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 Kyousuke
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expressed 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.
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute 2, Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai 2
Japanese: 俺の妹がこんなに可愛いわけがない。
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
13
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Apr 7, 2013 to Jun 30, 2013
Premiered:
Spring 2013
Broadcast:
Sundays at 00:00 (JST)
Licensors:
Aniplex of America
Studios:
A-1 Pictures
Source:
Light novel
Theme:
Otaku Culture
Duration:
24 min. per ep.
Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Ranked:
#47942
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#536
Members:
443,503
Favorites:
1,211
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 64 / 68
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Your Feelings Categories Jul 11, 2013
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 Kyousuke ... Jul 26, 2013
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, and ... May 12, 2013
The idea of incest makes my stomach turn so as you can imagine the title “My Little Sister Can’t Be This Cute” (English translation) put me off big time. However, after watching the first season of this show by the recommendation of a friend, I found that not only was this show incest free, but also hugely entertaining and surprisingly deep just like “Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai”.
The key word here is surprisingly deep. How so? Enter season 2 - The first, fourth, fifth and sixth episode of this season hint at what this show is really about: a guy who was outshined by his little ... Jun 29, 2013
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 to ... Feb 19, 2014
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 the ... Jun 29, 2013
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 of ... Jul 27, 2013
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 as ... Jun 30, 2013
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 are ... Dec 2, 2014
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 regain ... Jul 8, 2013
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 a ... Apr 17, 2014
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 when
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Apr 10, 2015
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, that ... Sep 29, 2015
"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 call ... Jun 6, 2013
After a long time, finally a show I am completely hooked on.
Ore no Imouto season 2 takes off where the season 1 or rather the follow-up OVAs left off. The first episode of the new series is fairly standard and is more about portraying the characters' "REUNION" ( a very fitting opening theme right there). The real story makes progress as of episode 2 where Kirino is confronted by her best friend Ayase and about how kirino doesnt spend enough time with her and from then on each episode seems better than the previous one. We see some backstory to Saori (a tall otaku girl ... Oct 5, 2013
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 episode ... Jun 26, 2013
I'd be the first person to tell you that Season 1 was way better than I thought it would be. I actually liked it, which surprised me, as I thought I would hate it. Hearing there was a second season, I was a little mixed, because I had this feeling that if the show went on any longer it might actually lead to incest. I was fine with the Season 1 ending, but I watched Season 2 anyway. I'm here to say I made a huge mistake.
Where Season 1 was funny, different, and just a joy to watch, Season 2 was boring, cliche, and ... Jul 12, 2014
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. ... Aug 18, 2014
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 season ... Jun 3, 2014
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 do ... Nov 21, 2013
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 could ... |