Cardfight!! Vanguard: overDress Season 2

If you're here after watching Season 1 and thinking "Why Would I even bother?" then I am here to help you.

I want to start and say that this season is almost un-comparable to the first one. Maybe by looks, since it's the same animation, but almost everything else is better in this one than it was in the first.

I'll be short and specific with this, as I want to just get the basic info out and not have this be 5000 pages.

The story is in such a better spot. Everything is better. Character development, the story telling itself, the card fights, the ... movement from emotional to serious and back to more comedic sides. The show got funnier, the characters got more lovable, the story makes more sense, just everything is better.

Art is the same, still amazing.

Sound is the same, if not better. The music is just amazing in this show, the opening, ending, scenes with music, just about everything. Side note, but the main "villian" girl who can't see, her song is just absolutely stunning.

Character is like definitely a 10 pretty much, all the characters have some kind of feeling or improvement, its just amazing.

Enjoyment I think is up to the viewer, if you're not a Cardfight!! Vanguard player, you may find slightly less joy in this anime overall, since it's hard to understand the movement of some of the cards and stuff, but you can still understand it a little as the show definitely provides amazing visuals for everything, I think if you are a player of Cardfight!! Vanguard, you might enjoy this more, as everything is more calculated, intense, funny, and just overall more enjoyable and if you know what the cards do then I feel you'll have even more fun as the fight scenes in this season are a S O L I D.

Overall? I think this is a solid 8(a 9 for me personally, but 8 to the general public). Mainly because I don't think a show like this is for *everyone*, but it is close! It's been awhile since I've truly enjoyed a cardgame anime, and this is also by CLAMP for the art design, so there is just a lot to enjoy for me as a person, but I can see someone else maybe having a little bit of a falling. HOWEVER, if you watched season 1, and want something more, this is definitely the show for you, if you even enjoyed Season 1 a little bit, Season 2 should blow you away. It's been blowing the community away, so I hope whoever out there tries it out even with Season 1 being a bust.

That's all I got, hope you enjoy an amazingly well animated show about cards, emotions, friendship, battles, hardships, funny parts, and more! <3

Regards,
A Fellow Card Lover <3

Cardfight Vanguard Overdress Season 2 acts like its a sequel to a better show, it's insane.

Danjis barely alluded to backstory goes explored. Tohya is the leader. Yu-yu's deck backstory, and of course Yu-yu himself. And Megumi gets to be more than just wanting Danji's attention. And Zakusa and Tomari are just fun support characters as always.

I'm so thoroughly confused because this is supposed to be a second part to a whole story right? So why is the first half so bad?

Overdress Season 2 introduces Mirei Minae, the rival of the season and leader of Team Daybreak, and thus why this season ends ... up being a good sendoff for the Overdress part of the D series, but also one of the best Vanguard stories ever told to one of Vanguards best characters. Because Danji, the ever seemingly invincible Danji is now at a vulnerable spot. Taking care of her. And the conflict that arises isnt anyone' of thems fault.

Blackout almost being headless like this in the end leads to some very fun episodes. And while Yu-yu never confronts his family about the crossdressing, when he ultimately pulls out the dress in a time of need, its a highlight of the season compared to last season.

And Tohya became higher as a fan favorite because of this season, because hes just a college dropout who would spend on a whole booster case, its really endearing the comedy that comes from the resolution from his internal clash last season.

The journey to Blackout vs Daybreak, is very gripping because its a great interpersonal conflict while the overall plot is about a bigger bang war going on, but that doesnt matter as much as the core of the story.
The character writing is just really good on all levels, the journey to see Danji again.

And when Overdress finally gets defined, I was able to forgive the sins of season 1, because what a message to give to the audience. What a wonderful mechanic. Granted, they did not do enough with Yu-yu to fully sell it, but yet it could also speak to the writing sins of the past season.

Nothing much to say about the cardfights other than the Sakuga segment is even better. Actually I think it peaked here. Theres just so many better written fights overall. It's fun watching.

I'm a Bavsargra main btw, so yeah. Great standout season.

I have COVID so I binge watched the first and second season while lying in bed without previously knowing anything about this franchise, let alone being interested in card games in general.

I'm here to say it was totally worth watching.

Season 2 is better than season 1 in every aspect and I really liked season 1. You can check out my review for season 1 here: https://myanimelist.net/profile/Ghrln/reviews

TL; DR
- overDress S1 is for people who is not familiar with the franchise
- overDress S1 is not about Vanguard, it is about people who play Vanguard and their relationships with others
- super adorable main character and side ... characters who are extremely straightforward with affection for each other
- plot is entirely incomprehensible at times but you just have to go along with the flow
- protip: if you are not familiar with vanguard the card game, i suggest you skim through the card game scenes just enough to understand the context

Now my review for season 2...

Section 1: Story is now comprehensible
I would say the biggest hurdle for S1 was that it was sorta confusing and incomprehensible at times. Character motivations weren't really clear and things just.... happened for no reason. Like why did Danji declare his retirement after playing with Yuuyu? No idea but I kind of accepted it and moved on.

No more of that problem in S2. With a proper introduction to Danji's backstory, his actions start to make sense and almost everything that conspires because of his past makes sense from a logical standpoint!

Section 2: Mirei
Mirei is a wonderful character. Seeing a visibly disabled character is always a welcome since we really need more representation in that front. As a disabled person myself (I am not hard of seeing though), I was extremely excited. Honestly I would want blind person's opinion on how they portray Mirei but here's my take.

The ways that Mirei made the card game which mostly relies on visible cues accessible to herself was incredible. She uses little stickers and puts them on cards. She feels the shape of the stickers to understand what cards she has. The game actually acknowledges her needs as a blind players are different and puts effort into animating her feeling the stickers with her fingertips. She does require some aid when playing the game but the most part she is able to play independently! She also uses braille as a way to write and she reads it off with her fingertips when talking to Danji.

She also does not like loud noises and hates it when people offer to help when she is fine (or she does not want to receive help from that person). I really relate to that as a disabled person. Please do not help us before asking and. if we say we are fine, leave us alone.

One of the other things that I really like about her is that she's a child that acts like a child and is allowed to do so. She's immature and selfish but also incredible kind and deserving of respect. She does not understand that what Danji did was for her sake in the long run. She isn't able to understand the complexity of the situation and despises Danji for his actions. If I am being honest, her suffering is caused by people forcing a role onto her, not because of what Danji did. If that "incident" did not happen (trying to avoid spoilers here), then another person would have forced a role onto her regardless. But that's okay. She's a child. She allowed to be mad at Danji for what he did because it did make her suffer. It is very selfish of anyone to ask her, a literal child, to be understanding. Danji also understands this so that's why the conflict for season 2 is so interesting.

Section 3: Touya is unironically insane
This man is insane. He literally dropped out of med school to play card games. What a dedication. Also, I find that he is such a good leader and having him become the next leader for Blackout was a good decision from Danji's end. Him slowly making connections with Blackout members, fixing the merry go around that he destroyed , earning everyone's trust and getting Megumi back… It was a slow process but I am really proud of him. I especially liked how Yuuyu helped him all the way throughout. Yuuyu is such a sweet child and I think being around such a person really helps. Also he literally is unphased by crossdressing and compliments Yuuyu’s makeup skills. That’s it — he’s the manliest man in the entire cast of overDress.

Touya is kind, caring, emotionally secure, extremely secure in his gender, and smart. What can else can you ask for in a leader?

Conclusion:

If you liked S1, you will like S2 more. Just watch it!