Kids on the Slope

A series that revolves around music can be hit or miss for a lot of people. For example, if you aren't the biggest enthusiast of classical music, Nodame Cantabile might not be your cup of tea. While Sakamichi no Apollon does revolve around jazz, just like Cantabile, there are many things to enjoy about the series even if you're not a fan of jazz music.

Mixing together elements of romance, daily school events (albeit in the 60s), brotherhood, and, of course, jazz music, Sakamichi No Apollon tells the story of a pessimistic and bleak individual who finds a brother, a love for jazz, and a blossoming romance.

For those who have any experience in playing any musical instrument, this anime will hit home. As someone who's played the trumpet and the bass guitar, I found Kids on the Slope to be very entertaining and relatable.
The enjoyment of playing music you love is something you cannot replicate in any other means, and the series does a very good job portraying the self-expression and happiness emanating from Sentaro and Kaoru in all of their sessions of jamming.

Each episode makes you want to watch the next, and the ending is one of the most joy-filled scenes I have ever seen. To put it into words is difficult, but the expression "set free" hits home here.

If you're looking for a tale of camaraderie, brotherhood, romance, comedy, all brought together with some well-orchestrated jazz music, this is the anime for you.