One of the most talked about shows from last season was also one with a lot of controversy. From pirated streaming that left ANN fumbling to fix their net security to content that simply was more otaku than mainstream, Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai (Oreimo for short) definitely hit the scene with some notoriety. Does that mean it’s any good though?

Aniplex has released the series as a Limited Edition Complete Box Set. All 12 episodes of the series, and four bonus OVA episodes, are presented on three DVDs and are accompanied by a slew of supplementary material. It’s a bright, bubbly, inappropriate package that is sure to make any otaku or person interested in the show considering biting on the $59.99 price tag ($74.99 if you’re talking MSRP).

The series starts out with a dream. 17 year old Kyosuke Kosaka is woken up by his younger, adorable, and doting sister. The only problem is there’s no possible way his sister could be that cute! In real life 14 year old Kirino is a stuck up pain in the ass. You know, your typical teenager. The only thing is Kirino is also a young model and she uses her money to fund a secret particularly “interesting” hobby.

One day Kyosuke stumbles upon a copy of a magical girl anime game, with sisterly and ecchi-themed components. Naturally he’s taken aback and immediately starts to think about whose it could possibly be? His dad? His mom? Nope! It’s Kirino! What’s worse is it’s merely a drop in the bucket compared to her otaku/hentai hobby. She’s got a closet full of the stuff and she’s utterly addicted. The bad part is Kirino has to live a double life in order to have her hobby, so Kyosuke being the good brother that he is takes on the burden of supporting her in her endeavors.

What winds up happening is that Kyosuke gets dragged from one otaku landmark to the next. Akihabara, maid cafes, and Comikets are all on the docket, and in between the brother and sister meet other otaku Saori and Kuroneko. The two don’t have to hide their hobby like Kirino does, and the group becomes friends shortly after their introduction. Saori and Kuroneko fit into the fold quite nicely and it’s a fun dynamic being able to see Kirino geek out with them, rather than hiding who she is from everyone else in her life.

Throughout Oreimo eroge games and otaku are shed in a disfavoring light. Kirino’s parents, news media, and even her “normal” friends look down on otaku and blame eroge content for crimes and what have you. Just imagine what happens when, despite her best efforts, friends and family find out about her hobby. Kyosuke is there to stand beside his sister, but it’s not nearly enough sometimes. This aspect of the show is definitely a welcome twist, though I must admit that it’s rather an exclusive topic. If you’re not deep into anime and know the ins and outs you can’t really appreciate some of the content. Oreimo really touches on some sensitive topics while delivering laughs and cuteness. It’s a fine balance that the show manages to pull off successfully.

If you heard about the show and are interested, know that it’s definitely worth checking out. The series was one of my favorites from last year and that holds true even to this DVD release. Good stuff and a fan-inspired release make for a highly recommended title!

Oreimo is presented on DVD with its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio and has been enhanced for anamorphic playback. The series looks quite good with vibrant colors, attractive characters, and smooth animation. As far as the transfer is concerned the picture is stable and sharp, and there’s very little grain or compression to talk about. The series would have still looked better on Blu-ray, but as is this three-disc DVD release is perfectly fine. As far as the audio goes there’s Japanese 2.0 Dolby Digital stereo with English subtitles. The quality of that is what one would expect and there’s very little in the way of things that will “wow” you.

For bonus features, aside from the OVA episodes, there are clean animations for all 16 episodes. There are also 16 postcards with some fun artwork, a 24-page booklet with character designs and a cover gallery, there’s a two-sided poster packed into the case, and a two-sided DVD cover should you feel like swapping things out. It all comes packed in a nifty art-box as well.

Oreimo isn’t nearly as controversial as it could have been, but it’s every bit as fun. The relationship that forms between Kirino and Kyosuke is quite good and I appreciate the societal undertones of the concept. I don’t see this show hitting newcomer anime fans quite as much, but American otaku would be remiss if they didn’t pick this series up.

Highly Recommended

Tags: Anime, Aniplex, Comedy, DVD, Eroge, Review