Image from Anime News Network
I'm pretty shocked that for once I managed to watch an entire series WITHOUT my dad. However it's pretty short, so it makes no difference. 13 episodes of Angel Beats! are probably worth only 5 GIFs.
The characters rebel against God, whom they think has made their past lives unfair and unjust. Wait, unfair and unjust are the same thing. Anyway, there is no 'God'. It's just some dude trying to mess with people. It's a comedic and cutie show, with a portion of 'tears' category, but if you see it in another angle...
Otonashi Yuzuru, the series' protagonist, has amnesia and couldn't remember how he died. Where have I heard this plot before? He meets Nakamura Yuri, the person who first setup this whole plot of rebelling against God. Somehow this gal misunderstands Kanade Tachibana, AKA Angel's intentions of helping people pass on. One by one the members of the squad has their wish fulfilled, and disappears. All left are only Otonashi and Angel. And guess what? PLOT TWIST!
Otonashi relieved memories before his death. He was trapped underground for 7 days with serious injury, but didn't live to see the light, which happened right after his passing. SCIENCE FACT! Seriously, I don't even think living trapped underground with about 7-8 people is possible. The lack of oxygen would've killed them all, plus the oxidization that was occurring in the dead bodies. Even with food or water, with so much people and germs to share oxygen with, and no sunlight, nobody will live to see the next sunrise. Back to topic, before his death, Otonashi signed up for organ donation (or whatever that is), and his heart ended up with guess who? Kanade! Yup! Her wish is to thank the donor for giving her life, and by doing so, she passes on... and until now I still haven't figured Otonashi's regret. He can pass on actually.
Not much of a plot twist, but the last scene was horribly, terribly tear-jerking. Well, not as heart-breaking as Ghibli's Grave of the Fireflies, but for real emotional people, this is a trigger. Heck, I didn't even shed a tear when I first watched Zack's death (but took me a few times before my tear gland could work simultaneously with the scene)!
I especially love TK in the show. His English is just as gay as sawg. Period.
"Knockin' on heaven's door!"