Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas - An Episode of Port Town

Merry Christmas! or not. It's far too early for Christmas but Guilty Crown once again attempts to bring forth a piece of work involving action, science fiction, drama, and super power all at once. But I do have to say, this OVA that consists of only about 15 minutes is worth the watch compared to the entire 22 episodes of the original Guilty Crown. No, I am not guilty here. I am actually serious as this OVA contains a piece of work that despite being roughly 15 minutes just makes me want to stare at my screen and watch it through all the way. Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas is the special episode included in a DVD with an animated short bundled with the limited edition of the PC game Guilty Crown Lost Christmas. As a special episode, one would expect little to no story. And of course, you're right to those who've watched this. It has virtually no story. However, what it does have is the badass Scrooge. That's not actually his real name but it's what he goes by. Unfortunately, there's not much we find out about him. After all, this special episode contains only 15 minutes of animation footage and really can't expect much of a character development from that. Speaking of characters, there's Scoorge's mysterious sidekick, Carol. With silver hair white as the snow of Christmas, she presents what we see as the fixation of this special episode. Both of them seemed to have escaped some sort of facility that made them as experiments in the beginning. Of course, Scoorage does not allow anyone to push him around and handles his pursers like a boss. We don't know who, when, or how he was kept at the facility. We do know that he has the Power of the King and like his previous predecessor in the original GC as he extracts the void from his sidekick that we all take guilty pleasure of seeing. As for the artwork, this special episode feels a bit blend. It's nothing special to pay attention to or make out of. It's not exactly the best way to promote a piece of work with standard art but who am I kidding, this is Guilty Crown, one of the most controversial series created last year. Like it, hate it, or just deal with it...Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas has a great soundtrack like the original series. Even though brief, it brings back some nostologia from the original GC when the OST song "Bios" was played. Admit it (even for those who hates Guilty Crown with a passion)..the soundtrack is epic. For all other reasons beyond the story, characters, or animation, the soundtrack of this special episode is not bad at all in the soundtrack department. Overall, the relationship between Scoorge and Carol seems to better than Shu and Inori. For one thing, Scoorge isn't a coward or a weak lead. He makes his decisions from the very beginning. In fact, I'm guessing that escaping from the facility was also his decision, one that is rightful and thought out void of surprises. Furthermore, Carol seems to be independent. She doesn't look like a sex toy and in fact, has more of a fixed personality rather than Inori who shows up every episode nearly a different person from the original series. As for the other characters, they just seem to be there behind the background making their own speeches like another day at the park. Perhaps they're there to enjoy Christmas. Perhaps, they're there to enjoy the special episode. At any rate, they are there but surely has some roles. Unfortunately in this special episode, it's just too short to tell. Well, overall his special episode is somewhat special. The kickass OST is there. It gives the ears guilty pleasures especially at the climax scene. The characters are presented better than its original predecessor. In fact, in less than 15 minutes, the two main characters are more likeable than Shu and Inori of all twenty two episodes combined. Despite short, this OVA was entertaining to watch. There does seems to be many questions that needs answers but it does presents a piece of work that while not Christmas gift present worthy, is still a fun watch. Santa is not here yet but this special episode is. So what are you waiting for? Go watch this special episode now. [insert evil laugh here]

I am writing this so that those watching this expecting it to be a prequel will NOT BE MISLED. This is definitely not a prequel, but more rather a side-story spin-off type. Viewers who haven't watched Guilty Crown and for those who have,(I have) will be just as confused. The purpose of a prequel is usually to explain what was unexplained in the sequel or tie up loose ends and such. However this OVA did not accomplish that, the only thing it does is leave the viewers in more confusion. WAIT! let me rephrase that, the ONE thing it DID explain was how Makoto Walkt Segai ( http://myanimelist.net/character/50709/Makoto_Waltz_Segai) got his left eye ****ed up. THAT is the ONLY thing that was explained, and the ONE tiny thread that connects it to Guilty Crown. There is pretty much no correlation between THIS and Guilty Crown. NONE of the events of the "Lost Christmas" that happened 10 years prior is Guilty Crown are explained. Shu isn't there, Gai (or Triton =_=) isn't there AND MANA is NOT there. You could call this OVA contradictory to Guilty Crown because some girl called Carol is masquerading as Mana. When watching your thrown right into a weird atmosphere with characters you don't know and have no clue what their names are. The short MAL summary explains more than the anime BY FAR. Mmm to get down more to the tiny details. The art, I felt was actually worse than guilty crown. Sound, yeah jeez they used the same soundtrack with egoist. Story, confusing the most dramatic thing that probably happened for me was the dog dying. T_T

Here's my 30 second review and immediate afterthoughts, limited to the 50 word limit in the "tags" box in my anime list. This is NOT a full review. "Too short. Its stoic but caring hero and his bubbly companion make up a likeable cast, and its plot has potential. "8" may be overrating it, but the desire for more than just the taste you've been given makes this a possible redeemer for GC's disappointment." Notes on the art, sound, and characters: + Redjuice's art doesn't disappoint. The same budget obviously wasn't poured into this 11 minute OVA, hence the CGI'd mechs. Otherwise, the slightly downgraded animation in Lost Christmas reminds us of one of Guilty Crown's best features - jaw dropping visuals. + A fantastic ending theme, courtesy of the fictional band, Egoist. Beautifully composed piano ballad accompanied by great vocals. Hats off to supercell and Ryo! + Recurring characters. I've always wondered how our uber-creepy Major Segai started on his plight to insanity. + A fantastic new cast. We all know that the audience loved to hate the ultra-whiny, indecisive blubberfest Shu. Lost Christmas's protagonist "Scrooge" is much more no-nonsense, without coming across as overly stoic. More importantly, the female lead "Carol" had personality! Sure she and Inori shared the resemblance in that their odd outfits were overly sexualized, but the fact that her role involved more than being eye-candy to be used by the protagonist makes the MCs in Lost Christmas much more likeable. - Too. Damn. Short. However, even if you're not a fan of being teased with content that might never be produced, Lost Christmas is worth a look. Hell, even if you didn't like Guilty Crown (or became disenchanted with it like I did), I recommend watching this prequel. It definitely lights up the imagination to what Guilty Crown could have or should have been. All in all, a great teaser. It's a shame that there's no news of a follow-up (considering those cocky producers had promised two seasons before airing). Guilty Crown may have been a huge let down, but I would absolutely love to see more of the visual novel content presented in Lost Christmas animated.

I'm GUILTY! of watching and enjoying this one off 12min special, and I must say that Production I.G and Aniplex are GUILTY of doing such a good job. This is maybe one of those anime where you might consider as the best 12 min of ones life and you'll be GUILTY if you don't watch it. So enough of the GUILTY BS, what we have here is a prequel of the previous anime Guilty Crown, it overrides as to how the Apocalypse Virus came about, in the previous anime there is no mentioned of the "Chasers," what this 12min special specifies is how the experimental subjects called "Scrooge" and "Carol" came to be so in a sense the "Lost Christmas" thing is a mistitle and it refers more on the main character than to an incident from one of the episodes of "Guilty Crown." I guess that's the way with prequels, it always has certain situations which would be override, but it still maintains the genre and the plot of the show. So for the story I'm GUILTY giving it a "Very Good" number 8. Art: Mediocre 5 Since I'm GUILTY of not being an art critic. Sound: Fair 6 Since I'm GUILTY of just liking the ending closing theme. Characters: Very Good 8. This 12min special is all about "Scooge," "Carol" and the main antagonist "Segai Makoto Waltz" whose roles did live up as to what is expected, I really like the way where 2 lab experiments who are struggling to get away and end up fighting the chasers and eventually facing the main antagonist is really something. You can really sympathize with the protagonist, and the antagonist is really someone you would like to kill if you have it your way. Enjoyment and Overall: Very Good 8. Thought it is a very good 12min anime, I'd wish that this anime should have had it's own regular TV air time than just be limited to a 1 off special. Then again it is really good and overall I plea GUILTY for giving this 1 off special such very good rating, side note, I'm still yet to watch the other 4 panel special of the previous anime "Guilty Crown." since there is still no link IO can access to it yet, I think It'll be best for me to not make a fuss about it yet. So I rest my case

Everything the Original Guilty Crown could and should've been. A male lead with a spine who has much greater potential of being the anti-hero/hero of guilty crown and a female lead who has emotions while still having the same beautiful characteristics of Inori.

I watched this OVA this past Monday. Since then, I have seen and heard a lot of people have commenting on this tremendously short OVA as being better than the full 22 episode series. To them, I say they are nuts. The story is confusing, but from what I can gather, Scrooge and Carol are running away from wherever it is they came from. In doing so, they are confronted by Segai and Scrooge uses the king's power to take the void of both Carol and the Corgie she was holding. That's pretty much it. What I did like about this little short was that they went into a little bit of Segai's back-story. He was an interesting character in the main series and to see why he is so infatuated with the void power is intriguing. Overall, after 12 minutes of show time, I left not knowing anything. It was a clip, nothing more. It added nothing to the plot of the series. The art is on par with the series, which means its top-notch. That's really all I can say about that. Due to its short length, there really is not much to comment on. The animation is superb. It is what I would expect from the makers of Guilty Crown. Where I get bothered is the characters. I understand the name "Lost Christmas" played a part in the characters, but the names Scrooge and Carol are a bit too cute and gimmicky. A lot of people have been comparing Scrooge to Shu, saying that he is the stoic, cold-blooded killer that should have wielded the king's power. In 12 minutes, nothing is left to character development. What you see is what you get, but it doesn't necessarily mean that's what he'd be like for 22 episodes. The best part of the full-length series was watching Shu develop and learn from his mistakes. I found Shu to be intolerable at the beginning of Guilty Crown, but learned to respect him at the end. In addition, Carol is often discussed as an upgrade over Inori. While I admit Inori was very bland and emotionless she too evolved, but she was also a complete badass. I personally found Carol to be annoying. I also didn't see anything Carol did of value besides offering herself to Scrooge. Carol playing the part that Inori did in the series makes no sense, and to think you could've plugged her into Inori's role is asinine. Being a fan of Guilty Crown, I enjoyed it, but I by no means loved it. It was nothing more than a teaser clip. It did not add anything to the plot or help understand why things happened the way they did. It is just something else to watch.

I mean…I don’t know what to really say about this because it’s so short theirs not much too it. It seems like an interesting story I suppose. I liked the way it was presented as a sort of prison break and I actually found it much more compelling than the actual show. Mostly due to the main characters Scrooge and Carol(Get it? ‘Cause Christmas) having a much more interesting backstory and better personalities in a 10 minute short than Shu and Inori had in the whole series. I guess I just don’t know why this was made. I know it was to promote the game of the same name(which worked effectively because I want to play it now), but it seems like an awful lot of effort went into a game promo. The arts great, the action scenes are cool to look at and the story, as short as it is draws you in. It seems to me that more effort for a good story went into this game than it did for the whole anime and I find it odd. I suppose one should watch it if they liked the original anime with Shu and Co. Or if they want to learn a bit about the game before getting it, but other than that, you won’t be missing out much if you skip it.

For all who enjoyed the guilty crown series this 15 min ova is for you. This story is short but its worth it. It has a big potental to becoming a series. My only problem with this is that its too short. Overall it was great with amazing art characters and story line

Guilty Crown: the Lost Christmas OVA. Before I start, can I say this is my first review of anything in ages, first of an anime too? I also failed my critique class in arts college awhile back, so that was not good; but I digress. The Lost Christmas is in a sense the precursor to the Guilty Crown series in name more so than story. It takes place in a "near" future where humans have begun genetically altering each other, providing pest control, etc. I wonder where else we've seen this? This time around, they essentially borrow the souls of other compatible humans so they can use their genetic mutations to battle, which at times can seem discomforting both in the execution and, in general, artistic representation does it little to seem less grotesque. It was not explained how the hero found the government base, nor how everyone else fell into place at that spot in time, with an enigmatic onlooker cliche to boot. Story is a 4/10, but the series might be better understood than this - probably my next review. Artistic representation you say? Well, here it is. The animation is okay. I am guessing this is an early sketch of the show, so it would be less polished and spearheaded as the series is, but it still works. The motions seem realistic in terms of how science-fiction it's portrayed to be. The action sequences - specifically explosions, smoke, fire, etc. - seem more natural and less hyped than Hollywood would agree to. The crystals are a little much, and shading was a little off, but I see work was put into costume design and well... how cute is Doluudo? Art is a 7/10 for me. Ambience is what defines a setting for a piece of art. Whether it be the cicadas in the afternoon rays, the trail of a projectile, the shattering of crystals, it delivers a crisp and familiar chime to the ear. The voice actors for the most part live up to their intentions, especially Doluudo (sorry, but he is my favorite doggo in anime). In conclusion to it all, the Departures ending track by egoist was phenomenal, and this is coming from someone who is not really a fan of the Alter Ego recording... or is it the same one? I have no clue. If it is, then I guess I will have another listen. Sound is 8/10, and I want villain guy's phonograph. Character development is hindered in a 14-minute short. You get introduced to a girl with a dog, walking up to some guy on a bus bench. The dog (Doluudo) takes a liking to bus bench, but girl scolds him for not giving doggy-doo affection (this is not immediately obvious, but he crystalizes everything his hand touches because of genetic misfires). They get chased by a rocket and escape by some fluke; I am not quite sure how though. Some crazy dude walks into a twister of crystals (on purpose) and doesn't regret a thing, laughing maniacally at the aftermath of it all. Up until then, the girl and Mr. Genetics Experiment show no sense of familiarity in each other, only to turn a 180 as she takes a pleasure cruise off him plucking her soul away. Then he crystalizes her dog, which she gives no care about whatsoever, the only one of them with enough screen time to make you sympathize with, and he just dies there and then. I never watched the whole series, so I am thinking these two never show up again (at least not looking exactly like that - could be because it was a sketch of the new protagonists), and thus, this is less a story, and more a demonstration/summary of what is to come, using throwaway characters no less. Character is 4/10, but Doluudo wins the Academy Award in my heart. <3 I must say, it felt too short for me. I was expecting an hour and a half, but it was only 14 minutes in length, so it was barely enough time to squeeze anything of importance into this. I also seemed to be too focused on analysis to actually sit back on my piano stool and watch as an anime fan. I feel like I would understand this less if I had not seen the first few episodes of Guilty Crown beforehand, which was in part because of my love of the Psycho-Pass series and the works of Ryo and Chelly (egoist). Watching it wasn't too boring, but if you were looking for substance, you came to the wrong place. Maybe watch it a few times to fully absorb it? I feel it would be a better fit for when your morning routine wraps up early and you can sit down with a bowl of cereal or something, because it is not going to take too much of your time if you were in a rush. Anyway, I feel I should give enjoyment a 5/10, but I would have given it a 7 if Doluudo lived. Haha... Overall, there are better things to watch. I am unsure how closely this fits with the lore in it's namesake series, but it seems moderately similar. A precursory summary of this world, but not enough time to delve into it. The world is alive, but the people grow more corrupt, like the monologue tells. Doluudo will live on in my heart, but turquoise-hair and bus bench will fade away in time. I wish I could give this better, but I made my decision. Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas - An Episode of Port Town was a 6/10 for me. P.S. Can you tell me how I did, and how I can improve on my reviews in the future?

Well, it’s pretty good, but I found it a bit short. Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas is one of those specials that serves as a supplement to the original work’s universe, offering a short side story that adds some interesting details to the franchise. While it’s a relatively fun experience, I feel it could have been better developed, largely due to its short runtime and the fact that some questions are left unanswered. The animation quality is solid, delivering visually engaging scenes and maintaining a consistent, pleasing standard throughout. The character designs are another plus; I particularly liked Scrooge, his look is striking and fits the atmosphere of the series perfectly. On the other hand, the music didn’t leave as strong an impression on me as the original anime’s soundtrack did. It’s not necessarily bad, but it lacks the power and distinct identity that the Guilty Crown score is known for. As for the story, it’s a fairly simple narrative that manages to entertain within the limited time it has to unfold. It’s nothing extraordinary, but it serves its purpose as extra content for those already familiar with, and fond of, this universe. The issue is simply the lack of time to properly explore events or flesh out certain ideas. Everything happens very quickly, leaving the impression that there was room to build something more compelling had the episode been a bit longer. For me, the real highlight of this special is the inclusion of Segai Makoto Waltz. It’s fascinating to learn more about him, such as how he lost his eye, which adds a layer to his backstory and enriches his role within the franchise. This kind of detail is exactly what makes the special worthwhile for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of the characters and events surrounding the Guilty Crown universe. Beyond those specific details, however, the narrative isn’t particularly memorable. Some questions are left hanging, most notably, the fate of Scrooge following the events depicted here. What happened to him after that? The answer to this question can only be found in the visual novel, which leaves a narrative gap for those who have only experienced this particular episode. While I understand that this is supplementary material, I believe it would have been better if the story had managed to provide a somewhat more satisfying conclusion on its own. Ultimately, Lost Christmas is a reasonably entertaining special, though it falls short of being truly memorable. I enjoyed following the story, I thought Scrooge’s character design was very cool, and I find the contributions the episode makes to certain characters to be interesting. Even so, its short runtime, simple narrative, and unresolved plot points prevent the experience from being any better. I don’t regret watching it, but I also don’t consider it essential viewing for anyone other than those already interested in the franchise. Raiting: 6/10. =================================================================================================================Versão em Português===================================== Bom, é legal e tal, mas achei meio curto. Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas é um daqueles especiais que servem como um complemento para o universo da obra original, trazendo uma pequena história paralela que acrescenta alguns detalhes interessantes à franquia. Apesar de ser uma experiência relativamente divertida, sinto que o episódio poderia ter sido melhor desenvolvido, principalmente por causa de sua curta duração e de algumas questões que acabam ficando sem respostas. A animação tem uma qualidade boa e consegue entregar cenas visualmente interessantes, mantendo um padrão agradável durante o episódio. O visual dos personagens também é um ponto positivo, especialmente o do Scrooge, que achei muito daora. Seu design chama bastante a atenção e combina bem com a atmosfera da obra. Por outro lado, a parte musical não me marcou tanto quanto a do anime original. Embora não seja necessariamente ruim, senti falta daquela mesma força e identidade que a trilha sonora de Guilty Crown consegue transmitir. Em relação à história, temos uma narrativa relativamente simples, que consegue entreter durante o pouco tempo que tem para se desenvolver. Não é nada particularmente extraordinário, mas cumpre seu papel como um conteúdo extra para quem já conhece e gosta desse universo. O problema é justamente a falta de tempo para explorar melhor os acontecimentos e desenvolver certas ideias. Tudo acontece de maneira muito rápida, deixando a sensação de que havia espaço para construir algo mais interessante caso o episódio fosse um pouco mais longo. Para mim, o grande diferencial desse especial é a presença de Segai Makoto Waltz. É interessante poder conhecer um pouco mais sobre o personagem e descobrir como ele perdeu o olho, acrescentando um detalhe à sua história que ajuda a enriquecer sua participação na franquia. Esse tipo de informação é justamente o que torna o episódio mais interessante para quem deseja conhecer melhor os personagens e os acontecimentos relacionados ao universo de Guilty Crown. Entretanto, fora esses detalhes, a narrativa não chega a ser tão marcante. Algumas questões ficam em aberto, e a que mais me incomodou foi o destino de Scrooge após os acontecimentos apresentados aqui. O que aconteceu com ele depois disso? Essa é uma pergunta cuja resposta só encontramos na visual novel, o que acaba deixando uma lacuna narrativa para quem teve contato apenas com este episódio. Entendo que se trata de um material complementar, mas acredito que seria interessante se a história conseguisse oferecer um encerramento um pouco mais satisfatório por conta própria. No fim das contas, Lost Christmas é um especial razoavelmente divertido, mas que não chega a ser memorável. Gostei de acompanhar a história, achei o visual do Scrooge muito legal e considero interessante a contribuição que o episódio oferece para alguns personagens. Ainda assim, sua curta duração, a simplicidade da narrativa e as questões deixadas em aberto impedem que a experiência seja melhor. Não me arrependo de ter assistido, mas também não acho que seja algo indispensável para além de quem já tem interesse na franquia. Nota: 6/10.