Random Curiosity

「はい、アンコールありがとうございます」 (Hai, Ankōru Arigatō Gozaimasu)
“Yes, Thank You for the Encore”

This is the swimsuit episode. If you’re asking yourself whether you should watch this OVA, then that should give you your answer. Yes, yes you should. It’s the swimsuit episode. I dare say you must.

「林間学校こんふゅーじょん!」 (Rinkangakkou Konfyujon!)
“The Outdoor School Confusion”

School field trip with Haruaki and the gang? Count me in!

「因果論」 (Inga-ron)
“Episode 0″

The passage of time has only increased my appreciation for UN-GO.

「劇場版 そらのおとしもの 時計じかけの哀女神（エンジェロイド）」 (Gekijouban Sora no Otoshimono: Tokeijikake no Enjeroido)
“Heaven’s Lost Property the Movie: The Angeloid of Clockwork”

Whenever something perverted happens, Tomoki is the yardstick by which I measure it. If Tomoki would have done it, it was probably awesome(ly perverted); if he wouldn’t have, you better get back to work, bud. As such, it should come as no surprise that I jumped at the chance to cover this movie. What might come as a surprise is the tone it takes, though that’s only if you’ve forgotten about the deeper side of Sora no Otoshimono, which is what makes this series so much more than your typical ecchi comedy.

「弁当の極意」 (Bentou no Gokui)
“Secret of Bento”

Even though it’s not the sequel OVA that everyone hoped for, this unaired episode of Toradora! was nevertheless a great reminder why this series is one of my favorites.

This post is over two months overdue, as the final manga-bundled OAD for Yozakura Quartet came out in early November, but I wanted to give a few quick impressions on this three-part series that goes all the way back to fall of 2010.

「ハヤテのごとく! HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH」 (Hayate no Gotoku! HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH)
“Hayate the Combat Butler! Heaven is a Place on Earth”

It’s been a while since the 2nd season of Hayate no Gotoku ended, and I’ve been looking forward to the movie which premiered back in August of last year. The series has always been among my favorite harem comedies, so I watched this with high expectations, and all in all it provided what I was looking for.

Spoiler Warning: if you haven’t watched the movie yet and don’t want to know what happens, stay away from this post for now.

「星を追う子ども」 (Hoshi o Ou Kodomo)
“Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below”

I honestly don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that Shinkai Makoto is the most important anime director in the world. But while I’ve been arguing for years that the endless examples of him being called “The Next Miyazaki” were off base, it appears as if Shinkai-sensei may have taken them to heart.

「恋に焦がれる六重奏」 (Koi ni Kogareru Rokujuusou)
“Sextet Yearning for Love”

If the finale back in spring didn’t seem conclusive enough on who won the harem war over Ichika’s heart, then this OVA should definitely clear up any confusion.

Update: Added live performances from the IS One-Off Festival. HD caps uploaded too. Force a browser refresh (Ctrl+F5) to see them.

「重力の井戸の底で」 (Juuryoku no Ido no Soko de)
“At the Bottom of the Gravity Well”

The eight-month-long wait for the fourth episode of Gundam Unicorn has been a grueling one, but it was well worth it. The movie-like production quality of this six-part OVA series hasn’t disappointed yet, nor has the complex and intricate story involving the search for the lucrative Laplace’s Box, during which Banagher tries to break the cycle of hatred between the Earth Federation and the Zeon.

「クロの家出」 (Kuro no Iede)
“Kuro Runs Away From Home”

If you’re tempted to skip over this OVA as a superfluous extra – don’t. It might not be essential to the overall plot, but it’s highly rewarding just the same.

「恋離飛翼～サヨナラノツバサ～」 (Sayonara no Tsubasa)
“The Wings of Goodbye”

Almost one year ago, I said in my coverage of Itsuwari no Utahime that I considered a trip to Japan to coincide with the theatrical release of Sayonara no Tsubasa. I can definitively say now that it would’ve been well worth it, as the second movie shuffles the story around more and features brand-new jaw-dropping animation. Movie-quality visuals backed by an epic soundtrack by Kanno Youko and new songs by May’n and Nakajima Megumi, plus a conclusion where Alto finally picks one of the songstresses? What more could a longtime Macross fan possibly ask for?

Spoiler warning: This post (minus the screen caps) is purposely free of major spoilers. There’s no summary of the plot, the final battle, or the ending. Still, I mention some specific developments, so it’s not recommended for those who don’t want to be spoiled at all.

「赤いナイフ使い」 (Akai Naifu Tsukai)
“Red Knife User”

Released earlier this month with the eleventh volume of the manga, Deadman Wonderland’s OVA features an original episode centering around Kiyomasa Senji’s past as a police officer. It provides an interesting glimpse into his pre-Deadman life, something that I’ve been curious about after seeing the images in the ending sequence.

「4人とアイドル」 (Yonin to Aidoru)
“4 People and an Idol”

There have been a lot of references to other shows in Kami Nomi, but this OVA takes the cake in the overall number of references that were made.

「慟哭ノ砦」 (Doukoku no Toride)
“Fortress of Lament”

After rewatching the final movie of the Break Blade series almost two months later, I still can’t shake the feeling that it lacks a sense of closure. It wasn’t all that unexpected given that the manga doesn’t conclude where the movies did, but it does leave something to be desired when Rygart, Zess, Hodr, and Sigyn’s backstory is left completely open-ended.