Yay, my first review!
Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II, an interesting anime to say the least. After watching the first season, I came into Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II with average expectations, and in the end was rather pleased with the second season.
Story:7
As with the first season, the story of Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II can be very confusing at times. It has a futuristic setting, yet at the same time mixing in historic and fantasy elements, and the shows on story can be pretty convoluted in itself at times, leaving people a bit conflicted on it at times. Not to say its bad though, far from it. Once you understand (or for some people, look past) most of the plot and back-round, you have a unique and different story the likes of which I (personally at least) have not seen before.
Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II also does very good in the romance department, not just for the main protagonist but for quite a few of the supporting cast as well, which is something I really enjoyed. Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II also, like its predecessor, brings some interesting elements I haven't seen much in other anime to the table, such as the political negotiations. Some people wont enjoy those moment, but others like myself will find it quite interesting.
The humor in Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II is also a high point, and it usually pulls it off rather well. Some people wont like it as a lot of is humor tends to be ecchi based, but usually it isnt too heavy and knows its place (although there are some exceptions) The humor can also be quite random (especially concerning the main protagonist) which a lot of people don't like, but others will enjoy.
In the end I'd say the whole Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon series kind of a hit or miss, and it hit for me.
Art:8
Now I'm no artist, so I wont have too much to say here. The art was very well done, with fluid action scene's that didn't seem to cut to many corners. Character design is varied, and the use of what I believe to be CG during the air ship battle's is well done. (not sure if it really is CG, so don't quote me on that) In the end I was very satisfied by the artwork and found it better than a lot of the other stuff out there.
Sound:9
A high point for the series. Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II has some great tracks and really knows how to set the mood. The soundtrack really riles you up and draws you into the action, and can also wind down for soft, emotional scene's. I enjoyed the OP and ED, but it's nothing spectacular. There is one thing I have to give special attention to though, that being Horizons singing. It is BEAUTIFUL, and I loved listening to it every time. They know when to have her sing, and when she does its amazing.
Characters:9
This is another high point of the series. The Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon series features a wide array of varied cast members, and the second season does not fail in that aspect. The show gives time to develop or focus on different characters, and sometimes even introduce and add more cast members. For a large part of the second season Tori and Horizon actually stepped out from the spotlight to make room for other members of the cast. For instance although more of a backround character in the first season, Tenzou plays a much bigger role in the second season which I really enjoyed. Other times characters come into the limelight for a few episode's before swapping places with others, and some are just there for the random hilarity. (such as nenji the slime or that random curry guy)
As stated before, romance plays a pretty big part in this series, and is even one of its main driving forces as with Horizon and Tori. The whole Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon series knows how to do romance well, and I was never really disappointed with it. It even shows you the romantic situations with supporting caste members such as Gin and Muneshige, Tenzou and Mary, and the two witches (although sometimes they kind of weird me out, not gona lie) And lets not forget those two students and the ghost kid, their just too cute! xD
One thing needs to be mentioned though, that being the main protagonist Tori. Many people find him obnoxious, and I myself have to agree at times. He literally never stops smiling, which isn't really a bad thing per se, but he could have been a better protagonist if he took things more seriously sometimes. I mean, he can be serious, but not frequently enough. I'm not going to start hating him as a character, I mean the show wouldn't be what it is without him, but he could have been done better. On the other hand, maybe this is all building up to some epic climax where he DOES get serious, that would actually be pretty awesome.
Enjoyment:9
In the end I enjoy Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon series for what it is, a convoluted plot with a wide variety of cast members with well done romance and whacky humor. The style of the fighting really hit my sweet spot and the the end I find myself really enjoying this series and cant wait for future seasons.
Overall:8
Overall I think I'll give Kyoukaisenjou no Horizon II an 8. It hit a sweet spot for me with the action, frequent and well done romance, and a well done sountrack. In the end I find myself comparing this series to Gurren Lagann. It can be whacky at times, but it has a lovable cast with action and a soundtrack that really grabs you and takes you on a ride if you can get into it. Others, unfortunately, will be left behind, unable to either understand or look past the convoluted story line, randomness, and its lack of seriousness at time's. I myself, cant wait for more seasons, and at this speed this series is going I expect 2 or 3 more.
TL;DR version:
All in all this whole series is rather hit or miss. Those who dont wont be able to look past its randomness and whackyness, or maybe wont be able to look past or understand its convoluted plot. If you CAN, however, I believe you will thoroughly enjoy yourself with this anime, finding an unique plot, a wide variety of lovable characters, a good soundtrack that really gets you engaged, awesome battle scenes, and very well done romance.
I hope this review helped whoever is curious about this anime.
