This is review is written by Larry.
Title: Hinako OVA
Publisher: Maiden Japan
U.S. Release Date: 10-3-17
Format and Length: Blu-ray / 3 Episodes / 105 Minutes
Genre: 4th wall, fan service, comedy
Industry Age Rating: TV 14
Overall Personal Rating: A-
Synopsis/Commentary:
Hinako is an anime geared toward young adult males. Since I don’t fit into that category, this review is written by my friend Larry who is exactly the intended audience.
I went into watching the anime thinking , “Oh. it might be a comedy”. I wasn’t wrong gut at the same time I wasn’t right. Hinako is only 3 episodes long and they are different than most OVAs. It began with the first episode, “Training with Hinako”. A Japanese girl was watching anime then suddenly she was pulled into the TV and was turned into a game character. The fourth wall is broken and while you are watching her, she sees you and introduces herself and suggests you hangout with her by doing what? Exercising through a repetitive full count of push ups, sit ups or squats. You are supposed to exercise with Hinako while getting fan service views and interesting camera angels. After the first 12 minutes you start to realize, Wow, I’m exercising!
After all the fun exercising, in episode 2, I moved on to sleeping with Hinako. (It’s not what you think.) It is bedtime in your and Hinako’s world. So, she changes into some revealing pajamas and then it’s time to sleep. She stares into your eyes and asks to hold your hand which proceeds to be another 40+ minutes of fan service angles while watching her sleep. She does have some dreams and gets out of bed to kiss you! However, watching her sleep got pretty boring.
Now onto the last episode, Bath Time. Yep, that’s right, time to bathe with an adorable 2-D girl, but first, bath exercising! After getting through those exercise, then a second character shows up and it was double girl bath time. The fan service really kicks in with the washing each other’s bodies and letting out pants and moans. After they wash one another, it leads to count up to get out of the bathtub. Once dried off, it’s time for.. after bath exercising! Once again, receptive fan service angles and counting. Whoooo! Then it wraps up with her asking you to please hang out with her more and then it is over.
Overall, if you are looking for an interactive anime that makes you feel like a relationship with a 2-D girl sounds great, then this anime is most likely for you. It is really repetitive but the cute things the girl says makes you want to keep watching. And, if you like fan service, this anime could help you out. I personally liked it for its unique approach to anime characters in anime worlds and what they do in their time off. And made me feel lie I had a girlfriend.
