YMMV / Defending Your Life

• Awesome Music: The Title Theme and the Climax Theme, which is an even mix of fantasy fanfare and cute romantic comedy goofiness.
• Fridge Brilliance: Daniel, in the end, was sentencing himself. Either he accepted the judgment and stayed on the bus, or he defied it and tried to reconnect with Julia. The judges, prosecutor, and defense were all letting Daniel make the decision.
• Fridge Horror: Going back means the ending of you and everything that makes you you save your soul. The only way you will be even remembered is at the Past Lives Pavilion where your next form(s) can get clips of what you were. So, when Daniel is told he's going back, it means goodbye Daniel, forever.
• Heartwarming Moments: A couple...
  • In-Universe, Julia's life was this. Within the story, the fact that Julia's life was so nice that the prosecution barely questions her and instead watches the highlights of her life to pass the time.
  • The entire climax, where Daniel risks ultimate destruction to see Julia one last time and confess their love for each other, which can be summed up in this exchange...
    Bob: (to Lena) Brave enough for you?
    Judge: ... Let him go.
  • Even the other people in the Afterlife Express are applauding.
• Genius Bonus: In addition to the humorous cameo of Shirley Maclaine, Daniel references General George Patton who was also not shy about expressing his belief in reincarnation and past lives.
• Magnificent Bastard: Bob Diamond and his rival prosecutor Lena Foster are a pair of "big brains" assigned to the case of Daniel Miller. Believing Daniel must overcome his fear to "cross on," the two subject him to an examination of his life where Bob tries to ensure that Daniel will defend himself as Lena always counters him. Upon Daniel falling in love with fellow spirit Julia, the two leave it open for Daniel to risk himself to try to be with her, with both pleased that Daniel overcomes their trials to show himself worthy of crossing over.
• Monochrome Casting: If Judgement City is supposed to be for people from the Western United States it has a notable lack of Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American residents and recently deceased.
• Tearjerker: The final act: first you're crying because it's Daniel's Darkest Hour when Lena pins Daniel for not facing his fear within Judgement City, making him lose the trial, and then tears of joy when Daniel proves her wrong by facing his fear on the bus back to the life by running all the way to Julia's bus.

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