Alternative version

OVA, 2002, 2 eps,3.78(267),5.98(272)

bymaceart on2004-08-04 18:29

Mizuiro 2003: A short OAV that manages to weave a story as intricate as most 13 episode series, too bad the producers didn't take it that far with the potential they had.

Animation: Very well done. Since it came from an OAV, I was expecting more than average animation. Each character was drawn very well, with no sudden style changes between each frame. Characters blink, and facial expressions are clear enough to convey emotion central to the story.

Sound: Pretty nice, with a mix of piano instrumentals and ochestrals. The music plays it's role when its needed, whether during a dramatic scene or a happy scene. Still, it's only 2 episodes, so don't expect the calibur of music found in Kanon or Kimi ga Nozomu Eien. The opening song, ~sora no tsuduki~, was very good catchy and the melody was stuck in my head for a long time.

Story: The strongest part of this anime. This anime had a very decent story, with Yuki and his past childhood friend Hiyuri. Very sad and emotional, but there are cliches. The story for Mizuiro could have spanned a full 13 episode anime, but the producers didn't take it that far. From a drama standpoint, the story could go up against Kanon or Da Capo, but it's length prevents it from doing so. The part about Hiyuri being a ghost made this story different and unique from other dating sim to anime conversion.

Character: The three main characters, (Yuki, Hiyuri, and Kenji) were very likeable, although Yuki's character was waayy too much cliched. (c'mon, a sister with no blood relation? haven't we heard this somewhere? cough..cough...Wind, Da Capo...) Hiyuri was the best character, although the ending was concentrated on her, she wasn't developed enough. Sucks for this anime being only 2 episodes.

Value: Since it's only a 2 episode OAV, I can't really value this much in the sense that it ends too quickly and the story seemed rushed. If this was made into a 90 minute movie, than the score here would be much higher.

Enjoyment: Overall, I really enjoyed Mizuiro 2003. Nice for a short drama fix, but really nothing else. It's length is its main weakness. If it was longer, I would put it on a list along with Kanon, Da Capo, and Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien.

Note: The nnl subs for this anime were some the best, with very nice grammar and encoding. Their use of "directional subs" was very smart for this type of anime.

byrequiem on2004-03-09 03:00

In Japanese,Mizuiro connotes "light blue," and literally means "water color." To me it is a beautiful sounding word, sounding so complicated, but has such a simple meaning. Even as the name of a hentai game, the title itself brings a thoughtful meaning to one of my most hated, yet favorite romance stories ever..

Kenji, Hiyori, and Yuki.

Going down the street, Kenji sees a toy dispensing machine. He wins a ring out of it, which Hiyori intends to marry him with. Although Hiyori has to move...
Several years later, Kenji snoozes in bed. His dear sister, Yuki, wakes him up, and hears his complaints of the sounds of someone crying that he heard during the night.

I don't think this story would mean as much without understanding the context. Basically, the three of them are highschoolers who happen to be a typical love triangle...but nothing ever seems to make sense when only two of the three are around! Watching closely, there is much complexity in a simple, probably accidental script with ghosts, rings, and chocolates all coming together on a Valentine's Day.

Mizuiro doesn't get entirely deep, though. In fact, there is no actual depth whatsoever.It's really all about the charisma of the story that gets me. It is unbelievably charming, with awkward characters, a slightly unique-from-the-average-triangle plot, and an ending that is sad, then happy. Even for only 2 episodes, if there was a more serious exploration of this anime, it could challenge some of popular ones likeDa Capo, orKanon.

Despite it's aura of charm, it's average.

Pretty much.The characters are extremely bland and cliche. Getting into this is irritating. Hiyori seems to be the weakest character, especially with her common attitude. However, as the story progresses, Yuki and Kenji become more typical than she does, until a complete switch is made, and I felt as if Hiyori was the point of the story. This is somewhat true, in a depressing sort of way; but regardless this anime has some issues when it comes to character development and uniqueness.

Boring music. The opening theme is somewhat acceptable, but the bg music is unnoticeable. The ending song is pretty plain, too. Therefore, the music is a bit shabby and poorly attributed inMizuiro.

Let alone theseiyuu be a little too relaxed as well. I felt as if they had just woke up from a long slumber for over half the time of the first episode. Later on Hiyori's voice actress becomes even more cute, and then theseiyuu come alive. I thank that brave shoujo for her efforts to put life into this dull animation.

Average animation. I disagree with the description. It isn't really much better than the 2002 OVA; it just has a few more colors, and the animation isn't entirely as rigid. Still, everyone in it looks really great, and the landscapes are sometimes nostalgic when looked at closely.
Also, pay attention to the fansubber's notes on the series. They often times mention how much they spend or go a little too indepth in explaining Japanese culture and products. This may be worth the watch, should you find no interest in this anime after the first 5 minutes.

Overall: Beautiful name, strong story...horrible service.

Plenty of potential, but nothing was exceptional in any category besides the story. I of course enjoyed this, playing the hentai game and watching the hentai OVA, but many people will probably not like this. Last of all, I don't really recommend this to anyone, since it is short and another attempt to wear in a story that has a surprising significance.Mizuiro lies on eggshells, so be careful trekking into this one.