The essential episodes of Oreimo
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Oreimo — each pick states its reason.
- 01
My Little Sister Can't Be My Love
For years, ordinary high-schooler Kousaka Kyousuke has had an icy relationship with his younger sister Kirino, a star athlete who is also a star student.
- 02
My Little Sister Can't Bring Me to an IRL Meet
While being grilled by Kirino over why he hasn't made any progress in the game she ordered him to complete, it occurs to Kyousuke that she needs some friends that she can talk to without concealing her otaku interests.
- 03
My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute
Kirino finds her first otaku friends at the IRL meet: "Kuroneko" and "Saori Bajeena." They spend their days deep in discussions over their otaku interests. Seeing Kirino this way puts Kyousuke's mind at ease.
- 04
My Little Sister Can't Be Going to Summerket
One day, Kirino's non-otaku, "public" friends—Aragaki Ayase and Kurusu Nanako—come over to visit. Kyousuke is harshly told by Kirino to not let her friends see him.
- 05
My Little Sister's Best Friend Can't Be This XX
On the way home from an enjoyable Summerket. They bump into Aragaki Ayase, Kirino's best friend.
- 06
My Childhood Friend Can't Be This Cute
Kyousuke is asked about his relationship with Manami by his friend, Akagi. Akagi is exasperated when Kyousuke answers that, although they don't have a romantic relationship, he doesn't want her to be taken by anyone else.
- 07
My Little Sister Can't Be a Novelist
Kyousuke comes home one day and is startled to find Kuroneko loitering in the living room by herself.
- 08
My Little Sister Can't Be Animated
Kirino has made her debut as an author. Reader response has been overwhelming, and her editor has even better news to report.
- 09
My Little Sister Can't Be This Absorbed Into Eroge
Kirino has been acting strangely antsy for the past few days. The reason is that the little sister game she ordered hasn't arrived yet.
- 10
My Little Sister Can't Be Cosplaying Like This
One day, Ayase calls Kyousuke out of the blue and asks him to see her. She wants to get Kirino a present, and wants him to think of what she would be happiest to get.
- 11
My Little Sister Can't Be This Maid
Sent out to buy groceries by his mother, Kyousuke bumps into Manami at the supermarket. They get to talking, and they eventually arrange for Manami to come visit for the first time in ages.
- 12
My Little Sister's Advice Can't End Here (GOOD END)
Ever since the events of the previous episode, Kyousuke has been nervous about his improved relationship with his sister.
- 13
My Little Sister Can't Be Coming Back Again
As Kirino organisings thing with school and friends following her return from America. Kyosuke grows concerned that she might start ignoring him again due to the way he forced her to come back, as well as struggling to find the meaning behind the kiss Ruri gave him when he went to retrieve her. Later, Kirino once again calls upon Kyosuke for life consultation, having him take her to Akihabara to watch a trailer for the next Meruru season before engaging in a long-missed shopping expidition she spent the entire night planning. As thanks for his help, and to celebrate a year of life consultation, Kirino gives one of her eroge purchases to Kyosuke to play.
- 14
Feeling frustrated that Kirino is ignoring her in favour of a popular mobile game called Love Touch that lets you exchange texts with virtual girls, Ayase asks Kyosuke to do something about it. After Kyosuke brings it up to Kirino, she gives him Love Touch to avoid being tempted by it, only for Kyosuke to end up becoming addicted himself. As Ayase becomes angered upon learning of this from Manami, Kyosuke attempts to explain how the game's heroine is similar to Ayase. He suggests imitating the heroine to better hold Kirino's interest, but this is soon met with violent backlash from Ayase when dubious phrases are brought up. After Ayase goes to Manami for advice, Kyosuke is shown the error of his ways when Ayase decides to imitate the game's yandere route in front of Kirino.
- 15
Little Sisters Can't Fall In Love With Their Older Brothers
Kirino reminisces on her childhood, when she was very fond of Kyosuke and always looked up to him, until he stopped giving his all and adopted a more relaxed lifestyle. Blaming Manami for the sudden change in him, Kirino confronted her, asking her to give back the brother she loved so much, just to hear from her that the Kyosuke she envisioned never existed in the first place. To get back at Kyosuke, Kirino focused to improve herself and started avoiding him. Years later, she starts working as a model and befriends Ayase, but also develops her otaku hobbies, and becomes too ashamed to share them with anyone else. The issues she had with her secret were what somehow reapproached her with Kyosuke, who since then always stood by Kirino's side to support and protect her, even though she no longer sees him as the brother she once idolized.
