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Studio : SHAFT
Length : 12 Episodes
Year : 2007
Genre : Drama - Romance - Slice of Life
Synopsis :
A tale of memories and love...
Renji enjoys hanging out near the train tracks, his favorite place. He goes there one day and finds that he's not alone, there's girl wearing an eyepatch there. He and the girl talk for a bit, their interaction couldn't be more than 45 seconds.
Renji runs into the girl again and finds out that her name is Chihiro, she's not attending school. Chihiro becomes very moved when Renji agrees that they can be friends.
Another love story takes place with a guy named Hiro. Hiro enjoys writing out shoujo manga as a hobby. On Christmas Eve he decides to drop by the church for some ideas. There, he meets up with a girl in a rush. The girl asks him if he's seen a scooter go by, and without hesitation, steals Hiro's bike to chase after the perpetrator.
Of course Hiro tails after the girl - his bike was stolen! After a long, hard workout, he finally catches up to the girl; but finds her lying on the ground... unconscious.
Additional Notes: This series ranked #11 in Anime-Source's Best of 2007 poll.
Added : 2007-10-04
Synopsis by : Himitsu
Last update : 2008-10-08
Last update details : Modify info
Score : 9.3
Number of reviews : 10
Link(s) :
Official #1 : Official Ef Website (Japanese)
A-Source #1 : * * * Anime-Source.com Spotlight Preview by xenocrisis0153 * * *
Song(s) :
Opening #1 : Tenmon feat. ELISA - euphoric field
Opening #2 : Tenmon feat. ELISA - euphoric field (Japanese ver.)
Ending #1 : Hiroko Taguchi - I'm here
Ending #2 : Tenmon feat. ELISA - euphoric field
Ending #3 : Junko Okada - Kizamu Kisetsu
Ending #4 : Natsumi Yanase - Sora no Yume
Ending #5 : Yumiko Nakajima - Yuukyuu no Tsubasa 07mix
Release(s) :
2009-12-31 -- Episode(s) 0 by Inochi. BT Link
2008-01-13 -- Episode(s) 12 by Aquastar-Anime. BT Link
2008-01-13 -- Episode(s) 12 by Aquastar-Anime. BT Link
Found 56 releases. Click here to [ Find them! ]
Hits : 46135
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Posted by : du5k 
Posted on : 2008-10-11 
I wasn’t sure what direction this anime tries to take, because the two different arcs/stories feel so separate from each other. Sure, Kei and Chihiro are siblings and Hiro and Chihiro knew each other, but their stories have nothing to do with each other’s and don’t affect each other in anyway. Hiro never even met Chihiro throughout the series except in the flashback. Since it’s basically two separate stories shown together, they might as well break it into chapters like in the game.
Though, entwining both stories together helps pace the development of the two stories, and Shaft did a good job with that.
The story of Ef sells on their endings. The beginning episodes are only introductory and the middle episodes are only to develop the characters and to set up the scenario for the ending. Since there are two separate stories played out, you’ll see that the introductory episodes are pretty long and there isn’t much development on each character. That’s right… I find the first half of the series dreadfully boring. The Shaft-style animation helps to make things are little more interesting, but it didn’t help much.
Still, the reason Ef would be popular is because their individual endings are pretty damn awesome. Anyone who appreciates a good lovecom or drama would agree.
EfIs one of the first anime Shaft used their new unique style of animation from, the style you’ll find in Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei and Hidamari Sketch, and it proves that this style can handle a serious show as well as a comedy. Though, it didn’t help to liven things up in the first half of the series, and it didn’t really help the Hiro/Miyako arc as well as it helped Chihiro’s story, except for maybe the voice-mail scene. The main OP "Euphoric field"? is pretty good, but not to my liking. Most of the EDs are enjoyable and I liked how each female lead has their own unique ED.
I still think the first half of the series could bore anyone enough to drop the series if not for the high quality and unique animation. Overall, it’s a really good production.
Plot-wise: 7
Story Style: 9
Production Quality: 9
Value: 8
Posted by : yuuey
Posted on : 2008-08-31 
This is definitely one anime filled with impact, filled with so much detail put into each scene that chills are spent tingling down your spine every episode. The clever use of sound and visual effects caused it to stand out from all the other mainstream animes.
One thing I appreciate about this anime is that it's actually rather realistic, unlike fantasy or predictable magical plots. The story revolves around a number of people, basically, their relationships made complicated due to situations that are out of their control.
I personally identified more with the relationship between Chihiro and Renji. I have high regards for Renji, whose character surpassed all the rest in terms of patience, persistence and, most importantly, his impressive ability to remain sane and composed even when faced with heart wrenching moments that, in my opinion, can push one beyond his psychological limits. I sure hope there's more guys like him around man! Ready to commit even though he totally understands that he's the one that's bound to get hurt, just for the sake of the other.
However, I have some issues with how seemingly young the characters look, and how they can just engage in intimate behavior without much thought, I guess, to put it nicely. Like, raging hormones take over your brain sort of thing. Maybe it's just me but, yeah, that's just one thing I thought that sort of dragged down my appreciation a bit.
NONETHELESS, it's a deep tale, this one. Some parts rather dark and slightly scary, but it's artsy scary, not ghostly scary, you know. So, recommend this to older teens and up. It's rather thought-provoking too. A must-watch if you think your life is not enough for you. Take a look from a different perspective, and learn to cherish your time. Having 24 hrs a day is a luxury in itself.
Posted by : Lightningcount12
Posted on : 2008-06-04 
ef - a tale of memories is a solid anime, with quite possibly the greatest use of animation I have ever seen.
Story (9/10): This anime actually consists of three different stories, with a subtle fourth side story. The first story is sort-of your typical love triangle, but I found it to be better than most love triangle stories out there. This was probably a combination of flawed but good characters and fantastic animation. The second story involves a girl with a serious memory loss condition, and a boy who cannot help but get himself involved with her, whether for better or for worse. The third story was about the character Kyousuke, who was bored with his life and looking for something to inspire him. While this plot was thinner than the other two, it had its moments, mainly because Kyousuke was a cool character. I found the real benefit of the third story to be the fact that it supplemented and added more depth to the first story (another improvement to your basic love triangle). Also, in all three stories there is an ongoing theme of what each character wants to do with their future, and all the plotlines unfolded in really the proper way for the characters to all discover their futures. I liked all these stories, but I definitely found the second story to be the most entertaining. Given the situation that Chihiro and Renji dealt with I felt the whole story was very refreshing and unique in the romantic genre. Their struggle strikes all the emotional notes between happiness and sadness, and it leads to a beautiful story.
Characters (9/10): To start, Asou Renji is one of my favorite characters of all time, and Chihiro is high up there as well. Renji is the kind of character who becomes instantly likeable being a quiet and good-natured hero. It becomes inspiring to watch how hard he works in handling Chihiro, and viewers should appreciate the success and failure of his attempts. Chihiro is good as a very humble heroine who is aware of her plight and does her best to brave through it. As she tries to break the chains that hold her down in the present, you will find yourself understanding and really feeling for the difficulty of being happy with her life. I loved watching the trials of their relationship, and both create probably one of the best love stories of all time. Kyousuke is another character I came to enjoy, who shows flashes of greatness of his own. Initially, he comes off as a bored teen play-boy, but later proves to be very insightful with his observations of other's lives. The love triangle characters, Hiro, Kei and Miyako are each much more flawed and can each be unlikable at times. But they fulfill their roles perfectly and viewers can find the good in all of them in the end. Hiro is sort of the typical indecisive guy when it comes to girls, but he is also like this in the way he lives his life. But he is not annoying with this trait, and it helps give more depth to his character. Kei, on the other hand, can be annoying, yet her role is necessary and she finishes it without being hated. Miyako is certainly a unique girl. Her actions sometimes make her look too weird and obsessive, but she has such a strange charm that makes her always attractive. Renji's mother has little screen time, but it is hilarious how she interacts with her son. "The purple-haired girl" and Yuu remain enigmas, being sort of transparent figures that help other characters and make viewers active in how to interpret their existences. In the end, I felt for each of their emotional states, and appreciated their viewpoints.
Music/Sound (10/10): The music score is solid. All five ending themes are mellow and nice to listen to, especially Chihiro's ending theme ("Sora no Yume," I think). The opening, "Euphoric Field," is one of the best out there. I actually prefer the English version of it over the Japanese version. The way each song is animated is very cool. The animation for euphoric field has a very different look from most OPs, and this difference helps make it one of the best. The tunes within the anime and the sound editing were always fitting.
Animation/Art (10*/10): WOW! This is probably the best animated anime ever. It is not just the great character designs, especially with the very pretty girls, nor is it the wonderful background. The true beauty of ef's animation is how it is used in the story. This anime definitely breaks barriers in cinematography for animation. It is so hard to sum up in words just how aesthetically pleasing every moment is because there are so many different ways and styles that are used to tell these tales. The whole experience of ef has left me with a feeling that I have seen a true masterpiece of art.
Entertainment/Tilt (9/10): Some parts in ef are predictable. However, the way things unfold always keeps the viewers interested. Cramming three stories into 12 episodes, when two of the stories could be an entire series on their own, would seemingly be tricky. But the creators of ef pull it off, and they do an excellent job in balancing three stories and six main characters. Even though it is only 12 episodes, the characters' time on-screen is maximized for constant development. You will be hard pressed to find any useless, unnecessary or “filler" scenes in this series. While I have to admit I looked forward to the Renji-Chihiro story more than the others, the animation kept me interested in every minute of every episode. In the end, it was probably good how they balanced everything, because I never grew tired of any of these stories and characters.
If only for the unmatched animation and the great relationship-story of Renji and Chihiro, I would recommend that everyone watch this title. I cannot praise the animation/art enough here, only to say that it helps raise a very good anime to the status of a five star anime.
Posted by : Yuun
Posted on : 2008-04-22
I celebrate my ending of year one of my University life by watching this series, and I would say it is the best finale ever! This is definitely one of the best masterpieces I have ever come across since my heart being crush by Saikano, Kiminozo, and Shuffle. I would have never thought that I’ll come across an anime that would have touched me as deep as Saikano since 2005.
Story Plot:
Unlike most anime out there, ef ~a tales of memories~ is really down to earth dealing with situations that both common and rare yet the director manage to make it so dramatic and filled with overflowing feelings and wisdom. Dividing the story into 2 focused romance relationship which is “Chihiro-Renji� and “Hirono-Miyako-Kei�. Exploring both at the same time in the limited 12 episodes and beautifully ended it, I can’t believe it~!
Sure there’s many conversations but it is never boring as this is how the story progress, Miyako and Kei’s rivalry send the chill down the spine and truly epic. Chihiro and Renji’s relationship is heart breaking and tears shedding especially Chihiro’s condition.
Simply put, the story is extremely angst, heart warming, and I am proud to say that I go seriously Emotional and Cried real hard just like how I did for Saikano. (Up to date only ef & Saikano able to make me cried to such extend)
I also proudly announce that this series have the best ending/finale ever in all the anime in my list. Truly a killer~!
Characters:
Oh God, everyone is desperate!! Naru Nanao the character designer of Da Capo, and Sola who also the designer of this series is definitely the best choice! The characters were beautifully drawn and the emotion is well portrayed (as expected) and seriously affects me as audience. Although the female characters mostly were voice by average voice actress, and the male characters mostly were veterans, the feelings that sent through by the characters are magnificent. With detailed development of the main characters, the story progress smoothly and emotions is felt throughout the series.
I really engrossed into the character’s emotion status and as a result I’m able to enjoy this anime to the fullest. Argh~!! Chihiro~!! Even the Male lead were great and unlike most dramatic anime out there, the male lead pretty much doesn’t worth any praises or attention, but both Renji and Hiro is damn cool!
Animations:
Most will agree with me that the animation style of this series is one of its kinds, utilizing plain colours to express emotions really works. Solid colour and bright canvas as well as beautiful CG, give this anime a different light compare to other series out there. Is impossible for me to put the animation perspectives into words. All I can say is: Unique and really suits the story as well as effectively increase the impact of the characters at the right time, at the right place.
Music:
Goodness, never in my years of watching anime I’ve come across such beautiful yet melancholy music and BGM. The producer is smart in rapidly changing the ending songs to suit the story in according to each episodes avoid habituation. 2 version of the opening is one of its kinds, and is very nice. Both the opening and ending clip is very meaningful and gives off amazing grace to the songs hence fit perfectly with the anime it selves. Truly amazing and I really do enjoyed it to the fullest, also I clearly declared that I’ve been addicted to the music for months even before the anime starts where I manage to get the BGM from the official website.
I will do anything to get my hands on all the OST and Insert Album of ef ~A tales of Memories~!! Especially “Yuukyuu no Tsubasa� by Yumiko Nakajima, the Violin and Piano play is deadly! Goodness, as the matter in fact all the other songs were equally meaningful and addictive:
"I'm here" by Hiroko Taguchi (eps 1,3,7,10)
"euphoric field" by Tenmon feat. ELISA (ep 2)
"Kizamu Kisetsu" by Junko Okada (eps 4,5,9)
"Sora no Yume" by Natsumi Yanase (eps 6,8,11)
Overall:
Truth be told, this anime is a perfect blend of every aspect that makes this series a master piece. The story plot is superb, the animation is simply beautiful, characters were amazing, and of course the Music is unbeatable! A strong coherent of all these aspect, ef ~a tales of memories~ comes to this anime and rock it hard! How I wish there’s a sequel but it ended so beautiful that it won’t be necessary.
Posted by : slepyhed
Posted on : 2008-03-28
I watched ef- a tale of memories expecting a typical teen drama, and to an way, that's what I got. However, the execution of the story was done so well that it really has an emotional impact on the watcher.
The story is, in reality, three stories intertwined together, all around the theme of memories. Despite this, the story isn't actually confusing or hard to grasp. The plot isn't the type that is over-the-top but isn't devoid of emotion either. There are moments that may seem cliched and, near the ending, a bit too sudden; however, the story is told so well that you end up liking it anyway.
Animation is pretty high-quality here. The artistic style of some of the shots seem abstract and I loved it. It also creates some symbolism and enhances the scenes. However, it wasn't always needed and therefore was more of a hindrance.
Music was what drew me first into this show and the opening song, 'euphoric field', is catchy and great to listen to. The ED songs weren't anything particularly special but good to listen to anyways. BGM music is particularly good here and is able to create a good atmosphere for the show.
Characters are quite well developed and were very interesting. Hirono is, thankfully, not painfully oblivious like many male leads in shows like this and the girls were likable too. Voice acting was pretty good as well.
All in all, not a bad show at all. It is quite emotional and I enjoyed it as it was a bit different from many shows of this genre. However, the plot was sometimes a bit too rushed or unrealistic to the flow and the artwork had its occasional moments of being annoying instead of interesting. But still, it's a great show that is worth watching.
Posted by : Molenir
Posted on : 2008-01-14
Ef Tale of Memories is a well told story, that packs an emotional punch. Its about a group of young people, their problems, and the trials they go through. I really enjoyed watching this, though the show definitely has some things to which I took exception.
The artwork was frequently terrific. Particularly the backgrounds, snow falling on the characters was particularly lovely. The use of music was likewise outstanding. However the artwork at times felt disjointed. This admittedly was to help push the story, but honestly it didn't feel helpful, rather it caused me to take what up to that point had been a show worth 9 or even 10, and drop it to 6. Only after they quit using those disjointed techniques did my feelings about the show begin to recover.
I had some issues with the plot as well, beginning with how it seemed to copy something almost directly from a Hollywood movie. Without going into details, one of the characters has a medical issue reminiscent of the movie Fifty First Dates. If you've seen that, then what happens with that character probably won't be a surprise. The other issue I had with this, is how it seemed just the natural flow of things for the characters to sleep together. Oh, go on a date then jump into bed. Maybe its just my own morality speaking here, but I'd have liked to have seen a bit more development in the relationships, before that plateau was reached.
Overall however the story was good. Particularly episode 10, which was the climactic episode for 3 of the characters, and their story arc. The drama and power of that 1 episode make me willing to endorse this show, despite its flaws. The other storyline was likewise moving, and I enjoyed how things wrapped up. If you are looking for a short, dramatic series about relationships, this is a good one to watch. Its touching, and enjoyable at the same time.
Posted by : kannagisai
Posted on : 2008-01-10
One word: Spectacular. I recently finished watching this short-series and I came away with an overwhelming sense that I was experiencing something truly spectacular. It's about time! The past few years have seemed somewhat lean for shows of this type of emotional impact. Sure, occasionally you come across a few gems among the steady influx of new material, but generally those have fallen into the lighter, more capricious categories. The slice-of-life and outlandish character model has been just beaten to death and the innovative dramas have suffered the consequences. Too many have just completely missed the mark, but I'll go on record as saying that this presentation succeeds on every possible level.
The story, or stories if you really analyze the entire piece, is broken down into three separate but inexorably connected relationships. The encounters between the characters and subsequent interrelationships provide the foundation and ultimately resolve questions the viewer accumulates throughout the first half of the series. There is no sense of mystery here, but the past reveals itself naturally without corny flashbacks or long-winded monologues – it just works. Memories, apparently, take on a life of their own depending upon one’s perspective. This is the underlying theme of EF; being responsible for the feelings memories evoke and accepting one’s role in another’s current life based upon those memories. Sound interesting? Most definitely.
In sum, you need to see this show if you’re a fan of good drama, fantastic art, or anime in general. This piece truly appeals to all tastes. Watch it many times and reward those responsible for this great work by buying it whenever it comes into a store near you. You will absolutely not regret it.
Posted by : visualize
Posted on : 2008-01-03
"Unique". It's the word to describe this series. Even though it's unique, it's not weird or makes no sense whatsoever. Almost everything in this anime is magnificent. In the beginning, you may think that everything is confusing and doesn't makes sense but once you get deeper into the story, everything makes "perfect sense".
Storywise, there are several relationships in this story which I like because you don't have to watch just a male and a female trying to get to each other from the beginning till the end which leads you to boredom in no time. The flow of the story is at a "not-too-fast" and "not-too-slow" pace. The drama isn't over-dramatic like most romance animes. Also, it'll keep you guessing on what'll happen in the end from the beginning. Not to say its totally unpredictable but its not really predictable either. The beginning of the story is good but towards the end, its even better. The ending isn't rushed and was well ended.
Animation-wise, it's one of the reasons I gave it a perfect ten. You can't really complain about anything on the animation.
As for the musics, its great and its the only suitable one for this anime. They play the right tracks at the right time. Overall, it's good and worth downloading it.
Conclusion, this anime is overall great and magnificent. Don't hesitate to watch this or it would suck to be you if you don't. Adios.
Posted by : Sephies
Posted on : 2008-01-01
Ef ~a tale of memories ~, basically; it is because of this unique title that I decided to watch it and I never regretted it. At first, the anime felt like there were four or three tales being told, but you will soon find that there is actually only two main tales as the story progresses. Although there are several tales, the story isn't really confusing instead, you will find that the stories are properly built-up. The story flow is smooth and that all the tales blend together in perfect harmony. You will also find that the characters are properly brought out and are all well developed.
Art/Graphics
The art in this anime is remarkably beautiful, creative and artistic. As such, it left me with a feeling of amazement and satisfaction when I watch it. Its' beauty can even be compared to AIR TV.
Music
The soundtracks were pretty good and it suited the feeling of the story at the right moment.
Finally, I recommend this anime to all because I am sure you won't regret it =)
Posted by : hjmaster2
Posted on : 2007-12-29
I dont write reviews often. The last one I wrote was at least three months ago now. I only write these things, when I feel that an anime has made me a different person, or now see things in a dfferent way becase of it. If I felt a huge impact on myself after watching an anime, I'll write a review. And Ef~A Tale of Memories has left a big impact on me.
Ef~ A Tale of Memories, is an anime that anyone who has gone through struggle can relate to. Therefore, anyone who has gone through a struggle should watch this, meaning...everyone. This anime has six main characters. Three guys, and three girls, with three seperete story lines in the beginning. It is because of this, that many simple minded baffoons, who can only focus on one thing, think that the anime is too confusing and drop it after the first episode. (Even if you are one of these people, i sincerly urge you continue watching it anyway). The anime is about these six characters and their problems with love, and how it effects the people around them.
The three story lines eventually turn into two, but the two story lines are not all that far away from each other. When the two story lines are formed, that is when real problems start to arise. But in both story lines the main is problem is this, memories. It may be memories from someone's childhood past, from a few days ago, or from thirteen hours ago, it doesn't matter. All of the characters suffer from memories that they have formed with someone else. This is obvious in one of the plot lines (and I mean REAL obvious), but not so obvious in the other. You kinda have to think about it, which is another reason I really liked this anime.
If you have never seen this anime before, and are reading my review to get someone's opinion of it, let me tell you that you are wasting your time. Everyone has different taste, meaning everyone is different. You could read his and think "hey I'll check it out" and you may drop it after the first episode, or you may read this and think "hmph sounds boring to me" and you may be missing out on one of the greatest anime you have ever seen. Either way I don't care, it doesn't affect me. But if you want my opinion, hear it is: I liked this anime a lot. It was a very good romance anime and it showed perfectly well how memories you make, intentionally or not, can be helpful in a relationship, or disastrous to it. It also puts into your own problems into perspective, and makes you have a more optimistic feeling towards them. This is definitely an anime worth watching.
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