Score: A

This sequel just isn’t going to disappoint. The first episode was a truly fun experience and a nice way to reconnect with the main cast. Now the second episode basically let the main plot resume after that pure dose of fun. Not that this episode was lacking in fun. But it was a much more serious episode that picked up on the main issues that were raised in the first season. Pecorine’s situation is still pretty serious and she’s not comfortable enough to tell everyone about her past. The same goes for Karyl in all honesty. Her situation is especially difficult with her living this double life and feeling utterly trapped. The more time passes and the more difficult it is becoming for her to handle. Which is terrible for Karyl, but it is really compelling to watch unfold.

Cute moments like this are nice touches

The difference for me between the first and second season is that the game did get localized so there are comparisons I could make between them. But there’s almost no reason to. They are definitely taking place in the same setting with the same main characters. But the anime is really telling the story in its own way and making a lot of changes for the sake of a consistent narrative. Which I’m absolutely fine with since it was the anime story that I got into first. There’s two ways to look at that decision. One could wish for a much more literal adaptation. But you could also say that doing it this way allows for two different experiences.

I feel for Karyl

Without question, Karyl was the star of this second episode. We really got to see her double life in action and empathize with how hard it is on her. The end of the episode kind of captures it. She’s just been fighting through the night with a ‘sort of ally’. Her friends were at a concert, but she had to fight to keep the monsters “Eustiana” lost control over from causing chaos. She’s worn out and laying in the street while hearing her friends calling for her. The weight of the lies and that she’s spying on them just hitting in that moment. Plus, there is the obvious symbolism. She’s in the darkness, they are out in the light, and only when the light reached her, did she finally get up and go to them.

Karyl is just trapped right now. This loyally to someone that utterly terrifies her is clashing with her bonds of friendship with the people she’s been made to spy on. For the time being she’s handling it. But I can’t see this season ending without her position being revealed. They have to tackle the drama and Karyl is going to have to make a choice. I feel for her since it’s going to be difficult no matter what.

This person can’t be defeated fast enough

I’ll just call the fake Eustiana by that name since it’s all we’ve got for her at present. It’s not like Eustiana cared if people were killed by the shadows since she made them for that purpose. But if they kill people and she doesn’t get their souls…then it’s not to her benefit. It’s a purely selfish clean-up operation. It’s no good if she’s not benefiting from all the deaths!

At least we got a better understanding of her goals. For whatever reason Eustiana was absorbing souls out of that giant shadow the main cast beat in season 1. I’m amazed Karyl didn’t have a total breakdown there. I guess all she could do was hope for mercy and thankfully she got it this time. I am curious what this Eustiana wants with both the kingdom and these souls. It’s obviously not going to be anything good, but it would be nice to figure that part out.

Curious if they’ll appear in the show itself

The OP was pretty fun for this season. They reused the same song as in season 1, but that’s fine since it was such a good one. The ties to the game just made it an obvious choice anyways. But the visuals for this one is worth seeing. They really crammed as many character cameos into that OP as possible. You could pause several times in the OP and catch completely different groups of characters. Obviously, they can’t fit everyone into this season much like they couldn’t last time. But the opening sequence is a good way to give characters a moment while also just highlighting how massive the supporting cast of this series really is. It’s definitely worth watching.

She is shining

I am glad we got to see Carmina in this season. They didn’t have the room for them last time, but this occasion was different. It was a solid move having a short moment between Karyl and Tsumugi. Two people who feel a bit of a gap between themselves and their guildmates. Of course, from Karyl’s point of view, Tsumigi is shining plenty herself. It’s just hard for her to see it when comparing herself to what Nozomi and Chika do better than her. Still, it is a good and obvious comparison. Karyl is more loved than she truly can appreciate or accept considering her situation.

Fun concert

The Carmina guild was fun and the group let us have a lot of fun moments. It’s easy with all the Karyl drama to forget the hilariousness of the entire Gourmet Guild being forced into idol outfits. Even Yuuki! I’m pretty sure some switch was flipped for Kokkoro in seeing him in that outfit. Although personally speaking, I preferred the other characters being in the outfits. Even if Karyl wasn’t having a fun time with it. The comedy wasn’t lacking either when Yuuki found a way through his goofiness to make friends with the Carmina fanclub!

And the concert itself didn’t disappoint. There are good and bad concerts in anime, but I’d say this is one of the good ones. Maybe not the best I’ve ever seen, but it was pretty fun when the story stuck with them. Nozomi, Tsumigi, and Chika were all shining in their own ways. I wouldn’t have minded staying with the concert the whole time. But it did allow for an interesting contrast when compared to Karyl and the battle lover Christina having to take on the shadows. At least Christina is pretty handy when she’s not trying to beat up the main characters XD.

This will be a good season

This was just another really strong episode. I had a blast with the fun parts and sympathized with Karyl/Pecorine during their respective emotional moments. Those two both are dealing with a lot right now. Karyl especially is in a constantly difficult position trying to live these two lives. Hopefully if she does break from the strain that she’ll have friends around her. There’s no doubt I’m sticking with this show for the rest of the season. Here’s hoping we all have a good time with it!