When Seiyuu Michie Tomizawa who voices Sumire in the
Sakura Taisen world decided to retire, the creators of the game/anime thought
it would be best to retire the Sumire character with her instead of trying to
find a replacement voice actress. This OVA follows Sumire as she bids farewell
to her fans and friends, and her final performance.
The
mood of the show is a decidedly sad one. Without going too much into how Sumire
really affected others or how she herself was affected, the special throws around
scenes of her saying goodbye to various people. There are a few uncomfortable
yet poignant final words, but when people started applauding, launching fireworks,
waving around glow-in-the-dark sticks, and doing other embarassing displays of
appreciation, I about lost it while groaning painfully. Your mileage may vary.
