School Rumble: Ichi Gakki Hoshuu

This is just a simple prequel to the first School Rumble.

By the title School Rumble you know if you should watch or not. This is a prequel to School Rumble. It follows the crazy antics of Tenma, Yakumo, Harima and everyone else but mostly the first three. Honestly this anime is built on gags and there isn't really a story so I believe I'm grading the story based on the humor. The gags are somewhat funny. The best one being the Prehistoric Rumble gag. Otherwise, the rest of the OVA is....blargh. There really isn't much of the laugh-out-loud comedy that ... I saw in the original series and it just begins to lag. At first I saw this as a gread addition to the series but it was just...there. It was nice to see how Yakumo honestly feels about guys (apparently she can read mens minds). Honestly passable gags.

The artwork isn't anything to brag about. As you may already know School Rumble is NOT known for their artwork. The chibi's were oddly enough well drawn and looked very clean and made the transition well. The artwork for the OVA is better than the series itself. The opening and endings have the same artwork but still seem crisp. The ending for the first episode of the OVA includes a train that actually made my jaw drop. It was so simple and basic but so vibrant at the same time.

The audio is of course, normal. Actually I like the dubs for English alot better. Tenma sounds cute, but annoying just like her character is meant to be. All the other characters are normal and it's hard to hear what they say at times since two characters speak at the same time on occasion. Harima sounds like a San Francisco yakuza and Yakumo sounds like a stoic introvert. Well, what am I saying the parts are perfect. The BGM is a bit annoying though. The little transition noises tend to get in the way of what someone is saying. Pretty good dub.

Oh, boy the characters. If you haven't seen the original series I wouldn't recommend starting here. Even though this is a prequel you won't be able to understand who's who or who likes who {other than Harima ->Tenma -> Karasuma). Everyone's here in the anime of stereotypes: Tough guy, ditz, rich girl, stoic Stacy, pervert, "I WANNA MARRY HER!" guy, and everyone else. But this is this anime's thing. It's supposed to be like that. I can't hold it accountable for something it's meant to be.

You know, this is an okay OVA. Worth the watch if you're an anime completionist like myself. Otherwise go see the first and second season. This OVA isn't terrible, just passable. You can watch this when you've run out of anime to watch.

Pros:
- Wacky character antics.
- Even wackier characters.
- Excellent dubbing.

Cons:
- The gags aren't very funny.
- Passable.

This anime receives 7 "What are classmates?" out of 10.

I started out watching the School Rumble anime (English sub, I unfortunately don’t understand the Japanese language) and really just expected it to be what it appeared to be – a funny comedy anime. I was partially right about that, but also VERY wrong. School Rumble, on the surface, doesn’t seem very serious. But so many things underneath the surface of it are very serious and insightful and even deeply moving. Soon after starting the anime I was hooked, and almost immediately related to Harima Kenji and began cheering him on to accomplish his goal. Throughout the beginning and middle of the series we see ... Harima failing over and over at his attempts to confess his feelings to Tenma. At first it’s laughable how silly and avoidable the misunderstandings are. Then as the series continues and you begin to see the toll it takes on Harima and the amount of pain it starts to cause him it begins to get less and less bearable to watch. Of course with all the other great characters and stories in School Rumble you are still thoroughly hooked on the series, and besides, you feel that you have to see the series through to the end to see if Harima wins the heart of the girl he loves. You also feel you have to see what happens with Hanai, Eri, Yakumo, Ichijou, Mikoto, and all the other very well written and interesting characters. The ending of the first season makes you think Harima finally confesses his love to Tenma, but it ends up being imaginary. At this point I was physically fatigued and drained from the roller coaster of emotions and disappointments throughout the first season. But at the same time I couldn’t wait to watch the second season. The second season was great of course, although in the Harima and Tenma storyline it just got more and more painful to watch. More misunderstandings, more missed opportunities, more outside interference and assumptions of who Harima did or didn’t like from his classmates. More oblivousness from Tenma as she chases after the completely blank Karasuma. The second season wraps up with no resolution. So, disappointed and borderline depressed I watch the 3rd season, which is actually just two OVAs.

Result: Complete and utter heart wrenching emptiness. Harima has been emotionally tortured and left to die basically. Tenma is gone to America to be with Karasuma and become a nurse to take care of him because he is in the hospital there with a condition that has wiped out his memory. He doesn’t even know who she is but she still wants to be with him. Harima does not get the girl. In fact no one gets anyone. Almost every story line is left unfinished.

I was fully depressed and left with an empty feeling inside. That’s the best way I can describe it. I had to have answers. I found the manga and began reading immediately.

After reading through the ENTIRE manga and then the follow up manga “School Rumble Z” I had to face harsh reality…….there was NO conclusion. No happy couples, no loose ends tied up, no happily ever after or riding off into the sunset. Just more emptiness and depression. It was as if the characters had been killed in the prime of their lives and their futures were cut short. There is no way you can understand the way it feels unless you’ve been on this journey that is School Rumble. It’s incomparable.

I couldn’t believe it. I searched all over the internet for any and all information about School Rumble and it’s creator Jin Kobayashi. I began reaching out to fans and hearing their stories that were the same as mine. The way they felt at the end of it all was like my story. The wave of emotions: shock and disbelief, confusion, emptiness, depression, and bitterness.

There is much much more to this story. But that’s basically how I got started on this mission to reach Mr. Kobayashi. There have been moments of slight progress, and a few disappointments. Ups and downs, feeling like I’m all alone in this, and then feeling the love and support of School Rumble fans from many different countries around the world. One thing is certain, I have no plans of EVER giving up.

In closing, here’s the motto: Justice for Harima, closure for the fans, may the hero get his girl, may his spring finally come.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC05xAG4hMwmeu4XdFei9Ywg

It was pretty long since I watched the original season so I can’t say for sure, but it feels like I have seen most of the sketches in this OVA already. Regardless, it is what you’d expect from School rumble; great but shallow comedy. Just watching this OVA by itself isn’t really much of an experience though, as the sketches are taken from different parts of the original continuity, making it hard to follow.

Graphics- and soundwise the OVA is identical to the series. That is: it does its job well. Giving a score in “Story” and “Characters” is rather pointless out of the context ... of the TV series, however. On its own merits, the OVA falls flat. But if you’re already into School rumble, it’s good times as usual. Giving the supporting cast a bit of extra screen time is always welcome.