The diehard otaku Kirino Kousaka has returned and settled back into life in Japan with her friends and family. Despite what her older brother Kyousuke has previously done for her, Kirino continues to give him the cold shoulder, much to his frustration. He is worried that his persuasion for Kirino to drop her track and field training in America and return home may have severely strained his relationship with her. On top of that, Kyousuke now also has to decode a bold and cryptic message from Ruri "Kuroneko" Gokou, his junior at school as well as Kirino's friend.
As the ties between the two siblings and their friends deepen, Kirino and Kyousuke will soon have to figure out how they want to deal with these relationships, helping each other realize their own feelings in the process. In spite of that, Kirino still manages to find time to satisfy her otaku needs with the company of her brother.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Veronin
OreImo has had something of a controversial history. And that's not too much of a surprise-- it pushes the notion that wanting to bone your (perhaps nonexistent) sister is perfectly fine. Mind you, there is nothing inherently wrong with incestuous themes when handled maturely. But OreImo is not mature. It had no intentions of being so. And yet, there was still more to OreImo than the incest appeal. The first season provided a social commentary on otaku culture and its perception in everyday society. It focused on characters that behave and react like human beings do, sometimes even at the cost of likability. When Kyousukeexpressed any interest in his sister around others, he was treated like a pervert and smacked upside the head. It almost wanted you to feel that there was something wrong with Kyousuke's and Kirino's growing relationship. Not entirely, perhaps, but there were always deeper, more intelligent themes than "hey, this dude likes his sister".
OreImo's second season has none of this. There is no social commentary. There are no believable characters. Whatever the series had to set itself apart from any other ecchi or harem series is now gone.
The characters are relentlessly crippled by this downfall and Ayase receives the full extent of it. She was characterized as being level-headed and diligent in the first season; the proverbial "model student", albeit with a tendency to berate anybody she sees as odd. Where is this in the second season? Apparently nowhere. Ayase has become victim to the 'yandere' stereotype, cranked up to eleven, knife and crazy-eyes included. For no conceivable reason, she also develops (and acts on her) feelings for Kyousuke, entirely contradicting her belief that Kirino's happiness is most important. The most believable character in the series has been reduced to wrapping paper.
Kirino is a love-or-hate character, and whichever side you lean towards, the second season is not going to do much to change your mind. There is plenty more of the rampant complaining that she was so known for in the first season, including an episode comprising of her lying to Kyousuke, insulting him and proceeding to slap him across the face. I could never really get myself to hate her, though, because while she embodies everything wrong with teenage girls, there are always signs that she has remorse for her actions. That and the fact that she's voiced by Ayana Taketatsu.
You will likely develop a more positive opinion of Kuroneko, though. For the middle third of the story, she is made the principal character. A love interest, too. And unlike the rest of the female cast (Kirino excluded) whose feelings seem entirely forced and superficial, Kuroneko's feelings for Kyousuke are explored in detail. Her love is genuine. It doesn't feel shoehorned in to add an extra number to the harem, and that is perhaps the greatest compliment an anime like this can receive.
But her story arc eventually blunders about. It is marred, like most things, by superfluous drama at the end. The end of Kuroneko's arc simply consists of Kirino screaming at Kuroneko for the entire episode. Worse, Kuroneko's motivations are not even established once the conflict is finally resolved. All we get are a few ambiguous statements which further contradict her actions. What an awful note to end it on.
That's not to say that everything has gone wrong; a few of the episodes are legitimately good. Kuroneko's lighthearted episodes exemplify the good points of the series (and are wholly adorable), while Saori's backstory provides an interesting glimpse into the life of otaku while fleshing out her character in equal measure. The show is plenty capable of being fun; it just regularly chooses not to be.
The ending will leave many scratching their heads. It might even be misleading to call it an ending, as it wraps up nothing and shamelessly expects the audience to follow up with the OVAs for answers. Still, it's a nice way to detail Kyousuke's and Kirino's relationship as children and shed some light as to why they act the way they do. Suddenly Kirino doesn't seem half as infuriating as she used to.
Technicals considering, OreImo 2 is an impressive anime. It looks better than the previous season which was already impressive in itself. There are few scenes where the artwork manages to dip in quality, and the depth of field effect between character and scenery achieves in giving the show a more professional look. The facial expressions are also drawn and animated fluidly, which serves well to enhance the comedic scenes and portray the emotions of each character.
The sound is nothing spectacular but does the job perfectly fine. Occasionally the soundtrack works to the story's advantage, and scenes that would otherwise feel hackneyed are instead able to stir up a few emotions. On the other hand, the opening is a generic J-Pop song that you will forget almost immediately as it ends. The ending sequences are pleasant, though perhaps not as much for the animation or songs as they are for the variety. It's hard to argue against a new ending for every episode.
OreImo 2 is not a bad anime, but it is a bad sequel. Whatever you found appealing about the first season is likely to be gone here. It is made to be palatable solely to harem fans and incest fetishists, and those stuck somewhere in between are bound to find this season lacking any sort of cohesion.
A good sequel aims to improve, not to throw away everything that made it unique in the first place. OreImo 2 is a fundamentally broken anime.
Nuclearducky
This will be my review on Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai S2 (OreImo2), one of the more popular animes depicting sibling relationships in detail. OreImo2 takes place right after the events of the specials of season 1. In a fitting opening episode, the still-awkward relationship between Kirino and Kyousuke can be readily seen, demonstrating that the two of them still have a ways of bonding to go, until the girl's otaku habits bring the two of them together. There's a distinct change between this second season and the preceeding season. While the first season focused on Kirino's 'initiation' into otaku culture, andher brother earnestly helping her with that transition... the second season delves into the relationship between the two of them, and their friends around them; particularly Kuroneko and Ayase.
At first glance, OreImo2 may seem like it degraded to a harem rom-comedy, and that argument wouldn't be entirely false. However, seeing the relationships between Kyousuke and Kirino develop over the season's events, and how they deal with the reality that they someday might find a significant other was something that I particularly enjoyed. Of course, some scenes felt a little over the top at times, but the intentions and feelings were there. Kuroneko's arc was also a treat; her feelings for Kyousuke felt very real and sincere, and through her actions it's evident that she still cares for her best friend Kirino, regardless of her affections for her brother. Seeing these conflicting emotions is one of the selling points of this season.
My only complaint would be Ayase's arc... while she's still an enjoyable character to watch, and though she might report me for saying this, her sudden attraction towards Kyousuke was a little unexplained and came off a little too... harem-esque... if you catch my drift.
Other than those main caveats, the season is filled with episodes that were just nice to watch, such as Saori's past, and Kirino/Kyousuke's childhood. Regardless of their content, the main themes and feelings of OreImo are still there. The characters are still a blast to watch and the gags they make are funny. Never once did I feel that there was 'something wrong' with the second season.
Those tired with the harem rom-com angle with animes may find this season lacking and disappointing, but for those who enjoyed the first season and don't mind the change of pace, will still find the new OreImo just as enjoyable as the old.
Stark700
So....what would you do when you find out your cute little sister who you haven't seen in years is a closet otaku? A) Be in denial and pretend it's a lie B) Never face your sister again C) Tell her to end her hobby (this could result in some bitch slaps and higher hospital fees) D) Support her and swear on your life to never tell anyone about it Think hard. Well, it doesn't' matter which choice you pick because either way, you will be stuck with your cute little sister with the undeniable fact that she is a closet otaku. In the end, you're just going to have todeal with it and think ahead.
Well, it's back. Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai (My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute) is the direct sequel that aired from the Spring line up of 2013 that directly continues from the True End arc. Yes, it is actually required to watch those four episodes so if you haven't done so yet, do it now. There's nothing stopping you. At any rate, the series is back and with a title this long, it's hard to take it seriously right? Well, no but this sequel does have a lot of entertainment, some rubbed in the right and others in the wrong way. For the purpose of my laziness and ease of reading, I'll just simply refer to this sequel as Oreimo 2.
I'm not going to lie here. This was one of my most anticipated series from the Spring lineup. Going by the MAL statistics, I might not been the only one with the amount of hype surrounding this sequel. At any rate, Oreimo 2 is here! To do a little refreshment, we have the cute little sister Kirino who we know from the beginning is known as a closet otaku. Her tastes in games seems to be related to little sisters and the eroge genre. This seems to rub her brother Kyosuke the wrong way. In fact, the two does not get along at all. Kyousuke tries to be the supportive brother like a good sibling but Kirino sees him as the following: pervert, lolicon, and a brother who may have the sister complex. While not all of these may truly describe Kyousuke for who he is, there's certainly tension between the duo. Their relationship seems to not go along well most of the time. Kirino is the dominant of the duo and often ridicules Kyousuke at many occasions. It seems like Kyousuke has to deal with her tsundere tendencies, outbursts, and rather awkward accusations. At many times, there's the misunderstandings too that further implements problems. Long story short, Kirino and Kyousuke does not get along very well and in this sequel, it doesn't get off to a good start with that either.
However, there are times in this season that does show a supportive side from both sides of the siblings. Although they both seem to deny it, it's quite obvious that both Kirino and Kyousuke are frustrated if either one of them gets a lover. In other words, there's something in their heart that seems to tell their brutal honest selves that they don't want the other side to enjoy a healthy relationship. I guess perhaps their relationship does have a loving side, in that sibling way. And speaking of love, there's more ways than just one.
In Oreimo 2, love is in the air especially with our other characters. Well, it can come into many shapes and sizes such as the yandere Ayase. I'm not a big fan of her's but her screen time was definitely appreciable for the way she seems to talk down Kyousuke but at the same time seems to enjoy their awkward relationship. Otherwise, there's my favorite cosplayer and arch-rival of Kirino from this series....the one and only one.....*drum roll*.....
Ruri “Kuroneko” Goko!
Voiced by the ultra talented voice actress Kana Hanazawa, Kuroneko gets quite the spotlight that she deserves in this sequel. Just like in season one, Kuroneko is like the opposite of Kirino and gets in her face at almost everything. Think of it this way. They are like oil and water, snake and mongoose, colors dyed red and blue. It's hate at first sight defined at its finest. Nonetheless, the two simply does not get along at all. The catch is in this sequel, there's even an new additional factor added in that causes Kyousuke to be part of the equation. And no it doesn't involve eroge. That's part of the 2D world.
Among other things, Oreimo 2 seems to like to push drama forward between various characters. Well, there's more than just our can't-get-along-at all siblings. Rather, it also deals with other characters. For instance, we even have supporting characters who plays various roles in steaming up some awkward moments. This usually results in Kirino lashing out her tsundere tendencies at full force. The receiving side usually seems to be our poor Kyousuke who is accused of being a lolicon, sister-con, etc etc. Well, not everything rides on Kyousuke's bad side though. There are some nice girls such as Manami, Kuroneko's siblings, and even a track rival of Kirino's. Unfortunately, Kyousuke is too damn dense to ever notice anything most of the time. It doesn't help with the various misunderstandings either that often again puts Kyousuke on the wrong side of life such as drama in the club room. Get your popcorn out folks and watch those moments go fly in the air.
As for the fan service goes, this sequel surprisingly doesn't have as much as I had thought. Well, it does have some though. While it omits the typical beach episode, the series has Kyosuke at edge of some awkward camera angles. Then, there's the outfit that Kirino wears that seems to either be for eye candy or even perhaps a foreshadowing. Either way, the fan service of this series is not as much as you may imagine. What Oreimo 2 does offer more though is doses of fun gags. It's not just those catchy end cards that some people might miss at the end of each episode. Rather, it's the dialogues such as the typical “I hate you” from Kirino that seems to have a completely opposite meaning. Then, there's also innocent talks with some dirty words mixed in spoken by kids too young. If “bitch brother” isn't part of that gag, I don't know what it is. Oh and let's not forget the rather indirect references to eroge games like sausage eating.
The story structure of the series seems to be a bit loose although middle part seems to be the main dish of the meal. Some of the other episodes seems to be more as ingredients. By ingredients, I mean the supporting characters. With its blissful cast of side characters, there's a lot of screen time for many of them. Kirino though is still the main girl. Regardless, Kirino can barely stand Kyousuke while the latter has trouble dealing with her own love issues. In fact, Kyousuke becomes the sort of center of attention with the girls as he gets quite a lot of surprises in this sequel. Kirino on the other hand isn't happy by this but being the tsundere that she is, it's obvious how she responds. I found this a bit out of place and way out there. What deserved have been there though should be materials that were intact from the light novels. Perhaps the development of the story requires some cramming but it's something not too consistent enough for my liking.
In technical terms of artwork, the series remains its similar style as the previous season. If artistic value is taken account, one could imply the adorable way some of the designs are drawn in particular the younger cast and Kuroneko. The way she cosplays is also quite catchy whether Kirino likes it or not. That gothic getup with the cat ears is just appealing and something most of us might not be able to take eyes off of. It's not too shabby either with the backgrounds too in terms of animation values. I would say that the overall artwork of season 2 is relatively the same as its prequel.
As for soundtrack, the series continues the pattern of lighthearted pattern. To add to some extra gags, each of the ending episode concludes with a different song with different artwork. You might want to keep your hands on that print screen button because those end cards are something worth of a thousand words. Most of the seiyuu voices portrays their voices as well to fit their characters. Kirino remains a tsundere with her voice. Kyousuke's tone often reflects both supportive and frustration. Kuroneko's soft and touching voice gives off that feeling of adorableness. The OP song "reunion" by ClariS brings back indeed a reunion between many of the characters. There's also a bit of perhaps foreshadowing in the song as there seems to be a famous red string of fate at the finger tips of Kyousuke swining to one side but never reaching its target. Hmm.....
By all means, Oreimo 2 is not a masterpiece. At least it did something right to get more people to watch this series from the first place with its unusual premise. Perhaps the drama can be seen differently from some to others. Then, there's those dialogues. Some of them are catchy while others tries too hard. What it did catch though is a burst of laughter at several occasions for me. With all set and done, this sequel awaits you but only if you finished season 1 and its true end. For fans of Oreimo, this is a continuation. After all, there's no way a series you've finished season one and true end can be just dropped without giving at least the first episode a try.
tenoshikami
If you liked or even slightly appreciated this show at all don't read or comment or rate this review in anyway just get out. This isn't for you this is for everybody who hated or has yet to see this show. Secondly if you are thinking of watching this show DON'T DO IT. You'll hate your life and it will make you beyond depressed. DON'T DO IT. Overall (after season 1) I had hope for this show. A lot of hope actually. But it didn't even try to make the story worthwhile. It became a game to see how many girls he could make cry in thespace of three episodes (the last three) and then after he picks the girl he wants aka his sister (yes this is incest) they stop dating. Basically leaving him with no girls at all from where before he has five bitches/lovely ladies to choose from. He could have had a loli, a childhood friend, a hot model girlfriend but no. He chooses his annoying little sister, who he knows is annoying and doesn't even make it last. I really hope this writer is happy because I'm not. Pathetic writing. I get that it's different but you shouldn't write to just depress your audience. I can even do that, shit I could make the whole world cry from a story if i wanted to. Getting them attached to a character or even a set of characters then systematically tear their love life apart easily without feeling. That's why this anime sucks. Waste of animation budget that could have been used on something else. This may seem like a nerd rant but seriously think of it this way. If you don't have a girlfriend/wife/lover/etc (if you do pretend you don't) and then imagine you have all these girls around you wanting to be your special lover. Most are willing to do about anything. Now reject each and everyone, watch them cry without feeling sad. That is feeling this anime gave me. If you love watching girls cry go ahead watch this anime, otherwise run, run and never look back at this crapfest. goodbye fellas next review is Seikon No Qwaser.. I'm not excited about it either.
Ressamp
To be honest, I still don’t really understand Oreimo. Even after the second season, there’s still things that I’m unsure of. At a glance, the title suggests a story between a sister and a brother, but the thing is, looking back at two seasons of Oreimo, I really don’t think that definition fits all too well. Here’s the thing - yes, it is a story about a sister and her brother. But that’s not all - Oreimo isn’t just that. Oreimo doesn’t just explore the relationship between a brother and a sister, Oreimo divulges into everyday life, in this case I suppose, the everyday life ofan otaku schoolgirl struggling through her slightly different lifestyle. It’s also the story of a very average brother trying to do his best to protect his beloved sister - in which their relationship, has long fallen apart. And again, that’s not all. It’s also the story of friends, friends joined by a common interest, friends joined together to enjoy life, and solve each other's problems. That, is Oreimo. Daily life. Of an otaku, or rather, several otakus and their non-otaku friends.
In that aspect, it’s not hard at all to call Oreimo simple. It really is, just the daily lives of a sister and her brother, and the people that surround them. There’s no intense magical girl fighting (at least, not *real* magical girl fighting), emotionally depressing family problems, no sword-wielding monster-slaying chicks that cross between worlds, no insane amount of unrealistic harem situations, no no, there’s none of that at all. Oreimo, is simple, yet enjoyable. Why? Because it speaks to it’s audience. I found myself divulged in Oreimo in the same way that Kirino was obsessed with Meruru. In the same way Kirino has her collection of Meruru figurines, I have my own personal collection of anime paraphernalia that I treasure and admire. Hell, even I want to go to Akihabara.
I suppose such a pretense leads to a few issues - like the fact that Oreimo slightly lacks focus. Although it’s undoubtedly true that Oreimo spends a lot of time focused on the brother-sister relationship between Kyousuke and Kirino, it also spends a lot of time exploring things that are slightly random. It’s like every once in awhile, Oreimo simply benches the brother-sister relationship backstory, and focuses on other aspects of it’s story. Of course, I’m not really complaining, because if it had not done that, it really would have been solely a story of a brother and a sister, and nothing more. And I for one, believe that such a story probably wouldn’t have been all too interesting. Because it’s not like this lack of direction really affects the anime at all - it’s not like we’re lacking character or story development, every single “arc” within Oreimo, does develop both the cast and the story. Everything somehow ties back to one main idea in the end, and there are no useless episodes.
In fact, if there was one thing about Oreimo that I really appreciated, was the cast. i don’t think I ever found myself in absolute hatred of a character after finishing the finale of Oreimo. In fact, I was pretty attached to the entire cast as a whole - they were fleshed out pretty well, and although in some places were underdeveloped, all in all, they were pretty well done. I suppose if I had to label a single problem to Oreimo, it would be that some of the characters, are slightly underdeveloped. If I were to label them, theres no doubt in my mind that I would have loved to see more of Kanako, the Akagi sister-brother pair, and a little more of Saori, although she was actually pretty well developed. I suppose to an extent, this lack of development is acceptable, since if Oreimo were to really develop all of these characters, the story really would have lost focus and became random to the point of being bad.
But, I’m not really complaining, because realistically, not only were the characters fleshed out pretty well, they were also drawn pretty well. The animation is pretty well done, although something like that is to be expected of an anime produced in 2013.
The other well-produced aspect of Oreimo, is more than likely the soundtrack. Like the animation, it’s to be expected that an anime produced in 2013 should have a good, acceptable soundtrack, and Oreimo is no exception, but to be honest, although it was well produced, there was nothing really special to it. The opening, on the other hand, is a great choice. It would have been bad for Oreimo to have broken the style of the opening theme from the original, first season of Oreimo. Although I do have to say that I’m not too sure about carrying over the concept of a different ending for EVERY episode from the first season of Oreimo was too good of an idea. I really think that it would have been better to just have another ClariS song as the ending. But then again, the ever-changing ending animation was pretty interesting, and I don’t doubt that a decent amount of work was put into it, because instead of pasting the same ending animation on every episode, Oreimo has a different ending animation, and song, for every episode, which I found mildly interesting.
Realistically though, between Oreimo 1 and Oreimo 2, I can strongly say that nothing has really changed. For me, Oreimo 2 is only better because it’s a continuation, and I get to see more of the Kirino that I’ve enjoyed for two seasons straight, and get to explore more of the relationships and stories of friends surrounding Kirino and her brother.
So, I suppose that Oreimo is one of those animes that never try to be overtly flashy. Oreimo didn’t try to provoke anything overtly powerful within it’s viewers. It merely set out to explore the lives of it’s cast, and in doing so, pleased it’s audience quite well. It’s the kind of anime that doesn’t need anything more other than more episodes to do the same thing it’s been doing for it’s entire life span. But the thing is, having said all that, Oreimo isn’t the kind of anime that you just bench once it’s done. Some would disagree with me, but I know for myself at the very least, Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai is the kind of anime that I probably wont forget, and given the choice to stick Kirino on my back windshield, or any other anime character, I’d probably pick Kirino.
She’s just that cute.
Simonian
OreImo. The anime that I couldn't figure out for the life of me is now more obvious than a vegetarian in a grocery shop and about as complex as a technical drawing of a hammer. It has stooped down to the level of your average harem and the studio didn't even do a good job at that. Now let's recap what made the first season fairly decent. First of all, it was realistic with a capital R and focused not only on the relationship between Kyosuke and Kirino but also on the Otaku community at large. The characters behaved naturally and in my opinion were asclose as any anime has gotten to simulating real human beings. Now bear this in mind as we describe what happens with that realism in the second season.
First of all, the story takes Kyosuke and virtually all the girls in the cast, puts massive magnets on them and lets the pinball games begin. Some girls repel each other, some girls end up being pushed away but they're all eventually attracted to Kyosuke. The complexity and the realness set forth by the first season is brutally crushed, replaced with plot points and confessions that you could see coming from a mile away with both of your eyes covered.
And just when the series begs for mercy a spectacular coup de grâce is delivered. Kyosuke, the martyr and defender of logic and reason from the first season turns more into your average perverted harem lead, welcoming this new found female attention hand over fist, without thinking about it too much. Shower spying, perverted fantasies, conversations about tits... fanservice? Yeah it's all here. OreImo2 is up to its knees with that.
The female cast itself is a mixed bag as far as plot progression and character development goes. Kirino is as annoying as ever. First she hates her brother and wipes the floor with him, second she gets all lovey-dovey and clings to him like a bubble gum to a shoe sole... before proceeding to wipe the floor with the poor guy yet again. You'd wish she'd just give it to him straight. Nope. She loves, hates and is neutral towards him while he dances around her like a jester before a King in a castle courtyard.
Kuroneko and Saori though receive considerable time and go through some much needed character development. Saori's background story deepens her character and shows us that not all things might be as they seem. Kuroneko on the other hand opens up more and we see the more shy and vulnerable side of her as well as her true feelings for Kyosuke. I have to say that out of all the characters, her story arc was the most satisfying and emotionally engaging. For a few episodes at least, you get to see a genuine romance.
As for Manami, Ayase and Kanako - it's nothing short of a disaster. Manami gets royally shafted for the entire duration of this season. She's only there to provide advice once in a blue moon, appears in a flash back or two but don't hope for any development, not between her and Kyosuke or anyone else for that matter. Ayase, seemingly the only girl possessing common sense among her circle of friends becomes wholly shallow and is the first casualty, becoming nothing more than an addition to Kyouske's harem. Do not expect anything remotely interesting from her. Kanako ends up the same way as Ayase and though not confessing directly you can see what's going on because at this point the show becomes so predictable and un-realistic you might as well watch paint dry or play ping-pong with a can of soda.
The final episode of OreImo2 is inconclusive and will leave you with a headache and a rash, both probably from anger and disappointment. Which means, yes flashbacks pertaining to Kyosuke and Kirino. While it gave us an insight as to why his sister disses him all the time, it was not a good way to end the anime.
Many fans and casual watchers alike (myself among them) have been looking forward to the second installment in this series, hoping for a decent follow-up on the brother-sister relationship centered around the otaku culture. More than anything I think, everyone was hoping for some sort of a conclusion. However it is obvious now that the studio is intent on milking this series as much as possible and that means that the cast and the plot will be severely dumbed down.
As for the visual and audio aspect - it stays exactly the same. Well drawn characters, attention paid to every detail and a decent OST. The opening and ending songs might seem a bit plain but personally I've never paid any attention to that and never include it as part of my grading criteria.
All in all, OreImo2 is a failure. The story doesn't progress as much as I feel it should have given 13 episodes, though we are given a superb Kuroneko arc and Saori's own story was engaging too. Those two gems are surrounded by harem and a vast repository of bogus drama and Kirino's bipolarity. This season does not carry the plot of the first one well and as such, there's not much left to like about this anime anymore.
Orsonius
OreImo is back! Now with more fanservice and less fun! No but really, when I heard OreImo gets a second season I was pretty excited. I loved the first season, it was really entertaining and I had a blast with it. It wasn’t anything great but a good laugh and a lot of Otaku references. With season 2 though a lot of this changed. I’m not sure if it is me that changed or if A1 Pictures is at fault, or even if the source material is not that good. But season 2 was the biggest disappointment of the year so far. Story/Content Kyouske and his sister Kirino areback, this time it revolved all around their relationship and more drama/romance as in contrast to the first season which had more comedy.
It’s not that Season2 didn’t have any comedy, but just not as much.
The start is slow and not very good, it gets scattered episodes that are actually enjoyable only to mix in the ones that are bad.
It just doesn’t work. The romance part of the show should a) not be with Kirino and her Brother and b) not so dramatic.
Everything is just really unrealistic and over the top, you cannot make real drama seem appropriate in a show that is so nonsensical. It harmed the overall feel of the show big time and I was mostly at the verge of dropping it.
Thank goodness the last episode was actually good, so I’m not writing this with fury but rather a calm disappointed aftertaste of what the show was in general.
Characters
While everyone was as they were in season 1, it kinda felt like a magical reset. I know they want you to get into it again, but the feeling of starting from 0 was still there.
We got some insight on other characters this time but nothing that had any impact on the show overall.
I mean what was the point of a backdrop for Saori if she is missing most of the time?
I mean nice to know what other people have as backdrop but in the end the focus was on Kirino.
Even the hoped for romance between Kuroneko and Kyousuke was disappointing and went nowhere.
And the worst of it all was Kirino, as she was a worse TSUNdere than ever.
The focus was weak this season, everyone got a tiny bit only to be sacrificed by Kirino which pissed a lot of people off.
Art and Animation
The original was done by studio AIC, this time A1 Picture did the job.
Normally A1 has pretty good production values, and it’s not like OreImo looked bad, but an average looking show can’t be helped.
What we did get though were a lot of asses.
I mean A1 Pictures kinda needs to squeeze in a lot of Ass-Fanservice in every show they make, at least that’s what I see.
It’s not really that it would ruin the show, since it is already not a serious show to begin with, so fanservice doesn’t ruin it. But the amount of it was definitely increased.
The rest is the same, character designs look pretty bland, the sceneries are just as underwhelming, and animation is average stuff.
Not the worst looking show of the season, but sure right in the middle of mediocre.
Sound
Even worse is the music in OreImo 2. I can’t quite remember what it sounded like in season one, but I guess it wasn’t much better.
The opening is cheezy and the general BGM just fitting but not great.
Voice actors are you normal to good modern presentation. I mean we have Kana Hanazawa and Yuuichi Nakamura. They are all talented so yeah it’s good.
Enjoyment
Well apart from a few episodes or scenes season 2 was a let down. I sometimes even hated it and just wanted to throw my computer out the window on how bad it was.
While the enjoyable episodes were good enough to fill my sparse free time with some good moments.
The last episode really helped the show not to leave behind this image of the worst thing ever in my memory.
But I guess this is it for me. If a season 3 comes out, nope thank you. It’s not worth it anymore and it lost its magic.
Scores:
Content 4/10
Premise and Setting 0 (same as before, also not great)
Genre Execution -1 (compared to season 2 a failure)
Dialogues and Cleverness 0 (not as funny as season 2 but had its moments)
Interest keeping 0 (sometimes I thought I’d drop it, but then it saved it with a good episode)
Characters 4/10
Personality 0 (cliches but fun to watch)
Behavior and Chemistry 0 (enjoyable from time to time)
Development and Progression 0 (not really there)
Motivation and Backdrop +1 (we actually got some backdrop for some of the characters)
Likability 0 (while some of them are very likable, Kirino is not)
Art and Animation 4/10
Artstyle 0 (generic)
Quality 0 (okay)
Background 0 (unremarkable)
Character Designs -1 (cheap looking)
Visual Effects 0 (used not often)
Sound 5/10
Voice Acting +1 (many talented people)
Opening and Ending -1 (waaaaay too cheesy)
Soundtrack 0 (uninteresting)
Sound Effects 0 (the usual)
Enjoyment 4/10
Art and Animation 0 (okay)
Sound 0 (almost bad, but voice actors are good enough to enjoy it nonetheless)
Story and Content -1 (too many annoying episodes)
Characters 0 (a different focus would have made it better)
Value 0 (unlike season 1 I will hopefully forget about this one)
Conclusion
OreImo2 is my disappointment of the year... It’s sad and it made me angry. Suddenly I focused too much on the bad aspects of the show and couldn’t enjoy myself like I used to in season 1.
While it ends not as terrible as it starts out, it still was just very bad overall.
4,2/10
~4/10 (bad)
Diables
For more detailed reviews I recommend reading the earlier reviewers. I have only this to say: I didn't do any research before starting this story so I had no idea what I was going into. First I read the short manga and then just had to see the anime how the story progresses. I really had high hopes that the tale wouldn't be about romantic relations with siblings. Of course I was wrong and wasted a lot of time to see incest romance unravel itself. Why did I keep watching? Because I honestly thought that this would be a nice tale about brother and sister who regaintheir relationship as normal siblings. Oh how was I disappointed.
Story is rubbish and even though it's a cliche: You see the rushed ending coming a mile away. Seriously don't waste your time. Learn from my mistakes. There isn't even any depth to the topic of incest. I wish I never watched this.
superNinja896
I'd like to start this review off with my thoughts and opinions on the show's story. In my opinion, I thought the story was very relatable (Minus the harem). Will someone out in the world disagree with me? I think yes. Because not everyone will think this show is relatable. During the first season, you see Kirino as an Otaku who is simply trying to keep it a secrete that she plays little sister eroge games. I relate to that because in my society, anime watchers are simply classified as "nerds". The story really goes deep inside the life of not only ahigh school student's life, (If Japanese student life includes harem and a lot of misunderstanding relationships between a brother and sister), and a life of an Otaku who is trying to live a normal life.
For the art of this anime, I found it wonderful. In some episodes when two characters find themselves arguing, They end showing you this other world (an alternate dimension if you will) where they have these magical girl clothing on and they begin to fight. Which I found very cool. If I wasn't very descriptive I apologize. Basically the cool fighting stuff in Chuunibyou Demo Shikai, or Black Rock Shooter you see in those shows is what I was trying to explain. I found those scenes very amusing. When they aren't in those action scenes, the art was overall good and was goofy when something funny happens.
For the soundtrack in this anime, I found both of the openings catchy because of it's upbeat rhythm. The endings how ever I tend to skip unless the ending credits were rolling as the episode was still playing its last few moments. I will tell you that each episode has a different song.
Now for the characters, I can't say every character developed from start to finish. But at least the main characters such as Kyousuke, Kirino, Kuroneko, Saori (boy did she have a bug development in a non perverted way), and Ayase had development. I'd say why and how but I can't do it without spoiling a lot of the story plot. You'll just have to watch and see. Also I say that these characters are the only ones with development because the other characters in the anime just didn't touch your heart unlike the characters mentioned above
Now if you're going to ask me if I enjoyed this anime, I would have to say, I enjoyed it very much. It had lots of comedy that you will find extremely funny no matter who you are. You will find a lot of it's emotional scenes touching, and despite the development of some of the characters, you will eventually end up loving all of them.
Overall yes I did enjoy this wonderful anime. It made me realize that siblings have an intense bond that can never be broken. No matter how much you THINK you hate them. Deep inside you know you love them as a family. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for comedy, and a just a fun anime to watch.
Now that this anime review is over, I bid you farewell ^o^
~SuperNinja
LoL_Cow
OreImo is the pandering of everyday events of the siblings: Kyousuke and Kirino. If you want an anime with siblings of the opposite gender, along with love interests for the main male character, and very basic plot devices, then this is the anime for you. Plot devices in this anime are used in the most basic of forms, meaning an unexpected twist. To make the predictable unpredictable is one major gripes that I have with OreImo, and it just fails so miserably when the story steers itself back in the direction it came from. The twist just became absolutely unnecessary. It also doesn’t help whenside characters introduced from the previous season are completely eliminated just so the plot can better flow.
At no point while watching this anime did I feel even remotely attached to any of the characters, and this is due to the fact that I’ve previously stated: The pandering of everyday events. It’s like watching a dog circle around a patch of grass, sniffing the ground for that sweet spot to lay a pile of dung, and then simply walk away once it had done its task. Not a care in the world even though it went through so much effort to find that sweet spot. This is what OreImo is. It panders the story around in a way that turns the characters into backdrops and reminding you that you should have some emotional attachment only when they implement their unnecessary plot twist. It tries to build the characters in a way that you would relate and find attachable, but the end result is meaningless, and again, this is attributed to the fact that the story manages to steer itself back into its predictable plot line even after a twist has occurred.
While watching the characters develop their meaningless relationships, expect many moments of comic relief because this is about as funny as it’ll ever get. As a comedy, OreImo relies on short skits to make you have a quick laugh. Combined with the more serious tone of the plot, this is an anime that lacks a central focus.
Once the main plot had run its course, the writers decide to re-introduce a love interest for the male protagonist. A character that they’ve neglected. And the story was so bad. It felt like they had to write and animate this short story just to appease the fans or simply meet the thirteen episode quota. A complete waste of time and money.
OptimisticRebel
Season 1 was stellar. Every episode was outstanding. Season 2, Episode on episode got worse and worse, then all respect I had left for the little plot development dropped like a lead balloon on conclusion. After the first season, it was right up there as one of my top 5 animes, but dropped so hard and fast that by the end of season 2, I wanted to wipe all memory of it and claw my eyes out with a rake. Kuroneko was awesome, but I always saw Kyosuke with Manami, though I would have been happy with a conclusion with either. I never really liked Ayase, but heck, thatwould have been better than what we got.
This anime is a clear example of when you have a masterpiece of a series or film, despite wanting to see more of it, it's best to leave it well alone.
If you've not seen this anime, then don't.
Or watch Season one, then resist every temptation to see the world, plot and characters come crashing down to fanservice hell.
Dechie
"Why are you in my way, pervert?" -Kirino Kosaka This poignant quote is just a sample of the masterpiece that is Oreimo. Oreimo pushed the boundaries of what we as humans define as "good" into a new genre altogether. But all in all, the main reason why this anime scored a perfect 10/10 was because it did something no anime has ever been able to achieve before: By actually fucking up a simple slice of life premise into oblivion. The story of Oreimo in itself is quite unique. So unique, in fact, that it can be classified as a whole new genre of anime. I like to callthis new genre "shit in a bucket on a screen." It took a simple premise such as love, put it in a food processor, and blended it into oblivion. In that sense, it is a lot like fate/zero because both start with a premise that soon gets deconstructed over the course of time.
Art is perfect. It brought back the nostalgia of my youth spending days on end staring for hours at dried up pieces of concrete, memories everyone has as a child. Similarly, the sound is flawless. In order to fully enjoy this series, I reccomend you scrap those old speakers of yours and listen to some radio static on full volume as you watch this one of a kind masterpiece.
I reccomend this show to everyone. And my reccomendation means a LOT, I am a true anime master that has seen a ton of shows like bleach naruto onepiece fairy tale, and attack on the titans (shingeki no kyojin for those of us who have leanred a little japanese ^_^)
kiri_koto
My first review...and it had to be about this infamous controversial anime... Heheh... Anyway, let's start. I'll be honest, when I started watching the show, I didn't know what to expect about it. As I watched through the entire show, I learnt a lot of lessons. Screw the sibling love for a while and look at the other aspects. The series has really gone through many aspects of real-life scenarios that I have faced before, and it taught me to be strong in these situations. Which is why, I really found that most of the characters had something to take from. When I reached the final episodeof the show, excluding the specials, I felt that it ended quite abruptly, and there were plenty of loose ends. And thus, I watched the final three episodes of...controversy... And I enjoyed it. It was good, and I can only smile when I think of Kyousuke and Kirino, I'm not saying that we should learn everything we see from anime, this one for instance. I just think that it should be something looked upon as good. To break social norms just like that. What is stopping us? Judgement from public? There are no proper restrictions stopping us from doing anything. Love comes in many forms. This is just one example, and a good one at that. The last 3 episodes tied up many doubts the viewers had and ended without much haste.
The other aspects like music was quite okay. I like the opening for both seasons. Quite catchy. xP The animation was good, a different style from shounen(duh), but the design was nice. There was no doubt that I laughed in every single episode. The humour is also something we can relate to I suppose.
Anyway, the main point of this review was actually to tell those that haven't watched it yet to ignore anything you hear about this anime. Even if you've heard about its controversies. Screw it. Watch it for yourself and get your own opinion of it. See if you learnt a thing or two from the show, even if you didn't like it.
For those that already finished it, good job. You survived. xD Honestly, I know it's tough seeing something so unexpected like that just appear on your screen. But if you don't like it, it's fine. Just don't impose your opinion on to others with different beliefs. It's nice to share opinions, but in this society, as seen from the anime, we can't really say that there's a 'right' decision, can we? be accepting to all kinds of people and thoughts. It'll be beneficial one day.
With that, I think I've spent enough time. I hope it wasn't too...much... Ehh, thanks, and...bye...?
abotreika
The following review involves only my very own opinion and my personal experiences. Minor spoilers included, read at your own risk. You may or may not like it. Provided that you do not like my review, feel free to vote it down. Or even better: write an own one. Foreword You are looking for a funny and entertaining romcom? You might have found one - OreImo is quite funny and somewhat entertaining. But be aware: Do not expect too much, this show truly is about reckless, brave and yeah, pretty silly people. Story 5/10 The core point of OreImo is a highly complicated (love?) relationship of two blood relatives.This anime shows us how a sister relearns to trust her brother, and how a brother is trying to get in touch with an odd culture.
The story about siblings falling for each other is nothing new. However, the side stories (Otaku culture, Saori’s arc) are pretty interesting and well executed. I wish I could say the same about the main story: for the most part of the series there is no story at all, which is very disappointing and unsatisfying. Near the end of season two the main arc gets more intense and culminates in a fairly peculiar ending. While being a romcom, the show is not efficiently romantic or funny at all. But for all that, the part I disliked the most is the ridiculous attempt on a harem in the last episodes. Out of nowhere.
Whatsoever, all those things fits the show pretty well. Even though the plot routes of OreImo might indeed seem strange and cloudy, again: the show is about silly, grotesque persons.
Characters 5/10
OreImo is a double edged sword at this point. The show has some really nice supporting characters like Kuroneko and Saori, who do have interesting backgrounds and their own personalities. On the other side there are characters like Ayase, whose nature is just absurd. Speaking of absurd things I can’t avoid mentioning the truly weakest point of OreImo: main characters. They act, again, highly absurd. Their actions and decisions feel borderline unreasonable, beyond any belief. Oddly enough this fact fits the main arc pretty well, which may or may not be advantageous.
Animation & Sound 7/10
I love the animation of OreImo, it fits the whole show in a good manner. The colours are pretty deep and sharp, the scenes are colourful. However, in many scenes you can see some really sterile and lowly animated backgrounds, which is a pity.
A couple of words about the music. The opening and ending themes are fine and consistent with the show. The sounds in the show itself are pretty good, but sadly I couldn’t notice any memorable compositions.
Conclusion 6/10
OreImo is not that bad. The sad part is: it’s not any good, either. Even though there are some funny and good parts, in the end you might feel highly cheated and disappointed. There are tons of much better romcoms out there, so don’t waste your time on mediocre shows like this one.
If you are into siscon, try the great Koi Kaze, a mature and serious story about the forbidden love.
Eiji
In general Oreimo has some interesting characters, and has plenty of bright spots where you laugh or really want to find out how the characters relationship evolves because Y has happened. So far so good. But then comes season 2... And more precisely the second half of season 2. Here the characters relationships start to run amok, make no sense and destroy everything good the series otherwise had built up. I have watched many animes where the ending had either been lacking or confusing. But OreImo takes the price. It leaves you with nothing but bad taste in your mouth. In short, do watch season1. It's okay to good depending on your taste. But don't watch season 2. And should you decide to anyway, only watch the first half. But whatever you do, don't watch the 3 last episodes. It's like ending a good date being told your partner has cheated on you.
Avmugi
They've done it now. Officially. An anime series has got on my nerves.Even though I don't do reviews for older shows I feel frenzied and obliged to write this just to get the load off me. This is late but it comes audacious and up to date, it's not just a review, these are my sentiments (unplugged) about this series,that have been collected right after I watched it so they are afresh, so much that I'm not even able to think straight and am punching the keyboard buttons aggressively to type. I am going to give my emotions a voice and I am going to dothat by ranting here, now either you can just read it or sod off but I'm doing it for my sake.
Judgments can prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond the appearances but my feelings are galvanizing my thoughts about this anime and framing a lot of them too.
NOTE- If u have actually watched the prequel it'll help you in understanding my grievances better as my review draws heavy comparisons between both the seasons. My review also includes the specials (episodes 14-16)
Also, I'm giving HEAVY SPOILERS out on this review but nothing I say can wreck this anime more than it already is. The damage has been done.
I am so mad because I feel I've just been trolled? OreImo has disappointed me in more than one way.
OreImo is the story between a brother & a sister and how their relationship as siblings' changes and gets mend, given the time. I had read somewhere that beneath the simple-looking plot, OreImo is a gem for all anime fans (agreed)
Though happy about a second season I was ascertain and my concerns weren't wholly nugatory. I had enjoyed watching the first 12 episodes of the first season but encouraging it to continue further would eventually lead to this road. Now, I am sure you've heard from hither-tither that the second season leads towards incest. All the viewers who have previously watched OreImo have already killed the story by frivolously debating over OreImo's Incestual plot and have already broken this news to those who're yet to view the anime.
They decided to specifically target all the qualities I cherished about this anime and turn it into something I incredibly detest. A "BAD" Rom-com Harem, I do not hate that genre but this is amateurish.
How has Oreimo 2 failed? To answer that there is nothing "Oreimo" about Oreimo2 but apparently they claim it to be a sequel.
-there's not much in it on the life of an Otaku
-the life consults are gone
-Kirino is bitchier.
-There's too much blast from the past, clips from season 1 and Dejavu.
-During every argument our harem Hero stands their gaping while the Heroines engross themselves in a fist-fight.
-The idea of slapstick comedy, butt-kicking, bitch-slapping, screaming like kingkong and yelling words like "baka,hentai" is so hackneyed that it's not even funny anymore.
Above stated are only few of the numerous things in the show that agitated me.
All that gone, something else must be stirring? Mmm... Romance!
The feelings that the show gives off changed, Well being 32 episodes long (first and second season combined) the plot had to feel like it was moving and going somewhere, so it followed behind the VN/Light novel and caught up with the manga.
I'm not going to dive deep into this stuff because the art,music,voice-acting has changed the least, mostly remained similar. I understand less about technicalities so my review is solely based on observations made by myself.
Art (7/10) The art is precise & vibrant.
Characters (8/10)
Kyousuke, for once is not the weak kind of male protagonist who is torn between girls, he is a baka, liar, hentai, lolicon, masochist, lech but he is not a sissy and while Kirino keeps shouting at the top of her lungs that Kyousuke has a sis-fetish, Kirino's actions suggest that she has a brother complex MORE THAN ANYTHING.Our female characters are the perfect mix you might find in a harem and you'll grow fond of each of them independently, even if it takes a while.
Music (6/10)
The OP song is by ClariS again, very J~Poppy with catchy tunes it might not be remembered distinctly as all their songs sound the same but for as long as I was watching the series the OP song boomed in my head several times, it's very fitting for the title, The background music is primarily a guitar instrumental. Every episode has a new ED sung by the Seiyuus that I don't listen to before I move on to another episode.
Voice Acting (8.5/10)
The voice actors are chosen aptly for their roles, they're perfect and also popular (like Ayana Taketatsu and Kana Hanazawa)
------x------
So does OreImo get its fairytale ending?
The second season ends at a cliffhanger without deducing anything and relies on the OVA to conclude the most important part and bring the series to a finish.
I'd be enraged if the series would end at a cliffhanger (Code Geass R1, Urggh) but then OVAs decided to make me angrier than I'd imagined, I was angry they chose an incestuous path but I was filled with fury once they decided to cop out because I always knew OreImo couldn't handle incest. Mind you, I am not trying to act righteous here, Who're we to decide if Incest is wrong or right but did the execution have to be so poor? I've seen "Yosuga no Sora" and liked it because it was able to place itself in that setting properly, What they do with OreImo is silly, it never sets the mood well for incest which is a way mature topic, It is manhandled jokingly like it's child's play. They, with their light-headedness take upon the idea, know they can't pull it off and then trash it. They take a whimsical on Incest and it's so terrorizing it's not even laughably bad, there's nothing gleeful or merriment about it just because the attempt is so chucklesome. It only provides distress to the watcher. OreImo feels like a half-hearted attempt of becoming extremely intense. With all that half-assed seriousness and half-baked emotions shoved into the show, OreImo was supposed to be a fun show with a message for siblings but they decided to go ahead and add bullscrap to it to make it deep, I don't know if Incest is morally right or wrong, it's arbitrary but it is morally wrong to go around spoiling if not polluting and corrupting a well-developed brother-sister relation,While their relationship as siblings is well-constructed and fleshed out. The love they both shared was familial and I never once sensed a romantic vibe.They had really matured in a relationship but not as lovers but as two siblings, Kyousuke is a protective, caring and reliable brother that Kirino admired, Kirino is his younger sister who Kyousuke adored. That never meant they had to fall in love with each other. Someone must be sick in the brain if they thought it's necessary to bring such a stupid,stupid plan to effect.
I had to constantly keep my composure or else I really wanted to reach out and create a deep dent on the monitor screen. (Grr.. Makoto Itou, Shinji Matou) It's only the second time I've so strongly reacted to an anime after "School Days"
"Let's just make them fall in and out of love because we can." Ha Ha. Right? Like a hot knife sliding through butter.
"Let's date for a few days and go back to being brother & sister" *blech* like that could ever happen unless you were merrily infatuated and only wanted to try things out.
The show doesn't take itself too seriously,you shouldn't either because if you do you'll be crestfallen by the end, like me. As it was a really special anime to me and to other Otakus who could relate to it so flee away if you were a huge fan of the past season and aren't just ready to be so overwhelmed yet. My enjoyment was actually at its peak (8/9) while watching OreImo and though I'd give the previous season an overall score of 8 this season will have to be happy with a 5 or 6, I'd have given it a 6 if it weren't the sequel to OreImo which really set the bar high, but I am settling for a 5/10 as it is a bad sequel to a good prequel, everything that set it apart from the other harems has been neglected, OreImo2 is just a meagre Rom-Com now and I hate to say it but even "Twilight makes a better love story than this"
My thoughts after watching OreImo2- " Don't always go by the book " (literally, do not)
bezzaboyo
Quite possibly the most fan-dividing anime of the year, OreImo is a tough cookie to even begin to review. If you've seen the first series, then the sudden u-turn in almost all aspects of the show will be shocking, to say the least. It might well go down in history as the anime which alienated the most fans, or it might even be the trendsetter for future harems, because what OreImo has to offer in controversy is matched by its brilliance. If we were to ignore the original series, let alone forget that there is even a light novel that precedes it, then you couldprobably score OreImo a 9/10 and be done with it. There's delightful animation, hilarious romantic comedy, in depth characters, an insight into otaku culture, and an unique exploration of the once-taboo theme of incest. The problem is, this anime is a direct sequel to something far greater in almost every way.
Story: 5/10
Much to the disappointment of fans from season one, there are very few redeeming factors about the story of the second season. Gone is the eccentric plot revolving around the life advice sessions, with almost no sign of a story to replace it. There is next to no mention of Kirino's success with producing her own anime; Kirino's modelling and racing career is also sidelined but no replacement can be found. The only reliable plot that occurs involves Kyousuke and his new love interest in Kuroneko, which is probably one of the only bricks holding the fort together. It is relieving to know then that Kuroneko and Kyousuke's miniature plot-arc is possibly the best in the season. However, the rest of the series tries too hard to juggle the numerous characters in the harem without much in the way of linking them together. Overall, it would be wise to abandon hopes of a thrilling plot, as you will be better off focusing on the characters and comedy that will blow you away further than the story even travels.
Art: 9/10
There is no mistaking the beautiful art that OreImo manages to tease our eyes with. Rich, vibrant colours and a wide variety of settings provide eye candy that many other animation studios envy. The character animation is superb and the attention to detail is impressive, to say the least. It doesn't quite have a masterpiece touch to make it a 10/10, but it's not far off. In general, high performance once again from a high-quality studio - cute girls have rarely been cuter.
Sound: 8/10
Personally I have always found the soundtrack to this series entertaining in its own right, and whilst I slightly preferred the music from the first season, the quality is definitely the same across both. OP and ED are worth listening to in their own right, and you may find yourself occasionally humming a tune or two whilst doing the dishes. The voice acting is as per season one spot on, with believable accentuations and real emotion - particularly from the voice actor of Kuroneko (Hanazawa, Kana). As a whole, there is good reason to praise the sound artists, who are often undervalued for the factor they play in creating the atmosphere.
Characters: 6/10
This was undeniably a tough decision to make, because as far as a harem goes the two deciding factors for its worth are usually how funny it is and how good the characters and relationships are. Sadly, there are too many failures in OreImo for them to go unnoticed. Without wanting to spoil anything, my entire point can be summed up in one character: Asuna. Everything you knew about her has rapidly and inexplicably changed. It's no use arguing that "it's explained in the light novels" because the anime was designed to be watched alone and not to accompany its source. The script writers simply did a bad job of introducing the changes to her character. For reference, imagine taking Simon from Gurren Lagann in episode one, and then suddenly transition next episode to the Simon from the final episode. There is no impossibru face strong enough to describe how atrocious that would be, and yet the story decides it's appropriate with what used to be the anime's only grounded character. That being said, a few characters do escape the butcher's knife - the best being (luckily) the protagonists and Kuroneko. Kirino retains her enraging bitchiness whilst still managing to make you sympathetic towards her because of how (relatively) real she remains. Kyousuke actually feels more like the harem king this time around, as he becomes legitimately involved in the eroge games and shows his feelings about the other girls more acutely. A personal favourite of mine (and indeed of many) is Kuroneko, who cute factor aside, becomes possibly the deepest of all the characters explored in the entire anime. Her feelings are not an obsessive fad, or a confused bundle of emotions, but true and honest love. If you haven't yet seen the series, expect a treat amongst the waves of deplorably ignorant relationships. In conclusion, the characters probably won't meet your expectations - the controversy killing off many a fan - but there's probably a silver lining in there somewhere. You just need to look at it really hard.
Enjoyment: 8/10
Whilst there are many pitfalls and dangerous waters (especially ship lovers - I won't even begin to mention the OVAs), OreImo does contain a multitude of comedic moments, of which at least some will have you laughing. It might not be crying-tears-of-laughter hilarious, but you might wake up your next door neighbour with an untimely fit of giggles, on at least one occasion. Making up for where the show lacks in story and plugging a few of the character void-holes has helped to make season 2 more than bearable. Even when characters do something completely out of character, it's more than likely that two seconds later Kyousuke will mess up or act silly in such a way that you can't help but smile. And whilst this should probably go in the character or story section, the sheer enjoyment from the Saori backstory plot is enough to carry three or four episodes alone. To summise, be prepared for anything. No seriously, anything.
Overall: 7/10
There are too many problems with OreImo season 2 for me to completely wash over them with the entertainment banner, but that being said it is not a bad anime either. As I initially said, most of the disappointment comes from this being a sequel to a contender for greatest harem of all time. The verdict? If you have seen the first season and the first set of OVAs, then season 2 is still worth watching, just don't expect to end on the exact same note as before. If not, then why are you watching this when you could be watching the first season? What you should really be worrying about is preparing to replace your monitor; because if you don't punch a hole through it after watching the second season OVAs, you truly are a master of control.
Reflex96
Oreimo S2. A series many wanted, and a series that was given. Did it live up to expectations? As sequel series go, this is better than the first. There are simple reasons behind this. Most would agree that character development was what made Oreimo S2 so much better than S1. The anime is very solid in the idea that it is quite simply, showing the lives of people who are slightly different to normal society. It shows the interests, the friendships, and the struggles of these people, which is something people relate to. When you can watch something that's making you feel like you relateto emotions of a character, you get the real perspective. This is something people clearly enjoy, and I agree on this. The main element is a troubled sibling relationship, which is a typical theme, but this series seems to be very real in its ideas about the troubles between the two main characters. This element of real conflict is a great aspect to it.
It is a thoroughly enjoyable series for it gives you surprises also. Developments happen suddenly, and also leave you on a knife edge. This is definitely a positively entertaining factor.
I like the characters too. I think that each one demonstrates a type of person not thought about in the society. Kyousuke, the secretly protective
kirino, the aspirational and self motivated
kuroneko, the committed but unrecognised
Saori, distant and misunderstood yet strong
I think when you see it this way, you can understand why Oreimo S2 is very firm on being something people relate to. It has strong values and feels very realistic. This is for me, something that makes it worth watching. However I struggle to see why people have a love for Kirino. Personally she drags the series down a little, I want to throw her off a building if I'm honest. I don't know why but that's what I think.
In all, Oreimo S2 is unusual in that it is better than the first series. It makes it's improvement in showing the who the characters really are. However it isn't amazing. The story still feels a little like there's more to it, mainly due to the amount of sub plots to aid character development. If there is series 3 (which the last episode seemed to hint at) then maybe this can be forgiven. They had to either finish the story or develop characters, and I think they did the right thing in developing the characters. If they continue, then I can safely say combined, Oreimo is a must watch for anybody.
raritydash
The first season of Oreimo was a delightful anime, full of colorful and amusing characters. It played with a lot of anime tropes and aspects of anime culture in general in interesting ways and was thoroughly fun. It was the sort of show that surprised with how good it was. So, yes, a second season was definitely very much welcome... but while I still overall enjoyed the second season, it simply isn't quite as successful as the first. It fails to deliver in some important regards, and for that it is a bit of a disappointment. The production values are not where the show goes wrong.A-1 Pictures has proven themselves capable of producing very visually appealing, well made anime and this is no exception. It looks great and sounds great. The art is crisp, glossy and appealing, the music is good and the voice actors come across as quite comfortable in their roles.
Oreimo has great characters. Kyosuke is a great male lead; relatable, fun, not weak. Kirino is an interesting if at times frustrating female lead, but overall works as a character for her infectious energy. Kuroneko is just adorable and awesome. The rest of the cast is all mostly very likable and they remain that way in the second season. Some of them are developed really well too. The episode Saori gets is one of the high points of the season and makes me wish they had done more with her character. Kuroneko's arc in the middle also has a lot of very sweet high points, even if the resolution is rather weak and infirm. Even Kirino gets some good development in places, especially in the final flashback episode.
Some of the character development is not as good. Ayase is the biggest disaster. At the beginning of the second season she seemed right and in fact more likable and interesting than ever, but in her arc toward the end her characters was pretty close to ruined. I had never once thought she was supposed to have advanced feelings of any sort for Kyousuke. They don't have a chemistry that suggests that and never have, which just makes everything that suggests otherwise between them seem painfully forced. It's quite telling that minor character Kanako's tacked on late developing affections for Kyousuke are more believable. Which brings me to the point that the second season tries far too hard to draw up the harem situations. The characters naturally play off each other in interesting ways. Not every single one has to be in love with Kyousuke. It really cheapens things, especially since the core relationships, especially Kyousuke and Kuroneko remain so strong. As for Kyousuke and Kirino, most of the time it's as interesting a dynamic as it ever was... but it perhaps plays the incest card a little too strongly, making the characters harder to relate with. Really, Oreimo S2's biggest fault is that it makes things too complicated for their own good.
All that said, if you really enjoy these characters and the way they interact with each other as I do, you will most likely still find a lot to love. It's not fully satisfying--it's not even fully completed, any kind of resolution being saved for the OVAs--but it's still Oreimo. I wish the approach had been slightly different and for it there were moments that were frustrating, but as a fan of the original, this second season still had more than enough high points to justify the lows.
