OreImo [contains HEAVY SPOILERS from the light novels]
So... OreImo (俺の妹がこんなに可愛いわけがない/Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai AKA My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute).
It feels like it's been a long time since I've wanted to write about a series. But this one definitely made me want to. The second season is wrapping up soon, but it's not so much the show right now that's prompting me to write about the series, it's the light novels.
See, I spent the last two weeks reading all 12 volumes. Volume 12 is the final volume and was released just last week on June 8th. While I did get slight spoilers as to the illustrations before two weeks ago, that still didn't prepare me for the actual ending.
So, I'll start with the writing style. The majority of the story is told from the older brother Kyousuke's point of view. There were a few side stories that were told from other characters' points of view as well. Since I started reading the light novels after watching the first seasons and what was current at the time for the second season, whenever I read the dialog parts and Kyousuke's thoughts, I could definitely hear the tones and intonations of the characters, especially Kyousuke's (へいへい), Kirino's (ばっかじゃないの,ーつの), and Manami's. To me, I think that if I'm somehow drawn to continue reading volume after volume in the same day (which I did today and last weekend), then that means there's something good about the writing style. Even if I cannot pinpoint exactly why.
There were certain incest subtexts that surfaced, but I didn't realize that it would actually go there until it was too late...
But before that, I have to say, my favorite part was in volume 6 when Kyousuke and his classmate Akagi went to Akiba when they were both 18, for the 18+ store. It was so hilarious reading that part. A close second was when the same two went to Mikagami's apartment.
Mikagami ended up being the most otaku of them all LOL!
Nearly all the girls confessed to Kyousuke, except for Saori and Sena. Even Hinata kind of showed interest in him, which was a little weird. Ayase, Manami, Akemi, Kanako, Kuroneko. Manami and Kuroneko, I could see. But Ayase was kind of a weird case. And Kanako? That felt a bit out of left field, not nearly enough development to get to that stage.
There were definitely parts of the novels towards the end when I felt like there hadn't been enough written development for the sudden leaps that were happening. Such as for how Kyousuke developed feelings for Kirino in the non-sibling sense. Even as I was reading, I didn't feel like it was hinted at or explained enough to reach that point. I mean I kind of picked up on Kirino's feelings when she told him to think hard when someone dear to him confessed (and I didn't think it was Kuroneko she was talking about), but for him, I didn't really see anything beyond his siscon actions until he told Ayase that he had someone he liked at the end of volume 11.
I definitely wouldn't have ever guessed that the darkest character would be Manami. Yes, she was the voice of reason when everyone else just kind of accepted that Kyousuke and Kirino loved each other romantically. She was the one who told Kirino those years before that she couldn't be together romantically with her brother, which caused the animosity between them. She and Kirino physically fought, and she kicked? punched? Kyousuke. Though it wasn't written further, I get the feeling that might have been the end of their relationship as friends, even.
If you look at all the novels together, it's basically Kyousuke going from a normal guy to someone that has fallen romantically for his sister. Even though he's denying it most of the time. Volume 11 definitely shed light on how siscon and brocon he and Kirino were (there was even explanation about her hair clips!), but I think Kirino may have pushed him over the edge by pushing the imouto eroge on him.
And then there's that final illustration with Kirino and Kyousuke kissing in wedding attire in a church. I imagine that some people were aghast to see that, while others were celebrating. I was on middle ground, which is probably where most people would end up. Because of how it ended. They only limited their romantic relationship until graduation, and then went back to being normal siblings. But, they didn't even do anything romantic until the end, namely the wedding. So to me, it was like "Really?? That's it?" He rejected all the other girls' confessions just for that one romantic moment. And since they had to return to normal siblings, he'll likely be alone for the rest of his life (not sure about Kirino). In some ways, I find that really sad, in multiple senses of the word. And yet, when they were done with the private wedding between the two of them, they suddenly were able to just say, "OK, that's that!" Where were the tears and heartbreak? It felt way too fickle.
The final volume left me with a feeling like a small hole in my heart. It felt heavy. Probably because it wasn't a truly happy ending, but it had to end in a way that was socially acceptable, and so it was the best possible way to end it in that manner. It was even addressed in the novel that although there were different kinds of imouto eroge, none of the ones that Kirino pushed on Kyousuke were of the kind where the MC+imouto had to deal with the harshness of society, though they existed. Still they'll be happy because they're still in each others' lives, but it seems like it'd be a subdued happiness because they cannot be with their loved one romantically.
I'll stop talking about the last volume because it just makes me feel heavy-hearted.
But speaking of themes, what I did like about the novels in another sense is that each novel addressed at least one if not more societal themes, some bigger, some smaller. Like Kanako smoking, Ayase being stalked, Fate stealing Kirino's cellphone novel, and the one from above... It's harder to tell about these themes in the show because of how they shortened, changed, or removed parts of the novel's version.
As a whole, I liked the novels because there was definitely more insight into what Kyousuke was thinking at the time in various episodes (sometimes not what you'd expect!), and it made me want to go back to earlier episodes to see them in a new light. But that heavy feeling will not go away. So I wait with bated breath for the final episodes, both the ones that are televised and the ones that will come after (probably because of content). I will also wait to see what others' reactions are to the show, since people have their favorite pairings.
This is clearly not one of those series that will leave you feeling refreshed at the end. Although now that I've finally had an outlet to talk about it, I feel a bit better, haha.
It feels like it's been a long time since I've wanted to write about a series. But this one definitely made me want to. The second season is wrapping up soon, but it's not so much the show right now that's prompting me to write about the series, it's the light novels.
See, I spent the last two weeks reading all 12 volumes. Volume 12 is the final volume and was released just last week on June 8th. While I did get slight spoilers as to the illustrations before two weeks ago, that still didn't prepare me for the actual ending.
So, I'll start with the writing style. The majority of the story is told from the older brother Kyousuke's point of view. There were a few side stories that were told from other characters' points of view as well. Since I started reading the light novels after watching the first seasons and what was current at the time for the second season, whenever I read the dialog parts and Kyousuke's thoughts, I could definitely hear the tones and intonations of the characters, especially Kyousuke's (へいへい), Kirino's (ばっかじゃないの,ーつの), and Manami's. To me, I think that if I'm somehow drawn to continue reading volume after volume in the same day (which I did today and last weekend), then that means there's something good about the writing style. Even if I cannot pinpoint exactly why.
There were certain incest subtexts that surfaced, but I didn't realize that it would actually go there until it was too late...
But before that, I have to say, my favorite part was in volume 6 when Kyousuke and his classmate Akagi went to Akiba when they were both 18, for the 18+ store. It was so hilarious reading that part. A close second was when the same two went to Mikagami's apartment.
Mikagami ended up being the most otaku of them all LOL!
Nearly all the girls confessed to Kyousuke, except for Saori and Sena. Even Hinata kind of showed interest in him, which was a little weird. Ayase, Manami, Akemi, Kanako, Kuroneko. Manami and Kuroneko, I could see. But Ayase was kind of a weird case. And Kanako? That felt a bit out of left field, not nearly enough development to get to that stage.
There were definitely parts of the novels towards the end when I felt like there hadn't been enough written development for the sudden leaps that were happening. Such as for how Kyousuke developed feelings for Kirino in the non-sibling sense. Even as I was reading, I didn't feel like it was hinted at or explained enough to reach that point. I mean I kind of picked up on Kirino's feelings when she told him to think hard when someone dear to him confessed (and I didn't think it was Kuroneko she was talking about), but for him, I didn't really see anything beyond his siscon actions until he told Ayase that he had someone he liked at the end of volume 11.
I definitely wouldn't have ever guessed that the darkest character would be Manami. Yes, she was the voice of reason when everyone else just kind of accepted that Kyousuke and Kirino loved each other romantically. She was the one who told Kirino those years before that she couldn't be together romantically with her brother, which caused the animosity between them. She and Kirino physically fought, and she kicked? punched? Kyousuke. Though it wasn't written further, I get the feeling that might have been the end of their relationship as friends, even.
If you look at all the novels together, it's basically Kyousuke going from a normal guy to someone that has fallen romantically for his sister. Even though he's denying it most of the time. Volume 11 definitely shed light on how siscon and brocon he and Kirino were (there was even explanation about her hair clips!), but I think Kirino may have pushed him over the edge by pushing the imouto eroge on him.
And then there's that final illustration with Kirino and Kyousuke kissing in wedding attire in a church. I imagine that some people were aghast to see that, while others were celebrating. I was on middle ground, which is probably where most people would end up. Because of how it ended. They only limited their romantic relationship until graduation, and then went back to being normal siblings. But, they didn't even do anything romantic until the end, namely the wedding. So to me, it was like "Really?? That's it?" He rejected all the other girls' confessions just for that one romantic moment. And since they had to return to normal siblings, he'll likely be alone for the rest of his life (not sure about Kirino). In some ways, I find that really sad, in multiple senses of the word. And yet, when they were done with the private wedding between the two of them, they suddenly were able to just say, "OK, that's that!" Where were the tears and heartbreak? It felt way too fickle.
The final volume left me with a feeling like a small hole in my heart. It felt heavy. Probably because it wasn't a truly happy ending, but it had to end in a way that was socially acceptable, and so it was the best possible way to end it in that manner. It was even addressed in the novel that although there were different kinds of imouto eroge, none of the ones that Kirino pushed on Kyousuke were of the kind where the MC+imouto had to deal with the harshness of society, though they existed. Still they'll be happy because they're still in each others' lives, but it seems like it'd be a subdued happiness because they cannot be with their loved one romantically.
I'll stop talking about the last volume because it just makes me feel heavy-hearted.
But speaking of themes, what I did like about the novels in another sense is that each novel addressed at least one if not more societal themes, some bigger, some smaller. Like Kanako smoking, Ayase being stalked, Fate stealing Kirino's cellphone novel, and the one from above... It's harder to tell about these themes in the show because of how they shortened, changed, or removed parts of the novel's version.
As a whole, I liked the novels because there was definitely more insight into what Kyousuke was thinking at the time in various episodes (sometimes not what you'd expect!), and it made me want to go back to earlier episodes to see them in a new light. But that heavy feeling will not go away. So I wait with bated breath for the final episodes, both the ones that are televised and the ones that will come after (probably because of content). I will also wait to see what others' reactions are to the show, since people have their favorite pairings.
This is clearly not one of those series that will leave you feeling refreshed at the end. Although now that I've finally had an outlet to talk about it, I feel a bit better, haha.