Medium: Anime
Episodes: 3
Subs/Dubbed: Subs
I love Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru. I think it was a brilliant show. I'm even turning over whether or not I want to get the original visual novel, just so I can go through it again to see everything the TV series skipped over.
That said, its sequel OVA is crap. There were so many problems that I can blame on it only running three episodes. Like its predecessor, Futari no Elder is based on a visual novel, a medium rich with story and characterization. However, the source material is criminally underutilized- The story is crammed into three half-hour episodes, which means that the story gets rushed in and out before we can care about it, which means we never get attached to the characters, which means that the serious, emotional events that made the first so great have far less impact in its sequel. The main character feels flat and Marty-Stu-ish until the final episode(!), at which point something is revealed that turns his character on its head and actually makes him interesting. That's the most frustrating part of it- there are flashes of brilliance, things that stop me in my tracks and make me go "Whoa...", but then that gets shoved aside as the series jumps to the next plotline with little warning or regard for what it just revealed. And I can't help but think that all of these problems could be fixed if maybe it ran 12 episodes like the first OtoBoku. Story is good. I like story... When it's properly paced.
This is not.
The art direction is just as pretty as before, but as I previously established... I only care about the art if it enhances the experience. Art is there to help give the story visual form, and it does, but it feels like the production team was too busy trying to rush this one in and out the door to give character development, transitions between storylines, and overall coherency the time of day. I hate to say it, but... I cannot, in any good conscience, give this a pass.
Score- 5/10
Pass/Fail- Fail.
Episodes: 3
Subs/Dubbed: Subs
I love Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru. I think it was a brilliant show. I'm even turning over whether or not I want to get the original visual novel, just so I can go through it again to see everything the TV series skipped over.
That said, its sequel OVA is crap. There were so many problems that I can blame on it only running three episodes. Like its predecessor, Futari no Elder is based on a visual novel, a medium rich with story and characterization. However, the source material is criminally underutilized- The story is crammed into three half-hour episodes, which means that the story gets rushed in and out before we can care about it, which means we never get attached to the characters, which means that the serious, emotional events that made the first so great have far less impact in its sequel. The main character feels flat and Marty-Stu-ish until the final episode(!), at which point something is revealed that turns his character on its head and actually makes him interesting. That's the most frustrating part of it- there are flashes of brilliance, things that stop me in my tracks and make me go "Whoa...", but then that gets shoved aside as the series jumps to the next plotline with little warning or regard for what it just revealed. And I can't help but think that all of these problems could be fixed if maybe it ran 12 episodes like the first OtoBoku. Story is good. I like story... When it's properly paced.
This is not.
 |
| The show didn't even give itself enough time for the awesome chibis! Not that I mind a bit of seriousness, but these things were sorely missed. |
Score- 5/10
Pass/Fail- Fail.
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