Escha Chron feels like an orphan. It is this cute, lonely little OVA with no discernible attachments to any other property or format. It starts in what feels like the very middle of an interesting story with a strong, unique premise, providing very little context and hardly bothering at all with introductions. An experience which is, out of context, just a relaxing CGDGT anime, but in context, absolutely bizarre. My personal theory is that Escha Crhon is an anime which was cancelled early in its production cycle, and instead of trashing what they already had, they released it in theform of the standalone OVA we see today. In this way, it's an experience which stands out on its own as something that is nice but feels almost unfair to review, as it feels unfinished. Beginning with the story, it is easily the strongest aspect of this show. The idea of our two protagonists from a foreboding yet somehow cozy post-apocalyptic future innocently exploring the world of today, amazed at the simplest of its delights and pleasures, makes for a formula with a lot of potential mileage and a distinctly calming effect on the soul. However, it is lacking necessary context, and the pacing is all off. I kept checking to see if I was indeed watching the first episode or not, since it really does just drop you in the middle of it all with no real explanation.
The art is strong, with a cozy, playful atmosphere, bolstered by the clean, colorful art direction and personable character design.
The sound is good, meeting all standards of quality.
The characters are also fine, simply meeting the standards which the story demands of them. Of them, my favorites are of course the main duo, Escha and Chron. Even though they don't get a ton of time to develop, what we do see establishes that their connection is a complimentary one, and would have continued to drive the story forward if the anime had continued. Overall, Escha Chron is a nice, relaxing experience, but is regardless woefully incomplete. I feel like if it had been given its due as a full anime, it would have made it much higher up on my list.
AnAnimeEnjoyer420
May 15, 2021
Mixed Feelings
Recommendation: A pleasant way to spend an hour if you like cute girls doing cute things, but not essential by any means, and will likely prove boring for those that aren't fans of the genre. From the way Escha Chron is paced, it feels like 2 episodes of a longer show that was never finished. By the time you finish both episodes, you'll feel like they're just beginning to hint at the plot of the series. Every question you came into the series with (what is Terminal, how and why are the girls crossing between worlds, etc...) will go unanswered, I regret to informyou. In fact you'll probably have more than you started with (for example, who is Albert?). It's frustrating because this is a very promising series that could have been sneakily excellent, like a cross between Non Non Biyori and Girls Last Tour, if it had been given the space to fully develop its ideas and show what it was doing.
As it is, each episode follows the titular Escha and Chron as they come into a mildly troubled stranger's life and brighten it with their sincere love for every new person and experience they encounter, which makes them reconsider what's making them unhappy in their own lives. It's a very sweet and comforting viewing experience and Chron in particular has a childlike wonder at the world that's very endearing. The sci fi portion of the plot seems like an afterthought, or foreshadowing for an eventual reveal of the show's mysteries that never comes. I really would have loved to see where they were going with all of that and its a real disappointment that we'll never find out since, as an anime original adaptation of a stage play, it has no source material to continue the story either. The sum total of what you learn is that it's always snowing in Terminal, and the girls set out on a journey from there by choice about a year prior to the series. Nothing else is explained.
In the end, it's just a promising 2 episode teaser of a longer story that doesn't exist, which makes it inherently incomplete and frustrating. The individual episodes are both quite good and the characters they meet are charming and interesting. Still, without an ending and really without even a middle, I can't fully recommend it as anything more than a fun diversion. It really could have been something special if it had been a full length series with the time to tell its story.
Lastly, I should mention that there's lots of musical interludes, especially in the first episode. The music is pleasant but nothing special, but it does enhance the scenes and the stories they're trying to tell. If you like music or idol shows, its a nice little bonus.
