Kimagure Orange Road

4 reviews - 15.0 total score (Explanation of the rating system)
avg. score: (3.8)

4. Iodine

Watching any romantic comedy that features a love triangle requires some degree of sympathy for all parties involved. Unfortunately, I couldn't find much enthusiasm for anyone in this trite, unoriginal, 80s teen show, that takes formulaic to a whole new level. The new boy in town, Kyosuke, falls for pretty, but complicated Madoka, while her best friend, bubbly Hikaru, sets her sights squarely on him. Somehow, indecisive Kyosuke manages to juggle relationships with both girls for over forty episodes, despite knowing who he'll choose from the outset. It's only the convenient cluelessness or baffling complicity of the rest of the cast that keeps this rickety premise from collapsing. It would be fine if the writing were sharper or the characters more interesting, but Hikaru is an empty-headed, giggling irritant, and Kyosuke is so gutless and self-absorbed, I lost patience with him quickly. 

My biggest complaint with the series lies in the writers' seeming inability to deal with their own story. While this is obviously a sitcom, and any real resolutions would end the show, it doesn't excuse the terribly weak, clumsy writing, where stale plot devices are used left and right.  The most ridiculous and distracting one is the idea that Kyosuke and the rest of his family have ESP. Countless episodes are spent on deadfully dull paranormal hijinks, and even worse cliches like a bratty younger cousin who likes making trouble. Designs and music are absolutely products of the 80s, with fair animation and visual style. Some of the comedy is watchable, albeit limp. All the real drama, however, seems to have been saved for the follow-up movie. 

3. Prep_Styles

Arguably one of the three all time greatest long running anime romantic comedies falling in somewhere behind Maison Ikkoku and Marmalade Boy, its easy to see why this has endured as long as it has.

Simply put KOR is a story about an ESPer who finds himself wrapped up in a love triangle that lasts the majority of his adolescent life. The show uses a highly formulaic approach with regard to development: Kyosuke wants quality time with Madoka, Hikaru wants to be alone with Kyosuke, Yuusaku wants to confess his feelings to Hikaru, and one of several supporting characters is thrown in to make all of this even more difficult.

At its best KOR delivers a highly enjoyable emotional experience, making it easy to understand why it has become the archetype for romantically driven anime. Trouble is it's not always at its best as occasionally the story is assaulted by uninspired rehashed plot lines that make many episodes forgettable. Like many other such long running shows this suffers from a lack of continuity, many things done or learned in previous episodes are forgotten by the next (episode) delaying development in order to extend what was obviously a popular show. It's also worth mentioning that most audiences will ether love or hate Hikaru's voice (provided by Hara Eriko) which personally I couldn't stand by the end.

Despite excluding any romantic conclusion until the first movie, the ending comes together well and doesn't disappoint. If you consider yourself a fan of romantic comedy/drama anime or can't help but appreciate a classic then Kimagure Orange Road is a title that I recommend strongly.

2. Olmanek

Quite a lengthy series, which of course has some drawbacks, notably the absurd way in which relationships are drawn out so that the creators have some plot lines to keep the series going, however it also allows the viewer to develop a better sense of empathy and understanding for the characters, something considerably important when it is all mainly character driven, though as with all series it does have a catch, our main character Kasuga is an ESPer, which predictably causes as many problems as it solves. Of our two female leads Madoka has the darker history; involved with gangs and fighting and generally being a delinquent, with Hikaru the other female lead being quick to fight but rarely fatal. As you may have picked up there is a very obvious love triangle between Kasuga, Madoka and Hikaru, with Hikaru desiring Kasuga for initially a more superficial reason, and Madoka more swept up with his good nature and his character, and of course Kasuga who just likes girls, I think perhaps the shallow reasoning was deliberate as to show the nature of general teenage relationships, based in vain superficial reasoning rather anything with any particular depth or need. Kasuga's two male friends Hatta and Komatsu are actually two of the more contemptible characters I've encountered from any anime series, being lowly in mind and character, they openly discriminate and blackmail, chasing mindless desires with little control an using the people around them to achieve their selfish ends. There are also numerous other side characters all fulfilling their roles, some of them fading into the background as the series progresses being that their roles really are quite singular, but usually reappearing serving another purpose. The animation is 'classic' being that this series was made in the 80's but I think perhaps it was quite a bit ahead of its time, considering the character designs still look quite good and the only complaint being the wretched taste in clothing that people had back then, thankfully the main characters wear generally unoffending clothes.

1. Cross Scars

Kimagure Orange Road has a simple plot in that follows the romantic exploits of Kasuga Kyosuke, a boy from a family with paranormal powers, as he tries to decide which of the two girls in his life is the one for him. It's 15 years since KOR started showing in 1987 and the quality of the show hasn't faltered over time. True, the animation may look dated by today's standards but KOR doesn't require CGI mechas to keep its viewers entertained. In fact it's somewhat refreshing to watch an older series like KOR where flashy animation is no substitute for the excellent characters that this series throws up.

KOR is a very episodic series, similar to Cowboy Bebop, with no overriding plot through out. Instead it's Kyosuke and his relationships with Ayukawa and Hikaru, the two girls he's interested in, which develops and keeps the series going. This works perfectly in KOR as the characters are all so believable and easy to relate to, the whole series bring you back to your own High School days and first romantic adventures. But as with any series of this length KOR does have episodes which feel as though they've been done before, yet while the situations may be similar they're played out sufficiently differently to still be entertaining.

It must be noted that while the TV series comes to a conclusion of sorts, the love triangle continues to develop and it's not until the end of the OAV and then the following movies that the whole situation is decided upon once and for all. Therefore for the whole KOR story the OAV and the movies are essential watching. None the less, by itself KOR is still one of the classic anime romance series.