Reviews

Escha Chron feels like an orphan. It is this cute, lonely little OVA with no discernible attachments to any other property or format. It starts in what feels like the very middle of an interesting story with a strong, unique premise, providing very little context and hardly bothering at all with introductions. An experience which is, out of context, just a relaxing CGDGT anime, but in context, absolutely bizarre. My personal theory is that Escha Crhon is an anime which was cancelled early in its production cycle, and instead of trashing what they already had, they released it in the form of the standalone OVA we see today. In this way, it's an experience which stands out on its own as something that is nice but feels almost unfair to review, as it feels unfinished. Beginning with the story, it is easily the strongest aspect of this show. The idea of our two protagonists from a foreboding yet somehow cozy post-apocalyptic future innocently exploring the world of today, amazed at the simplest of its delights and pleasures, makes for a formula with a lot of potential mileage and a distinctly calming effect on the soul. However, it is lacking necessary context, and the pacing is all off. I kept checking to see if I was indeed watching the first episode or not, since it really does just drop you in the middle of it all with no real explanation. The art is strong, with a cozy, playful atmosphere, bolstered by the clean, colorful art direction and personable character design. The sound is good, meeting all standards of quality. The characters are also fine, simply meeting the standards which the story demands of them. Of them, my favorites are of course the main duo, Escha and Chron. Even though they don't get a ton of time to develop, what we do see establishes that their connection is a complimentary one, and would have continued to drive the story forward if the anime had continued. Overall, Escha Chron is a nice, relaxing experience, but is regardless woefully incomplete. I feel like if it had been given its due as a full anime, it would have made it much higher up on my list.