Jun 30, 2024
Disclaimer: I’m a fan of the series, and this review is not meant as a hate message. I simply want to share my thoughts about season 2 as a whole.
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As far as I’m concerned, second season has little to do with the first one. Not so much for the decline, which in my opinion is quite evident, in direction and animation quality (carried by q-kawa), though still well above average, but because it primarily adopts a Slice of Life approach without making significant efforts to build compelling characters.
I felt no interest in the Counter Arrow part, no interest in the academy part, and when it
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finally seemed like they would focus on what the first season did best, adventure, they cut the entire trip short and butchered the dungeon exploration, which was far superior in the Light Novel.
Season 2 is largely uneventful. Also, outside of some episodes (9, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22), the dialogues are mediocre and uninteresting. While it didn’t introduce bad characters, it lacked proper time to develop them. This shortage stemmed from Rudeus spending time with people individually rather than in a group, creating various (not so good) subplots. This also hindered the creation of interesting character dynamics, which is typically one of the most appealing aspects of Slice of Life shows.
Moreover, Season 2 did little to expand on lore and world-building, which one would expect from a school arc, where students are supposed to learn something. I would have loved to see more about the school system, the teachers and magic, but unfortunately, zero minutes were spent on that. As a result, the school setting served merely as background decoration rather than a plot point.
Unlike the first season, exploration was reduced to -traveling from point A to point B- lacking immersion and captivation. I also disliked how, due to adaptation choices, a lot was cut from episode 23, resulting in a product that diverged significantly from the Light Novel, not in a good way. This notably ruined Roxy’s character, in my opinion.
(Spoilers)
That being said, not everything about this season was bad. For example:
- In the academy arc, I found Nanahoshi episodes quite interesting (9, 15).
- In s2p2, I really liked Rudeus’s interactions with Norn and Aisha, one of the few instances of proper character development.
- Paul carried labyrinth arc.
Probably the change of director, as well as the evidently shorter time spend on the production of the season heavily affected it. I’m convinced that focusing on certain aspects of the story instead of others would have helped me appreciate this season more. At the very least, I can acknowledge that episode 22 was absolutely insane, and overall, that part 2 was better than part 1.
Lastly, I’d like to clarify my points about direction and animation. While STILL GOOD, there has been a noticeable decline.
By decline in animation, I mean that character movements are much less smooth this season compared to the last. Background animation is also less detailed. There were fewer talented (freelancer) animators on board, and it shows in the absence of sakuga in most of the episodes.
Regarding direction, the storyboards have gotten significantly weaker, and the attention to detail has been reduced.
(Heavy spoilers) - Final Rating
STORY: 5/10
The season felt largely uneventful and suffered from poor pacing. Key moments, such as the Nanahoshi meeting, Sylphie marriage and turning point 3 were highlights, but the overall narrative lacked engagement and depth. Deviations and cuts from the Light Novel, particularly in the dungeon exploration and episode 23, detracted from the storytelling.
CHARACTERS: 7.5/10
While many characters, such as those in the Counter Arrow group, Linia, Pursena, Zanoba, Cliff, and Elinalise, were introduced, they lacked proper development. However, others like Paul, Norn, and Sylphie were very well-executed. Roxy’s character was mismanaged, and I’m not a fan of Rudeus.
ANIMATION: 7.5/10
The animation quality remained good but declined compared to the first season.
SOUND & VOICE ACTING: 8/10
The voice acting performances were strong.
DIRECTION: 4/10
The direction saw a significant drop in quality, likely due to the change in director and shorter production time.
ENJOYMENT: 6/10
While there were enjoyable moments, the season overall failed to capture the same magic as the first. The adventure elements were reduced, and the Slice of Life approach lacked compelling character dynamics.
OVERALL: 38/60
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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