Tokimeki Memorial OVA

—by Maria M. Rider

Many years after the game, Konami finally produced a OVA series for one of the most popular dating simulation games of all time. Like other dating simulation games already adapted into anime, such as SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY, TOKIMEKI MEMORIAL has the media backup to draw a large viewership of anxious "TokiMemo" fans.
TOKIMEKI MEMORIAL brings together the twelve young girls from Kirameki High School. The series starts out easily enough with the introduction of the twelve girls: Fujisaki Shiori, Mikhara Megumi, Nijino Saki, Katagiri Ayako, Kiyokawa Nozomi, Asahina Yuko, Himoo Yuina, Koshiki Yukari, Kagami Mira, Saotome Yumi and Tatebayashi Miharu. In the game, the player had to meet, date and choose the perfect girl in order to succeed. In the OVA series, the episodes instead revolve around the "main" girl, Fujisaki Shiori, who is the toughest to win and requires a lot out of the player.
This first episode is mostly an introduction episode for all of the characters. Apparently, the main boy is currently Shiori's love interest, so the series continues to lightly concentrate on each of the girls and their past experiences with the same boy. TOKIMEKI MEMORIAL starts at the beginning of the third school year which is the last year the player was able to date and then finally choose a girl at graduation. Shiori is on the phone with Megumi, her best friend, and they are talking about the first day of school. Shiori knows this year will be a difficult one for her since it is her last year in high school.
In the second part of the series, tensions rise as Shiori must make a decision quickly and let her love interest know her true feelings for him. The episode starts at Ijuin Rei's Christmas Party where Shiori tries again to express her love. We also learn more about Mira, the beautiful, vain girl, and we see a side of her that is a nice addition to her character. The ending is quite obvious, if you've played the game, but it definitely brings closure.
The character designs are a bit different from the game and they separate the anime cleanly from the original characterizations. The animation is beautifully done and the story matches up almost exactly with the game's story. All of the original voice actresses make a great debut in this series, and the music is unmatched. Some of the original game music was redone for the anime, and much of it is classical in nature. This classical tone reflects Shiori's interest in classical music (which is probably why it was chosen in the first place.)
This author was rather disappointed with the shortness of the OVA series since it ends after only two episodes. The anime story lacks the depth the game possesses, and all of the "good stuff" is only touched upon in flashbacks. If the series were longer, with more of a fleshed-out story, it could have been better.
Regardless, TOKIMEKI MEMORIAL fans will purchase this series in earnest, only to be disappointed by its abrupt ending. The first volume comes with a LD box and the second LD has some extras that may be of interest to TokiMemo fans. The preview of the second TOKIMEKI MEMORIAL game, as well as a custom music video showing all of the new girls, are welcome additions after the previous lack of story.

LD, 50 minutes
CAV/Color/NTSC/Stereo
KMLA9002 / KMLA3
¥6,476
Available now in Japan
Where to buy