This. Is. AWFUL!
To begin with, there's no story whatsoever. Only episodic filler that really didn't have to be made and it's incredibly disappointing. The characters meet up, shenanigans ensue, and that's about it. Nothing important or exciting.
The art is pretty much the same as the previous two seasons, which is a relief. One thing they didn't manage to screw up!
The music... what music? I don't remember any music, which is funny considering they have two opening songs! One for the live-action segment, Dokki Doki (which takes up about 15 minutes of screen time by the way. No, I'm not kidding.), and the other for the actual anime (which only gets 11 minutes of screen time). None of the four (they change both songs midway through) are very memorable. The two ending songs by Buono! is better, but by then I was already so pissed off I couldn't appreciate it.
The characters are the worst thing about this whole season. Kukai, Utau, Nikaidou, Yukari and Kairi are almost nowhere to be seen and Ikuto disappears completely, only to show up in the last episode but vanish just as quickly again. I'm not a major Ikuto-fangirl, but I was still angry about his absence, mostly because of the unsatisfactory way he left.
Of all the Guardians, in the end only Amu appears consistently. Yaya, Rima and Nagihiko get little screen time and Tadase don't exactly fare much better himself. Instead they bring in Hikaru and this annoying, obnoxious, spotlight stealing Mary Sue named Rikka as "Guardian Apprentices".
Needlessly to say, this was a mistake! None of them get any development and stay just as unlikable as they started out. Hikaru actually go backwards in development, appearing emotionless even though he got over that in the end of Doki!
Come to think of it, Ikuto's character also gets mercilessly botched the few times he appears.
Of all 25 episodes only three of them is mercifully Rikka-free. Episode 7 is about Nadeshiko "coming back", Rima giving Nagi a hard time trying to keep up the "Nadeshiko-and-Nagihiko-are-two-different-persons" facade, and Amu being none the wiser. It's also my favourite episode this season because of two reasons, besides Rikka’s absence:
1. Nagihiko running back and forth changing clothes, Rima doing her very best to torture him and Amu not getting the picture is HILARIOUS.
2. The slight RimaxNagihiko teasing at the end. Yes, I'm a hardcore Rimahiko fangirl, your point?
The other two Rikka-free episodes are ep. 12 and 19, and even then both those episodes are pretty much "meh".
In conclusion, no matter if you're a fan of Shugo Chara! or not you shouldn't watch this. There's nothing redeeming about it at all and it's all just a waste of time. If Doki! didn't satisfy you and you want a real end to the story you should go read Shugo Chara! Encore! instead. Much more fulfilling.
