Kuromi’s life is anything but mundane. Whether it’s trying to sweet talk her staff to make more grotesque zombies or corralling the right motivation to keep her animators productive, maintaining her role as a production manager is no piece of cake. Luckily her vivacious spirit and blithe ignorance makes her the perfect candidate for the job of Production Manager. Animation Runner Kuromi 2 is the sequel to the wildly successful OVA Animation Runner Kuromi, originally released in 2001. It’s directed by the acclaimed Akitaro Daichi. Akitaro also directed the Shoujo favorite, Fruits Basket.

In a world where reality television is king, Kuromi Runner 2 serves as a Hungry Jack microwavable dinner. It somewhat satisfies the appetites of Otaku who clamor for a behind the scenes glimpse of an animation production company. According to the show’s director, a majority of the scenes and characters come from real life experiences. Viewers can relate to the improbable deadlines and arrogant bosses, not to mention the eccentric co-workers that either delight or extend a stressful day at the office. This connection serves as a launching pad for the straightforward and often diminutive substance of the overall story. It’s abundantly clear how the show is going to progress and falls short of providing its viewers with a fresh and unique concept. Being a sequel, it doesn’t cut beneath the surface of what it might be like to work for an animation company. Instead it illustrates some perils of strict deadlines and defines the basic functions of animators in general. Considering this is just an OVA and not a series, it does create forty-five minutes of entertaining gags and over the top characters.

Not having seen the original Kuromi, it’s nice to be able to follow the characters and plot. You’re given enough information to sense her weaknesses as a production manager, which makes you empathetic to her struggles throughout the show. Kuromi 2 takes place three months after the original OVA. The series Time Journey burned after only one season and the owner of Studio Petit announces that three more series will take its place. Mikiko "Kuromi-chan" Oguro will have to multiply all the stress and anxiety of her first three months by three and learn a few new lessons along the way.

Standing at the door is a menacing figure with glaring eyes and a wavy aura of tempestuous smoke. The loathsome character turns out to be Rei Takashimadaira, a producer hired to help aid Kuromi with her three productions. Takashimadaira serves as the external conflict for our female protagonist. In addition to her difficult assignment, she has to contend with the arrogance that comes with this veteran producer.

The DVD contains some valuable extra features worth watching. The interview with the director gives you a breakdown of how Kuromi Runner 2 was put together. You learn some important insights into its development and more about this acclaimed director (Akitaro Daichi). However, what makes the extras noteworthy has to be the day in the life of Kuromi. The Japanese voice of Kuromi, Kaori Asou, takes you through the life of an actual Animation Runner. Her exchanges with the different staff members are both comical and informative. It’s a perfect companion to understanding how hard it can be to put an Anime program together.

The DVD offers two versions of the OVA: Japanese with subtitles and English with song subtitles. If you’re an Otaku like myself, the subbed version is the way to go. After watching the entire episode in Japanese, I watched a few minutes of the English version and had mixed feelings. At first it took awhile to get use to the Kuromi’s English voice. She’s played by Lisa Ortiz, who also plays the voice of Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece. After a few minutes, you find that it’s a great fit but slightly changes the way you see the character. In the Japanese version, Kuromi seems sweet natured and victimized while in the English version with just her voice alone, she seems to be more abrasive and spirited. The other voices actually seem to fit the character types but lack the fast paced intensity of an all-Japanese voice cast.

Overall, Animation Runner Kuromi 2 offers a behind the scenes look at how your favorite Anime titles are constructed. It blends off beat comedy with an easy to follow storyline, creating an enjoyable Anime watching experience. The DVD offers extras worthy of watching with or without the main feature as well as two solid versions both in English and Japanese.

Overall: B-
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