It’s hard to find a good Christmas themed anime, let alone Christmas anime all together. Often, if there is something set around Christmas time, it’s is a special episode or OVA of an already established series that takes place at or around Christmas, but rarely is there something original that is focused on Christmas from the get go. So it’s refreshing to get something like Tokyo Marble Chocolate that focuses on Christmas.
Based on a manga written and drawn by Fumiko Tanikawa, the anime follows two people who’ve had trouble dating in the past as their current relationship with each other strains as they try and figure out if the other one is their one true love. This OVA consists of 2 episodes, both involving the same events, but with each one told through the eyes of each our two main protagonists. The first episode is told from Chizuru’s perspective, someone who has been unlucky with finding a steady relationship, especially since she’s very clumsy, always tripping up no matter what. The second episode follows Yuudai, an incredibly shy guy whose shyness is always getting in the way of him actually talking to women.
After what initially seems yet another failed potential relationship, with Chizuru planning to end the relationship thinking that it’s yet another relationship, and Yuudai struggling to finally overcome his shyness and finally admit his feelings to someone, the OVA follows both of them through a series of both misunderstandings and happy coincidences, as they deal with what they think was just another unlucky date. And all of this stems from a donkey with a mohawk. Yep, a donkey with a mohawk.
Tokyo Marble Chocolate is adorable in a lot of ways. From it’s unique and beautiful artstyle, animation, and presentation to the characters quirky shyness and clumsiness, it’s a breath of fresh air getting something this short, simple, and sweet. And thankfully, the characters shyness or clumsiness get grating or annoying, something that could have easily ruined this OVA if it had been any longer or complicated than it was.
I don’t know how much i can discuss with Tokyo Marble Chocolate’s plot since not only is it so short, and the plot in both episodes are so intertwined with each other, so you can’t really spoil one without spoiling the other one.But I can say that it’s really easy to root for out main characters to overcome the obstacles in their paths and finally get together and find their true love once and for all.
Also, a neat fun fact. If anyone was confused at this OVA’s title, “Tokyo” refersto the setting and the Tokyo Tower, and “Marble Chocolate”is the name of the cafe Chizuru works on but it can also be a reference to a white chocolate, which is a traditional romantic gift from a girl to a guy in Japan.
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