Being an otaku is fun and all, but there are times when it’ll destroy relationships. “Oreimo Volume 4†delves into this dark side of the hobby while pulling at your heartstrings at the same time.
This volume picks up directly where volume three ended. Here Ayase discovers Kirino’s secret hobby and tells her that she doesn’t want to see her again. Seeing his sister depressed over losing her closest friend, Kyosuke decides to help get Kirino and Ayase back together.
Once again, Fushimi delves into one of the societal issues facing Japanese otaku. These kinds of occurrences are common and anime/manga has destroyed plenty of relationships in Japan. This comic does a fine job of handling this issue with the highest of care and creativity.
It uses a news story where a murderer says he killed a young girl because he wanted to copy what he saw in a pornographic game. This plot is not only relevant to Japanese otaku and the American geek who hears plenty of arguments that video games/comics/what have you cause violent tendencies. Kyosuke’s way of bringing light to this issue to Ayase is pretty brilliant, despite how easily he gets the evidence.
As is one of the main plots of this series, Kyosuke is once again doing something for a sister that for years he had a bad relationship with. The events hereof show that their bond is getting stronger. In fact, Kyosuke even goes so far as to say he loves his sister despite the scene where he says it looks more like something out of an incestuous hentai than a comedy.
Kirino still puts on that “I don’t really care about you†front even though the evidence in the comic shows the opposite. This is her character after all, but the enlightened reader can see that deep down she is starting to like her brother.
“Oreimo Volume 4†is one the most heartwarming volumes in the entire series. It combines a serious issue with a growing bond between siblings that is executed in one of the most well written ways possible. Definitely one of the best arcs in the series.
Leave a Reply