Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei!

Another lovely summer goes by for Illyasviel von Einzbern. Taking a break from her magical girl duties, she enjoys her time off after collecting the Class Cards with her best friend Miyu Edelfelt.

However, her break comes to an abrupt end when she and Miyu are abducted by Rin Toosaka and Luviagelita Edelfelt, while out with her friends. The magical girls learn that their work is far from over, as Clock Tower informs them that the out of control mana thought to have been sealed continues to be dispersing throughout Fuyuki City. After heading to the origin point of the out of control mana, Illya and Miyu are tasked with solving the anomaly.

But after casting their spell, Illyasviel discovers that she's split into two people! As this mysterious new form darts off, she can only wonder: what is to come from the existence of her dopplegänger, running amok in the unsuspecting town?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Toosaka, Rin Main

Ueda, Kana Japanese

von Einzbern, Illyasviel Main

Kadowaki, Mai Japanese

von Einzbern, Chloe Main

Saitou, Chiwa Japanese

Edelfelt, Miyu Main

Nazuka, Kaori Japanese

Edelfelt, Luviagelita Main

Itou, Shizuka Japanese

Emiya, Kiritsugu Supporting

Koyama, Rikiya Japanese

Emiya, Shirou Supporting

Sugiyama, Noriaki Japanese

Velvet, Waver Supporting

Namikawa, Daisuke Japanese

von Einzbern, Irisviel Supporting

Ohara, Sayaka Japanese

Hortensia, Caren Supporting

Koshimizu, Ami Japanese

Saitou, Shigeru Producer

Kaneko, Hayato Producer

Tamura, Junichirou Producer

Matsuki, Ai Producer

Reviews

Sep 10, 2014

Aklama

Recommended

If you're here you've probably watched first season. And you're interested if it's worth watching another.

Regardless of this review I think you WILL watch this, because nobody watches 1st season of Fate/Kaleid to the end and doesn't watch 2nd. Just, nobody.

Still, you want to know how good it will be before watching. Let me tell you straight, it's much better than season 1. 2 Wei is literally twice as good as first.

While half-a-joke (you'll get joke after 1 episode) it's really much better. It was like - "I just came to see some more cute girls doing cute stuff and HOLY S**T THAT ... BATTLE FUCKING AWESOME.... wait is she... OH MY GOD THAT SCENE WAS AWESOMe!!! and than more cute stuff and than HOLY F**K WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE!! MY GOD DON'T TELL... OH MY GOD WHAT A FUCKING AWESOME BATTLE!!!!!!! THIS IS THE BEST ANIME EVER!!!"

Well, of course it's not THAT great really but admit it... you were here just to see some cute lolies and you actually got more than a "decent" anime. The quality was priceless!! The art was so gorgeous that I was going to give this 10/10 even if it didn't have a good story/characters. (It still delivered quite a story btw)
Tt's like, my 2nd favorite anime in fate/series (1st being zero). This was much better than what I expected. I got what I wanted and even more.

So yea.. pretty much that. I doubt that you're reading this and you're not a fate/fan. And I assure you that watching Fate/Kaleid is time spent best.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Oct 5, 2014

BanjoTheBear

Mixed Feelings

(This has been adapted from my reddit thread)

Existence is a strange topic. It's rare for people of any age to ponder what it means to "be" or at the minimum how one knows that who he or she is, is actually real. But what happens when you throw in a few magical girls and a bit of lewdness? Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei! (it got longer!) explores this idea to an extent while still maintaining the same quality that the previous season held.

STORY

F/k2 (shortened again at this point!) begins where F/k left off; Illya and Miyu are recruited by Rin and Luvia once more to help ... them with magical happenings. However, on their first excursion, something definitely strange occurs.

Where F/k focused mostly on the character dynamic between Illya and Miyu, this time the focus shifts from relationships and towards the idea of existence. The phrase "I think therefore I am" comes to mind instantly. But for Kuro, the newly introduced character, this simple idea is not enough. With an unknown origin, unfavorable goals, and her odd behavior, it makes the question of her existence a more difficult one to answer. For the most part, the show does a nice job of pacing its revelations and characterization well enough to make the conclusion of these ideas at least understandable. This isn't anything "next level," but for what the show is, I thought it did a fine job.

When the show isn't venturing into philosophical territory, it is more or less a slice of life show. It features the cast doing normal everyday activities such as playing dodge-ball or baking bread. These segments highlight the comedy and character interactions nicely and seemed to be an overall improvement from the previous season.

One of the strongest parts of the show is in its final episodes. F/k featured many varying and interesting fights, and F/k2 returns to these roots during the end. Alongside the battle, the show sets itself up nicely for what will be occurring in the coming season. And after watching these last few fight scenes, it became clear how nicely the show balanced exposition, slice-of-life, and fighting. One part never heavily outweighs another, giving the show an overall nice sense of purpose.

ANIMATION

Much like F/k, F/k2 maintains a high degree of quality.

The art style is relatively the same. The characters are shiny, the backdrops are pretty, and the lighting sees even more detail than ever before. The show continues its use of sparkles, flashes, and shines to great effect to give the fights and character actions that extra "oomph."

The actual animation is once again pretty darn good. The battles feature the majority of the detail, with their nice choreography and nice use of "camera" angles. The character movements, both in and out of the fights, are very fluid. The show employs less detailed animation moments for comedic effect, but even then it always maintains high standards.

Once again, F/k2's character designs are nice due to both their detail and homage. Kuro features very stunning eyes (much like the rest of the cast) so her design felt completely in-line with everyone else.

CHARACTERS

F/k2's characters actually see an improvement from the previous season.

Illya's character doesn't see much growth this time around, but this is due to the character perspective shifting from her to Kuro. Instead, what she does is demonstrate that what she has gained from her earlier experiences can easily be applied to the situations she is in now. Namely, this is learning to fight for and protect the people around you, without running away.

Miyu actually becomes even more mysterious, if that can even be believed. The show alludes to particular actions and past events in her life without fully explaining them, giving her the potential to see improved characterization down the road. For the most part, she takes more of a backseat during this season's events, but she is by no means completely out of the fights.

The most important character this time around, and understandably so, is Kuro. Outgoing but defensive, carefree but troubled, she begins as a complicated mix of emotions and ideas. Over the course of the show, she is refined from this kill-driven fiend to an accepted person. Her inclusion within the story makes sense, is explained nicely, and most important of all, her character interactions with the rest of the cast work wonderfully.

Probably one of my favorite villains of all time, Bazett isn't fully introduced until later down the road, but when she is, you will definitely feel her presence. Her utter dominance on the battlefield, with her amazing agility, unparalleled strength, and keen battle-sense makes her completely unfair and a worthy "final boss." The only problem was that we didn't get to see more of her in action. But when we did, you just couldn't look away.

Something that the show improves greatly on from last season is in its side character department. This time around, F/k2's side cast felt relevant. They were used for jokes, they provided better insight, and seemed to have more of an impact on the girls' daily lives. This is especially true for Illya's school friends who saw almost zero screen time before. Between them all, my favorites are probably Liz and Auguste the butler for how fun their characters are, both in dialogue and in action.

SOUND

F/k2's quality in sound sadly persists here as well. The OP is rather boring even if it does fit the magical girl feeling that the show gives off. The ED as well is rather generic. It's upbeat nature goes with the generally happy tone of the show. Neither the OP or ED are memorable enough or good enough to warrant listening to outside of the show.

The soundtrack is again filled with both good and bad pieces. That is to say, it knocks it out of the park and fails miserably in all the right (and wrong) places.

The voice acting for F/k2 is pretty good. Illya, Miyu, Kuro, and the rest do a nice job in their respective roles. Shout-out to Luvia and that rich girl laugh of hers!

ENJOYMENT

I found the comedy to be a step up in this sequel. A lot of the jokes were even more self-aware than before, and Kuro's inclusion into the cast made Illya so disgruntled that I couldn't help but laugh at how easy she was to get a rise out of. Beyond the comedy, these are a bunch of cute characters, so everything they say and do is too adorable to handle. From them pouting to their constant blushing, the show easily makes you smile.

It also can't be stressed how nice the battle sequences are. Seeing Bazett decimate everything with her fists, Kuro materializing and flinging her swords, and Illya or Miyu utilizing their magic abilities to their fullest is a nice sight to behold. This time around, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei! isn't just a Fate-universe spin-off, but a properly fleshed out show that is at least worthy of a shot.

SUMMARY

Story: Good, nice balance of exposition, slice-of-life, and action

Animation: Great, beautiful art and animation tied with a magic ribbon

Characters: Good, fun new character, cool villain, nice use of side characters

Sound: Bad, OP and ED don't cut it, soundtrack is a mixed bag, VAs done nicely

Enjoyment: Good, cuteness, comedy, and awesome fights

Final Score: 6/10

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jan 31, 2015

Revaq

Not Recommended

Minor spoilers.

This review is written with the assumption that you have seen the prequel, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya.

Sense of place. The term can be used in many different ways. For some it may be unique places like ones bedroom, for others it may be about an attachment to a group of people where one feels safe and free to express oneself. We all seek a place to belong, somewhere where warmth emits. Some are lucky to find attachment early during their childhood while others struggle to. When you do not find a place, you feel left outside, alone, scared, cold and that is when one ... is the weakest and perhaps most aggressive; acting with hostility towards those who have taken your comfortable place out of frustration and fear.

2wei! is a story about finding a place to belong.

The sequel to Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya 2wei! continues the journey of the two girls, Illyasviel and Miyu. After completing the task of collecting the class cards, Illya and Miyu adjusts to live their life normally after the events. But that does not last long since there is trouble brewing in the complex space. Illya and Miyu are once again needed by Rin and Luvia to deal with the side effects left by the cards. Following the restoration we are introduced to Kuro, the new addition of the story.

Being reminded that others have a normal life does take a toll on one's self confidence and balance, and this is what happens to Kuro. With Illya being surrounded by friends and family, Kuro is constantly reminded of what she lacks. When Illya expresses that she wants her life to return to normal it triggers Kuro making her loathe Illya all the more. Even though surrounded with demoralizing scenes she tries to find a place by taking advantage of Illya’s desires (which Illya is not able to act on because of fear) and attempts to push her out and replace her. This is shown when she advances towards Shirou (who Illya holds a dear crush for) and being sexually suggestive while flirting with him. Her attempts on phasing Illya out eventually ends with a fight and it being interrupted with perfect timing (a bit too appropriately) by a third party, the source of Kuro’s problem itself. As the show progresses the influence of Illya’s continuous friendly advances leads to Kuro being able to find a place in her former enemy’s warmth. Although minor, Miyu plays a role in the story when Kuro challenges the validity of her friendship with Illya which Miyu responds with a strong resolve, and it shows that Miyu has developed during the course of the series.

Even though they had the first season to reflect and improve their show, 2wei! is sadly not an improvement over the first season and the series is faltering.

The themes of friendship and trust that was dealt with in the previous season are now shifted away to give way to the new theme, a place of belonging. Early on the show loses focus on the themes it attempts to deal with. Episodes leading up to the climax favors comedic events spawned from Kuro’s interactions and these events take too much time of the shows constricting episode count. Episode 4 being the biggest offender with it being about a game of dodgeball which is dragged out to the point that would make a taffy confectioner jealous. The dodgeball game serves little purpose in the narrative with its intentions being about eliciting chuckles and to mystify Miyu and the school nurse, perhaps hinting the upcoming events of the series.

The theme is vaguely hinted throughout the story from Kuro’s hostile and apathetic actions towards others, and her reaction from Illya’s questioning about her reason to remove Illya out of the way. It is later clarified why Kuro acted the way she did, but it does not leave a satisfying conclusion. There is a sharp contrast with how light and playful the the story was compared to the event leading up to the climax, and the bridge leading up to it gives little time to empathize with Kuro. With these reasons the climax did not reach its full potential and in the end falls flat.

Although humor is a part of the series, anything but the interactions between the main characters are so weak that they detract time only to attempt a flat and dull gag. It also feels artificial and forced. The shows side characters are significantly degrading ones experience, to the extent that you cannot enjoy the show whenever they pop-up. Tatsuko being the energetic and feisty troublemaker, Suzuhana the mature one, Nanaki the one who just goes along with anything and Mimi the one with lacking presence. They are all simplified, fitting common tropes and serve to share the burden of the main cast to supply amusement. This shows a lack of trust given to the main characters ability to elicit laughter. The memorable and great moments of fun are risen naturally from the main characters interactions.

One side character to note is Shirou, that lacks any purpose in the story other than to make the main characters, as well as Rin and Luvia, lose control and behave out of character. Two notable scenes are when Miyu clings to Shirou like a vulnerable puppy and scuttles away, and Rin and Luvia trying their best to look impress and get his attention. It feels out of place and is one of the downsides with the show. The influence he has on the girls and their feelings for him feels out of place whenever they are in the same scene. We are never explained why the girls feel the way they do towards him, and it does not have any impact at all. It just gives rise to an awkward and confusing scene. It also gives a sense of a subplot being that the girls are a part of a harem romcom with Shirou being the typical dull and oblivious main character.

Although flawed, the series is enjoyable to a certain degree. The interactions between the characters does spawn great moments of comedy; in particular, the way Illya reacted and her face when she was seen by her classmates in her magical girl outfit is one the funniest parts of the show. The scene in episode 2 where Kuro explores the mysteries of Miyu’s mouth might be weird to watch, but it sure offers a kind of fan service that is tasteful without detracting the characters to simple sexual objects. How the camera angles during that scene showing Illya in the background with the two girls kissing in the forefront and the fact that the camera lingers shortly close to them and quickly backs away to give them space gives the idea of the camera respecting their moment. The way Illya observed them during that scene reflects perfectly how I reacted to it, and it shows that the producer knows its audience and what reaction they expect. Interestingly enough there is a reason behind Kuro’s kissing, however it is not convincing enough to pass it off since there are other ways she can recharge her mana which does not require her to force herself onto other girls.

It is also a pleasure to see how Kuro slowly warms up to the rest of the cast as the show goes on. The antagonist that is introduced later in the second half ramps up the girls relationship. The battle that follows shows how well the CGI complements the action that is displayed. The animation of the characters are well done and smooth, and it does not detract the exhilarating action. In contrast to the light and bright scenes in the first half of the show, the dark arc in the end fits well since it serves to strengthen the girls bond by inserting a common enemy which they will have to work as a team in order to defeat it. This allows the girls develop their characters even further, and gives Miyu, Rin and Luvia some needed screen time.

Illya’s character design has never looked this good before, making other works design of her look poor in comparison. Miyu and Kuro are no exception to the lovely design as well. Silver Link’s strength regarding animation are character design and CGi, and they sure do know how to draw characters with a great consistency. The shows CGI looks amazing with its natural presence unlike other shows which feature CGi that looks out of place. The lighting applied to the scene are nicely represented, and the shadows covers and wraps around the objects and characters they are on decently giving a decent overall look. Other than the CGI, the overall animation quality is decent The soundtrack and background music does not impress. It does its job, but being simple regarding synths and tunes, as well as the background music during the fight scenes feeling more like a dance than action pumping sound it leaves one unfulfilled. There are not any notable or memorable soundtracks. At least the ending song is nice, fitting well into the shows light and magical feel with its instruments sounding very light and giving a cheery and girly overall sense.

Sometimes there are shows that pop up which are incredibly popular with the help of it being a part of a popular franchise or something else. Prisma☆Illya is one of those shows, risen to heights with the help of the Fate-franchise immense popularity. Even though mediocre, it offers fans of the Fate-franchise a mahou shoujo spin-off with the ever so popular girl, Illyasviel.

Cute girls in cute outfits is what Prisma☆Illya is all about. With a heavy sprinkle of magic, friendship and acceptance it paints itself like any other generic Mahou Shoujo but within the Fate universe. Although the show handles itself decently at some aspects its dynamic between philosophy and humor falters, and it offers nothing new and should be treated as nothing more but sugar. For the fans of Illya, I suggest hopping onto this series since Illya has never before been more beautiful and cute. She looks lovely but the shows she stars in are anything but.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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