This review may contain spoilers
I've already posted a lengthy review on OL Returns with my feelings on the overall season, so this is going to be just a note for those trying to figure out what's going on with the spin off/side-stories situation. There are two side stories/special shorts (labeled here as “spin offs”) of Returns. One of them (this one: Forbidden Gout Temps Nouveau) consists of two episodes and can be found in some places labeled as 9.1 and 9.2. The other one (Haruta to Maki no Shinkon Shoya) is only one episode and can be sometimes found as a “special clip”.
This particular spin off (both of these episodes) should probably be watched after the season, to avoid spoilers. If you haven’t watched the series, read with caution the summary, or leave it for after you’ve watched the season to make sure you’ve got the right episodes. The two episodes of this spin off are:
1. One in which Takegawa calls Maki and Haruta on their day off to help with a last minute work issue that Izumi messed up with. Maro is also called. It seems to be set somewhere in the middle of Returns, definitely after episode 6 but before episode 9.
It’s centered on them talking about dates they’ve had: Maki and Haruta mention the double date that is referenced in the main series with Haruta’s mom and her boyfriend, Maro talks about Choko and him going on a date after the wedding, Takegawa talks about Shigen without them yet knowing who he means and Izumi talks about Akito. There are flashbacks included.
This episode is approximately 20 minutes long.
2. One in which Maki and Haruta invite Takegawa, Maro and Izumi over for a hot pot meal. It seems to be placed directly after Maki and Haruta have to take care of Goro, so somewhere around episode 7 of Returns.
They talk about some of the things that happened in the wedding, Izumi explains what he meant when he mistook Haruta and Akito for the first time, Maro does a party trick that goes wrong. They also reference and there is a resolution to a sort-of-argument Haruta and Maki had about who fell for the other first.
This episode is approximately 16 minutes long.
Both of these start and end with Maki and Haruta being domestic and soft. I hope that helps clear out some stuff for those who might be as confused as I was! I’ll leave the explanation of the other spin off to the review section of that one.
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two short special episodes
Overall: the first word in the title is English, the final 3 are French so it reads as Forbidden New Time Taste (if someone is fluent in French please correct me). Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4079/ossans-love-returns-telasa-spin-off-2024-e01Episode 1: 20 minutes, seems to take place in the middle of the season, characters meet at work to fix a mistake and reminisce about dates/romantic partners.
Episode 2: 16 minutes, takes place after the wedding ceremony, Maki & Haruta host a party and characters talk about what they were going to say/do at the wedding/the story behind "noisy lips"
I really enjoyed both episodes but I took off a half point for cutting away from the kiss.
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