Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas - An Episode of Port Town

Merry Christmas! or not. It's far too early for Christmas but Guilty Crown once again attempts to bring forth a piece of work involving action, science fiction, drama, and super power all at once.

But I do have to say, this OVA that consists of only about 15 minutes is worth the watch compared to the entire 22 episodes of the original Guilty Crown. No, I am not guilty here. I am actually serious as this OVA contains a piece of work that despite being roughly 15 minutes just makes me want to stare at my screen and watch it through all the way.

Guilty Crown: Lost ... Christmas is the special episode included in a DVD with an animated short bundled with the limited edition of the PC game Guilty Crown Lost Christmas. As a special episode, one would expect little to no story. And of course, you're right to those who've watched this. It has virtually no story. However, what it does have is the badass Scrooge. That's not actually his real name but it's what he goes by. Unfortunately, there's not much we find out about him. After all, this special episode contains only 15 minutes of animation footage and really can't expect much of a character development from that.

Speaking of characters, there's Scoorge's mysterious sidekick, Carol. With silver hair white as the snow of Christmas, she presents what we see as the fixation of this special episode. Both of them seemed to have escaped some sort of facility that made them as experiments in the beginning. Of course, Scoorage does not allow anyone to push him around and handles his pursers like a boss.

We don't know who, when, or how he was kept at the facility. We do know that he has the Power of the King and like his previous predecessor in the original GC as he extracts the void from his sidekick that we all take guilty pleasure of seeing.

As for the artwork, this special episode feels a bit blend. It's nothing special to pay attention to or make out of. It's not exactly the best way to promote a piece of work with standard art but who am I kidding, this is Guilty Crown, one of the most controversial series created last year.

Like it, hate it, or just deal with it...Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas has a great soundtrack like the original series. Even though brief, it brings back some nostologia from the original GC when the OST song "Bios" was played. Admit it (even for those who hates Guilty Crown with a passion)..the soundtrack is epic. For all other reasons beyond the story, characters, or animation, the soundtrack of this special episode is not bad at all in the soundtrack department.

Overall, the relationship between Scoorge and Carol seems to better than Shu and Inori. For one thing, Scoorge isn't a coward or a weak lead. He makes his decisions from the very beginning. In fact, I'm guessing that escaping from the facility was also his decision, one that is rightful and thought out void of surprises. Furthermore, Carol seems to be independent. She doesn't look like a sex toy and in fact, has more of a fixed personality rather than Inori who shows up every episode nearly a different person from the original series.

As for the other characters, they just seem to be there behind the background making their own speeches like another day at the park. Perhaps they're there to enjoy Christmas. Perhaps, they're there to enjoy the special episode. At any rate, they are there but surely has some roles. Unfortunately in this special episode, it's just too short to tell.

Well, overall his special episode is somewhat special. The kickass OST is there. It gives the ears guilty pleasures especially at the climax scene. The characters are presented better than its original predecessor. In fact, in less than 15 minutes, the two main characters are more likeable than Shu and Inori of all twenty two episodes combined. Despite short, this OVA was entertaining to watch. There does seems to be many questions that needs answers but it does presents a piece of work that while not Christmas gift present worthy, is still a fun watch.

Santa is not here yet but this special episode is. So what are you waiting for? Go watch this special episode now. [insert evil laugh here]

Here's my 30 second review and immediate afterthoughts, limited to the 50 word limit in the "tags" box in my anime list. This is NOT a full review.

"Too short. Its stoic but caring hero and his bubbly companion make up a likeable cast, and its plot has potential. "8" may be overrating it, but the desire for more than just the taste you've been given makes this a possible redeemer for GC's disappointment."

Notes on the art, sound, and characters:
+ Redjuice's art doesn't disappoint. The same budget obviously wasn't poured into this 11 minute OVA, hence the CGI'd mechs. Otherwise, the slightly downgraded animation in Lost ... Christmas reminds us of one of Guilty Crown's best features - jaw dropping visuals.
+ A fantastic ending theme, courtesy of the fictional band, Egoist. Beautifully composed piano ballad accompanied by great vocals. Hats off to supercell and Ryo!
+ Recurring characters. I've always wondered how our uber-creepy Major Segai started on his plight to insanity.
+ A fantastic new cast. We all know that the audience loved to hate the ultra-whiny, indecisive blubberfest Shu. Lost Christmas's protagonist "Scrooge" is much more no-nonsense, without coming across as overly stoic. More importantly, the female lead "Carol" had personality! Sure she and Inori shared the resemblance in that their odd outfits were overly sexualized, but the fact that her role involved more than being eye-candy to be used by the protagonist makes the MCs in Lost Christmas much more likeable.
- Too. Damn. Short. However, even if you're not a fan of being teased with content that might never be produced, Lost Christmas is worth a look. Hell, even if you didn't like Guilty Crown (or became disenchanted with it like I did), I recommend watching this prequel. It definitely lights up the imagination to what Guilty Crown could have or should have been.

All in all, a great teaser. It's a shame that there's no news of a follow-up (considering those cocky producers had promised two seasons before airing). Guilty Crown may have been a huge let down, but I would absolutely love to see more of the visual novel content presented in Lost Christmas animated.

I am writing this so that those watching this expecting it to be a prequel will NOT BE MISLED. This is definitely not a prequel, but more rather a side-story spin-off type. Viewers who haven't watched Guilty Crown and for those who have,(I have) will be just as confused.

The purpose of a prequel is usually to explain what was unexplained in the sequel or tie up loose ends and such. However this OVA did not accomplish that, the only thing it does is leave the viewers in more confusion. WAIT! let me rephrase that, the ONE thing it DID explain was how Makoto Walkt Segai ... ( http://myanimelist.net/character/50709/Makoto_Waltz_Segai) got his left eye ****ed up. THAT is the ONLY thing that was explained, and the ONE tiny thread that connects it to Guilty Crown. There is pretty much no correlation between THIS and Guilty Crown. NONE of the events of the "Lost Christmas" that happened 10 years prior is Guilty Crown are explained. Shu isn't there, Gai (or Triton =_=) isn't there AND MANA is NOT there. You could call this OVA contradictory to Guilty Crown because some girl called Carol is masquerading as Mana.

When watching your thrown right into a weird atmosphere with characters you don't know and have no clue what their names are. The short MAL summary explains more than the anime BY FAR.

Mmm to get down more to the tiny details. The art, I felt was actually worse than guilty crown. Sound, yeah jeez they used the same soundtrack with egoist. Story, confusing the most dramatic thing that probably happened for me was the dog dying. T_T