Wagamama High Spec

(WARNING!: This review may contain one spoiler, even though there should be a low risk of spoilers with an anime like this. I'm not sure whether I should consider it a minor or major spoiler, but either way, read at your own risk.)

....Why? Just why? Why would you do something like this? I mean, adapting a visual novel and not getting the protagonist to appear even once? Why would you do that? All questions aside, the only reason I watched Wagamama High Spec was because it was adapted from a visual novel that, at the time of its announcement, had not yet been released, and I was curious to see how they would pull something like this off. However, when it was announced that each episode would be 3 minutes long, I became concerned, as another short visual novel adaptation that I've seen, Final Examination Kujira, tried to cram the entire visual novel into it and, for the most part, failed. However, Wagamama High Spec was even worse; it didn't even follow the plotline it was supposed to follow!

Before we begin, I should explain what Wagamama High Spec is SUPPOSED to be about. Kouki Narumi is a high school boy who is the writer of a weekly manga; since this manga is an ecchi romantic comedy, he keeps this fact a secret to everyone except his sister, Toa, and her best friend, Mihiro Miyase. One day, the Student Council President, Kaoruko Rokuonji, reveals that she knows his secret (and that she is the manga's illustrator). Despite the objections of the Vice President, Ashe R. Sakuragi, Kouki joins the Student Council in an effort to keep the secret. It's kind of a cliche scenario, but something at least a bit charming could be born from this, right?

Wrong.

I must start by saying that the animation isn't too bad. It could be better, but with AXsiZ not having worked on a lot of anime yet and this being a short anime, I won't put too much heat on it. This anime goes without an opening theme, and the ending theme, "High Spec Days", is at least decent. The voice acting isn't too bad, either; there isn't much I can say beyond that, but at least they did well with their respective roles.

Now, time to get to the REAL issues with this anime. First of all, you know how I mentioned "Kouki Narumi" when I was describing this anime? Well, it's possible that he appears in the visual novel, but in the anime, he's not there at all! It's bad enough that Masaya, the protagonist of "Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm", was barely there in the anime adaptation of that visual novel, but Kouki, a.k.a. Unappearing Protagonist-kun, isn't in his anime at all, and every excuse in the book is given to keep him away! He appears to have an appearance in the very last episode, but since he doesn't have a design or voice, that doesn't count as an actual appearance in my book. There is also the issue with this anime not sticking to the plot; instead, we see the girls, who, while somewhat interesting, barely get any character development, doing their own thing. Normally, I don't have a problem with this, but come on! Stick to the script at least a little bit, people!

Overall, Wagamama High Spec isn't a good anime at all, not to mention an unfaithful adaptation (as far as even someone who hasn't played the visual novel yet can tell). If you want to see how an adaptation can go so terribly wrong, watch this. Well, here's to hoping I don't see anymore Unappearing Protagonist-kuns!