Shirota Yuu gets the "Most Improved" award. For for you, Yuu. You go, Yuu.
The actor playing Dark Plasman has a wonderfully smooth voice.
"Toraware no Artuka". I love the Southeast Asian vibe, and the harmonies are probably the tightest in the show.
The Artuka tribe get more character development. I found myself getting more attached to them this time around.
Overall, the story has a more natural flow than the original.
"And Believe In All" benefits from being earlier in Act 2.
The Bad:
The actresses playing the Senshi are really young, and it shows - especially in the singing. (Michiru should not be younger than Usagi. Ever.)
There is so much exposition in this show oh my god make it stop.
This makes Act 2 drag a lot.
Removing Chibi-Usa's subplot and replacing it with no character development whatsoever makes her fairly superfluous.
Plasman's inclusion in "5000-nen Kaguya Shima" is pointless and awful.
"Gesshoku no Crime" is redundant. Either have the speech or the song, but not both.
The Meh:
Loof Merrow. No one but Ono Hikari seems to be able to capture the right blend of rough-around-the-edges confidence and millennia-old loneliness.
Kon's nightgown is hilariously awful. I half expected Peter Pan to swoop in and fly away with her at any moment.
Nakayama Akiko is promising as Uranus, but she's paired with a weak Neptune.
The production quality of the new songs is uneven. "Toraware no Artuka" and "Moonlight Justice" sound great, but the rest range from "meh" to "make it stop".
"Junketsu no Narcissism" has the potential to be awesome, but the production and instrumentation drop the ball after the introduction.
The Kaiteiban:
I'm disappointed that Mamoru's verse from "Okaa-san te nan darou?" was cut. It's a great moment between Mamoru and Chibi-Usa (who loses yet another bit of character development).
The pacing of Act 2 is bogged down by even more slow songs.
"Haha no Ketsumyaku" is unnecessary.
I like "Yakusoku no Uta" as a way to cement the idea of Usagi reaching out to Plasman instead of using force, but it's a slow song near the end of an already slow second act.
It's a shame that Miyamoto Gyo didn't get more time to play Mamoru. It seemed like he was off to a pretty strong start.
Final Thoughts: I'm torn on this one. The story is streamlined and has a better flow, but the show wastes its momentum over and over again on exposition. I will give credit where it's due: I like this version's Artuka tribe much more due to their stronger characterization. This show is worth checking out to see a couple of twists on the Kaguya Island story, but overall, it's a shallower show performed by a weaker cast. I suggest skipping the Kaiteiban; Act 2 is slower and harder to sit through.
Shin Kaguya Shima Densetsu
The Good:
- Shirota Yuu gets the "Most Improved" award. For for you, Yuu. You go, Yuu.
- The actor playing Dark Plasman has a wonderfully smooth voice.
- "Toraware no Artuka". I love the Southeast Asian vibe, and the harmonies are probably the tightest in the show.
- The Artuka tribe get more character development. I found myself getting more attached to them this time around.
- Overall, the story has a more natural flow than the original.
- "And Believe In All" benefits from being earlier in Act 2.
The Bad:- The actresses playing the Senshi are really young, and it shows - especially in the singing. (Michiru should not be younger than Usagi. Ever.)
- There is so much exposition in this show oh my god make it stop.
- This makes Act 2 drag a lot.
- Removing Chibi-Usa's subplot and replacing it with no character development whatsoever makes her fairly superfluous.
- Plasman's inclusion in "5000-nen Kaguya Shima" is pointless and awful.
- "Gesshoku no Crime" is redundant. Either have the speech or the song, but not both.
The Meh:- Loof Merrow. No one but Ono Hikari seems to be able to capture the right blend of rough-around-the-edges confidence and millennia-old loneliness.
- Kon's nightgown is hilariously awful. I half expected Peter Pan to swoop in and fly away with her at any moment.
- Nakayama Akiko is promising as Uranus, but she's paired with a weak Neptune.
- The production quality of the new songs is uneven. "Toraware no Artuka" and "Moonlight Justice" sound great, but the rest range from "meh" to "make it stop".
- "Junketsu no Narcissism" has the potential to be awesome, but the production and instrumentation drop the ball after the introduction.
The Kaiteiban:- I'm disappointed that Mamoru's verse from "Okaa-san te nan darou?" was cut. It's a great moment between Mamoru and Chibi-Usa (who loses yet another bit of character development).
- The pacing of Act 2 is bogged down by even more slow songs.
- "Haha no Ketsumyaku" is unnecessary.
- I like "Yakusoku no Uta" as a way to cement the idea of Usagi reaching out to Plasman instead of using force, but it's a slow song near the end of an already slow second act.
- It's a shame that Miyamoto Gyo didn't get more time to play Mamoru. It seemed like he was off to a pretty strong start.
Final Thoughts: I'm torn on this one. The story is streamlined and has a better flow, but the show wastes its momentum over and over again on exposition. I will give credit where it's due: I like this version's Artuka tribe much more due to their stronger characterization. This show is worth checking out to see a couple of twists on the Kaguya Island story, but overall, it's a shallower show performed by a weaker cast. I suggest skipping the Kaiteiban; Act 2 is slower and harder to sit through.