Oreimo is a conflicted series. I feel that this series is what happens when there are two different writers. One writer offers interesting insights into the Otaku community, with this very same writer being able to write enjoyable characters. The other writer instead opted for otaku pandering, and pandering to siscons. For those who are unaware, a "siscon" is an abbreviation for the term "sister complex." It describes a phemonemon in which an older brother has a sexual attraction to his little sister.
In other words, incest.
Hence Oreimo. Oreimo stars Kyousuke, an otherwise normal Japanese 17-year old guy who lives an otherwise uneventful life. He has to share his life however, with his 14-15 younger sister named Kirino. Kirino herself gets along horribly with Kyousuke, but the two's relationship starts to change when Kyousuke discovers that Kirino herself is a massive otaku, an otaku of siscon media such as eroge and the like. Upon discovering this secret, Kyousuke ends up being roped into the world of otakudom proper.
I might as well dispense with the greatest issue that this series has, and that issue is Kirino. I abhor incest, and I personally find it quite revolting. With an entire show based around incest, I can't help but feel a little creeped out by Oreimo's lenient attitude towards incest. It is mostly one-sided thankfully, at least from this season. I think that if the show rather tackles a sibling dynamic rather than romance between siblings, it would have been far more successful.
Not helping Kirino's case is that she can be quite unlikable. She is a tsundere, but a particularly violent one, lacking Hitagi Senjougahara's sharp wit and Rin Tohsaka' sass. To say that Kirino herself is very selfish and at times abusive would be an understatement. While she does have a softer side, the "tsun" is far more heavily prominent than the "dere." The fact that she is constantly rude at Kyousuke's expense is enough, but the fact that she is promoted as one of his (potential) romantic partners is an awful thing.
Whereas Kirino is annoying and ear-gratingly troublesome, Kyousuke is merely boring. He does not have nearly as much drive as some of the other characters, and acts mostly as avatar for the audience, as they too are roped into Kyousuke's interactions with Kirino. Thankfully Kyousuke, though boring as he may be, isn't written with hostility either. He has his occasionally funny moment, and while he is kind of dull, he is not particularly offensive either.
While the main characters range from being annoying to dull respectively, the side characters truly shine. Characters like Ayase for example, provide an interesting dynamic not just as Kirino's best friend, but as someone who is fundamentally opposed to otaku media, which conflicts with Kirino's otaku habits, even though the two have known each other for quite some time, and as good friends. I enjoyed Kuroneko, though arrogant as she may be, was nonetheless endearing in despite her arrogant attitdue, she does genuinely care for her friends, Kirino included. It's surprising in that despite being rivals of sorts, the two legitimately care for one another. Probably the best character is Saori. Saori acts as a big sister to the whole group, and her incredibly laid-back and accepting attitude makes her quite excellent.
Acceptance is an overall theme throughout the series, and it's a theme that I wish formed the crux of the show, both between Kirino and Kyousuke (non-romantically) and between Kirino and Kuroneko when in contrast to the rest of society. While acceptance is a theme at first, it chips slowly away in favor of romance.
The animation is pretty good. It's not mind-blowingly amazing, but it is well-animated and crisp. The character designs are probably the most notable thing about the animation. I quite like the character designs of Oreimo, which are quite cute. Hiro Kanzaki (the designer) also used to do illustrations of Hatsune Miku, which certainly helped.
The show suffers in regards to music. The normal OST is boring filler music. However, there are several unique ending themes for each episode, which while not terribly memorable on their own, are at the very least commendable for the variety. The opening theme is fantastic, composed by ClariS and kz livetune. It's memorable, catchy, and upbeat. The voice talent is also pretty good as well, with Kana Hanazawa doing a particularly excellent job as Kuroneko.
Overall, Oreimo has a lot of good ideas, but it just doesn't quite nail it down. And of course, can't forget the incest. |
