Mizuiro (2003)
Synopsis
Brother and younger sister-in-law live in the house which parents are often away from. Yuki who is the younger sister is secretly yearning for Kenji who is the elder brother. However, one girl came to show up from the closet in Kenji's room after a certain night. Moreover, her body is transparent, and she looks like the ghost. Her name is Hiyori. She is a friend in their childhood. They are pleased with reunion though Kenji and Yuki are perplexed with the way of Hiyori's strange appearance. However, Yuki gets the mind shaken as Kenji and Hiyori become intimate, and the pain in her mind in the childhood is recalled. At the childhood, Yuki was going to pass the light blue toy ring which Kenji had had to Hiyori in exchange for Hiyori's yoyo. However, because Hiyori became sick, and had moved, the promise was not an accomplishment. Their events in the childhood seem to be related to Hiyori's showing up in front of them. A painful love story of Kenji and two girls progresses. (Source: AniDB)
Audience Consensus
Mizuiro is a well-received, albeit short, OVA that evokes a warm and nostalgic feeling. While the plot is simple, it's considered touching and charming, with excellent pacing for its length. The main criticism revolves around the limited runtime preventing deeper character and plot exploration. Overall, viewers find it a sweet and enjoyable experience, especially for those who appreciate romance anime from the early 2000s.
Strengths
- Warm and nostalgic feel due to animation and music.
- Touching and charming story despite being standard.
- Expert pacing and natural character interactions for a short anime.
- Soundtrack fits the theme flawlessly.
Weaknesses
- Short length prevents full character and plot development.
- Animation is standard and not particularly special.
- Voice acting quality drops in certain moments.
- Tendency to hyperfocus on seemingly random plotlines due to short runtime.