- Supporter
- Last Online23 minutes ago
- GenderMale
- BirthdayOct 16, 1997
- LocationTokyo
- JoinedFeb 18, 2019
Fantasy Anime League Fantasy Anime League Also Available at
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Sep 28, 2023
At the risk of sounding controversial, I have to say I like Hatamou season 2 part 2 better than season 1. This is actually the best the story has been since its inception and I had a lot of fun with it.
I know, I know. Hatamou season 1 is a classic for many younger anime fans who had it as one of their first anime or grew up with it. For me, it never had that significance. I was never hooked by the story or the characters and while the White Fox art style was solid, changing to Studio 3hz didn’t bother me. Season
...
1 was a solid, but not amazing watch. Season 2 part 1 was one of the most forgettable batch of 12 episodes I’ve ever seen.
The story was bland, characters were flat and there was no incentive to stay engaged with the story. I haven’t read the LN, so I’m not sure if that was because of the source being weaker or if it was just a bad adaptation. However, totally different case this time around. There’s way more lore that gets expanded upon, action, romance developing, etc. And we finally get to see the old world for Christ’s sake! it’s just a totally different experience that resonated with me much more than last cour.
There’s a lot more action in this one. Between the Ente Isla, Heaven and real world drama I was hooked. The characters are actually challenged for once and have to overcome some difficult odds. The story expands upon the lore and goes a lot deeper into the fantasy element of the story which was very underused in previous seasons. There’s only so many McRonald jokes I can take, so it’s nice to see them building on the world.
The other big selling point of this cour is the changes that Maou, Emi and other characters undergo. At this point, they’ve been on earth for a while and have started to become more Japanese than demon/hero. There’s subtle and overt hints at these changes throughout the show and I enjoyed that a lot. It makes all of them feel more authentic, and is a pretty realistic effect of being in another world for so long. The romantic subtext is a lot stronger in this one as well. Shippers backing both Emi and Chiho will have plenty of cute moments to be excited for. While it was always subtly hinted at, it’s a lot stronger in this cour.
I’m aware that my opinion is the minority and that many people just can’t get with the new art style and storytelling, but for me it worked. Hatamou S2 Part 2 feels like a proper fantasy story for once instead of a one-trick pony meme fest. There’s a real antagonist, hardship and some really sweet moments. I’m very much looking forward to getting more of this story and if it has the same character development and plot organisation as this, I’m all in.
Hatamaou s2 part 2 gets 8 out of 10
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Sep 28, 2023
After the disaster that was Spyroom season 1, Spyroom season 2 is an all around better and more enjoyable experience, that faithfully captures the essence of the best arc of the light novels.
Studio FEEL really dropped the ball on the first season of Spyroom. The pacing was awful. The adaptation cut out numerous key details that would’ve helped things flow more cohesively, and all the magic of what makes this series special was gone. I legitimately found myself falling asleep watching some episodes. The difference between this season and last season is night and day. They’ve taken their time and given volumes 3 and
...
4 the love and care they deserve.
What’s significant about those two volumes is that the story is substantially better than the first two books. Yes, the first season wasn’t a good adaptation, but that’s compounded by the fact the story simply isn’t that great to start. The slice of life elements of spyroom make the progression slower than your typical LN. This season really shows Lamplight coming together as a proper team, some good action scenes, emotional story beats, as well as characters like Thea and Annette getting fleshed out. Both really serve as the focal points of the two main arcs in season 2 and are simply brilliant in them. Had a blast seeing two get the shine they deserved. Particularly Thea over the last 4 episodes or so growing into a true leader.
Not only are the episodes a near 1:1 adaptation of the source this time around, but the inclusion of the side stories volumes in between arcs was a nice way to expand on the girls and get audiences more invested in them. Last season they did some side story volumes, but they were positioned really awkwardly and killed the momentum of the show. FEEL learnt from their mistakes and wove a much more cohesive narrative this time bringing the whole team to life.
For a story about “spies” I think last season many people may have felt there was shockingly little espionage and tricks employed. While it’s still no Mission:Impossible level of spy thriller, this season definitely leans more into the spy genre and there’s some really cool reverse uno style trickery and action. I still think there’s room to improve on this, but it’s slowly getting better and this was a big step forward.
As I started to touch on before, the story has got much better overall, and there seems to be a clearer direction in terms of the overarching goal. We actually have some enemies and something to work towards which makes the show much more enjoyable.
So to sum things up. If you liked the idea of a team of hot waifus being spies, but found the pacing and story to be weak in the first season, I think you’ll enjoy this season a lot more. While it’s not the strongest piece of writing, it’s still pretty fun, has some surprisingly heavy moments and just flows way better. The characters feel more alive and there’s much more weight here. Hopefully we get a third season with the same level of quality.
Spyroom season 2 gets 7 out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 27, 2023
Undead girl murder farce took me by total surprise this season. I was initially intrigued by the key visuals and character designs, but after watching the first episode I was instantly in love with this story and the characters. If you’re a fan of mystery, urban fantasy and interesting characters with a lot of deadpan humour, this is the one for you.
What makes Undead Girl stand out to me is just how unique the story feels. It’s a globe trotting mystery-solving story combined with mystical elements. I’m not quite sure how to fully describe it, but it’s got a cool mix of fanatical elements
...
and a realistic world. That’s to say that our journey takes the characters to real locations such as the French and German countrysides, London, etc., but sees them interact with the magical underbelly of these areas. So whether it’s solving vampire murders, hunting werewolves or stopping Lupin from pulling off a heist, the cast find themselves in some fun situations. I guess you can think of it as another iteration of an anime inspired Sherlock Holmes story with surprisingly good action scenes, subtle but effective comedy and enigmatic characters. What starts as fetch quest to retrieve the body of a talking head becomes much more as we confront an entire villainous criminal network.
Another way I view the show is as a much more engaging and for lack of a better word, fun, version of Kyokou Suiri. Whereas that show suffered at time from pacing and exhaustive dialogue issues in its cases, I feel like all the cases are very engaging and keep you on the edge of your seat in this one. It’s almost like playing an interactive mystery solving game where we, the audience, are encouraged to theorise and put the pieces of the puzzle together. The two main cases in this season were very well done and actually threw me for a loop at the end. I was entirely convinced they’d end one way and they ended up going in the opposite direction.
I believe a big reason for the quality of the story is that it’s based on an actual novel instead of a light novel. From anecdotal experience, it seems pure novels tend to have better characterisation and world building since they’re not just selling to teenagers. The author has a talent for subverting expectations and I appreciate that in an era of predictable stories.
Even if you’re not a big mystery fan, I believe you’ll find the enigmatic characters to be really enjoyable. If you’ve seen the Monogatari series where characters’ dialogue and banter flows so well with one another, doesn’t feel forced or cringe, that’s basically this show too. The 3 leads have such a cool dynamic and really go on to create an almost familial bond by the end. Tsuguru and Aya’s witty jokes and deadpan sense of humour in particular were a blast for me. When characters end up being funny without even trying to be funny, that’s when you got something special. I think the seiyuu casting choices were perfect for all 3 as they created a very nice synergy between the leads.
Really the only complaint I have with the show is that 13 episodes just aren’t enough for this. There’s so many interesting things that were set up and we didn’t even get a chance to start the main big quest because of all the other subplots. That’s not a knock on the story though, I just want more of this world and these characters. It took me back to my childhood when anime just hit so differently. It really has a unique vibe to it and I haven’t seen many others like it. For sure one of the best new shows of 2023.
Undead Girl Murder Farce gets 9 out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 27, 2023
Simply put, Shiroseijyo is a “healing” anime in the truest sense of the word. It is one of the most emotionally soothing anime I’ve seen in a very long time. Utter and complete bliss throughout, and my life will be worse off without it on Wednesdays.
There’s several things that really stand out about Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence. For starters, it’s one of the few anime I’ve seen that actually depicts Christianity(not explicitly stated, but clearly is) in a decent light. The role of the saints and pastors is to help townspeople with their spiritual issues and be a general pillar of support for the
...
community. Other than the magical elements of the story, I actually think they nailed what churches meant to small 19th century towns.
The other thing that stands out for me is just how warm and fuzzy this show makes you feel. Cecilia and Lawrence’s relationship is so delicate and pure you just can’t help but root for him to stop being an idiot and accept her feelings. But even with him being oblivious, just seeing their daily activities and home life is more than enough. It’s “slice of life” in the truest sense of the word. It really feels like we are just watching two people who’ve suffered loss, find a new family with each other.
Simple, seemingly mundane daily tasks like cleaning and cooking feel so nice in this because of the relationship between the two leads. There’s a few side-quest-esque episodes where the cast leave the main town and meet new characters, but for the most part the story is really self contained to the village. Coincidentally, those those few episodes where we did leave the village and learn about how unique Cecilia’s life as a saint was, were really the most emotional. There’s a couple episodes that almost had me in tears.
While the cast is small, the two main side characters, Hazelita and Abel were great. They both basically act as stand-ins for the audience who just want to see Cecilia and Lawrence finally end up together. Had so much fun watching Hazelita play matchmaker behind the scenes, and the budding feelings between she and Abel were also great. There’s a really cool dynamic that exists between Hazelita and Cecilia and Abel and Lawrence as well.
It’s Doga Kobo so you know the art is top notch. It’s bright, cheerful and has so much positive energy. The seiyuu castings were spot on as well, adding a lot of life to every conversation between the characters. The studio really created a pleasant experience with this one and big emphasis on “experience” I think watching this show is a spiritually healing experience that made my Wednesdays so much better. I’ll miss it. A must watch for any SOL or romance fan.
Shiroseijyo gets 9 out of 10
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 27, 2023
Niehime is one of the most underrated anime of 2023 and it’s an absolute shame. This show has one of the best female MCs in recent memory. Along with a fantastic cast, rich world, political drama and a very well written romance.
Admittedly, Niehime grew on me. I wasn’t in love with it from the start. I liked the world, but the age gap between the two leads was.. a bit odd to say the least. However, as they were both developed and more contextual information revealed I honestly forgot I was ever even upset about it. Life is not always black and white and context
...
matters in these situations. Sariphi and Leo’s forbidden love is so well developed and grounded that I’d go out on a limb and call it one of the best in modern shoujo.
Romance aside, the biggest selling point of Niehime is how strong and compelling a protagonist Sariphi is. Despite her being a human in a kingdom of beasts that despise her, she stands tall in the face of racism and wants not to abandon the kingdom, but make it a better place. Even though she has no magical abilities and lacks the physical strength that beasts have, she never backs down and is determined to change the culture of the kingdom. It’s always nice to see a female protagonist who isn’t waiting on someone to come save or bail her out, but making active strides to improve her situation and that of those around her.
Little by little, Sariphi melts the hearts of even the most steadfast bigoted beasts and recruits ally after ally to her side. Can’t stress enough how much I appreciate her character. She’s not a damsel in distress but the driving force behind so many events in the story. Acting as the perfect pillar of support for Leo.
Speaking of Leo, as I began to touch on earlier, he and Sariphi’s relationship is extremely well done. They both compliment each other’s strengths and weaknesses perfectly. Despite coming from totally different backgrounds, we see that they have so much in common and are able to relate to each other in a way that no one else has before. Obviously there’s shades of beauty and the beast with their relationship, but it quickly separates itself from the Disney classic with its depth. Think of it as Belle and the Beast but with an actually well written relationship with way more substance. I loved seeing Sari and Leo’s teamwork develop over the course of the series. They have such a profound sense of trust with one another based on mutually shared hardship that makes it all feel more natural.
The world of Niehime is also extremely rich. The beast kingdom is diverse and full of various races who have been traditionally segregated and discriminated against. It’s not until Leo’s reign that equality was guaranteed for all. The political intrigue and negotiations between Ozmargo and other constituent domains was fun to watch. It’s hard being king when not everyone respects you. It creates some unique challenges for Leo that with Sariphi’s help, he’s able to overcome. The human realm was only briefly touched on in the anime, but also has its own unique history, culture and political situation that I wish we got more of. Hopefully in a second season that will be expanded upon especially with the lore drops that we got towards the end.
There’s a ton of really good supporting characters in Niehime as well. As I said, Sariphi makes a lot of friends and creates important political alliances in her role as acting queen. I really liked how well written most of the characters are. They all feel unique and play big roles in the story. What they all have in common is that Sariphi gradually melted the ice around their hearts.
HanaKana gives one of her best performances as Sariphi. She perfectly captures this “I may be cute, but I’m not a pushover” energy and I couldn’t imagine the story without her. Satoshi Hino’s Leo is great as are the other characters. There’s so much energy they’re able to convey in scenes which only heightens the emotional impact.
There’s surprisingly good sakuga in the show as well. While action scenes aren’t the primary focus, in the few big fights that are in the show, they’re all great. A reminder that JC staff are behind the show.
Unlike many other shoujo stories, Niehime doesn’t rely exclusively on romance and cutesy tropes to sell itself. It instead focuses on creating an immersive world, well written characters and a genuinely gripping story with a strong female lead. I think we only scratched the surface of this series and I can’t wait to start reading it. It is without a doubt one of my favourite anime of the year and it’s a shame it didn’t get the attention it deserved. Wednesdays may have been packed in both seasons it aired, but it was near the top of my heart.
Niehime gets 9 out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 24, 2023
Studio Bind continue to show the world what a masterclass in adaptation looks like. Monologue omissions and minor detail changes aside, Mushoku Tensei Season 2 captures the spirit of the Light Novel in a way that few other anime adaptations have, and shines brightly as a paradigm of fantasy writing.
This season really exemplifies why me and so many others love Mushoku Tensei. The richness of the world, Rudeus’ character development, and how real all the characters feel is on full display. Thanks to Bind’s beautiful direction, you really get a sense that you’re right there in the world with Rudeus. Growing and learning alongside him.
...
The main theme of this season is accepting loss and moving forward. Following last season’s finale, Rudeus is a broken husk of himself. Literally at rock bottom and with no one to turn to. In both of his lives, he’s had a massive fear of abandonment, so when the only family he’s got in this new world is taken away from him, he has two options. Give up and fall into despair like his previous life, or move forward. Rudeus, after getting some external help chooses to move forward and not waste the second chance at life he’s been given.
The audience is able to see a character go from his darkest moment to better than ever. This evolution doesn’t feel forced or cheap. It’s not given. It’s earned. Rudeus puts in the hard work, opens his heart up and makes connections with people, realising that while painful, life is still worth living. I can’t emphasise enough how big this is for a guy who spent the better part of 20 years shut-in in his house. The emotional impact of the biggest moments in this season can’t be overstated. Few shows can illicit goosebumps from episodes filled with pure dialogue. Mushoku is one of them.
Many will criticise Rudeus’ behaviour without consideration for the established reasons he acts the way he does. Without going too deep into a character analysis of Rudeus for the sake of this review, suffice to say he is a broken man. Someone who has had horrific experiences in both his original life and reincarnated life. While physically an adult in his past life, he was still a child mentally. That is, until this season. While he’s not a stand up guy yet, he’s made serious strides in this season to improve as a character and it’s a satisfying journey. By the episode finale, I walked away with a feeling that our MC had become a man.
Yes, he’s still got his cringe moments and he’s constantly down bad. But what draws us to this series is how flawed Rudeus is. I don’t want a perfect archetype of a main character. I want someone that I can empathise and relate to. We all have our character traits we’d like to change and seeing someone overcome obstacles and gradually change theirs allows us to strive to be something greater. That’s what fiction should be and that’s what Mushoku Tensei shows.
As with any Light Novel adaptation, there’s some cut and changed content in the anime. Of course, Studio Bind being created purely to make MT mitigates some of that, but you still have the occasional changed or omitted scene. Regardless, I’m very content with the end result we got as a LN reader. The spirit of the story was preserved and even enhanced in some key moments. The fears about the animation and pacing were totally unfounded as it ended up being just as good if not better than the first season.
There’s not as much action in this season as it serves as an emotional and developmental turning point compared to season 1 part 2s physical and combat development theme. But when it’s needed, Bind bring the sakuga like no one else. Episode 1, 3, 8 and a couple others have some Gorgeous animation that will knock your socks off.
There’s no shortage of praise that can be heaped onto Mushoku Tensei season 2, but the crux of it is that it expertly expands upon the previously introduced lore, world and story. Rudeus grows up in front of our very eyes and the emotional beats are excellent. An emotional and profound tale of grief, acceptance and growth. Mushoku Tensei is the gold standard of Fantasy Anime and a must watch for any fan of the medium.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 24, 2023
Bocchan Season 2 is fluff of the highest order. It’s a very cute watch with some really good romantic developments and awesome CGI. If you enjoyed the first season it’s a no brainer to watch this one as the story is substantially better and the character relationships have finally taken shape.
While I really liked Season 1, it was a little lacking story wise. You had really cute moments between Alice and Bocchan and Cuff and Zain’s relationship, but the quest to cure Bocchan of his curse seemed like a backdrop. In this season, it’s front and center and drives the developments of the season. Every
...
episode feels like solid build-up. We finally get some lore about Bocchan’s past and the events that led to him being cursed as well.
There’s a much bigger focus on the supporting cast in this season as well, which I really appreciate since Cuff, Zain, Daleth, Bocchan’s siblings etc are all hilarious and great in their own ways. Of particular note, Cuff and Zain’s development was a joy to witness. Various ships sail over the course of the season, so if you’re a big romance fan you have a lot of good stuff in store.
Like the first season, CGI is amazing. It took me some getting used to in the first season, but I’ve really fallen in love with this art style and can’t imagine it being told in 2D now. It brings so much charm and makes it a unique watch.
I had so much fun watching this this season. Every episode went by in what seemed like moments and I’m really going to miss it. While the story was consistently good throughout, it got even better in the last few episodes and I think season 3 if it comes, will be another step up in terms of quality. Here’s to hoping we get it.
Bocchan S2 gets 9 out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 23, 2023
Drinking Game: Take a shot every time “Ni sen nen mae/2000 years ago” is mentioned in this show.
No, but in all seriousness, after all the delays and production issues it was nice to have Maou Gakuin S2 back. The first half was pretty subpar in terms of pacing and story, but episodes 7-12 were a massive improvement and probably the best the series has been. The time travel arc had several emotional story beats that just really worked well. The pacing and action were really good, and the character development that side characters like Shin and Reno got was impressive.
I’m not sure how
...
much of the first half’s issues were just weak writing or how much was based on production issues, but it is a bit of a slog to get through the first half. I’d say it’s very much worth it for the story we get in the second half of the season, though. Just keep that in mind as you’re watching that it is indeed building up to a satisfying payoff.
The big antagonist in this season is pretty OP and even poses issues for Anos. The issue with series like this is that oftentimes it’s difficult to create a compelling villain because the MC is so damn strong himself. To address that in Maou Gakuin, they created an antagonist who could really target a few of Anos’ weaknesses. Instead of just a straight up test of strength, it’s a test of wits and personal relationships. This serves as the driving force behind the growth of several characters in the season.
The big elephant in the room with this season of Maou Gakuin is the change in seiyuu for Anos. It is very noticeable. No, I never fully got used to it, but after a certain point it stopped impacting my enjoyment. His original seiyuu just brought a unique charm and swagger to the character that I don’t think this one has. That’s not a put down on Umehara-san. I just primarily associate him with other types of characters.
So then, is Maou Gakuin II worth checking out? Well for me, yes. Even with a sluggish first half, the payoff that episodes 9-11 have is worth sitting thru a couple hours of mid in my opinion. Hell, you might even enjoy the talking CGI tree meme. That said, because there is that sluggish start, I can’t rate it as highly as I’d like. Had the first half been as good as the second half we’d be talking about this in AOTY discussions, it was just very inconsistent and a tale of two halves.
I am very much looking forward to the next cour of this and to finally reading the books. I hope the next season isn’t plagued by the same issues and can tell a consistently good story from start to finish.
Maou Gakuin II gets 7, out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 23, 2023
Tenpuru gives off early 2000s ecchi anime vibes and feels like a proper blast from the past with a great harem, awesome fan-service and good old fashioned fun. A must watch for “PLOT” enjoyers and those just looking for a funny anime.
We really don’t get many shows like this anymore. Ecchi harems that don’t take themselves too seriously, blend comedy with fan service and have good characters have become a rarity these days. Back in the day, there were several every season, but as the industry’s shifted towards isekai and fantasy stuff, stories like Tenpuru have been left behind. Luckily, we got a really
...
good one here. I had a blast with this show from start to finish. It’s very simple watch, but the comedy just works for me, which is rare in anime.
I think the characters are very likeable and despite its simple story, there’s some solid development. It’s very much a basic story, but it’s all about its execution. Over the course of the 12 episodes, there’s adequate shine for the characters. Of course, as you’d expect they all have their various reasons for falling for the MC, but for the most part I thought they were well done and made sense.
With harem comedies like this, the most important things are 1: it’s not censored. 2: Girls are likeable and 3: The mc isn’t too much of an idiot. Tenpuru ticks two of those boxes. Akagami is a bit of an idiot, but he’s a loveable idiot. You really do get attached to the guy and want the best for him. He tries his best to be a responsible adult in the room, but constantly falls into ecchi scenarios with the girls which are absolutely hilarious.
The biggest issue I have with this show is the voice acting. It took several episodes for me to get acclimated to Akagami and a few of the girls’ voices. The MC sounds like a 45 year old man and it just isn’t what you’d expect when you look at the character design. A couple of the girls sound like very old women despite being in their early 20s or teenagers. After a few episodes, it grew on me and I stopped noticing it. But it was jarring at first. If you watch like 10 minutes of an episode you’ll see what I mean. But it didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment.
This was a very anime-y anime and that’s ok. I miss these types of shows that just let you turn your brain off and enjoy some ridiculous comedy and fan service. Last season we had Yuusha Ga Shinda and Megami Cafe, but those had a little more plot than this one. This is more of a straight up slice of life comedy with a group of characters that are just trying to coexist. I really had a lot of fun watching it and I’ll miss it.
Tenpuru gets 8 out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Sep 22, 2023
Sugar Apple Season 2, which is really just the second cour of a split cour, is a massive improvement in almost every aspect. The story, characterisation, drama and stakes are much more pronounced and impactful in this cour. It’s a must watch for any shoujo or romance fan.
I personally really liked the first cour, but I can’t deny there were some aspects of the show that felt underbaked. Namely the pacing and overarching narrative which I found lacking at times. Both are much better in this cour. You still have Anne reaching out to and making connections with characters which has always been the
...
crux of the story, but we’ve gone away from pure slice of life stuff and entered an actual arc with a tangible villain.
Yea, we had Jonas in the first cour, but he was basically a rapey loser. The antagonist in this one brings a true sense of danger and intimidation, as well as revealing very interesting lore about the world. Anne and Challe’s relationship is truly put to the test and their bond grows much stronger in this one. If cour 1s theme was about Anne’s journey to become a silver sugar master, the theme of cour 2 is Anne and Challe growing to understand one another.
In addition to the overall improved story, I think Challe’s character growth is the big selling point here. In the first cour, he came off as kind of a generic shoujo style male tsundere who the FMC likes because he’s hot. I’ve come to realise that’s a disservice to him. He’s much more than that and has fears and hopes just like anyone else. In order to secure his future, he has to confront his past in this cour and it was cry satisfying to watch.
The gradual build up to the reveal of the villain kept me engaged and once he got on screen and started putting his fiendish plan in motion I was locked in. There’s actually some pretty dark things in this cour compared to the first one and I believe it added a degree of gravity to the story that was missing before. Even before the final arc, there’s deaths, sadness and characters having to overcome loss. There’s blood and some really uncomfortable scenes. This just feels like a much more mature story compared to before.
As I started to touch on earlier, the pacing is much better this time around. There’s no episodes that really drag on. It feels like everything is really leading into something which in a show with only 12 episodes is crucial. If anything, by the end of the show I just wanted more and will be hopefully starting the books soon.
The action, while not frequent, is very good in this cour. There’s a couple battles between Challe and the main antagonist that reminded me this show is by JC staff. With all the slice of life fluff at times it’s easy to forget, but this team is very capable and came through when it mattered. The art continues to look gorgeous and five of a proper fantastical vibe. And the OST is solid as well.
If I were to make any criticism of the show it’s that Anne’s naïveté at times can be annoying. Particularly as it relates to her willingness to forgive almost anyone. (Think Naruto and Old school shonen protag style.) It’s consistent with the type of person she’s been established as, but sometimes I couldn’t help shaking my head at her decisions.
That aside, I have virtually no complaints with Sugar Apple Fairy Tale season 2. I loved the first season and think this is an improvement in every way. A budding romance, good character development, action, stakes and a very fun time. I will miss this show.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Season 2 gets 10 Sugar Statues, out of 10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
