The tonal issues of SRD are basically gone. Moving "Here Goes! Shooting Star" to after the curtain call really helps.
Galaxia and Beryl's partnership (such as it is) has a much more believable dynamic.
The Dark Kingdom is generally treated better this time around. Beryl's dialogue has been streamlined, and the Shitennou are more competent.
Marina's version of "The Last Change" is my favorite. It's not an easy song, and she does it really well.
Princess Kakyuu's inclusion brings the Starlights up and out of the "meh" category. They're great together. "Teikou no Hana" is a fantastic addition.
Okay, this is my favorite version of Galaxia Gorgeous. For real this time.
The Bad:
The cast is too weak to make the elements lifted directly from the First Stage work. "Sorezore no Elegy" and "Orleans no Sei Senshi ~Uranus to Neptune no Uragiri~" suffer the most because of this.
Speaking of "Sorezore no Elegy", Marina's scream after it is eardrum-shattering. Her speaking voice is unnaturally squeaky to the point where I've noticed it enough to mention it here.
The actress playing Saturn is awful (and she got a solo, ew)
Putting Metalia in the final battle is pointless and takes away the punch of Beryl's last moments.
The Meh:
Chibi-Usa is marginally less useless, but you can still replace her with a broom and lose nothing.
Final Thoughts:Kakyuu-Ouhi Kourin is noticeably improved from its predecessor, but it's ultimately let down by its cast. Had this been performed by a stronger cast (see LDJ, Tn M K, or BL), I probably would have ended up liking it more. It's a decent take on the Eien Densetsu story, and a solid enough close to the Second Stage.
Kakyuu-Ouhi Kourin
The Good:
The Bad:
The Meh:
Final Thoughts: Kakyuu-Ouhi Kourin is noticeably improved from its predecessor, but it's ultimately let down by its cast. Had this been performed by a stronger cast (see LDJ, Tn M K, or BL), I probably would have ended up liking it more. It's a decent take on the Eien Densetsu story, and a solid enough close to the Second Stage.