Genshiken OVA Ep. 03

SPOILER Summary:

Genshiken are meeting and Ogiue-san and Ohno-san are arguing over cosplaying for the club’s event at the school festival. Ohno-san tries to convince Ogiue-san to cosplay at the event, but she finds the whole thing repulsive and embarrassing.

Sometime later Saki, Madarame, Tanaka, Kugayama, Kuchiki, & Sasahara are in the Genshiken club room and discuss how poorly Ogiue and Ohno get along. They remember how cool it was for Saki to cosplay the previous year, something she still hasn’t gotten over even if she’s hanging out with Genshiken members without her boyfriend being there. The subject of getting Ogiue to cosplay comes up, but who can broach the subject with her?

Ohno and Tanaka are at his home where he is currently sewing a costume. Ohno finds a large collection of “lolicon” costumes in the closet, something which she’s not suited to cosplay in. This causes Ohno to unleash herself upon a screaming Tanaka.

At the university festival, all of Genshiken are preparing for Ohno’s photo shoot where otaku will be charged to take photos of her doing cosplay. Ohno is angry with Tanaka and he attempts to enlist Saki to help calm his girlfriend down. She decides she will help him but before she goes behind the divider curtains where Ohno is about to change, Ogiue enters the room. Ogiue asks what they were talking about, but all the members say it was nothing.

Saki talks with Ohno, and learns that Ohno was angry, not because Tanaka had made the costumes, but he had done so with such passion. She’s really forgiven him already and even mentions that Tanaka has made several costumes for Saki to wear, which of course she has no intention of doing. Saki exits and sends Tanaka in, who’s ready to apologize to Ohno. Saki sees Ogiue and suddenly decides she wants to get Ogiue to cosplay.

Leading Ogiue behind the divider, she shoos Tanaka away and starts working Ogiue over. Ogiue is protesting about not wanting to cosplay but Saki is a master and states she doesn’t want Ogiue to try on a costume, but merely place on in front of her so they can see it in the dressing mirror. Ohno realizes what Saki is up to but is not wanting to force Ogiue to cosplay until Saki reminds her how she (Saki) was forced to cosplay by Ogiue last year.

Outside the changing area, the guys make a bet and take a vote on whether Ogiue will really cosplay or not. Meanwhile Saki works her magic and Ogiue is in a costume of a character from the guy’s favorite anime. Ohno is reluctant at first to admit that Ogiue looks good in the costume, but eventually does. Tanaka loudly asks if Ohno is ready for the event, so she hurriedly gets into her KOS-MOS costume for the photo shoot.

Saki and Ogiue emerge as well, Ogiue having returned to her normal clothing. The two learn of the bets the guys made, which shocks poor Ogiue. The guys want Ogiue to cosplay with Ohno at some point, something she refuses to do. Saki confides to Madarame that her ultimate intent was to bridge the gap between Ohno and Ogiue and cosplaying was a means to that end. Saki predicts that one day Ogiue will cosplay in front of the guys.

Thoughts:

Another fun episode to tie up things until the 2nd TV series comes out. Ogiue-san getting “talked” into cosplaying was a good chapter in the manga and this anime adaptation of the story is very good. I’m not too happy on how the art, animation, and character designs were at times. It didn’t seem very good for an OVA.