Rozen Maiden: Traumend is a solid follow up to its predecessor but it's not on the same level and it fails in some areas. The entire first half is a serious mixed bag, and can be looked at in a number of ways. At times, it can almost come off as complete filler, but there are things going on such as character and light plot development. The first seven episodes is drowned in its comedy which is hit most of the time; but those whom were used to the action scenes of the first season will be bored most of the time. Others whom enjoy the dolls very presence will be thoroughly entertained.
My biggest problem with this season is that the writers try too hard to establish an emotional connection. They simply just didn't let the characters work and everything has to be pushed more. This will be the very first time I have an issue with character development. There was too much focus on the main dolls antics, and even their feelings to the point were Jun is almost left out completely. Adding to this, there were pacing issues as well that heavily effected the plot this time around. Even the two new characters whom were introduced weren't very well developed, and they felt more like cheap carbon copies.
The drama in the series is also heavily over done but don't get me wrong here; when it's time for the drama to work, it does work. There are some good moments that will provide a few tears for those whom are attached to certain characters. However, at one time, a scene already achieved its desired and full effect, but would be heavily damaged due to its length. This worked against the series for me, and when someone else bit the dust it had that "oh well" feeling to me. The series eventually shifts to a darker side, but I think it was introduced a bit too late and simply didn't mesh right. Although the ending may satisfy most, for me it was one of those type of endings that I love to hate, and I'll leave it at that. However, there are plenty I know whom pretty much love it.
The animation and artwork is still pretty much on par with the previous season. The action scenes are very well animated at times, and can be cool to watch. The artwork is still outstanding and one episode showed the dolls off pretty well displaying them in multiple outfits. This is actually one of the most creative uses for stills. I really enjoyed the soundtrack. There were a variety of songs with a few displaying some beautiful piano melodies, and each song worked well for its particular scene; but this time around, I didn't care too much for the opening and closing themes. The voice acting was very solid for the English cast to me. The voice actors fit very well with each of the character's appearances and personalities.
Overall, as a non fan of the mahou shoujo genre. This is still a series that I enjoyed. I will admit that there was a bit of disappointment here since I enjoyed the first season so much. Still, this is a good series that I think is worth checking out.
Highs: Some characters continue their development, character designs are still pretty
Lows: Tries too hard to work emotion, some characters under-developed, pacing problems
