Sekirei: Hajimete no Otsukai
セキレイ「初メテノオツカイ」
- Comedy
- Romance
- Harem
- Episodes
- 1
- Duration
- 10 min
- Aired
- Mar 25, 2009
- Status
- Finished Airing
Synopsis
“Sekirei: Hajimete no Otsukai” is a short, ten-minute OVA included with the limited edition of the 6th volume of *Sekirei*. Centered on Kusano’s “first errand,” it offers a brief comedic detour from the main story.
Tired of being overlooked as Sahashi’s potential wife, Kusano pushes to accompany Musubi and Tsukiumi on their shopping dash, determined to prove what she can do. The outing quickly turns into a slightly chaotic day as her determination meets the realities of keeping up.
Otaku Consensus
As a ten-minute, Seven Arcs-produced limited-edition extra, Hajimete no Otsukai plays better as a brisk character-comedy garnish than as an essential Sekirei chapter: the pacing is lean, the household banter lands cleaner than the franchise’s more criticized fight material, and Kusano’s spotlight gives the OVA a clear mini-arc. The broader reception remains divided, with fans accepting it as a serviceable ecchi-harem bonus while critics most often fault Sekirei for thin overarching storytelling, underdeveloped side plots, and fan service that can swamp character work.
Why You Should Watch
Watch Hajimete no Otsukai if you want the Sekirei cast in a compressed comedy sketch rather than another lore dump or tournament beat. At ten minutes, it works like a DVD-extra dessert: quick setup, familiar romantic rivalry, a dash of supernatural-harem absurdity, and no obligation to track the anime’s heavier adaptation choices. The best audience is the viewer who likes To Love-Ru-style embarrassment comedy or Date A Live’s powerful-girls-around-one-guy energy, but wants it in one sitting with Kusano pushed to the front. It also helps if your favorite Sekirei moments are the house dynamics between Musubi, Tsukiumi, Matsu, and Minato, because the appeal here is cast chemistry, not plot advancement or a serious fight payoff.
Key Characters
- KKusano(VA: Kana Hanazawa)
Kusano is the OVA’s emotional engine, a small character fans remember for turning Sekirei’s adult-leaning harem comedy into an insecurity-driven bid for recognition.
- MMusubi(VA: Saori Hayami)
Musubi remains the franchise’s kinetic center, with Saori Hayami giving her earnest physical-comedy beats more charm than the material often earns.
- TTsukiumi(VA: Marina Inoue)
Tsukiumi is the proud counterweight to Musubi, prized by fans for converting romantic jealousy and water-powered confidence into sharp comic timing.
- MMatsu(VA: Aya Endo)
Matsu supplies the otaku-control-room angle of the household, with Aya Endo playing her as the knowingly mischievous observer who keeps the harem gears turning.
What Makes It Stand Out
- 1
It is a single ten-minute OVA released on March 25, 2009 with the limited edition of the sixth Sekirei volume, so its pacing is built like a bonus manga chapter rather than a TV episode.
- 2
Seven Arcs compresses Sekirei’s normal super-power harem formula into domestic slapstick, minimizing battle choreography in favor of reaction shots and character timing.
- 3
The short re-centers Kusano, a main character who is usually not the primary romantic/action driver in the broader franchise, making her recognition anxiety the gag engine.
- 4
Its reception is unusually measurable for a bonus OVA: MAL lists 32,217 votes at 7.02/10, while AniList sits lower at 66/100 with only 71 favorites, a split that fits Sekirei’s divisive reputation.
- 5
The English-side production credits name Gen Fukunaga as executive producer and Jason Grundy as ADR director, tying this small extra to the franchise’s localized release ecosystem.
Fun Facts & Trivia
- Fun fact 1
- Sakurako Gokurakuin carries two source-side credits here: Original Creator and Original Character Design, reflecting that the OVA’s models and character logic trace directly back to the manga creator.
- Fun fact 2
- The Japanese cast list puts Kana Hanazawa, Saori Hayami, Marina Inoue, Aya Endo, and Shinnosuke Tachibana together in a ten-minute bonus, an unusually stacked voice lineup for a disc extra.
- Fun fact 3
- AniList’s tag weights frame the short as Female Harem first at 60%, with Super Power and Nudity much lower at 20% each; even database taxonomy treats it more as harem comedy than action showcase.
- Fun fact 4
- The larger Sekirei anime drew polarized blog-era criticism: one review scored it 2/5 and attacked the story, fights, and fan service, while another retrospective called the 26 episodes and OVAs a solid ecchi harem watch.
- Fun fact 5
- Adaptation purists were already a known audience concern for Sekirei; a MyAnimeList review of Pure Engagement warns that the anime truncates material and uses an original-style finale after returning to the story.
Studios
- Seven Arcs
