**This review is spoiler-free**
PSO2: The Animation is something of a victim of its own marketing. The premise of an anime created by Sega where a real-world Sega videogame enjoys universal popularity feels pretentious, as if the whole thing were nothing more than an extended commercial. But while the anime's existence may indeed be advertising, its plot has far better motives. In fact, remove PSO2 and you'd still have a nice story, albeit nothing groundbreaking.
Contrary to fans' hopes at the time of release, PSO2: The Animation is not an adaptation of the game's story. (We later got PSO2: Episode Oracle for that.) Instead, it serves as a *prequel* to Episode 4 of the MMORPG--and a rather critical one at that. At its release, Episode 4 provided a jarring tonal shift for the series, and at first glance, The Animation only adds to the shock. In hindsight, however, it was clearly intended to do the opposite. Viewers are presented with the gentlest of on-ramps from a typical highschool rom-com to the sci-fi world of PSO2 itself blended with reality in some genuinely interesting ways.
What's more, the execution of both sides of the coin is unexpectedly competent. The highschool drama may play off familiar tropes, but it does so specifically to create contrast with its more original elements. And more surprisingly, it manages to avoid the cringey pitfalls typically ensnared by the setting. The main protagonist, Itsuki, is neither a flat nobody nor an untouchable god. The love triangle is not overplayed nor sustained on contrived misunderstanding. His friendship with both leading heroines actually makes sense, and each character contributes something unique to the story.
Then there's the red herrings, which are, in a word, brilliantly played. Without spoiling anything, I can only say again that the tropes here are used as a plot device, not a crutch, and the writers are very aware of their audience's awareness of them. While the outcome is nevertheless predictable (this is a PSO2 anime, after all, and PSO2 things are bound to happen) the payoff is so satisfying when it comes that it nearly feels like a second season packed into one.
In addition, the way the show incorporates elements from the game demonstrates real understanding of players, right down to self-deprecating humor that any veteran will appreciate. The way characters interact with each other and with the game is possibly the most lifelike of any MMO anime I've seen--especially important considering this is aimed at players of a real-world MMORPG. The attacks, the sound effects, the locations, and even play styles are faithfully represented without ever being too on-the-nose. This does of course mean that prior experience with the game is an absolute prerequisite to follow the show's plot and cameos. But this only serves to demonstrate that advertising was a second priority for Sega. PSO2: The Animation is a love letter, first and foremost.
And no more clearly can this be felt than in the original soundtrack. While a few PSO2 tunes make an appearance to capitalize on key moments, a majority of the time your ears will be treated to something completely different. And I do mean "treated"--the main theme in particular immediately caught my ears, and the piano rendition is now one of my favorite anime tracks of all time ("POTENTIAL ABILITY -Heart-"--look it up!).
PSO2: The Animation could very easily have wound up a simple cash grab to shove PSO2 the MMORPG in your face. In fact, by all rights, that's all it ever *should* have been. Instead, it's one of the most successful videogame anime tie-ins I've ever seen, and it may just be the highlight of the entire Episode 4 arc. Whether or not you're a fan of PSO2, you've seen everything here before. But if you are, there's something special about seeing it in this context. The Phantasy Star series has long held a quiet influence over pop culture at large, and The Animation handily stands on its own amid the franchise. So long as you happen to fit in its rather specific demographic, it'll put a contented smile on your face from start to finish.
