Ah! My Goddess: Itsumo Futari de/ああっ女神さまっ いつも二人で
Ah! My Goddess: Always Together (OAD)
Ah! My Goddess OAD 01

Keiichi learns of a local amusement park closing down due to age and low turnout. He asks Belldandy if she wants to go on the final day the park is opened and she happily agrees, releasing “Happiness Energy” around the world.  The effect causes Peorth to check in with Skuld, who doesn’t see a problem with this especially if it means Belldandy will leave Keiichi. When Peorth reminds her that it would mean no goddess is needed on Earth period, Skuld consults Urd and the two confront Keiichi to learn about the date. Observing Belldandy, Skuld decides that to correct the problem, she just has to stop the date until Urd reminds her that they would have to suppress Belldandy’s feelings of love.

Keiichi ponders what Belldandy truly wants concerning the date but when he tries to discuss it over tea, he fails to say want he truly wants. The next day comes and Belldandy casts a spell to make the rain go away.  After she and Keiichi leave for their date, Urd and Skuld attempt to start their plan but a visit from chibi-Hild puts a quick end to that.  She wants the goddesses removed from Earth, a mazoku plan ever since Belldandy’s contract with Keiichi, and having Belldandy and Keiichi have a good date would fit the bill perfectly.  So as Keiichi and Belldandy head to the park, chibi-Urd imprisons Skuld and Urd in an energy globe and sends them packing.

Belldandy and Keiichi ride many of the rides with Belldandy thanking each ride for their hard work.  While taking a break, Belldandy remarks on enjoying the excitement of the rides, something Keiichi notes she didn’t experience on a previous trip here.  Belldandy says she’s come to understand human’s need for excitement and wants to go to the puppet show next. She remembers the show, which was about a shy prince who could not confess his love to a princess and had to get help from a goddess of love, whom he fell in love with. To Keiichi’s surprise, Belldandy found the story exciting and the play begins with Keiichi listening to the words and thinking he needs to act.  However, all he does is say her name and take her hand, something that frustrates chibi-Hild.

Chibi-Hild casts a spell to try to get things to go her way as Urd and Skuld find themselves over Paris.  Skuld can’t break them free so Urd does with lightning and with the help of a summoned broom, they are off to return to Japan.  Meanwhile, things still aren’t going as chibi-Hild wants and she tries to spice things up a bit so that Belldandy releases more Happiness Energy.  Skuld and Urd arrive with Urd facing her mother while Skuld tries to fix things. Keiichi is under the influence of the Happiness Energy when he sees the Prince puppet, who gets him to remember things. This gets him to confess which breaks Hild’s spell and the two watch the fireworks from the Ferris Wheel. Returning home with souvenirs, Belldandy and Keiichi find and exhausted Skuld and Urd on the floor.

I guess the anime creators realized that long-time fans of the manga series have wanted some sense of romance addressed between Belldandy and Keiichi.  After all, the two haven’t been romantic in the manga for so many years, it isn’t even funny (quite possibly longer than some readers have been alive).  So in that regard, I was pleased to see that the anime production team just went out on their own and did a unique episode that felt as though it *could* have been adapted from a manga story.  I liked seeing Belldandy and Keiichi go on a date.  However, having Keiichi confess while Belldandy is asleep is an eye-roller and the fact that they don’t kiss is also an eye-roller.  I guess doing those things would keep Belldandy’s Happiness Energy running wild.

The whole “Happiness Energy” aspect was a bit of a stretch.  I remember reading from the manga that Marller (Mara as years of Dark Horse translations got me accustomed to) was sent to Earth to counter Belldandy’s unnatural presence there, which was further expounded by the arrival of Urd and Skuld.  So the mazoku always wanted the goddesses off Earth and in that regard, humans being happy because of Belldandy’s energy would fit the bill.  However, I guess that Hild hoped that once Belldandy was gone, her people could then have free reign but that’s where things get a little sketchy to me.

To make matters worse, the whole Happiness Energy aspect means that Keiichi and Belldandy can never get any closer lest Belldandy become super happy again.  Imagine if they actually consummated their relationship and Belldandy experienced her first “iku” moment.  ^_^;  The Happiness Energy released from that experience would be enough to send the entire world into an iku moment and then she’d have to leave because everyone on Earth is experiencing simultaneous afterglow, including the dying.  So you see how a concept that looks OK in the idea phase turns out to be a real drag when someone sits down and thinks it through. That’s the part we aren’t supposed to do though. ^_~

In the end, I did enjoy this episode for what it was.  Shame that there was no kiss and that in the end, Belldandy and Keiichi are pretty much right back where they started.  However, such is to be expected as a long-time fan of Ah! My Goddess.

Note: This OAD episode was attached to volume 42 limited edition tankoubon of Ah! My Goddess.  The limited edition of volume 43 will also contain an OAD episode when released later this year. Apparently, Kodansha is having pretty good success with these OAD releases of some of their manga titles.