CCV: "Animation Runner Kuromi"

Animation Runner Kuromi is a short title, but to me,  it's entertaining either way. If I were to group this with other anime, it would be alongside Comic Party and Genshiken. In actuality, it stands out as being a parody of the actual business of anime production. To this, I would laugh and weep: laugh because of how they parody this sort of thing, and weep because I myself had such aspirations... before the loan debts.

Animation Runner Kuromi centers on the exploits of Mikiko Oguro, nicknamed Kuromi (which makes her the titular character.) Watching Luis Monde III, she decided to work with animation, and enrolls into an animation school. Graduating, she is lucky to nail a job with a small animation studio, that calls themselves Studio Petit. After being shown around, the director falls ill the next day, and Kuromi is appointed as the Production Desk Manager of the second episode of Time Journeys. It's kind of sudden for Kuromi, but she wanted to work in an animation studio, so how will she fare with her new assignment?

A small OVA series, it only lasted 2 episodes. Created in the Yumeta Co. Studio, it was licensed by U.S. Manga Corps, which was a division of the liquidated Central Park Media group. Alongside a few others, it wasn't touched again as far as licensing since then. It was also dubbed in English, with Kuromi voiced by Lisa Oritz, who also voiced Lina Inverse of Slayers, another title licensed under Central Park, and later Funimation. Dan Green also had a role as the voice of Sheiichiro Haryu. The title is a parody of the business, as I said before, and Luis Monde III is a parody of Lupin the 3rd, another title I previously covered long ago. The OVAs were released as separate titles, with the first Animation Runner Kuromi releasing in 2001, lasting 40 minutes. A slightly longer, 45 minute sequel came out three years later as Animation Runner Kuromi 2.

Despite how short it is, I can't dislike it, rather, I wish there was more of the sort. Even so, Kuromi has a spot in my heart, and the OVA series gets a 7 of 10.