Ah! My Goddess 2: Flights Of Fancy Volume 1: Reunited, And It Feels So Good - J-Revolution.com
- J-Revolution.com
- Steven A. Hammock
- 05/08/07
- click here
"Ah! My Goddess 2 lacks the superb animation, sound and style of these two series"
"It is entertaining in its own charming little way."
Ah! My Goddess 2: Flights of Fancy Vol. 1
As someone who hadn't ever seen ANY of the Ah! My Goddess series, perhaps the first volume of the second season was not the right way to start. This title could be considered ADV's third major release this year after the wonderful Le Chevalier D'Eon and Phantom Memory Kurau.
While Ah! My Goddess 2 lacks the superb animation, sound and style of these two series, it is entertaining in its own charming little way. For fans of Ah! My Goddess, the second season continues directly where the first left off, making this a nearly seamless transition.
Ah! My Goddess 2: Flights of Fancy
-Volume 1: Reunited, And It Feels So Good
Produced by: AIC, Directed by: Hiroaki Goda
Released by: A.D. Vision, Inc.
Release date: 5/08/07
Episodes 1-4, approximately 100 minutes
The problems I have with Ah! My Goddess 2 exist not because of how basic the series is, but because of how bland it is. This is more reminiscent of anime that would have been released in the U.S. 2-3 years ago, when people were buying up random series here and there just because it was from Japan. The thing is, Ah! My Goddess may be cute, colorful and have decent music, but the story is absolutely, positively "blah."
Ah! My Goddess (as a series) is popular both here and in Japan. While I cannot see exactly why or how it became so popular, it is important to note that I do NOT hate or even dislike this series. While I was watching through it, I just felt as though I could be doing something more productive with my time. I don't typically want to feel this way while watching a series, and I am fairly positive that most people who watch this disc are going to feel the same way.
The story is pretty simple. The back of the box describes it as follows:
"It's been almost a year since the Goddess Belldandy came to live with college student Keiichi Morisato, and he's almost gotten up the nerve to kiss her. Unfortunately, the encounter with the Lord of Terror damaged some of Yggdrasil's systems, and the contract binding Belldandy and Keiichi is among the lost data."
This disc examines the trouble that Keiichi has trying to remember the words to the contract. In addition, one of Keiichi's friends, a lovely girl named Sayoko, really wants to win over Keiichi's heart. The problem is -- Belldandy could be called back up to the Heavens soon if the contract is not renewed.
The story is just bland. There are a few entertaining scenes here and there, including a rather humorous sequence showcasing Belldandy's drinking skills. The show, even in just these four episodes, only proves one thing-- that Belldandy and Keiichi are in love. Time and time again, sweet little things happen tying the two together.
As far as the technical quality of the series goes, the animation is decent. It isn't as good looking at the super-attractive Le Chevalier D'Eon, but it does a perfect job getting across its message. The character animation is strong, and characters such as Belldandy really come to life. This series looks a lot like many of the series from last year (when this aired in Japan), so don't come in expecting too much.
I do enjoy the changes in character costuming, weather it is a simple sweater change for Keiichi or a new outfit for Belldandy -- each and every character seems to have a big wardrobe of clothes -- something a lot of series seem to overlook.
Audio-wise, this disc is once again just decent. This is one of the first series in a long time that I have actually disliked the opening and ending themes, but for some reason, the bagpipeladen music really does not appeal to my ears. I have heard from others that these themes are rather excellent, but for some reason I just can't seem to understand why. Fans of Yoko Ishida take note though -- she is once again doing the theme work for at least the first volume.
The background music is rather forgettable, but it does a good job of tying a few emotional scenes together. This disc is presented in the typical Japanese and English 2.0. ADV has really gotten their dub work down pat, and has put together another strong English track. Luckily though, the character's personalities are displayed equally whether you watch the show in English or Japanese (for all of you dub haters). In addition, the cast members in the English version are the same as the first season, which is somewhat unusual considering the first season was done by Media Blasters instead of ADV.
On disc extras include episode commentary with Eileen Stevens (Belldandy) & Drew Aaron (Keiichi), clean opening and closing animations, production artwork and the typical ADV previews. ADV has been doing a great job this year on extras, and Ah! My Goddess is no different. The box art for this release is also very attractive, showcasing a beautiful shot of Belldandy as well as a nice stylized logo. It is presented in a white keep case.
So, what's the verdict? If you have been a fan of Ah! My Goddess in the past, this return of the series is sure to please you. For those of you looking for a new series to get in to, it is probably necessary to watch the first season before tackling this one. For everyone else, be wary of this series. It doesn't offer much for those of you who want to think about your shows, and for those of you used to shonen anime, this is certainly going to be a bore. If you have heard more good things than you have negative, definitely give this first volume a rent - you may, or may not regret it.
Posted on Tuesday, May 08, 2007 (Archive on Friday, June 08, 2007)