Ranked #3132

Queen's Blade: Gyokuza wo Tsugu Mono

So Queen's Blade is back with a second season. If you watched the horrendous first season, you're probably doubting whether you should start Gyokuza wo Tsugu Mono or not. Even I have to admit that I put off starting this season because I didn't want to sit through another 12 episodes of a jumbled up story that relied purely on fanservice. Thankfully, this is nothing like season 1. Pretty much the only similarity between season 1 and season 2 is that there's still an insane amount of fanservice. But Queen's Blade now isn't an anime that you want to laugh at for being so bad. Gyokuza wo Tsugu Mono is actually good.

Story: 8/10
Instead of an almost episodic plot containing random fights that didn't help progression at all, this season has a solid plot. Every episode, two Queen's Blade contestants battle it out, and one, of course, is eliminated. Progressing through this kind of story makes it tremendously better and enjoyable, because you're not just focused on Reina and the girls who want in her pants the whole time. Throughout each and every episode, you get a sprinkle of a lot of characters doing a ton of different things, which I believe is one of the biggest reasons why this season's story is great.

Art: 8/10
I really liked the art style for Queen's Blade. But no, I'm not talking about the boobs and ass. The character designs are pretty much the same, so I have no complaints in that category. One of the best things about the art is that the story is actually set in a Medieval setting this time. I really adore the styles that were in the Medieval times, so I appreciate the gorgeous detail in the background and such to make it actually look like it belongs in that era.

Sound: 9/10
Queen's Blade has outdone itself again. I fell in love with the soundtrack for Rurou no Senshi immediately. Surprisingly enough, I like Gyokuza wo Tsugu Mono's soundtrack even more. The opening is a beautiful piece of work, while the ending is upbeat and fun to listen to. Voice acting is fantastic as always. I usually don't like using someone else's example(s) in my review, but I agree 100% with tehnominator - the scene where Tomoe cried out gave me a humongous chill. I'm still shocked that a simple scene in Queen's Blade actually made me shiver just because of the incredible voice acting. Along with voice acting, I'd like to note that Miyu Takeuchi's voice was simply perfect for Aldra.

Character: 8/10
Thank God, Reina isn't just an annoying idiot anymore! You can tell how much she matured, and it's great. I found myself rooting for her this time, while last season there were plenty times where I wished she would die and Tomoe would take the spot as the main character (but then again, that's just wishful thinking). Reina isn't the only one who matured - Tomoe ends up growing up due to an unexpected twist, Listy...well, Listy has something that happens to her that I can't say without spoiling, Nanael is still Nanael except a little (and I only mean a little) less stupid, and even Claudette becomes a likeable character since she's not a humongous bitch anymore. These characters got 100x more likeable, I promise you that.

Enjoyment: 7/10
Even though the fanservice is still off the scale, I can't help but like this anime. What made it so enjoyable to me was the nice story and the renewed characters. If you base your enjoyment on either story, characters, or even both, I'm sure you'll come to enjoy this somewhat.

Overall: 8/10
If you're hesitating to watch this due to thinking that it may be as atrocious as the first season, please give it a try. You'll see the vast difference after watching just one episode, and I'm 99.9% sure you will adore Gyokuza wo Tsugu Mono regardless of whether you liked Rurou no Senshi or not. read more