Normally, I'm someone who watches sci-fi or action series such as "One Piece" or "Attack On Titan", but once in a while I'll try something beyond the range of my personal taste just to see what it is like and that's what brought me to this little gem. Strawberry Panic started out as a series of short stories before being adapted into a manga and then an anime and is part of the Yuri genre, which, for those of you who don't know, focuses on lesbian relationships. If that makes you uncomfortable, then I won't hold it against you but if you don't mind such a thing, than you'll definitely get some enjoyment out of this romantic-drama series.
The primary focus of the story is Nagisa Aoi, who had just transferred to Astraea Hill, home to the three Catholic schools Miator, Spica and Lulim, the first of which she attends to. Upon arrival, she meets the alluring but mysterious Shizuma Hanazono, who quickly takes a liking to her. Shizuma also happens to be the so-called Etoile ("star"), an admired representative of all three schools who must perform certain duties. As she makes many new friends along the way, Nagisa learns more and more about the schools' customs and history as well as Shizuma herself, both of whom start developing strong feelings for each other. Those feelings, however, will be put to the test by various obstacles and tragic twists of fate.
Definitely the meat of Strawberry Panic is its drama and character development, both of which are executed greatly. Almost every character is very likable from Nagisa's loyal best friend Tamao to the stern yet understanding Miyuki and many of them undergo some kind of change that feels both welcome and not at all rushed. There are plenty of moments where things get serious and the emotions that run through these scenes are quite effective, so much so that I was actually moved and even surprised by all of it. The back-stories, the relationships, the trials faced, and the interactions are all done in a truly heartfelt manner. This is balanced out by some surprisingly good comedic moments, a majority of which got me to laugh. At the center of it all is the romance between Nagisa and Shizuma, which is done exceptionally well. Nagisa's outgoing personality and kind heart make a great character and Shizuma is fantastic in the sense that she is not only tricky to figure out at first but she also has this dark torment within her that once it's revealed, it makes her pretty complex and sympathetic. The two complement each other in an amazing way. There's also another well-done relationship going on between a soft-spoken and shy Hikari and the strong-willed Amane, which parallels to Nagisa and Shizuma.
Other aspects of the show are also good. The art style is very pretty, lots of bright colors during the more positive scenes and dark and atmospheric ones in the more serious moments, effectively bringing the right moods when necessary. The character designs are all good, ranging from cute to downright attractive, and they can be easily told apart. The animation is good, though nothing grand since there really isn't any action going on, not that there needs to be. The music is also a nice touch, consisting of classical music and one of the most soothing choirs I've ever heard, perfectly complementing the more dramatic moments. The overall story is nice and compelling with a few filler episodes that expand on this world and its characters. Now, there is some fanservice with some fairly explicit content, but only partial nudity shown and these moments are brief and have a small purpose to them, so they don't distract from the overall story and keeps the emotions and drama behind them intact.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised how Strawberry Panic pulled at my heartstrings. Its story, characters, romance, animation, music, drama, and small amount of comedy all blend seamlessly together in a coherent fashion. Some anime fans have already compared this to other Yuri series out there, but I wouldn't know since I've never seen them, but as a show in of itself, it's worth the watch from beginning to end.
