The story in the first season is set up so well. It is so intruiging trying to find out the full grasp of what is going on with the whole center. The mystery developing and the kids fomulating the plan had me at the edge of my seat. It was amazing. I'll be honest this is one of the first anime I've watched so I don't remember too much but I remember feeling so excited to watch the next episode everytime. The last episode of the first season left wanting season 2 so badly. Then it came out and it felt like I was watching a trailer for the next while watching the next season. If you the anime and watched the second season you know what I mean. The story goes by so quickly and it feels like there is a lost season between the first and second. I mean we're dropped way in the futures with things that were set to be solved already solved. Like it just felt like they cut out the middle to get to an ending. It was genuinely so bad. This was the first time expierencing a anime fall of so bad. It was genuinely horrible especially since the first season was so good. Definetly gonna have to read the manga.
The characters are good from what I remember. I honestly don't remember too much about the characters but I liked how they played into the story. I remember Ray was revealed to be working for the mom to sell out the kids but, its foggy in my mind, helps the kids in the end in a second twist. From what I remember the characters aren't hurt too much by the second season lacklusterness. They are the same from what I remember but presumbly we missed some character growth and developments from the gaint skip in events. Overall pretty alright not too damaged by season 2.
The world building was another aspect hurt by season 2. We leave off season 1 slowly developing this mystery with these caretakers sacrificing kids to demon who eat them. We slowly discover this whole picture until the end where we are setting course to find out what the outside world is like and how these demons have created this system. Season 2 skips way past the kids escaping where we find them already nearing the end of their plan to deal with the demons missing out on so much of the expansion of the world. The world builing was just completly derailed in season 2.
The music from what I remember is good across both the seasons. I don't really remember it but I don't ever remember it bringing me out the story and it would fit the scenes going on. Overall pretty fitting but not crazy memorable.
The animation was good for both seasons. The story might have gone off the rails for season 2 but the visual quality didn't drop which makes it even more confusing how season 2 went so badly. Clearly they put budget in the animation because season one was so popular and good but decided to cut the whole middle of the story. It is just ridiculous. An anime that could of been remembered as a classic is now remembered for being one of the biggest fall offs in anime.