Kyokugen Dasshutsu Adv: Zennin Shibou desu Prologue

This OVA is a 13 minute-long promo for the game Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. So unless (a) you are planning to play this game, (b) you are finished with VLR and are searching for related material, or (c) you are merely curious about this game, there's honestly no need for you to watch this.

On a side note, if you are planning to play VLR, then don't worry, there are no spoilers in this OVA. It's mostly just an introduction to the game (the characters, how it works, etc.). In fact, I'd say it would be good if you watch this to get you started.

Overall, ... it was good for what it was made for—and that is, promoting the game. I should add that if you're planning on playing VLR, I recommend you play 999 first. This is the sequel, so it only makes sense to play the first one before you play its sequel. The story will make a lot more sense that way too.

DISCLAIMER: The score of 6 that I assign to this short is NOT the same as I feel about the video games. This is merely how I felt the actual ONA should be rated. Please keep reading for more info on the video games!

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If you have heard of the games 9 Persons, 9 Hours, 9 Doors (999) or Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (VPL) and are interested in learning more about it, spoiler free, I recommend watching this ONA.

If you are intrigued by the theme of a group of people being locked away and forced to play a deadly game, this is ... for you! You are forced to weigh your trust for the other characters because you initially know little about your "competitors." Both plots are centered around The Nonary Game, where the number 9 door holds your salvation to escape the facility. It has intelligent and intricate story telling that will keep you guessing and glued to the screen. It's very suspenseful and the pace between novel and puzzles gives it a good mix. The puzzles will make you think, as will the plot. There is a lot of layers to the games, especially VPL.

Both games, 999 being the first game and VPL being the second, are Visual Novel/Puzzle games. They are personally one of the best games I've played in last couple of years. 999 is on DS and VPL is on the 3DS and Vita. I have heard that there is a bug that can wipe your save data clean on the 3DS version of VPL, so if you have a Vita, I recommend buying it the Vita. (If not, please DO NOT let this discourage you. This is such a fantastic game, it would be a shame that people would miss out just because of that. As long as you don't save in the puzzle rooms, and only in the novel section, you should be fine.)

Both games have won awards, and they deserve it. A third installment is also in the making due to it's high reception and unanswered questions in the series. 999 was generally written more tightly, and I give it a 9... which is fitting! VPL has a lot going on, and is still excellent, but the characters weren't as good and [insert spoiler here] will leave you overwhelmed. I give the sequel an 8.

In short, this ONA doesn't even touch the tip of the ice burg. A lot of the deeper elements are integrated in psychology and quantum physics, but explains it in a way that a general audience can understand. I highly advise you play both if you are an manga/anime fan looking for an element of challenge and interaction with the characters. Pick these up as soon as you can, you won't regret it!

I watched this Prologue to see if it would be okay to show to my friend who has not yet played the game. I am a big fan of the series so I also wanted to see it for myself. I love the game series (10/10, would recommend) but this ONA doesn't offer much for anyone.


[For people who have played VLR]
If you've beat the game, you will notice all the discrepancies between it and this ONA. It makes watching it way less enjoyable. There isn't much animation either - a lot of this short is scrolling stills or just lip movement, so seeing the events ... in anime form isn't that exciting. The characters don't show much personality, and most of their dialogue is just to explain the plot, so no fun banter. One thing I did enjoy was that they used the same voice actors and music as the game (I watched the English dub). I'd only watch this if I was seeking out more Zero Escape content, or as a refresher for the start of the game (if you are part way through) or the third game.

[For people planning to play VLR]
If you are watching this without having played VLR and knowing nothing about it, not even the characters, it spoils a few elements that you could encounter hours into the game. It takes the surprise out of a few other moments too. Since it's so fast paced, you don't really have time to analyze the information it gives you.
If you know the characters then there isn't much that's actually a spoiler and it could be enjoyable, but be warned that you have to take everything with a grain of salt, as many events or facts are different than in the game. Also, don't watch this if you are about to start the game, since it's the same plot and you will be bored for a few hours because you will already know the main information and it's more drawn out in the game. Watch it and wait a bit, is my advice.

[For people new to the Zero Escape series]
This is probably the group who would get the most out of this ONA. It's a nice introduction to how many rules of the game work, and can let you get a feel for if you are interested or not. You would probably not latch on and retain the spoiler moments as much as a person who has played 999, so they would still be exciting when you see them in the game. Again, remember that this prologue isn't very accurate, and they even get a game rule wrong (at least in the English dub).

Overall, my rating is 4/10, but again this is only for this ONA. It served it's purpose in advertizing VLR when it was coming out, and now it doesn't really need to be seen. Play the games instead, they are way better!