Episode 9: We speedrun the final chip battle, because let’s face it, no one cares about that blonde kid. The real plot of the episode is Sakura taking the key for herself so she can challenge the King. And it looks like the theory that Sakura is Kikka’s soul is all but confirmed. Or maybe more accurately, Sakura is part of Kikka’s soul.
Also apparently Teruto has won against the King before, and it seems that it’s not actually a good thing.
I'm iffy on episode 10, but even if I tried I wouldn't be able to articulate why. I just know something about it is off and hollow.
The match itself was well-animated, though I won’t pretend to understand the nitty gritty. However, the emotional punch just wasn’t there. Sakura even goes as far to admit that fighting Kikka was a dumb idea, she only… “wanted to fight until the bitter end.” Uh, okay?
Lacking the emotional punch is probably the best way to put it, yeah. The entire setup for the episode is kinda dumb.
Episode 11: We finally learn what's up with Neo Kyoto. It's Inside a Computer System. And apparently the big brain you need to win card games is the juice they need for the Lotus-Eater Machine. Sure, let's go with that.
Teruto taking off the edgy hoodie and apologizing might just be what does Kikka in.
Episode 12, we're done lads.
I think the final episode is good. If nothing else, this show stuck the landing.
Overall a very 50/50 experience for me. Woefully underused side cast, but interesting (enough) plot to keep me engaged. I at least had fun with it and enjoyed my time more than I didn't, which is all I can ask for in the end.
Definitely not going in my top 10's any time soon though.
Yeah I think the finale was good. Teruto pulling out Iora for the win was poetic. I also like the implication that it will be Kikka and Hiyori’s turn to save Teruto from kingship.
Actually apparently there already is a sequel planned, called Code White, and the protagonist will be Hiyori. This information I think actually improves my review of this show because it’s basically the first part of a longer story.
I also think it’s hilarious that Naomitsu was the most protagonist-material all along.
While I'm here anyway, might as well re-use this thread too for Code White.
Airs tomorrow, bay-bee.
that is a pretty radical character shift for hiyori, lmao
First episode is out.
I'm not fond of how they reduced Kikka to a crybaby and I think Hiyori's jaded character shift also does a disservice to how charming she was in the first show. That aside, the rest of the episode is pretty baller; the already good animation got even better, the plot hook is great and the (in my opinion) already interesting world is now even moreso.
If it keeps the momentum going I can see this being a great sequel; if not, well, sucks to be me I guess. Overall my impressions are positive, even if I wish they didn't make Kikka so needlessly helpless.
I mean, it’s been three years. I can definitely see Hiyori becoming jaded, and her current edgelord attitude could be her trying to emulate Teruto, as if trying to convince herself that she’s strong. I’d assume her old bubbly personality will seep through in later episodes. Have to agree that I don’t like Kikka being a crybaby, though.
The animation did get a glow up and the current oppressive atmosphere of Neo Kyoto is one heck of an improvement over the last time. This is now kind of a survival anime. Have to wonder what happened to the other characters though.
There was one character introduced in the tail-end of the first show they are absolutely going to bring back: the dude with a crush on Hiyori. With her being the protagonist now, and him kind of coming out of nowhere, it'd seem pretty baffling if they didn't further explore what his deal was.
I can also see Enjou making a return, since while we understand his backstory now, we never actually got to see if he got payback.
As for the rest, I think they won't be brought back. I can't see them spending any time on, say, the idol, or any of the numerous background NPCs. Just Enjou and the one guy.
Edited by Nickpws on Apr 3rd 2022 at 2:13:23 PM
Oh yeah, I’m absolutely expecting the blonde kid to come back.
Episode 2: I am absolutely loving this post-apocalyptic backdrop where people fight for survival using card games.
Hiyori shows some of that cuteness from her Code Black days. And King Kikka is returning to the fight! “Are you good at this game?”
So Naomitsu is also missing… I’m thinking he’s not going to show up in this season at all and instead be the focus of a Code Red. Definitely thinking the blonde kid with a crush on Hiyori will be popping up though. Oh, speaking of people who pop up, Ishinome’s back! But he got nerfed so now he’s a caretaker-handyman-chef.
The production values are also pretty high. Love how extra everything is.
Episode 2: "How Kikka got her groove back".
Not much to say about this episode; it just fleshed out the setting some more and mostly served to have Kikka actually step up to the fight. I DO like how the brunette and blue-haired girl, who we saw as super minor background NPCs talking to Hiyori in her introduction episode, now boomerang'd back as somewhat proper characters. 's clever.
I was watching this show during the 1 season and then dropped it, mostly because they seemed to skim through the card game battles more and more with each episode.
Has this part changed?
Episode 4: I seriously hoped Hiyori would be colder to Kikka. Something along the lines of “it doesn’t matter if I don’t like you. I need you to save Master.” But I guess moe girls will be moe girls.
Wonder if Naomitsu and Rinpu got snapped out of their funk. Also guessing our mysterious bandaged vigilante is the blonde kid.
The cloaked person can't be him, actually. The eye colours don't match up, besides, he's featured separately in the opening from them. I've no idea who it could be, though; no character from the first season has brown eyes like the cloaked person does. I thought Teruto at first, but his eyes are clearly green instead.
Speaking of the opening, only after looking more closely at it do I realise the idol from the first season actually shows up in it, so she'll probably recur too at some point.
EDIT: I fucking know who this is. The only character that has brown eyes like this is Kikka and Teruto's caretaker.
Edited by Nickpws on May 1st 2022 at 10:06:22 AM
Oh, gotcha. I tend to avoid watching openings so I didn’t catch that. Would be funny if that was the caretaker haha.
The mysterious cloaked figure being a new character was really the only thing she could've been, but it's still far less interesting than if she'd been an already established one all along. She's also very obviously going to job next episode.
This anime is... pretty boring. The building blocks for a great plot are here, but it does nothing interesting with its premise and the dialogue is as stock as it gets. Character motivations are pretty by the numbers and there's no real shocking twists anywhere- not ever since the reveal that Kikka was Teruto's sister, anyway.
I want to like this anime, but man the longer it goes the less interesting it gets. It's not even a bad anime, it just doesn't do much of anything adventurous. I want it to be more than this.
The last two episodes especially have essentially given us the framework of what is essentially a gang war in these Kuge-infested city, but they don’t really do much with it, instead treating the gangs like a minor inconvenience to kick out of the way before finally facing the big bad.
Episode 8: Predictably Reira loses, and only served to show off what cards Higuma has up his sleeve. Ahem. I feel like Reira should have joined the raid party.
Anyway, Ishinome becomes a key-like thingamajig for some reason, Kikka dons Sakura’s clip and scarf, and the clock is ticking down to a citywide rebuild. Pretty cool that Naomitsu and Kikka are gonna have to fight their past selves.
Episode 10 sure did happen.
I'm not even going to pretend I like it, honestly. Everything from the main server being the one actually battling instead of Teruto to Sakura getting revived feel like incredibly cop-outs. It's implied Sakura did all that stuff like throwing Hiyori into the server and guiding her memories and actions, but like? Why is Sakura around in the first place, again? Is she not supposed to be a part of Kikka that got shed off and later rejoined? Was that not the entire point of giving Kikka Sakura's hairpin?
It all leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, it does.
Yeah Sakura should have stayed dead. Not that bothered with what happened to Teruto because I figured there was going to be some asspull about the villain, but yeah it’s a lame copout.
Kikka did nothing wrong.