Review and impressions of "School Days Extra Edition": Unexpected developments and character depth

School Days Bangaihen - A deep love story and its aftertaste

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

18+ games

■ Release date

January 17, 2008 *OVA included with the PS2 game "School Days L×H Limited Edition."

■Release and sales

・Distributor: GungHo Works

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

overflow

■ Director

Keitaro Motonaga

■ Production

Animation Production: TNK Production: School Days Production Committee (Marvelous Entertainment, Avex Entertainment, Lantis, Pony Canyon Enterprises)

■Works

©STACK・School Days Production Committee 2007

■ Story

"Ito Makoto" met "Katsura Kotonoha" at the entrance ceremony for Sakakino Gakuen. Kotonoha was in the class next to Makoto's, lived on the same train line, and took the same train every day to read a book. He was interested in her, but he could only watch her from afar... That was all she was.

Mobile phone charm...
"If you use a picture of the person you like as your wallpaper for three weeks and no one notices, your love will come true."

Makoto thinks it's silly, but he sets the image of Kotoba he met on the train as his mobile phone wallpaper. However, the photo of Kotoba that appears on Makoto's wallpaper is seen by Saionji Sekai, who sits next to him in the same class. The faint hope was fleeting and was shattered on the first day of the spell, but as an apology for having seen Makoto's wallpaper without permission, Sekai wants to support the relationship between Makoto and Kotoba, and decides to mediate between the two...

From that day on, Makoto's boring daily life began to change dramatically.

■Explanation

At first, I just thought that being able to watch from afar would make the day a little better...

A boy named "Ito Makoto" secretly has feelings for a girl named "Katsura Kotonoha". When he tries to cast a love spell on his cell phone, his neighbor "Saionji Sekai" sees him. As an apology, Sekai decides to mediate between Makoto and Kotoba. From that day on, Makoto's boring daily life begins to change dramatically...

*Quoted from Bandai Channel

■Cast

・Makoto Ito/Daisuke Hirakawa/Kotoba Katsura/Tae Okajima/Sekai Saionji/Shiho Kawaraki/Setsuna Kiyoura/Keiko Imoto/Otome Kato/Haruka Nagami/Hikari Kuroda/Ryoko Tanaka/Nanami Kanroji/Chiaki Takahashi/Kokoro Katsura/Megu Ashiro/Taisuke Sawana/Yoshiro Matsumoto

■ Main staff

・Original work: Overflow・Director: Keitaro Motonaga・Series composition: Makoto Uezu・Character design, chief animation director: Junji Goto・Prop design: Goichi Iwahata・Art director: Jiro Kono, Emi Suzuki・Color design: Rumiko Suzushiro・Director of photography: Naoto Sawa・Editor: Takashi Sakurai・Sound director: Yasunori Ebina・Music: Kaoru Okubo・Producers: Makoto Ito, Masanori Goto, Katsumi Koike・Animation production: TNK・Production: School Days Production Committee (Marvelous Entertainment, Avex Entertainment, Lantis, Pony Canyon Enterprises)

■ Main Characters

Makoto Ito: He secretly has feelings for Kotoba, whom he saw at the entrance ceremony. He is shy when it comes to love and has not been able to confess his feelings to Kotoba, but with Sekai's help, they end up going out together.
Katsura Kotoba: She has a complex about her eye-catching appearance and doesn't get along with boys. She has a quiet and withdrawn personality. She was interested in Makoto, whom she had seen from afar on the train, and with Sekai's help, she started going out with him.
・Saionji Sekai A bright and cheerful person. With her cute appearance and bright personality, she has many male fans. After seeing Makoto's mobile phone wallpaper, she becomes the go-between for Makoto and Kotoba.
・Setsuna Kiyoura
He is the class representative for class 3 and Sekai's childhood friend. He is quiet and doesn't change his facial expression much, but he is able to communicate with Sekai without saying a word.
・She is best friends with Otome Makoto Kato, who is from the same school. She is a member of the basketball club and is also good friends with Nanami. She is the leader of the girls in Class 4.
Kuroda Hikaru One of Sekai's friends. The daughter of a Western-style pastry shop in the city famous for its lemon custard cake. She believes that Sekai and Makoto are dating.
One of Sekai's friends. A sporty girl who belongs to the basketball club. She is highly respected and is the leader of Sekai's group.
・Katsura Kokoro Kotoba's younger sister. Unlike her quiet and withdrawn older sister, she is cheerful and not shy around people. She is happy that Kotoba has a boyfriend.
Taisuke Sawanaga is Makoto's best friend and classmate. He's a nice guy, but he's a bit of a joker and girls don't see him as a romantic interest.

■Subtitle

・Valentine's Days (2008/01/17)

■ Related works

・School Days
・School Days final episode (episode 12)
・School Days OVA Special Magical Heart☆Kokoro-chan

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Innocent Blue ・Lyrics by REM
・Composition: Hashimoto Hikoshi ・Arrangement: Hashimoto Hikoshi ・Singer: DeviceHigh

・ED1
・Hello, my happiness
Lyrics by Rita
・Composer: KIRIKO
・Arrangement: HIKO
・Singer: Hashimoto Miyuki

School Days Bangaihen - A deep love story and its aftertaste

"School Days Bangaihen" is an OVA released on January 17, 2008, and was included with the PS2 game "School Days LxH Limited Edition." The original work is an 18+ game created by Overflow, animated by TNK, and directed by Motonaga Keitaro. The work is made up of 30-minute episodes, and the story unfolds with the subtitle "Valentine Days."

The story of this work depicts the faint romance between Ito Makoto and Katsura Kotonoha, who met at the entrance ceremony of Sakakino Academy. Makoto secretly has feelings for Kotoha, but is shy when it comes to romance and is unable to confess his feelings. However, after setting a picture of Kotoha as his mobile phone wallpaper, with the help of Saionji Sekai, Makoto and Kotoha's relationship develops. Sekai's bright personality and drive bring a big change to Makoto's boring daily life.

This OVA follows the worldview of the original game, but depicts the story from a new perspective, giving viewers a fresh impression. In particular, the relationship between Makoto and Kotoba and the presence of the world are emphasized, and the bittersweetness and sadness of love are depicted realistically. In addition, the personalities of the other characters are also prominent, adding depth to the story as a whole.

Character Analysis

Makoto Ito <br> Makoto is a boy who is shy when it comes to love, and although he has feelings for Kotoba, he is unable to confess them. However, with Sekai's help, he is able to date Kotoba. Makoto's growth and change are at the heart of the story, and his inner conflicts and joys are conveyed to the viewer. Daisuke Hirakawa's performance as a voice actor also brings out the depth of Makoto's character.

Katsura Kotoba <br> Kotoba has a complex about her eye-catching appearance and is not good with boys. She has a quiet and withdrawn personality, but she is interested in Makoto. With Sekai's help, she starts going out with Makoto. Okajima Tae's voice acting carefully portrays Kotoba's delicate emotions.

Saionji Sekai <br> Sekai is a cheerful mood maker, with a cute appearance and bright personality that has earned her many male fans. After seeing Makoto's mobile phone wallpaper, she becomes the go-between for Makoto and Kotoba's love. Kawaraki Shiho's voice acting skillfully expresses Sekai's liveliness and kindness.

Kiyoura Setsuna <br> Setsuna is the class representative for Class 1-3 and Sekai's childhood friend. He is quiet and doesn't change his facial expression much, but he is able to communicate with Sekai without saying a word. Keiko Imoto's voice acting brings out Setsuna's quiet presence.

Otome Kato <br> Otome is Makoto's best friend and is from the same school as him, and is a member of the basketball club. She is also good friends with Nanami, and is the leader of the girls in Class 4. Haruka Nagami's voice acting emphasizes Otome's leadership and friendship.

Kuroda Hikaru <br> Hikaru is one of Sekai's friends and the daughter of a Western-style pastry shop in the city famous for its lemon custard cake. She believes that Sekai and Makoto are dating. Tanaka Ryoko's voice acting skillfully expresses Hikaru's innocence and misunderstandings.

Nanami Kanroji <br> Nanami is one of Sekai's friends and a sporty girl who is a member of the basketball club. She is well-liked and is the leader of the group Sekai is in. Takahashi Chiaki's voice acting brings out Nanami's strength and kindness.

Katsura Kokoro <br> Kokoro is Kotoba's younger sister, and unlike her quiet and withdrawn sister, she is cheerful and not shy around strangers. She is happy that Kotoba has a boyfriend. As a voice actress, Megu Ashiro's performance expresses Kokoro's brightness and purity well.

Sawanaga Taisuke <br> Taisuke is Makoto's best friend and classmate. He's a nice guy, but he's a bit of a joker and isn't seen as a romantic interest by the girls. Matsumoto Yoshiro's voice acting emphasizes Taisuke's light-hearted personality and friendship.

Production background and staff

The production of "School Days Bangaihen" aimed to depict the story from a new perspective while respecting the worldview of the original game. Director Keitaro Motonaga placed emphasis on carefully depicting the emotions and relationships of the characters in order to maximize the appeal of the original. In addition, series composer Makoto Uezu focused on the romance between Makoto and Kotoba, but also highlighted the personalities of the other characters, giving depth to the story as a whole.

Goto Junji, who was in charge of character design and general animation director, faithfully reproduced the visuals of the original work while incorporating expressions unique to animation to enhance the charm of the characters. Prop designer Iwahata Goichi drew everyday tools and backgrounds with attention to detail, enhancing the realism of the story. Art directors Kono Jiro and Suzuki Emi beautifully painted the school and cityscape backgrounds, enhancing the viewer's sense of immersion. Color designer Suzushiro Rumiko considered the balance of colors to enhance the atmosphere of the story. Cinematographer Sawa Naoto used camerawork and lighting to express the emotions of the characters. Editor Sakurai Takashi advanced the story at a good pace, catching the viewer's interest. Sound director Ebina Yasunori integrated the voice actors' performances, sound effects, and music to complete the worldview of the story. Musician Okubo Kaoru provided emotional background music to enhance the emotions of the story. Producers Makoto Ito, Masanori Goto, and Katsumi Koike oversaw the entire production and maintained the quality of the work.

Theme songs and music

The opening theme, "Innocent Blue," is a powerful song sung by DeviceHigh, symbolizing the beginning of Makoto and Kotoba's romance. The lyrics were written by REM, with music and arrangement by Hashimoto Hikoshi, and it expresses the purity and sadness of youth. The ending theme, "hello, my happiness," is a gentle song sung by Hashimoto Miyuki, symbolizing the development of Makoto and Kotoba's relationship. The lyrics were written by Rita, music was composed by KIRIKO, and arrangement was by HIKO, expressing the sweetness and happiness of love. These songs are important elements that enhance the emotions of the story.

Related Titles

"School Days Bangaihen" inherits the world view of the original game "School Days" and the TV anime "School Days". It is also related to the final episode of the TV anime and the OVA special "Magical Heart ☆ Kokoro-chan", making it an important work for a deeper understanding of the story of the entire series. By watching these related works, you will be able to gain a deeper understanding of Makoto and Kotoba's love and the relationships with other characters.

Ratings and Recommendations

"School Days: Bangaihen" is a work that is widely supported not only by fans of the original game, but also by anime fans. In particular, the bittersweetness and sadness of Makoto and Kotoba's romance is portrayed realistically, resonating with viewers. The personalities of the other characters also stand out, adding depth to the story as a whole. The production background, which reflects the director and staff's attention to detail, and the emotional theme song and music also add to the appeal of the work.

The reasons why I recommend this work are as follows:

• The bittersweetness and sorrow of Makoto and Kotoba's love is depicted realistically.
• The other characters' personalities stand out, adding depth to the story as a whole.
• The production background shows the director and staff's passion
• The emotional theme song and music enhance the appeal of the work.
• This work is closely related to the original game and TV anime, and is important for understanding the story of the entire series.

"School Days Bangaihen" is a must-watch for viewers who love romance anime, and a must-watch for fans of the original game and TV anime. Be sure to watch this work and experience the love story of Makoto and Kotoba and the lingering aftertaste.