If you have only seen the anime series then this is a mediocre set of OVAs at best. The pacing is too fast and it's not in line with the quality of the 50 episode anime series. The artwork is a step up, but everything else is a major step down. I struggled with even adding this to my list after seeing all three of the OVAs.
Don't get me wrong, the characters of course are wonderful because they are the characters that fans love. The fighting is so so at best, and it really strays a bit from what you become accustomed to in the anime. The problem is that these are about the fighting as opposed to the moral dilemmas that Kenichi faces each time he faces an opponent. They are a bad attempt to try and please fans.
The rushed delivery and amount of "filler" is what really rubbed me the wrong way. There is so much material they could have used in these OVAs, but they didn't. The third OVA actually happens immediately following the end of the 50 episode anime if you're following the manga's plot. They basically squeezed 7 chapters of the manga in an OVA that was under 30 minutes. So when I say the pacing was too fast I mean TOO FAST.
I advise skipping these OVAs and saving yourself from disliking a series that is really wonderful otherwise. If you don't care about the pacing and are that hard up to simply see these characters in any story you can get your hands on then more power to you. This is for people that think B movies are oscar worthy. That said, I would say "take a pass" if you can.
