You know what would be really surprising? What if I watched SSW after watching the series before it, which I discovered to be mostly garbage?
SSW is the sequel to SIW. As noted in my spoiler-free review of SIW, only 2/3 of the title was explained, so I assumed this time around that "spread" would either refer to a fancy buffet or jelly.
If you haven't seen SIW, you can still watch SSW. In fact, you might enjoy it way more than people who HAVE seen SIW.
Now for a spoiler-filled review of SIW which will gradually segue into a spoiler-free SSW review.
SIW's story is absolutely, terribly, horribly awful. It seems like the writer(s?) had no idea what they were doing and just made up crap from week to week in an effort to surprise the audience.
"Hey," they said. "We have a card game where if special people called Selectors win CCG duels an unspecified amount of times and the plot demands it, their wish will come true." Okay that sounds pretty standard...collect x items (wins) to get wish y.
You know what would be really surprising? What if Yuzuki had a wish that was something taboo? Yeah, that'll shock everyone!
You know what would be really surprising? What if losing three times made you not only lose the ability to be a Selector, but you also lost all memories of anything related to being a Selector, and you had the opposite of your wish come true FOREVER?
So, this happened to Hitoe and she freaked out. Stuff was either disappearing from her diary or she couldn't see it and she was basically shell-shocked. Not only that but she felt physical pain when touched by anyone who could potentially be a friend. It was pretty dark.
Then, Akira lost three times and...
You know what would be really surprising? What if we showed you how screwed up Akira's life got? So, the characters met.
You know what would be really surprising? What if Akira still remembered about being a Selector? Uh...didn't you just establish that they..? Shhh!
You know what would be really surprising? What if getting your wish means that you switch places with your LRIG and they inhabit your body but have your memories and everything? Then Yuzuki expressed disappointment that it wasn't really her getting her wish. However, LRIGs really want to get back into the real world and are required not to say anything about the switcheroo if they ever want to get out. However, getting out of the card world and into someone else's life ALSO isn't really getting your wish to get out of the cards. So what is the point?
Just like when Hitoe was punished, there's clearly an element of magic going on because Yuzuki's LRIG achieves Yuzuki's wish practically overnight.
You know what would be really surprising? What if there were certain wishes that can't come true? Ruko decided she wanted to save everyone but then we're told a couple of times that that wish can't possibly come true yet she still wants to go for it. Hang on for a moment. Akira's wish was to ruin Iona's life. Since she failed, the opposite of her wish came true but...what if she'd won? How would Piruluk have been able to ruin Iona's life? ~_~;
By the way, I thought I should mention that one thing they never made any attempt to explain was WIXOSS. You'd think they'd spend a couple of minutes somewhere in twenty four episodes to explain say, the basic mechanics, but pretty much all you learn is that there are coloured cards, there's a board, there are turns & card power levels, and pretty much everyone starts their games growing their LRIGs. This lack of explanation defuses many shocking game-related scenes because we're not sure what's possible or not. I mean, did you notice how Ruko starts off knowing nothing, then an episode later is one of the best players in the world? Would it not have made sense to have things explained to her and thus the audience by proxy?
You know what would be really surprising? What if Yuzuki became Hitoe's LRIG? Wait, I thought you said that losing three times meant you'd lose the ability to be a Selector? Shhh! If Hitoe can try for a wish again and she wishes for the same thing as last time, can she cancel out the previous negative wish which was for forever?
You know what would be really surprising? What if Hitoe met Ruko and didn't remember anything about her and was cold and hostile?
You know what would be really surprising? What if Hitoe actually remembered Ruko and Yuzuki? Wait, didn't you establish that she could never make friends ever again?
The whole thing with Akira and Hitoe reappearing seems like the creators didn't want to get rid of the characters. However, they clearly stated that losing is a permanent thing. They SHOULD have gotten rid of them. Doing so would've made the whole series stronger. They already said Akira killed another Selector!
I assume the writer(s) knew they had created a steaming turd because the author is credited as "LRIG." No one wanted to take responsibility for the story. Can you blame them?
SSW has a stronger story in that it doesn't contradict itself every episode..just some of them. If you watched SIW, you'd be more likely to question how it was that certain characters suddenly knew things.
Now, you could argue that the contradictions in SIW are not the result of the story being slapped together by squirrels but instead give the show an air of mystery as the girls are confronted by continuous lies but you'd be wrong. The story starts where they know nothing except that win lots = wish comes true. So, being told there are permanent consequences for failure...which turn out to not be permanent...and then you can do things but then you can't but then you can...that's exactly what makes it a mess.
It'd be like if you and Bill were playing a new game he'd just made and Bill told you that throwing the ball into a box would get you three points, then changed his mind to make it two points, then eventually added that you want a low score instead of a high score. How fun of a game would that be to play? Likewise in SIW, introducing surprises and immediately revealing them to be lies has no meaning since there's no real foundation of "truth" established! No mystery is created other than "Who on earth green-lit this project?"
Personally, I felt the strongest parts of SIW were when Selectors interacted with non-Selectors. Ruko's grandmother was almost certainly the best part of the show. At the end, her comment on Ruko's growth as a character was probably the most poignant moment of the series and it had weight because it was grounded in realistic interpersonal relationships, not magical fantasy arbitrary plot twist land.
While SSW has a stronger story, that's only in comparison to SIW. The story is still terrible. It will patiently explain things to you at length...which don't make any sense. When it gets away from SIW, it's halfway decent. However, it doesn't stay away from SIW, which makes the show only 1/4 decent. Pacing is abysmal and you get info-dumped a couple of times which really kills the flow.
So, besides the story (or lack of thereof), the art is not as fancy and the animation is more inconsistent. They love their flashbacks, I tell you. There was also a scene which demonstrated why most characters' hairstyles cover their ears. o_o
Overall, if you've seen SIW, I can't recommend it. Of course, SIW didn't end on a very satisfactory note but this continuation contradicts itself all the time and doesn't flinch. If you haven't seen SIW, then uh, er...mmm. Lucky you?