Bastard!! Ankoku no Hakaishin Part 2 (ONA)

TLDR: Guilty Pleasure for Men of Culture with fun 80s Metal references makes for prime Drinking Game experience. If you're not into this type of anime, you might not enjoy it.

This is another Netflix reboot of an older, popular anime with new graphics that manages to buck the trend by being (OMG Gasp) GOOD instead of disappointing like some others I won't mention. A large part of this is because it is 100% completely on brand with the original and in the spirit of the manga from way back in the late 1980s when things weren't as politically correct as they are today. The anime ... is tagged Ecchi for good reason, and it's not even tasteful Ecchi, but rather, no apologies no f---s given Ecchi. Expect every episode to feature titillating glimpses of one or more scantily clad or unclad females in compromising positions, you have been warned!

Protagonist Dark Schneider is an anti-hero Bastard!! He's handsome, spends a lot of time semi nude showing off his 12 pack abs and toned physique. Believing he is God's gift to women he shamelessly chases, gropes and attempts to charm into bed any attractive female within reach while loudly proclaiming how great he is. He also happens to be overpowered and dressed in plot armor like you wouldn't believe, so things go his way a lot of the time. In today's updated parlance he would have graduated from Bastard!! to F--- that F---ing MF'er, if the censors only allowed it.

The plot is largely predictable, the characters well drawn stereotypes, nice animation and a decent OST that fits the vibe of the anime. Female characters are barely dressed with gravity defying boobs while the males are GAR type muscleheads that seem brainless. The dialogue is cheesy and cringe in parts.The fights are over the top with more explosions than a Michael Bay movie. It's not going to win any Oscars, but if you like this sort of anime you're going to enjoy the hell out of watching this enjoyable guilty pleasure series.

To make it more fun, here's a drinking game for the Bastard!! series. For the braver ones, substitute sips with shots.

Take one sip (or shot if you're brave) every time:-
* Dark Schneider boasts about how powerful, handsome or awesome he is
* a female character loses portions of her armor or pieces of clothing
* Dark Schneider says or does anything lecherous (groping, fondling, suggestive tongue stuff)
* there's a heavy metal reference in city name, character name, spell name whether it is by a band, or song. More well known ones include Anthrax, Metallica, Slayer, Deep Purple, Bon Jovi etc.
* Netflix close captions say "Rock Music playing"
* Seemingly defeated characters get up and return to the fight!

Bonus extra fast drunk - take a sip or shot every time:-
* A female character says "Darsh ~~ "
* Any character starts chanting a spell
* there's an explosion that breaks a part of any built stone structure like a castle or bridge
* Dark Schneider is bleeding

Drink a bottle or multiple shots) to celebrate every time:-
* Dark Schneider does the deed with a female character

Everyone's favorite titular bastard is back and honestly? I liked this batch of episodes more than the first batch, but it was still plagued by the problems of the source material. When I say mixed feelings about this anime, it's more like a swirled cone of like and dislike. Things like the characters, general plot, and ability to create dramatic tension and suspense while punctuating it with humor keeps me watching this series. However, things like dubious consent, parental figure to child exploitation that's reinforced by other characters, and ripping away female character's agency strategically just gives this anime an antiquated and nasty feel. I ... watched the first batch of episodes not knowing what all would go on in this anime and somehow it's compelling enough I'm still here and I'll probably watch the next installment when it arrives as well. I just want to know what will happen next and if this new anime will get a proper ending since the manga was cancelled years ago.

If you enjoyed the first batch of episodes, then you'll like this batch too. I think that this second batch is more engaging and has higher stakes. You can tell the narrative is more solid here. If you're new to the series and reading this because you're trying to decide if you want to watch the anime in general, then please be aware that the main character is truly a bastard but the narrative and other characters around him can't always see it and sometimes end up approving of some of his bastardness (like the aforementioned adopted daughter/lover). It's one of those anime where sometimes you just have to hit the fast forward button every so often depending on how you feel about such things. This is why I don't think I could ever properly recommend it.

Bastard is a dark fantasy, action comedy manga from the eighties. Places, characters and attacks are named after various metal bands and songs. It's a story about four kingdoms, each holding a seal that keep the god of destruction in slumber. Of course some people with evil intention are trying to steal the seals and thus Dark Schneider, a loud, highly perverted, childish, dark wizard is summoned.

The anime follows the manga faithfully and the animation, voice acting and music are all great. Since it's an old story the pacing might feel off to some. There is a lot of fourth wall breaking and the ... series does not take itself seriously. Also be prepared for a lot of ecchi scenes. Manga readers will probably enjoy the anime because they know what they can expect. I'm not so sure about new viewers.