Apr 10, 2013
"Ore no Imouto" is the story of a high school boy who becomes so fascinated with 'little sister' anime that he hallucinates an imaginary little sister of his own, on to whom he can project his own desires. He retains a normal and chaste relationship with this imagined character Kirino, and by projecting his sexual fantasies such that she experiences them, he maintains a degree of psychological distance from thoughts of which he's ashamed.
This construct mirrors the intended experience of the viewer, who can identify with the older brother's admirable treatment of Kirino while vicariously experiencing her desires. Concurrently, Kirino's interests are normalized by her
...
portrayed struggle against societal nonacceptance. Kyosuke is lionized for dutifully assisting his sister Kirino, while she is consistently vindicated among family and friends regarding her certain otaku proclivities: Everyone's a winner.
One episode, in which Kirino argues with TV executives over their anime adaptation of her manga, reinforces this point when the producer voices skepticism over whether a 'little sister' anime with a female protagonist can be successful. The question to the viewer, whether an anime about a girl with a 'little sister' obsession would be accepted by a predominantly male fanbase, is a strikingly self-aware if not self-conscious inquiry on the part of the series' author, who has done exactly that. Of course, due to Kyosuke's noble efforts, the network yields, and Kirino gains another victory.
Oscar Wilde once wrote that "Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life," but it's widely believed that he didn't watch much anime. The set-up borders on contrived, and sometimes reaches it. But the characters are unique, and the story engaging if somewhat heavy-handed. If Oscar Wilde was right, you can expect another season.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
