, the anime has educational value, as it teaches the viewers about farm animals, equipment, techniques, and the logistics of agricultural and farming businesses. Rarely do we consider a slice-of-life anime with educational value anything from interesting, but Hiromu Arakawa manages to pull it off.Music: The opening song “Kiss you” by Miwa is a sweet and carefree song, but nothing too memorable. The ending song “Hello Especially” is sung by Sukima Switch, who also sang “Golden Time Lovers” from the third opening of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I mention this because Sukima Switch chose to sing a country song for this anime (rather than rock), and no doubt, the song is catchy and fits perfectly to the anime. Besides that, the soundtracks introduced thus far are nothing too special, but they often give you a very warm countryside feeling when you hear them playing at certain parts. (8/10)Art: As the anime is in an agricultural setting, the scenery is pastoral and soothing. Not to mention the use of warm and bright colors to emphasize the warmth and homeliness of the environment.As it is a Hiromu Arakawa work, you will see similarities between Gin no Saji characters and Fullmetal Alchemist characters. The depiction of the characters stays true to the manga, and you’ll notice the similar reactions that Hiromu Arakawa likes to use. There is great detail and personification of animals so it is entertaining to see various expressions from these animals.Animation of this anime seems to be the most lacking of all the categories because it can get choppy and awkward at times. The animation is especially important because it is tied into delivering punchlines or depicting hilarious scenes, so the humor is not always delivered appropriately or properly conveyed due to the occasionally choppy animations. (8/10)Character: Season 1 of Gin no Saji is focused mostly on Hachiken's development from being a gloomy and uptight guy to a more confident and relaxed one. Viewers are introduced to other characters and their backgrounds, but the anime has yet to develop any of them. I rate this section highly, however, because of how well Hachiken's development is done. Viewers see Hachiken learning something different about himself, his friends, and his environment every episode, and in turn his friends learn something different about Hachiken each episode. I can’t wait to see him develop more and more, until the moment he figures out what he wants to do in life. (8/10)Enjoyment: On behalf of those who love this anime already, let me say to those reading this review that you’re missing out!! I can’t guarantee everyone will enjoy it, but I hope you do!8.8/10