The story continues a year after the events of the Black Rebellion and it begins in the same manner as before; setting the scene with 2 intense, action-packed episodes. After that it takes a while for the story to gain some momentum, so you just have to get through the first couple recycled episodes until things get exciting. Lelouch still has the same motivation to put an end to his father’s Britannian Empire nevertheless, how he will achieve it still remains a mystery, which is what makes the series so exciting to watch. Although part way through the intricate storyline the situation sort of goes haywire, as if the story acquires a mind of its own. Unlike the first season’s in-depth storyline and thought provoking concept, this season tends to dumb things down a level by adding random developments and plot twist after plot twist, just for the writer’s convenience. It also doesn’t help that so much goes unexplained till the end, like the Emperor’s motive and it didn’t resolve things well either.
We have the same awesome cast of characters as before and with Lelouch & Suzaku’s complex rivalry still there to add some spice to the mix. The introduction of many new characters is certainly welcomed here but there are also some that are unwelcomed to the story. In the end, the character aspect that I thought would remain the same throughout was partially ruined when certain characters underwent dramatic changes and others where killed off, once they fulfilled their purpose in the story.
Well Sunrise must have had some spare cash because the production values are through the roof. The animation quality is so amazing and compared to the prequel, you’ll be in for a real treat. Immensely detailed environments, slender CLAMP character designs, seamless CG effects and fluid action sequence are all here. Also the character gestures (especially Lelouch’s) are just as exaggerated as before.
They don’t skimp on the music either as there’s an awesome soundtrack, which works well during both the exciting action and intense drama. On the other hand the music does get pretty messed up during the chaotic battles, as it constantly switches from one fanfare to the next. The OP and ED themes may take some getting used to but they are still pretty good.
Overall this still remains as one of the most exciting mecha anime series of all time but a lot had to be sacrificed to get it there (characters, realism, logic). Just like in most mecha anime you can expect far too much time spent in cockpit-chat yet the battles remain as theatrical as ever before. Still it manages to fail in more areas than the first season such as: the pointless fanservice, over dramatizing scenes and typical Sunrise clichés (characters surviving the impossible). So for those hoping for an even more intense experience than the first season may be somewhat let down, however this is still an amazing series.
