At its core though, PPD is a parody anime, so it’s never going to take itself too seriously. And if you haven’t been keeping up with anime much in the last few years, you’re going to be left a bit in the dust. You’ll see references to Strike Witches, Gurren Lagann, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and even video site Nico Nico Douga. The episode stands alone well enough, but if you’re paying attention, you’ll get a bit more value out of your time. The level of fanservice has also jumped a bit, so if you like that sort of thing, have at it.
The animation of the original work was pretty good already, but the OVA still makes everything look a little bit prettier. As a parody, the art style occasionally shifts, both for scenes and for simple background objects, and all of that is handled nicely as well. The OP and ED used are from the anime, so there’s nothing much new there. The background music is pretty subdued, and this series really relies on sound effects rather than music for scenes. As I watched the English dub of the series, I like the Japanese voice actors better for the most part, though I kind of Rei’s amateur VA, Carlee Gabrisch, from the dub.
So, bottom line. If you like Pani Poni Dash!, you need to go watch this. If you like parody animes, this is a solid choice. If you’re not sure about either, this is a good way to enter the series and see if it’s something you might enjoy.
