To use the cliched phrase, as much as i hate it, the original K 'showed' and didn't tell. Much of the enjoyment i derived from it was from its reluctance to just hand me everything on a plate and have me try to read into what was being shown. While the sequel tries to do the same at times, most others, it just punches you in the face with what it wants to say. The most infuriating part? More often than not, it doesn't have anything to say. Atleast nothing we haven't heard already a thousand times (without going into details, its the same old crap about the strength of humans, and the belief that they can do the right thing...sigh, it basically became a shonen in the end, with all the bullshit ' i believe' and 'i dont need anyone other than friends' being thrown around)
It also doesn't help that the female characters are little more than a broken record that can repeat just the single line (especially the insufferable cat, i really hated her this time even more). Like seriously, while i didn't particularly mind the excessive fanservice at times, they are even lesser than 1-dimensional characters in terms of traits. This issue unfortunately spreads over to other characters that were quite good in terms of personality from the first season. Here, they just practically repeat the same lines over and over (looking at you Anna). If all the extra time was instead focused on characters like the blue king and...well only him i guess, it could have made things more interesting. After some thought, there are at most one or two who are interesting apart from him. Not exactly great for a show that has so many characters is it? But i guess you cant blame the show though. I feel like all that could have been explored in terms of character was done in the first season itself. So, this time they had to focus on more of the same (case in point: the red clan) or try to introduce a stupid conflict that was a nonentity anyways (the blue clan). Hence, why i feel they had too much time.
Now on the matter of plot. Its simplistic to say the least. Not that the first season was anything great in terms of complexity. But it wove multiple threads, revenge, coming to terms with past mistakes, trying to help a friend, all trite plot lines to be sure, but the execution was great. Also while the powers involved in the story themselves are grand, the plot felt grounded in more human emotions. This season it tries to be something more. But just fails epically at it, probably the only thing that was truly grand about it in the end anyway. That's about it without going into spoilers.
To go over the rest of the elements in brief. Animation is good. Sometimes too good. Enough so that a lot of times you can easily make out that they are reusing clips. And they reuse clips. A lot. And i mean a lot. Get it? A lot. Yeah, its that bad, that many 'lots'.
Art was good too. Really good designs and art choices. Not the colors though. It just felt strange sometimes.
Music kind of changed styles as well, became more dancy, helped the fights seem more like dances, which i think was what the directors were going for so it helped i guess. No particular standout songs though.
Overall, a disappointment. While i had some fun, i would have much rather spent the time on some other series. If you're a fan of the first and can't help but have more, go ahead, maybe you'll feel differently. If you're reading this without ever having seen K for some reason, go right ahead and watch the first. The first. And maybe forget the second exists before its too late.
(Whew, that was long i think. thanks for reading. maybe i should keep a tl;dr version...)
