The first time I saw KareKano, I was hooked. Literally. It's that good. At least most of it is.
Here's the rundown. Model student Miyazawa Yukino meets her match. She's been the object of admiration all her life, but now that she's in highschool, she discovers a rival by the name of Arima Souichirou. You see, Yukino has thrived all her life on the praise she receives. She's intelligent, beautiful and extremely nice. Well... at least that's the image she puts forth. She is entirely motivated by the compliments she receives and can't stand that another person stands in her way. But what happens when Arima falls in love with her? What dark secrets does he hide? The series is about Yukino and Souichirou's journey together, how separately they have lived a life of image, and how together they change each other to be true to themselves.
I can not say this enough. The directing here is my favorite of any show I've seen. While Anno may have gotten some mixed results with Evangelion, his style works extremely well with KareKano. It's fun. It's playful. It's dramatic. KareKano mixes really silly funny moments with angsty drama, and it works really well. If you've seen something like Kodomo no Omocha, it's kind of a similar feel. The comedy is really over-the-top, largely because of the directing. Characters will be drawn in unique styles depending on mood - sometimes super deformed, sometimes extremely detailed. Dramatic moments may have slow panning stills over manga-style artwork. This is a shining example of how it's not always about what the story is about, but how you tell it.
But the series isn't perfect. I have a huge beef with episode 18. Everything that could have gone wrong did, and it's not just my conservative view at work here. For one thing, Arima was way out of character... or at least became a character I hated in this episode. What makes it more striking is that episodes 19 to the end resume as normal, as if episode 18 never happened. Well good! Episode 18 doesn't exist. I refuse to ever watch it again. It's absolutely wretched. Another minor issue for me, that will be a huge issue for others is the non-ending. Yep, it doesn't end. The last episode of the series doesn't wrap up any of the conflicts for the lead characters. In fact, the last two episodes almost makes them background characters and sheds the spotlight on some of the supporting cast. Judging by public outcry, it looks like people were angry about that. I personally liked the way it ended, although I would like the series to continue. Just like in reality, there is no point where your relationship is devoid of any problems. Thus to "end it properly" like a normal anime series is just an illusion. Just because Kyousuke hooks up with Madoka in KOR doesn't mean the story ends. Just because Miki and Yuu go through so many struggles and eventually end up together doesn't mean they won't have any more problems. KareKano leaves the issues pending, just like real life. If you have a problem with watching a series that isn't fully resolved by the end, then you should look elsewhere. KareKano seemed like it was supposed to continue as the manga got further along, however due to some unfortunate disagreements between the anime director and the manga creator, it is not likely to ever see a sequel.
But I love KareKano for what it is. It's got a great atypical storyline. It's absolutely hilarious. I don't think any show has made me smile as much as this one did. But it's also got the drama element down. It's quite realistic in the same way Eva was. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that KareKano is Eva. But instead of intrigue and mecha, Karekano does it with comedy and romance. You see, both shows focus on the internal struggles and thoughts of the characters. Doubt. Insecurity. Lack of self-worth. What makes KareKano different is that you see it with regards to a relationship, and not just single entities. These are real issues that we all face. It's a study into the human psyche. I love it. Fun, funny, angsty and intelligent, KareKano is the whole package. One of the best shows I've come across... provided you skip ep 18. Fun, funny, angsty and intelligent.