Unfortunately, Amagami SS+ plus is on the worse end of the "mildly decent" spectrum. I am disappoint, AIC. I am disappoint indeed.
>:(
As I think the blog team mentioned a few times before, Amagami SS was a surprisingly good series. 6 meaty mini-arcs with 4 episodes each and extra girls in the special episodes to top it off, the anime just knew what it wanted, knew what it had to do, and well...went and did it. You have cute girls in great graphics, a nice soundtrack, and filling stories that can be completed in 4 episodes each, and you have a standard model for what a visual novel dating sim game anime adaptation should be like.
That was Amagami SS.
Now, Amagami SS+ plus could have done one of the following to great effect:
1) Full-on after story with a 4-episode extension where the couple really strengthen their bonds
2) Another Amagami SS but with different girls (could be 3 girls x 4 episodes or 6, doesn't matter too much). I would have liked to see a Hibiki (swim team captain) arc, especially seeing as she's a fan favorite. Hell, they could have a Bad Ending arc if they wanted - that would be creative and very cool if pulled off well.
What did Amagami SS+ plus do? The answer is: none of the above.
you jelly son
Anyways, getting back to production values, the soundtrack is the same as ever, except with the OP (I'm not sure if the character EDs are original or if they're just the character songs from the soundtrack, but either way they weren't that good). The OP by azusa (Check My Soul) is decent and sounds very small and comfy. To be honest it makes me want to see my hometown again - it's that sort of nostalgia-inducing song. It's more energetic than previous OPs and the beginning piano lead-in makes me absolutely shiver. However, the rest of the song is not as impressive and I'd say overall the song is about the same level as i Love (Amagami SS OP1) but not as good tune-wise as Kimi no Mama de (Amagami SS OP2).
The graphics are the same as ever, if a tad shinier due to improved technology. Amagami SS had one of the best artwork/graphics out there (really close in quality and resemblance to the actual visual novel) and I think other series should follow suit. Having top-notch looks like this can't hurt your series, after all.
So let's go back to how the series is structured. When I first saw that Amagami SS+ plus was only 12 episodes, I knew it was headed for trouble. If you are going to have multiple, in-depth, independent arcs for the main heroines, you canNOT simply have 12 episodes. You're just not going to have enough room. And I was right.
so jelly I call you smuckers mothafucka
Amagami SS+ plus has the 6 girls returning within the 12 episodes. 2 episodes are reserved for each girl, and each "mini-arc" is an extension of the previous season (about a month or so after they get together; essentially while they're still in school). In my mind, it's nothing more than a 12-OVA fanservice scheme, modeled after that series of OVAs/"short stories" that they released that was pretty much the same thing except the story is set before they kiss.
Let me tell you something: watching a story struggle to unfold itself in two episodes is downright pitiful.
Look, if you're gonna do an extension of the girls' stories, why not just make it another 4-episode mini-arc series? You guys have more than enough money and popularity to get another 26-episode season from any TV studio if you guys wanted to. Why you gotta flop out on us like this, Enterbrain/AIC?
As expected, all each arc does is pull an adult-medium-sized crisis out from its ass and hand it to the viewer, then solve it magically with the power of love. Even the way they solve it is lame - there aren't any good flirting scenes, they don't really walk/talk with each other than much, and the way the couple faces the obstacle always boils down to "we trust each other, right? Then this obstacle doesn't matter" sort of thing. AIC hurriedly throws plot devices left and right in order to railroad the arc to a mediocre conclusion, but fails to make anything between the beginning and the end mildly engaging. Bad showing by AIC when they could have done something much better.
Again, I am disappoint. You guys are still ok, but you had high standards to uphold. You failed.
Status: Watching since it's better than Mouretsu Pirates but grimacing at the beginning of every arc.
Oh God we're screwed
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