What is OVA in anime? Continuation, addition or offshoot of the plot?

While space ships are plowing the galaxy's expanses, the anime is gradually capturing the world. There is no country where there are not a couple of dozens of admirers of Japanese animation. Experienced otaku know that it happens not only different genres, but also species. But novice animeshniki increasingly ask themselves about what OVA is in anime. How does it differ from the series or the full-length film, what happens, and why is it created? Let's find out.

What is OVA in anime?

OVA or, as it is customary to say in the country of the Rising Sun, the original anime video is a specific format of the series, which is intended solely for DVD or network. "Ovashka" will never be shown in the cinema or on TV screens, as they do with full-fledged anime series or films in Japan.

The first OVA came out in 1983 for a science fiction drama. After her debut, a similar genre was actively used to create the category "18+", only in 1983 there were 14 OVA, 11 of which were intended for an age-restricted audience.

Story line

At the moment, "Ovashki" comes out almost after every season of the series. They are never more than six, on average 2 or 3. The plot lines of the works are not a continuation of the anime. Usually this is either the adaptation of the manga chapters that were not included in the series, or a separate story with the main characters. As, for example, the anime "Tail of the Fairies" (OVA 2nd). In it, the characters appear before the audience in the ordinary world, and not the guild members of the wizards.

But in the anime "Very Pleasant, God" OVA talks about the daily life of Nanami and Tomoe. "Ovashka" is not a continuation of the plot line of the season, it is a small whole story, which consists of a plot, development of a plot and an outcome. And all this fits in a standard 24 minutes.

OVA and Filler

When novice otaku do not know what OVA is in anime, they often confuse these works with fillers. In television, the filler is an additional series, which is in no way connected with the main storyline, but added only to increase the length of the series. If you watch the series and skip a couple of fillers, then this in no way will affect the perception of the plot. An excellent example of the series with fillers will be "Naruto: Hurricane Chronicles." This work is one of the dubbers even called "Naruto: Hurricane Fillers." Of the 487 series that came out at the moment, about 200 are fillers. The reason for the release of fillers is often the quick release of anime series. And at this rate does not have time manga, on which they shoot the series. Therefore, animators are forced to slow down the release of the series, and at the same time not to leave the audience without the next series with their favorite characters.

Quality assurance

OVA and the filler are similar only in one - they do not affect the storyline, which develops in the series. Filler is much weaker than the original series, both in terms of stories and in terms of drawing, but sometimes fillers can go out for months, making up full arches (arch - series with a clearly defined sequence, which are connected by one plot). In this respect, "ovashki" is not inferior in quality to the original anime. This can be seen in the drawing and in the plot. OVA never interrupts the broadcast of the series, but leaves after the end of the season.

With "ovashki" life is brighter

"Homeless God", "Fairy Tail Fairy Tale", "Volleyball", "Student Council President, maid" - serials, to which there are "ovashki", you can call hundreds or even thousands. What is OVA in anime? For ordinary people, the usual term, which means a series that does not affect the storyline. And only for otaku it is known that OVA is another meeting with your favorite heroes, which can be seen in different genres and roles, and the last time to enjoy their company at the end of the season.