It’s been over a year since I discovered GJ-bu. Now, with the passing of what I presume to be their last hurrah, GJ-bu can finally rest in peace. Probably. I can’t help but think the author will milk it to no end anyway.
What was it about GJ-bu that I liked anyway? How can I recollect the feelings that I had for the original title? It was over a year ago. I really can’t say. I finished it within a day. I gave it a seven, which is saying something since I even admitted the multiple flaws in both character and plot production. I suppose there was just this magic to it that made me really ooze all of my own personal bias onto the series. Oh, to be bound by emotions. It’s a pleasing conundrum.
With everything wrapped up (I hope), I can honestly say that the magic is gone. Was I particularly excited for this OVA’s release? Absolutely. Was I satisfied after viewing it? Pssh, no. The first thing that threw me off was the whole premise of the club going to New York. It happened. Okay. It never explains how they got there, nor does it really make itself anything more than a day at the club. Not to mention, it’s only half of the OVA. Only half. So, to sum it up, what does the premise cover? The insignificant half of the OVA that doesn’t care to expand upon its normal formula, despite a completely different place of setting… kind of. There are so many scenes that COULD have been shown that weren’t. Why? So they could make room for the second half of the OVA? It just makes the whole trip to New York seem lazy and obligatory. Wasted potential. Much disappoint.
And so we’re introduced to the second half. By the way, it comes up out of nowhere. Seriously. One scene they’re in New York, the next they’re somewhere I don’t even recognize. It took me a full two minutes to even figure out they were back in Japan. That’s very abrupt, GJ-bu. The central character of the five females, Mao, the former president, is avoiding main male character. Why? Good luck trying to figure it out, because NO ONE EXPLAINS IT. You’re left to assume the reason, and when you finally come to a conclusion, it still doesn’t explain her desire to avoid him… was she avoiding everyone else, too? She seemed fine while talking to Tama. Was it just him? By the way, what is with these characters and kidnapping? This series takes the matter very lightly. The rest of the OVA deals with Mao’s stupid problems and throws in a few moments that are designed to make you cry and bawl and have you empathize with the characters, as it is, I presume, their last hurrah. It worked, to an extent. I couldn’t get over how forced it seemed. Everyone looked so content and happy and “Oh, this club is so pwecious! Ohhhhhhhhh!” Regardless, I had a hole in my stomach the size of… my kidney stone. Yeah. It’s safe to say the magic has worn thin.
Can I just say that the laziness of this special is apparent in a single, critical area? Background. There is a scene where Mao is moping around with main male character when they first get back to Japan. In the background, there are unnamed characters that are frozen in time. Frozen in time. One character was laughing, the one beside her presumably told her a joke about the OVA’s production value. Then a few others had their backs turned to the camera, probably hiding the shame they had on their face to be used in such a mundane fashion. When it comes to quality, the only thing that matters is the central characters. The most impressive scene, I think, was the scene of every character eating their burgers. That was bizarrely entertaining. It kind of grossed me out, too.
I was left unsatisfied with the ending of the original GJ-bu series. Now, I’m left unsatisfied with its actual conclusion (maybe). Is this a sign that I’m actually just unpleasable? Probably. GJ-bu@ is basically a mainstay for those who needed closure after finishing the original series. However, it will only work if your heart is in the right place. My heart happens to be under lock and key when it comes to things like this. Gj-bu@ just didn’t have the right combination. Ho-hum.
The Visualist's Veranda 