Story
The adventures of the IS team continue in this fun little OVA that depicts all the girls in Ichika's harem dropping in unannounced in his house for a summer visit; which of course, is just a recipe for romantic comedic hijinx. Aside from that, though, nothing major actually happens here and, aside from a single partial deployment, the titular weapon itself doesn't even make an appearance. That said, not everything needs to a world-shaking event in a story, so I'm glad we get to see the characters relax, have fun and not having to fight for their lives... for once. (6/10)
Characters
The characters are their usual selves from season 1 and, aside from Houki, they don't experience any major development here. That said, it's fun watching the characters bounce off each other and engage in witty banter because it shows how close they have become. Even though they are rivals for Ichika's attention, they still acknowledge each other as friends, and that's always a positive in stories where you are supposed to care about the characters.
The character who does evolve in this OVA is Houki, but to be fair, the development is nothing major. She just thinks about Ichika and how different her life could have been had the IS never been invented and she could stay and live with him. Again, this isn't necessarily a bad thing because short stories like this one gives us a window in the characters' minds and allow us to feel for them and the situations they're in. (8/10)
Art
Since the titular weapons see virtually no use in this short story, the show can use its budget more conservatively and focus more on the actions of the characters. The actions are more fluid and the close-ups to the characters faces are more detailed. I myself enjoyed Houki's dance near the end of the OVA. (8/10)
Sound
The entire cast of season 1 returns to voice the characters present in this OVA, but the standout performances has to be from Monica Rial (Houki), as the OVA allows us to see the more vulnerable and human side of Houki; something that we only saw bits and pieces of in season 1. We also get a nice new ED song by Youko Hikasa, Houki's Japanese VA. (8/10)
Conclusion
Does this OVA continue the story of Infinite Stratos in any meaningful way? No. Should you still watch it? Yes! Why? Because of the good character moments and the good development of the relationship between Houki and Ichika. If you ask me, character writing should take priority over narrative progression, even when, in theory, any good story should have a healthy balance between both; but this OVA did the right thing by prioritizing the characters over the story because are the vehicles in which we experience the events of the story. The story itself won't matter if it doesn't have characters we grow to care for and sympathize with. I've said that before and I'm sure I'll say it again. (7/10)
