Life Goes On is an OVA which explores some of Kino's time spent with her teacher/master before she becomes a traveler. Without going into spoilers, this OVA is just as brutal as the original series. However, unlike the original series, this story is far more character driven than thematically driven. While people who are keen on seeing more development of Kino's story will be excited, it will disappoint anyone who wishes to see her travel to another country and explore a new theme. Nevertheless, the story is just as high quality as the series and really emphasizes the difficulties Kino has finding her own identity. Theart style is exactly like the series; low detail but does the job sufficiently. The soundtrack uses the same songs as the series. These songs are great to listen to and complement each scene well. There is a new ED song but the OP is still the same. The voice acting is still up to par.

While the main characters are all people we have seen before, it's nice to see them in different roles. Kino is young and learning, Hermes is in more of a teacher role helping Kino learn how to ride and Shishou is being Kino's mentor. What is most impressive is how a lot of the plot is able to be conveyed without much exposition. It is quite amazing how much development Kino and Shishou receive in such a short amount of time.

The description for this OVA is that it is a prequel. While chronologically it is a prequel, this is better watched once having already seen the original series. I would recommend anyone who is a fan of this series to watch this OVA. Still, even without having seen the series, this OVA is able to stand on it's own.