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Kannagi OVA – Strangely unsatisfying

Actually after a short reflection, it isn't so strange that I didn't enjoy the Kannagi OVA as much as hoped. The OVA suffered from the same issues as the TV series - too much immiscible fat. Note that I enjoyed the 'fatty' bits of Kannagi. Those fun eps were entertaining, even titillating. But with a sudden change in tone as the series rushed towards a hurried end, one can't help but wonder if the storytelling could have been better managed. Looking back, there were at least 2 'fatty' episodes that did nothing to contribute to the overarching story or character development. Sure, I laughed and for many, that should be enough. However, my love for Kannagi's cast compels me to set a higher standard for the series.

The OVA adds to that fat content, only I didn't get as much laughs. Little was added to the overarching plot. There was minimal character development. Neither was there deepened character love (ok maybe Zange but then even her presence is just awesome). For some reasons, Da Capo and SHUFFLE comes to mind when I think of well-integrated storytelling. Both series may be deceiving in that they seem to have a lot of pointless episodes, featuring bishoujos, fanservice or just random silliness. But take it from one who has seen Da Capo countless times and SHUFFLE numerous times that, upon closer inspection, both series compositions are exceptionally coherent and focused. Woven into seemingly mindless harem hijinks are intentional plot or character developments. Such thrusts are what is missing generally from Kannagi.

That said, I would look forward to a season 2 for Kannagi very much. There is much to unveil in terms of plot and a lot of ground to cover for character liaisons. I just hope we'd get marbled beef instead of lard from a 2nd season.