Sekaiichi Hatsukoi: Propose-hen

Cute, fun but ultimately frivolous. No drama or strife, it's just fluff but it's well-done fluff that's an enjoyable watch for fans of the franchise.

In one way, you know exactly what you’re in for when it comes to Sekaiichi Hatsukoi but in another, I had different expectations from this "movie" - and perhaps that’s on me. I thought it would be longer like an actual movie runtime (there was no duration listed on MAL when I watched it) and also, I thought it would be a more drama-focused episode about Ritsu and Takano taking their relationship to the next level and it's not that.

It ... was much more like the Valentine-hen "movie". In fact, it's exactly like Valentine-hen, when they cycled through all the couples rather than just focusing on one except this time instead of the theme being Valentine's Day - each couple has a short scene following several of them attending a wedding of two of their colleagues. I actually like this structure where you get to see all the couples, but it doesn't exactly have much plot or development when it's so short.

For me, Sekaiichi Hatsukoi has the ability to charm you with its cheesiness. At the start of certain scenes, the cynical part of you might eye-roll but by the end, it's won you over with its charm. Yes, this show is sometimes a bit cheesy but adorably so. The plaster scene between Ritsu and Takano in the bathroom is the best example of this and the highlight of the episode for me. Ritsu really is undeniably clueless. The other scene that stood out was the bath scene - I'm not sure Sekaiichi has ever gone this far before but I liked how open they were being about their affection for each other. It's not smut by any means but it's certainly more suggestive than most of what we've previously seen.

The animation looks great. Well, not great but it's improved SO much that you'd be tricked into thinking so! I kept looking at the animation and thinking, damn - they’ve really stepped up the quality. It’s smoother, the chins are less awkwardly pointy and the eyes look a lot better. The problem is, they were starting from a pretty low point so even with the improvement - it's still nothing special.

If you're already this deep into the franchise, then you're probably going to watch this anyway. It's made for fans of the show and that's exactly who I'd recommend it to. I wouldn't expect it to entice or entertain newcomers but for those of you who like these characters and their relationships and want to see some drama-free, wholesome, fun BL romance - then it's catnip.

(Also, I laughed at the fact that girl said her heels were so high when it was the stumpiest little kitten heel you’ve ever seen.)

I don't know how to review this because all it is is four different stories from each of the couples in this anime. I mean, the tone brings all the right feels, especially if you already love these characters, but it hardly classifies as a sequel. I suppose it probably meant as an attempt to reignite interest in the series while the manga continues publishing, so maybe there'll be enough material for a third season soon. To critique something solid: the art style was never my favorite thing in the world, and that holds true for this episode. I don't like the character designs all ... that much--which I know is down to the manga--but that being said, seeing this sort of remastered from where it was when it first aired was awesome. Everything looked way less muddy and choppy, so it was pleasant enough to watch on that front. Also, the stories are sweet. They do a good job of representing, within a short amount of time, where the character relationships are at the moment. I would have preferred a longer episode--even if it deviated from the manga--where more time could have been spent with these characters, but it's also fine as is. Here's hoping that, miraculously, one day, there'll be more to this anime.