There’s some variation to the plot as well, but the core of it, and more importantly, the core idea of the show, are intact (so far), because the overall message is a very good one and definitely worth the praise the series has received. I admit to being a bit curious as to which adheres more closely to its visual novel origins, but despite a strong desire for it to be the manga, I have a feeling that its probably the anime.

Quite a delay since the last one, and I had intended to catch up on that tonight, but unfortunately I can’t seem to stand to listen to those voices for more than a disc at a time, so this will be getting a slower treatment. Perhaps tomorrow night I’ll bring in another show to power through that won’t make my ears bleed.

Through it all, and with the prior volumes, this has really been a story about chasing your dreams, taking challenges to it in stride, and working hard to overcome them while always striving to improve. While its a fairly common trope, and is itself an adaptation of the game, the execution here was nicely done, making for a fun read across the entire run. The last line in the book, “This is only one story of many you’ll find at a doujinshi convention,” really stood out for me, at the same time an acknowledgement of how small it is and an invitation to seek out others, or to even end up with one of your own. Its entirely true too- Genshiken and Welcome to the NHK, two of my favorites, also explore otaku culture with a similar scope, but tell entirely different stories in the process. Additionally, the entire culture surrounding fan interaction with others’ works in Japan truly fascinates me, and is one of the things that I would be most interested in exploring if/when I ever get to Japan (someday I may even do a proper writeup exploring that fascination).