Mirai Nikki: Redial

Taking place 2 years after the main series, Redial explores the relationships between the characters in their new universe.

Honestly, this isn't worth watching unless you've seen the full series and even then, don't watch it. It doesn't add anything new to the characters and is just fanservice (which can be fun, but in this case, it did not leave a satisfying feeling. Also, unnecessary beach trip episode featuring sexual harassment & groping of characters + predatory lesbian trope! Awesome!).

Bad bad bad bad bad & the original ending of the anime is so much better (even though that still wasn't great), so please, don't ... even watch this. It will not make you feel anything but mildly confused and upset.

As a fan of Mirai Nikki it pains me to say that I not only disliked the OVA, but would go as far as to say it was complete trash. Taking place two years after the last episode, Yuno is living a happy life with her friend but constantly feels like she is forgetting something. Spoilers inbound folks, here we go.

Story: 3
Spoilers
Time for the story. For the OVA's story to succeed, in my mind it has to do two things. One is show us what happened after the events and also tie up any loose ends (EG the end of the final episode), in a ... somewhat entertaining and unrushed manner. Unfortunately these events wizz past you so fast you'd think Esuno was a bullet train. After showing the end of the final episode, the show cuts to the third world Yuno lives a happy life two years in the future. Whilst I feel that showing the end of the final episode can be important and useful to give people a refresh and to keep the series chronologically anchored, when you only have 30 minutes I feel like the time could be used better elsewhere to fix some of the large plot holes. Then the show goes on to basically break all laws of common sense, as Yuno somehow is still friends with Hinata, Mao, Kousaka and Akise (Who shouldn't even be there as he died in the 2nd world and didn't have his data uploaded, and in the 3rd world Deus never needed to create him as he never made the survival game), after going through about 15 minutes of fan service where the girls all fondle each others breasts (Which is hyper annoying as the show managed to avoid overly gratuitous fan service most of the way through- Keep in mind these ar 14 year old girls folks.) and meeting all the characters apart from 8th in stupid, immersion ruining scenes (Tsubaki is stalking Kousaka because she has a crush on him, I mean how did she even meet him ever?), we finally start getting to some form of plot, with only half an episode to go. I'm fine with having what is essentially a catch up episode, but to have the characters all tie in so jankily is bizzare and stupid, however 12th's scene was genuinely funny to me, but that's only because of the over the top nature of 12th in general. Then the plot begins and Yuno basically starts recieving flashbacks of 1st world Yuno's memories, and wants to find out who the person she loved is. Menawhile Deus has decided to abandon a survival game and can't figure out who to make a new god. It's nice to know the god of space and time, who knows exactly when he is going to die and has knowledge beyond comprehension can't even begin to plan for (let alone actually pick) picking a successor before his death. Yuno then ends up throwing herself under a blanket and talking to Deus and then wakes up in the Akashiacikikikikik (wherever that place Akise was supposed to go) records. After Murmur trying to stop her and Ninth helping Yuno out, she walks down the corridor to find Akise, who in this world somehow has all his memories and says how much he hates Yuno, he then tries to kill her with a sword and somehow this world's Yuno (who is just a girl in every aspect, she has had no survival game training and isn't even hardened from killing her parents), manages to overpower him and take his sword. She then reaches the weird sphere thing and unlocks it, finding the 1st Murmur who has kept the 1st Yuno's memories and wants to give them to this Yuno. Sound bull yet? Because it really is. Also Deus has decided to 180 on his duties allowing Yuno to do this and infact aiding her. She then decides she wants to go see Yuki as her memories are all back and Deus just says "yolo" and smashes through space and time (not sure why he doesn't just time travel but needs to smash open a wall), and sends this 3rd world Yuno through to go see Yuki. This is wrong on so many levels. For a start this still isn't the same Yuno, why is she allowed to travel through space and time, why did any of this happen. It just seems a contrived way of allowing every character to be happy at the end instead of having the bittersweet ending of the actual show where Yuki and Yuno give up everything for the other to be happy (or at least another version of them). My favourite line comes from Deus where he basically says "I'm not going to pick a god, because I want fate to guide us instead of me for once." this may sound semi-profound coming out of his mouth, but we have seen what happens if he picks nobody. He crumbles and dies and then giant black spheres begin destroying everything, so he has basically said "I can't be bothered to pick a successor, so let's watch the whole world burn lol.". Still, at least it's better than the ending in the manga, where you get about three panels where Deus smashes down the barrier with a literal hammer and says that he is going to make Yuno god of the third world with no explanation as to why.

Art: 7
Not really much to say here. It's the exact same as in Mirai Nikki which is nice. The only real difference is because all the characters are good in this world you don't get any of those weird pupil contraction shots and the evil grins.

Sound: 7
Again, it's Mirai Nikki. If you liked the music there you'll like the music here. Nothing overly fast paced and pumped up as it's a nice episode again. Like a lot of OVA's it lacks an OP.

Character: 2
This seems like an odd score I know but I do have a good reason. The score of 2 isn't necessarily for the characters themselves, as I quite like a few of the characters in Mirai Nikki, but it's about their portrayal and how they act in this OVA alone. For example whilst I was never a particular fan of Tsubaki's character they completely ruined what they built by making her stalk Kousaka and basically being any harem anime girl ever. The characters are semi spoilt by this OVA, only not being completely spoilt as they're in an alternate reality, however Uryuu Minene and others that carry over between the episodes really dissapoint me on this one.

Enjoyment: 5
Why is the enjoyment higher than the story and the characters? Well that's simply because it's an end to Mirai Nikki. If you stuck around to watch all 26 epiosdes of the show chances are you became at least a little bit invested in it, and this does give closure to the series, ending it just about how everybody wanted it, with Yuki and Yuno together (even if it is an incredibly unsatisfying way of doing it). I can't say I left regretting watching it, as it ended it all for me, but I am dissapointed with it.

Overall: 4
Mirai Nikki Redial is an overly rushed, very fanservicey dissapointment that really fails to hit any of the notes the actual show did, however it does tie everything up into a not so neat little package and once and for all lays the show to rest.
Should you watch Redial? Only if you enjoyed the main show, because trust me this is far worse than it.

The first half of the OVA is a complete waste of time full of almost nothing but ecchi boob grabbing and bouncing breasts at the beach. It picks up after the 15 minute mark but even then it's pretty disappointing. The ending feels like a it's completely forced just for the sake of giving fans a happy ending that the show doesn't need. You may as well be watching a Disney Cartoon if you like this.

Story 4: It's almost nothing but filler content. I can't say much about where it deviates from filler because there's no way to talk about it without spoilers. I give ... it a 4 for Decent but worse than Mediocre because this is pretty bad.

Art 6: Because there are poorly drawn scenes and character stills and the big guy looks even more goofy than before.

Sound 8: Because it's just as good as before, horrible music before the credits aside.

Characters 6: Because this is a bad representation of the characters but they're still good characters.

Enjoyment 3: It had like 5 minutes of worthwhile content and the rest was just awful.

Overall 4: How could you guys be rating this any more highly? Sure it's watchable and fulfills some of your fantasies of a perfect ending, but not every anime should have a perfect ending. This OVA is like a desecration, it isn't the ending the Anime needed or deserved.

About a month ago I was at the pub with a buddy of mine. I met him last year at University but he's apparently been a mega weeb since middle school. Unlike him, I'm actually kind of new to anime, only picking it up about a year ago due to boredom during quarantine. (which was a great choice as it quickly became one of my favourite forms of entertainment.) As conversations with a long-time weeb usually go we end up talking about anime, primarily anime he reminisced over. This is when he brought up Mirai Nikki.

"So it was this anime about a guy who ... gets a diary that can see into the future, but eleven other people also get diaries too and they have to kill each other, the last man standing becomes the next god of time" he explains

"what the fuck? sounds kinda wacky. I've never heard of it." I reply a little uninterested as I assumed it would be another shitty Shoenan he was trying to convince to watch. Despite my new love for anime, watching 80 episodes of an overpowered guy punch stuff is not my cup of tea.

"Yeah man, from what I can remember it was a bit of a gory psychological thriller, kinda mind fucky too"

Now I'm interested "oh?" I say in response.

"YEAH, and the other main character is some insane Yandere chick whose diary is literally just about him. The show is gets fucked up as shit as he slowly gives into her"

Oh? a show about a descent into insanity, now that's up my alley

And with that I was sold, the next day I decided to watch it and man what can I say. I loved the Future Diary (Mirai Nikki) in fact it's one of the best animes I've seen in a while. The series was a great slow descent into insanity with a slam dunk of an ending, a bitter ending that was fitting for the show showing that in the end, no matter what trauma you might have faced or how good your reasons are you will always have to face the consequences of your actions. Easily a 9/10 for me.

WARNING I'M GOING TO SPOIL THE ENTIRE ENDING OF THE ORIGNAL SHOW. If you haven't seen it please watch it first, trust me it's a banger. However please don't watch Redial Thank you


I loved the ending of Mirai Nikki. Yukki and Yuno, after slaughtering everyone around them are left with just themselves in a dying world. However one of them inevitably has to die or the world simply ends. Yukki knows now that even if he were to become a god, can't undo his wrongs and bring everyone back from the dead, making his reckless killings no longer in the realm of the ends justifying the means, but turns them into killings of pure selfish greed. However, with the flawed character that Yukki is, he won't or can't acknowledge that, and instead hides behind the idea of "saving Yuna" and his own past ignorance as an excuse. Yuna on the other hand, can't be saved, she still clings onto Yukki with every fibre of her being. She can't and won't let go, in fact, she would be willing to do it all again. To subject Yukki to all the pain the game had on him, to slaughter everyone in her path all over again just to get a little more time with Yukki. Funny enough It is revealed that she already has. This isn't the first time the game happened, in fact, it happened once before. However last time, being the final two they both decided to die together but fate won't have that. Yukki happened to die just a second before her, making her the new god. Unable to go on without Yukki, she roles back the clock to do the game all over again. Not to have Yukki win, but to spend just a little more time with him. So she roles back the clock onto the third cycle of the game.

This time, however, Yuna knows there is no way for them both to win or die together, so she attempts to kill Yukki, become god again, and selfishly rewind the clock, playing the game again, endlessly. Yukki of this world defies this end, not because he wants to save the world, but because of his own selfish desire to save Yuna.

This leads them to a final battle in the third timeline. Yukki set on saving Yuna. However, he's not alone, Minene (the ninth) comes in clutch as a "half-god" to aid him, not to save Yuna but to defeat her.

(I'm not gonna explain to much as how Minene comes back because that would turn this into a 5-page long literature review. but basically the time god was like "aw shit somethings kinda wrong here, hay only likeable and least flawed player, ima stick my hand in your chest give you half my power or some bullshit. If you are about to die or shit hits the fan from the game so you can fight the Yandere chick" I'm not complaining, she's easily the best character in the show so I was kinda rooting for her from the start)

a Big fucking battle happens, and for the first time in the show, Yuna breaks from her unending insanity and spills the hardest truth on Yukki. Yukki would have fallen in love with anyone who let him hide behind them, it just happened to be her. And that she would have fallen in love with anyone who let her cling onto them. It's the hard reality, they weren't meant for each other, they might not have ever loved each other for who the other truly was. they only loved how they could suffocate themselves in ignorance and their own selfish needs within each other. With each other, neither of them can grow as people and they will do nothing both drag each other down into madness.

Despite the 26 episodes Yukki never seems to grow as a person and for the most part, neither does Yuna. Yukki attempts to convince Yuna to kill him so she can turn back the clock and go through with her plan, feeding into her mad desires. In his own flawed morals, this is saving her however all he is doing is dooming her to an endless cycle. In the end, Yuna somehow sees the inevitability of her repeated actions, sees how none of this will ever lead to Yukki's happiness and in every timeline, he will die sad, and with regret. Seeing this she kills herself, making Yukki the new god of the world they just left behind. However it's already too late, the world they left behind is already destroyed with everyone Yukki ever cared about being dead, and due to his own guilt and inability to move on he is now doomed to it never being able to build a new world, remaining alone with nothing but his regrets for the rest of time. Arguably a fate worse than death. truly a dark, terrible, tragic amazing ending.

(side note, I just wanted to add this in, the ending isn't all tragic. remember how I said Minene ended up being alive and helped Yukki in the final battle, well she survives the battle and decides "fuck it, the old world is destroyed and I lost everything I loved there, ima lives here instead" She ends up meeting this worlds version of detective Nishijima who she fell in love with during her time playing the game in the last world. He falls in love with her and one of the last seines is them having a family together years later. So at least one good character got a happy ending.)



Now, let's move on to Redial. It takes everything I just praised the ending for, and throws it out the window. Apparently, some people didn't like how the only character to get a happy ending was the only character who actually grew as a person through the show and wanted our flawed awful protags to get their happily ever after. Which I suppose is fine if you do well, I'm actually really fucking easy to please. Going into it I didn't see a need to have a happier ending but was like "hm ok, this is Mirai Nikki we're talking about, even though it's not needed at all I'm sure they'll make it fulfilling, maybe this world Yuna, since she isn't a Yandere this time will end up with this worlds Yukki."

But no, they didn't do that, not at all. Basically, the first half is just shitty fan service, most of which doesn't make sense, both in that, it doesn't fill the theme of Mirai Nikki and also that half of it is plot holes and doesn't make any fucking sense.

Yuna is on some dumb shit beach with this world's version of Yukki's friends during the game. First off, this makes no sense, Yukki only met them during the game and the only reason they met Yuna during the game is that Yukki introduced them to her, not only that. one of them was LITERALLY created before the game for the second cycle of the game thus this guy wouldn't even fucking exist in this world. The ending of Mirai Nikki literally showed that third Cycle Yuna would have a separate friend group. But whatever, fine, ill deal with it, you wanna bring the old characters back that's fine. Except have the episode is just them fucking around, and them doing a "where are they now?' with some the other diary holders. Again, this is fine, some of it doesn't make any sense, like why would the cult leader be the same age as all of them, wasn't she like 5 years older in the original show. "Whatever," I think to myself, but the episode is quickly running out of time so they better do something quick.

Apparently, the time god is like "ALMAO I'm not gonna pick a new god, fuck it we will see what happens" but why! We literally know what happens when a time God isn't in a world, that was the whole fucking point on why Yukki was doomed to a wasteland. Whatever, I think again.

So for some reason, Yuna is getting some of her memories back and is like "damn I don't know who, but I was toxicly in love with someone" Despite the fact that it already was established in the first ending that this Yuna is an entirely another person from the original Yuna and wouldn't hold any memories at all or even feel the last Yuna had. Like I get in the first ending she had the scene where she was like "I feel like I'm forgetting something" but still feels like a massive stretch.

Somehow she ends up in the god realm or some shit to get "her" memories back, and Murmurs like "yo, no way, you ended the world twice get the fuck out of here" which is the only thing anyone says in redial that makes sense. But BOOM, LOOK ITS OUR FAVOURITE CHERECTURE, MINENE and she's here to fucking help Yuna get her memories back? WHAT why? Why would she do this, she literally only helped Yukki in the last world so they could kill her. She knows what the old Yuna is like and how she is willing to sacrifice a WHOLE FUCKING PLANET OF BILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO LITERALLY GET AN EXTRA YEAR WITH YUKKI. Which mind you was filled with nothing but pain and misery.

Evangelion reference, and guy who shouldn't even exist Fuck knuckles Magee appears, somehow with all of his memories from the last him, and tries to stop her. I'm like, ah she gonna lose, this guy beat her multiple times in Mirai Nikki, and this Yuna isn't even a crazy Yandere. But no, she kicks his ass. but ndui uiabufbeuwb9ubauobd how? and he's like "ah yes, I hate you, you killed everyone i cared about and know your the destroyer of not one, but two worlds, but lmao you go get your man hun"

Time god comes in and is like "nah let her do it and become yandere again it'll be love or something"

She gets her memories back, her memories of killing Yukki's friends, kidnapping Yukki, scaring Yukki, causing nothing but pain for Yukki, her realizing this and killing herself for Yukki and the old Yuna basically returns. Literally throwing everything Yuna's ending in the original out the window.

The god of time is like "ight, ima smash time and space so you can go see Yukki in the other timeline where hes the god, fuck it, your the new god of the third world. Its not like we spent an entire series learning why that's not a good idea and why this should never happen again."

And what do we get from this. 30 seconds, yes, 30 seconds of Yuna and Yukki together again. out of this entire 30-minute episode because they did nothing but waste time for 80% of it. and 19 percent was a bullshit battle that i didn't care about. This isn't even the same fucking Yuna, GOD I FUCKING HATE REDIAL......but hay, i guess this toxic couple can love each other again but most impotently, the fanboys favourite yandere is back, and that's really all that matters right?


Its like they assumed their audience would be like

"OH YAH EPIC" I scream in my room as I grip my body pillow of Yuna holding a knife. slipping into my fantasies of me to having sadist Yandere girlfriend

however, not everyone is a masochistic teenage boy, who obsesses over Yandere Anime girls.
After watching this I really questioned what demographic they expected to watch their R-rated gore psychological thriller show.



Conclusion

Redial takes this amazing ending and basically kills it. Redial takes place after the ending of the initial anime and basically, mistakingly attempts to have things end in a happy, wholesome "YAY everything turned out fine, no one has to face the repercussions of their actions" kind of way. It takes away what made the ending great. Yuki and Yuno were awful flawed people who slaughtered everyone around them so they could get their happy ending, enemy, bystander, and in the end even the ones closest to them. Moreover, a happy ending that was impossible. No matter what they did, no matter how many they killed, no matter how many times Yuna sets back the clock, they would never get their happily ever after, they were doomed from the start. Yuna had to die, and Yukki had to face the consequences of his actions and spend the rest of eternity in a broken barren wasteland of a world which they sacrificed selfishly to achieve a dream that they both knew would never come true. Their fates were locked from the beginning, they will never end up together and it would only cause endless pain and countless deaths for them to keep trying. As depressing as it is, shown in the end, it would be better for the both of them if they never had even met each other.

It's a bitter, cold ending and it was perfect for the dark story that Mirai Nikki was. In my mind, redial never happened, or isn't canon. As said it's full of plot holes and removes any and all dark, and depressing aspects of Mirai Nikki's ending. It's solely made for those who despite the masterpiece of an ending wanted Yuna and Yikki to be together in the end and get a happily ever after. Which mind you Retail doesn't even do in a good or failing way. I hated Redial so much I put more work into this review than I've done with some of my term papers. Do yourself a favour and don't watch Redial. Watch Mirai Nikki and once you hit the ending, stop so you don't have to see this complete disappointment and story ruiner of a supposed sequel.

If you just finished Future Diary I recommend searching up “filler free Mirai Nikki OVA” on youtube and just watching that.

(spoiler free)

It’s like the creators of Future Diary knew the ending was disappointing, so they tried to make it better with an OVA. Is the ending now happier? Yes. Does it make any sense? No... How did this Yuno even know about Yukki? This Yuno having a faint memory of things that didn’t happen in her timeline doesn’t align with the rest of the storyline. Not to mention the OVA was 75% filler with characters I didn’t care about in Future Diary. ... This ending feels cheap, forced, and lazy.

Disappointing conclusion to an anime with a concept that had so much potential.