Reviews

Jan 4, 2011
Preliminary (11/12 eps)
Most people don't seem to understand that this is an anime, and therefore isn't really intending to accurately portray real life. Most critiques I have seen so far of Ore no Imouto are "My friend told me to watch it because he/she said it was really good, but it was just some anime catering to the otakus of the industry". Reviewer then proceeds to either make fun of otakus, or even more amusing, says why this anime is actually... just an anime! An anime being anime-like? Taboo.

Ore no Imouto takes a cliche school / slice of life anime setup and sets it at a new angle. Sure, some of the character designs are stereotypical, but they're all created that way to convey a certain feeling to the audience. That feeling, at least in the anime (because I highly suspect the original was romantic love) is actually sibling or familial love. To break it down for those of you who still think Ore no Imouto is cliche: I don't know of any other anime that really discusses sibling love in a more mature light than this one.
People complain about Kyousuke being a wimp, and for the most part, he definitely appears to seem like one. However, consider his father, who is actually portrayed somewhat realistically. As a sibling myself, I can clearly see how the iron fist of a father's control over something that is your favorite hobby could really lead the siblings to come together and make amends for their past.

Another argument people have against Ore no Imouto is the "girl who loves eroge" cliche/catering to otakus. While it could be seen in this light, I saw it as the stereotypical anime exaggeration that we see everywhere, in order to make an important point. We see Kyousuke fighting for his sister's rights to appreciate and enjoy her own hobby at her own leisure without being judged by others around her. It's a wonderful message to send across, despite it being moved by the eroge factor. However, it's the very fact that Kirino's hobby is eroge that shows if Kyousuke can justify this hobby to those around him, any hobby can be justified, and in general, any action that does not harm anyone else.
It sends a message to those radically in opposition of hobbies that others have, and a general message of acceptance. Kirino, by the end of the series, seems to be hated by many viewers for what she has done to Kyousuke. Part of that appears to be intentional, as it leaves the audience wondering "How can Kyousuke put up with all of the crap Kirino does to him?"
It's true, it seems unbelievable, and is highly unlikely in today's world. But since when has anime ever tried to accurately portray reality? Most of us watch anime because it glorifies simple personalities and relationships between people, transforming them into something wonderful. We watch it because it gives us an escape into a world that we enjoy watching, or may even want to live in, because it is so radically emotionally different than our world.

It seems that some people are forgetting the magic of anime that led all of us to watch it in the first place. Ore no Imouto is, quite secretively, one of the more poignant animes of Fall 2010, and was a true joy to watch.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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