Yeah, this is pretty much Junjo Romantica 3. It doesn’t even try to hide this: the character designs are very similar, albeit a bit more detailed, the set-up is the same, the style is the same, and the way that the characters interact with each other is the same. I know that this is all from the same creators and all, but couldn’t they at least have tried to look a bit different?
In any case though, the irony is that Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi has a good chance of becoming the best show of Studio Deen so far this year. I mean it’s not like Chiaki Kon is a bad director or anything. It’s not original at all or anything, and the whole set-up is… contrived to say the least, but like Junjo Romantica , at the very least it has a good dialogue and chemistry between the lead characters. It also avoids a bunch of gay show tropes, like acknowledging that females actually EXIST.
But yeah, that set-up. It was definitely trying way too hard here. We have this guy who finds out that he’s been stalked by one of his underclassmen and confessed to. It’s someone who he did not know before. So, what’s his first reaction? Yeah. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s have some sex”. I know that later in the episode he says that he has huge family problems and all, but that makes this show even more emo.
Based on just this episode, I don’t think that I’ll keep watching it. Like Junjo Romantica, it knows when to be funny and especially the inner monologues are pretty nice here. I just don’t feel like watching something I was lukewarm about a second time.
OVA Episode Rating: 7,5/10
It’s the mangaka’s fault actually. He (she? I don’t really know) just refuses to fix a lot of the problems his stories have (that you have also mentioned).
And it’s a pity because I quite enjoy the balance of the humor/drama and the writing of the internal monologues as well.
And from what I’ve seen of this, it feels more like the couple is more like the main couple of junjo romantica and not the other (highly superior) two.
Aw, I agree completely with you both. But at the same time I’m a fan of the mangaka’s work. (I’m pretty sure its a she, Puran…I think? :o) Anywho, in spite of the flaws I’m still watching this. I’ve been waiting since January. Consider it a guilty pleasure of mine.
Good review, psgels, keep it up!
This is why I have respects for you, psgels. How many straight men are there that are willing to watch BL shows and then review them in an objective manner like you do? 😀
Anyway, I can’t get pass the first episode of Junjou Romantica, and I don’t like this author’s manga style so I doubt I’d enjoy another work similar to that. But I think I’ll at least try this OVA.
Recycled dynamics… they are a problem, yaoi manga/anime or otherwise. This author can handle some dialogues an situations very well, others… not much so. I’d rather not follow a repetitions of JR. Thank you for your review, it helped me decide XD.
Btw, it’s not a gay show or story. BL in general is malexmale made by females authors and is targeted at *females*. Gay shows/stories are another beast entirely: if anything because their target audience is male. Both storytelling and art style change accordingly.
Just a note for the future ;).
Lol true though, I agree completely but then what the mangaka is trying to emphasize here is about making a BL manga with a shoujo plot. Like shoujo manga in general, all flowery.
I like Onodera though, he’s not an average uke y’know? He’s actually in struggle for something, trying for his own. Truthfully I like his character more than Misaki’s character from Junjou Romantica.
About the design of the character being the same…well call it style, I suppose?
The OVA doesn’t really call out to me as such probably because their past time conflict never really got revealed meh..
Though the setting of the shoujo manga office needs a thumbs up from me. It’s perfect. How it looks like before a deadline is due is exactly how I imagine it.
In overall, I don’t like the ‘shy Onodera’ but I find his adult self more entertaining and I can relate to him more easily than the blushing-Onodera lol.