Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle - Orpheus Order-hen

I'll try my best to justify this rating without spoiling the show.

If you're viewing reviews for the second season of Phi Brain, chances are that you've seen the first season. So, you know what it's all about.

Puzzles.

Yes, there is a lot of puzzle-related stuff going on in the series and, to a degree, it's like Yu-Gi-Oh when it comes to puzzles.

Season One stands to reinforce that statement

... However, while the 2nd Season could stand to do the same, it also negates it.

The second season IS better than the first. Heck, the main antagonist is even a better villain than Rook was. Kaito is seriously challenged in this season and there are quite a few moments in the show that I would define as epic and just straight badass.

There's also better character development in the Second Season as well. A lot of characters are given more backstory. And the backstories aren't too bad.

The damning quality of this entire season is simply that it's about puzzles. Take away the puzzles and the story is actually capable of being ten-worthy. After all, Phi Brain in general was a story about people trying to become God. Though, the puzzles themselves aren't too bad either, it's just hard to believe a bunch of teens being so interested in solving puzzles for fun. Harder to believe that people would just set up a bunch of death puzzles.

Still, it's a great series. And, from time to time, I have a little fun trying to solve puzzles too. At the least, if you've watched the first season and liked it, I suggest you try this one. If you watched the first season and disliked it, I suggest that you try this one. It's a redeemer by some stretches.

Story: (9/10)
The story is pretty interesting. Kaito battles the Orpheus Order after dealing with the POG in the last season. I don't know about anyone else but the series definitely makes you confused and also eager for the next episode because you are so curious about what's going on with Freecell. The storyline between Freecell and Kaito is the major draw, as well as wanting to know the true purpose of the Orpheus Order and who Klondike-sama is.

Art: (8/10)
I like the art, it's very different from typical anime. I can't say it's the best art in the world but it definitely makes the characters stand ... out and be different IMO. I've never seen characters with the kind of art style as the ones in Phi Brain has (except Pinochle cause he reminds me of Hirako Shinji from Bleach)

Sound: (9/10)
I like the music in the series, and when it comes to OP & ED I love the OP. I think it's definitely the best in the series itself and one of my overall favorite songs to an anime. I don't care much for the ED but it's not bad, definitely better than many ED out there.

Overall: (8/10)
Might not be the type of anime for anyone but it's definitely a good one. I've seen much worse, and the puzzle concept is different. The series can be a little slow at times but it still keeps your interest and make you think and want to figure out what's going on. It's also one of the few series with lack of ecchi which to me is a plus. Ecchi might be nice but it's great to a series can go without needing to through in accidental grabs, and the typical anime stuff. It's a pretty straight-forward anime with more focus on the storyline then things like typical anime jokes and ecchi-ness.

Let's play up, Ok so I've just finish this 25 episode season 2, so far as to how it fared up well.......I think we need to do a kind of puzzle before I go on.Ok so it might no be a puzzle, but then again it is no different than solving a puzzle co'z whether you answer a puzzle or a quiz they all have one thing in common- you use your brain, so let's see how good is your phi brain:


A. Choose the one that is different.

1. (a) Fumino Serizawa (b) Oda Nobuna (c) Eris (d) Lala Satalin Deviluke

2. (a) Rito Yuki (b)Yukinari ... Sasaki (c) Tatsumi Oga (d) Sanpeita Kobayashi

3. (a) Ali Project (b) MAKO (c) KOTOKO (d) StylipS

4. (a) Majong (b) Kurata (c) Go (d) Sudoku

5. Puzzle Time:


Riverbank 1

Fox Chicken Sack of Corn

_________________________________________________

River

Boatman (Which is you)

_________________________________________________

Riverbank 2


The rules:

As a boatman it is your job to carry 1 item each across Riverbank 2, however you can't leave the Chicken with the Fox because the Fox will eat the chicken and you can't leave the Chicken with the sack of corn on co'z the chicken will eat it, so in what order will you transport each item across Riverbank 2 so that you don't leave the chicken with the fox or leave the sack of corn with the chicken?


Ok enough of that, so what we have here is more like a season 2 where the protagonist is up against a group of puzzle freaks only this time them puzzle freaks want to unlock mankind's hidden potential, but it still maintains that usual Kaito being challenge again and it also has that usual childhood flash back from Crossfield Academy where Kaito once studied. Unfortunately the plot is still the same as it looks more like a remake of some sorts that anything else, only the antagonist and the addition of the POG as Kaito's allies have change. But still there is that thing where you'll be wanting to see Kaito kick them Orpheus Order's ass. So for the story I'll give a "Fair" number 6, because one might wanna screw the story and just get on with solving the puzzle and make Kaito win.

Art: Poor 3.


This is because, I'm not getting the idea of as to why Kaito, Gammon, Ana and Cubic are not in their proper school uniform. I really don't like the way Kaito dresses up, co'z he kinda looks like a dorky gangbanger whose style fits those of geeky hippies who hasn't taken a bath for a long time. Gammon, looks like a typical biker gang who is into S and M, as for Ana, I'd wish the author has made him a girl than a cross dress fag who dresses like your typical grandmother and as for Cubic, he'll be better off just ditching the white robe for a Root Academy's school uniform. For Nonoha, I really like her better with her hair down.


Sound: Mediocre 5.

I just like the ending theme.

Characters, enjoyment and overall: Fair 6.

So far what keeps me from dropping this season 2 is the challenge in which one would empathize with the characters, unlike the 1st season where Kaito is all alone this time he has friends and acquires new allies. However I really hate it when Kaito who's seemly oblivious to Nonoha's feelings, it cannot be establish if he is protecting her or was he gay, co'z the thing about this anime is that it has this yaoi innuendo where the main villain seems to have that kind of desire of that of a woman who is obsess with a man, and in this case it is with Kaito. Then again I really do admire Nonoha, co'z she kinda serves as a mother figure to Kaito and it is nice that at the last episode of the anime Kaito wants her to be part of his puzzle solving quest. In the upcoming season 3, it is gonna be obvious that the Orpheus order would be part of Kaito and the gang's allies, so far thought this anime's overall should get a higher score, it simply doesn't deserve such high score co'z of the predictability and it woun't be a surprise if the upcoming season 3 will also used the same route as the 1st season only with some slight difference. But it was enjoyable enough to see as to how the big antagonist get's beaten by a bigger antagonist and I'm referring to the Freecell woopping Klondike's ass in which klondike's ass big time and seeing Melancholy acting like a kid being bullied thought I was kinda hoping that Kaito would have been the one to do that.


PUZZLE TIME IS OVER.