+A-Channel - Reviews

I was told that I would get a better understanding of the anime technique of omake when I watched the eleven + A-Channel specials.  Nice little two-minute projects which explained facets of the twelve episode single season celebrating the adventures of up-tight Tooru, air-headed Run, cynical Nagi, and cute albeit klutzy Yuuko.  Sweet explanations of trivial things as:

Where did Tooru's purple blouse with the too-long sleeves come from (a gift from Run)?

What is the background of Satou-sensei's fetish with Run's forehead?  And what causes the friction between Satou and Kitou?

How would Nagi look if she ever let her hair down and ditch those glasses?  And why won’t she make these changes permanent?

Why is Yuuko so skittish about horror movies?  Come to think of it, why is Yuuko sacred of about anything?

This and imaginative bits which play on the personality flaws of the girls.  Such as the A-Channel girls depicted as a martial arts team brought in to take down a cockroach.  And why do the three girls abandon Yuuko "Crazy Chicken" aka "Chest Cold Candidate" Nishi to face the ugly bug alone?

It was Studio Gokumi's chance to have a little more fun with a cast of characters whose manga run of twelve years inspired two further OVA in 2012 and 2017 (projects I’ll look for and hope to find).  An imaginative mix of what we knew from the anime and what revelations came in the omake.  It was a neat twist of 'what I know' and 'what I learned.'

While these eleven short pieces used the identical animation style of the twelve regular long episodes, the final episode on creating bento lunches extended the two-minute limit to show that while Run and Yuuko are ideal cooks, they approach their meals with that personal touch.  Yuuko has the touch of the expert, while Run just has fun.  And this is what made viewing A-Channel a unique treat.  Not spectacular animation, but cute story-telling.  While I've learned never to turn my back on Tooru, I appreciate her loyalty to her friends.

This is tagged as comedy, but there isn't any to be found.

It just has characters that are in a situation. The situation happens like it would for any regular group of people. Then there is a mildly unusual comment at the end. Then roll credits.

If Lucky Star was your shit, then watch this.