High Score Girl: Extra Stage

Sometimes an OVA is considered a filler and the place for the discarded episodes. In this case, it is different. The Extra episodes of High Score Girl are a prelude of what we're going to watch in the second season. YES, a second season that was already announced. The episodes continue with the same structure from the main series. As a significant development, we can appreciate Yaguchi and Hidaka's fight and their perseverance towards their feelings. Furthermore, the relationships are not dull or repulsive even if some persons think they are a cliché. The series continues following the main idea from the main series, themanga, and that is a plus for the spectators. The extra episode's denouement is right. Even if some persons consider it as a waste of time, the plot only seeks to set up the events that are going to happen in the second season. The pacing is right, and the art is the same. As a positive aspect now I am eager for more and I want to be ready for the second season.

This sequel doesn't accomplish much. Unless being momentarily annoying is considered an accomplishment. Mrs. mute is still mute and mr. dense so dense they could have as well named the specials 'Extra Dense'. Kohara, the 2nd harem option is still the only person who feels even slightly human. But even her purpose in these specials seems to be hitting mr. dense and make him atone physical pain. This scene is, by the way, followed by bunch of side character dudes also hitting mr. dense because apparently, if girl hits a man, it's the man's fault and other men should also start punching him. I am notsure if this is supposed to be humor, but a) I don't especially enjoy It'S a PrAnK bRo -tier jokes, and b) it feels like pro-misandrist propaganda at best. In terms of story-writing, more romance cliches are introduced and this time around 3rd party is trying to cut the obvious canon pairing's relations because manblaming whilst people at the same time tell mrs. mute not to blame herself. Kohara's story is equally shitty since she challenges the bro in a match and then rages, also blaming him for everything. I thought the main season was still average despite its problems, but now these ideals presented here are downright appalling. I am not sure if this is giving worse picture of pussywhipped men or girl gamers, but I guess it doesn't matter since this doesn't represent any parties with realism. The mary sue traits are pushed even further here which makes mrs. mute's character feel even more like an empty object. There doesn't even seem to be any advancement coming in the future either due to more irrelevant side characters being introduced in the purpose of side-tracking, and the same story elements being recycled. The alarming part is that this side-tracing filler is much more substantial than the main story line. Let me just quote mr. dense: "We will be separated again. I wonder how many times we have been separated already." I will tell you; too fucking many. So many that our story and "characters" can now be described with one singular word: fake. Even rushed conclusion would have been better than this level of lame.

This OVA sequel is a really good step-up from the series, they managed to publish it in 1080p, which really makes the video much more "crisper" than 720p. You get the answer to the climax of the series, handful of new characters are introduced and at least for me, there's a lot less "filling" in the OVA than in the original series, which keeps me entertained and made me binge the OVA. Sound, at least for me, got a bit better, but not that much that it would be easy to notice straight away (better quality). Overall, this is what a sequel is supposed to be, and Iwould've like to have more episodes than 3. I'll be on the lookout for the next sequel.

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