Take a look at a game like AIR and Kanon. They're both full of forcibly created generic scenarios with, or maybe even due to, characters with persistent flaws of some sorts. Even those flaws feel forcibly created. They're in some sort of a perpetual loop, which the player can never get out of. No wonder they're niche products. Heck, the fans themselves are obviously niche in the social structure, not that there's anything wrong with being niche.
Popotan story is simpler, yet has a clearer goal. It's not bogged down with meaninglessly fancy titles in multiple languages, and ends with a satisfying authority.
To be fair, AIR is actually pretty good, in that it does have a bigger theme, which is about "life." Still, Key's games focus too much on individual characters. I guess the goal is to get players hooked on one or more characters. They literally want people to fall in love with the characters, because that's good money. One has to wonder, though. What kind of people fall in love with such quirky and idiosyncratic characters for real? It's fine as long as that's what they want, I guess, but then I'm not so sure if it's something to be encouraged.
Who am I to say all this considering I don't socialize much either? I don't know. At least I'm aware of it. I'm just trying to point out that watching something like Kanon makes one want to stick around one's computer all day, whereas watching something like "Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo" makes one want to get out and meet people like the characters in the movie. On TokiKake movie listing, I wrote that I don't want to interact (interfere) with characters like the ones in AIR and Kanon. Perhaps that's the difference. I bet some people actually want to interact with those unnatural characters. In fact, they might want to interact ONLY with such characters. Don't you think that's just wrong?
Popotan, by being very different from AIR and Kanon, helped me realize something I've probably been aware of subconsciously. It's a bit old (2003), but I'm glad I finally picked them up.
Oh, and I don't think there's any other anime with so many bath scenes. ^_^;;
