Feb 5, 2022
Started watching this series out of a whim, because someone mentioned there was an episode with RPG Maker (an one-liner, that's it). Yes, that was my motivation. If it was only videogames, I do love videogame history and all that, but I wouldn't have watched it, there are lots of series with heavy use of videogame references and I know they're not my cup of tea.
Still, I stuck with it till the end, probably because it's a short series.
Characters are there, and I don't specially like any of them. I didn't feel like learning the names of some of them, so bear with me. I
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know I can reference the main page but I don't want to, just for some dumb useless authenticity I guess.
Haruo has a very poor introduction, it's presented as the incarnation of the gamer stereotype, I know this series is meant to start at the early 90s but I don't feel it's good or necessary to have such a bad unlikeable character as your introduction to the series, a bad protagonist can turn a great series (which this isn't) into a sour experience. He gets some development but didn't feel like he redeemed himself, he did turn less cringey and annoying towards the end, I know there's something to like for his passion and all that (the thing that keeps the ladies crazy hurr hurr) but felt like that's not enough. For being 4 years older, he kept being the same character. Also Haruo would love to be a streamer.
Oono isn't great either. She's totally silent, which turned the first couple episodes into just hearing Haruo's monologues. She has not much in terms of expressions either, and usually communicates with videogames with very vague cues that only a serial killer would understand (or Haruo, because plot). She has a thing going on as her personal story, it doesn't get resolved in this season so watching the OVAs is pretty much obligatory. Through the story she's probably the most stagnant of all characters, her status quo didn't feel like it changed at all from start to end. The couple things that happen related to her never get explained, or referenced, or anything. The only thing you get is Haruo's side of the story. And she never talks, so... no chance there either.
Then there's blond girl. She has some sort of inferiority complex, and despite the main character treating her bad all the time she just crushes on him or whatever. Both girls need to go out more. She's nice and skillful but it gets tiring to see that all of her interactions with Haruo, despite being nice on paper, it always devolve into blond girl realizing how inferior, out of place and useless is she, always comparing herself to Oono. Haruo is a bit jerky maybe playful with her as a friend, not completely awful as a human being, they do have fun together, but it still gets tiresome, up to the point that I don't want to see her in the show anymore. And I feel bad for that. Since I've still to watch the OVAs, I'm waiting for blond girl's redemption, and I want it to be good.
I liked more the support characters. Onizuka is cool if you ignore her first impression (harassing male classmates isn't funny! :D) even if a bit creepy at times. Miyao is best boy, he is very supportive and in general a good friend. And the sparkly guy was okay, at first I honestly thought Miyao and him were the same. I'd honestly would like just to see more of them.
I feel the character designs are weak. They don't need to be over the top, but most of them are very bland, I don't know if it's because of the general art style of the show. It's very stiff, dunno if due to the 3D models or what. Some designs are outlandish, which makes them stand out, like Onizuka and the sparkling kid. Did feel like support characters in general tend to be more interesting or unique than the three main ones. I'd swear Oono and blond girl are the same model, just slightly different hair bangs and haircolor.
In terms of sound I didn't find the OP/END songs particularly interesting or anything, they're okay. Sound in general is serviceable. I don't really know what else to say in this regard.
The story is there. Nothing spectacular, but it goes forward. It's mostly divided between Haruo and Oono spending time together, and blond girl being pathetic while Haruo is sad thinking about Oono for some reason or another. Towards the end of the season there is a tension point, but then they ran out of money or something, so go and buy the DVDs!
Now, videogame references. I did like to see the story go and progress around the consoles, video game releases, the trivia. I liked that and appreciated it. I was even interested in some of the blatant ads injected in the episodes to mobile games since they were related. It felt educational. And especially for me it kinda gave it a different dimension, like a time reference of sorts. The story starts in the middle of the SNES era, and slowly moves towards the PlayStation. The protagonist gives the spot to the PC Engine and the Saturn, the underdogs of their respective generations, found that refreshing since it was a good opportunity to showcase the least common parts of videogame history. I also felt very bad when the characters were hyped for Virtual Boy, that was a thing.
And that's it. I don't hate the show, but it's very bland. I did get enjoyment out of it. I don't like the characters, I can't find much of a story, I don't like the lovestory. The videogame portion did get to me in the end, and I appreciate that. Still missing the story's resolution, watching the OVAs will not change my view on this first part, but it could change how I perceive the general story. Hoping it delivers something good.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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