Reviews

Dec 4, 2012
A couple years ago when I started Saki, I didn't think I would enjoy a series about mahjong because I knew next to nothing about mahjong but Saki sure did change my mind. So when Saki: Achiga-hen was announced I just had to watch it, even though it focused on another set of characters. Although it was not as well done and as memorable as the original, it is still an enjoyable series and very entertaining even if you have no knowledge about the game of mahjong.

Compared to the original season, Achiga-hen is much shorter in length so the pacing of this season is extremely fast until the last couple of episodes which is a major weakness. The fast pacing allows the story to progress faster than the original season (as this season just blazed by the prefectures). However, the reason why the original season is so enjoyable, is because of the intense rounds of mahjong that happen. These matches were very enjoyable to watch because of the epic battles between characters where each displayed their play style and their super natural ability (if they had one). In Achiga-hen we get very little of that until they face off against Senriyama in the quarter finals. During this time, the series really starts to pick up because we get to start seeing some action. The actual story itself is nothing spectacular but it is still fun to watch these girls on their journey to the final table and the struggles they endure to get there.

The girls of Achiga aren't as overpowered, and aren't as thoroughly explored as the girls in Kiyosumi. I think Shizuno is supposed to be the main character but we only get to see her play in one hand. Out of all the main characters in Achiga-hen, Kuro is the only one that develops at all (as we see her overcome one of her hurdles in life) which makes her stand out a bit from the other main characters. However the character that stands out the most in this series is Toki, who is a side character, the reason why she stands out the most is because we get to see her past, how she became part of Senriyama's team and her relationship with Ryuuka. She also makes all the matches in this series fun to watch. Other than that no other character is explored that much, making this cast of characters not very memorable. However each character is still likable, fits well in the series and each have their own unique playing style(even though I don't know what some of character's playing styles are).

The art is different from the original. The colour tone is a bit lighter and the character designs look cuter. In my opinion, this style of art actually fits the series. However the art is still nothing spectacular and nothing really stands out. Here's a fun fact, if you watch the animation of both seasons, you will see that they are nearly identical.

The sound is also done well, each of the voice actors do a good job voicing their characters, they all match their personalities. The opening Miracle Rush really fits the series because this season is more light hearted than the original. There are two endings for this series, SquarePanicSerenade which is very similar to the ending of the original series, which is sung by the voice actors of the main characters which is used when the mood of the episode is light hearted and Futuristic Player, a more serious ending which is used when the mood of the series is more serious. Both endings fit the series but are not too memorable.

Overall, the series is still very enjoyable, unique and still has that Saki charm. It's fun to watch but not as well executed as the original season because of the horrible pacing. Also I still can't wait for the last 3 episodes.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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