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smurky turkey
Joined: 30 Jan 2022
Posts: 2065
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Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 11:47 am
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And thus ends the second season. If I am honest, I liked the first season a fair bit more. Sure, the second season had some solid slice of life moments, more pondering about the nature of blessings and moments of excitement, yet the whole Van situation dragged on for too long. I grew tired of Van and Lavender after an episode or three and yet the situation went on for another 4 and felt almost artificial in how it went on and on. With the resolution of the deranged duo finally becoming open to change(?) I am mostly just sighing thinking finally.
On a more positive note: I love that they ended up finally having the ring made resulting in a good romantic moment.
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Edjwald
Joined: 03 Aug 2017
Posts: 1189
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Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 12:27 pm
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I have to agree that the Van thing got tiresome. Part of the reason I was hoping the character would get killed off was so I'd never have to see him again, whether as Bad Van or Better Van. On the other hand, watching the show was never torturous for me because the show kept touching base with the characters I like, and both the characterization and the quality were consistent. There was also forward movement on the main relationship without a lot of BS drama devices like arbitrarily manufactured conflict, abductions, etc which I appreciated. A lot of anime have a hard time pulling that off. If there's a third season, I'll watch it. I'll just hope it deals with the overall mystery of what's up with these blessing shenanigans.
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Gisan Otaku
Joined: 25 Mar 2023
Posts: 92
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Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 2:50 pm
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I agree with Edjwald. The whole Van thing got annoying. I'm curious about those Ogres with the elvish writing on them. Where did they come from? You would think that after going into the high tech ruins last season, someone would have done some exploring after what was found. Could be something to look forward to?
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Melicans
Joined: 01 Feb 2012
Posts: 621
Location: Canada
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Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 4:27 pm
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Making this season they decided to skip the Mistorm arc to do the Van arc. I can see why some people are irritated by how long it took in the season, and I think that is frankly down to how they chose to adapt it. There is a lot that had to be cut; even 12 episodes isn't really enough to do it justice and Van's redemption was very rushed. I think a more thorough telling would see people respond to it better, even though it would mean more episodes with Van.
The worst casualty of this is without question the final volume of Van's saga which is skipped almost entirely. Only the moment where Lavender gifts Red the sapphire and the following engagement and party are included right at the very end, meaning we miss learning the truth about the ancient elves, Mr. Crawly-Wawly's greatest heroics to date, Demis descending into and possessing Van's body, and Red literally beating God out of his body and forcing him back to heaven in a fight.
That last part would have been so epic to see.
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Zork
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Posts: 199
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Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 5:43 pm
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Episode 12
After 11 episodes of Van becoming more and more unhinged regarding his Blessing and its' mission, all it takes to set Van on his way to redemption losing a two minute sword fight with Red, followed by a heart-to-heart talk.
Disappointing.
I was really hoping Van would have been on the verge of killing Red, forcing Ruti to pound the life out of both Van and Lavender. But I suppose that would have been too dark for this show.
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DuskyPredator
Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15510
Location: Brisbane, Australia
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2024 5:03 am
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I just don't buy just letting Van go. I don't think there was enough of a sign that he wanted to overcome the bad habits, and he is just going back to the people that enabled him turning into that monster. If it was anyone other than himself to blame, it would have been the cardinal and or Lavendar, and I don't think there was enough to feel confident that they wouldn't cause him to relapse. The cardinal saying that he still wants to use Van for his selfish reasons, and Lavendar upset that he is starting to change. These are people that were pretty fine for Van to mind control a village into becoming his meat shields. How do they not earn something like series name of being banished from the hero's party?
If I can think of anything following this into a second season, the whole idea of a hero the church under their deity are not good entities, and the enemies should be reconsidered. But I don't know if that is intended.
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Edjwald
Joined: 03 Aug 2017
Posts: 1189
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2024 5:26 am
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Melicans: I read your spoilers figuring they weren't really spoilers - they were things that had been cut out of the anime - and I can't believe they cut that last one. That one scene would have (1) made Van more sympathetic, (2) would have made Van's transformation into a reasonable human being more believable, (3) advanced the main plot/conflict significantly (4) would have been insanely cool. .
Dusky - I agree, but if it helps, these are some of the things I'm telling myself. There's a precedent for them giving people who have become deranged by some kind of blessing poisoning the benefit of a doubt. There's also a precedent for those people to have abrupt turnarounds character wise. Albert is one huge example.
It's also in Red and Ruti's best interest to have another Hero out there taking the pressure off of them as far as the world is concerned. Don't think of Van as having gotten away with it. Think of him as the poor sap who they've patched up a little so he can become the next sacrificial lamb. As to Lavender, that brief scene where she started to say that she loved Van more than ever was probably supposed to show that she's really on board. When he thanked her, I think that was the first time he showed her real consideration, and it took their relationship up to the next level. And the cardinal may be a scum, but he's an official of the most powerful political entity.
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smurky turkey
Joined: 30 Jan 2022
Posts: 2065
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2024 6:15 am
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Melicans' spoilers really make me wonder what would have been best. Yes, more Van would have made me less than happy, but now we got a lot of Van and a rushed and unfulfilling conclusion to his saga. The hero party has seemingly changed and yet I have serious doubts as to how they will function long term (there is not really enough evidence to have faith). I honestly would have taken more Van and a proper conclusion over what we have now.
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Spastic Minnow
Bargain Hunter
Exempt from Grammar Rules
Joined: 02 May 2006
Posts: 4617
Location: Gainesville, FL
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2024 10:06 am
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Considering that I almost quit thanks to the tedious drag of episodes 8-10, it really is too bad they couldn't fit the stuff from Melican's spoilers.
I actually stopped after 9 and watched the last three yesterday. I only binge watched the first season, having skipped it during its airing. Maybe the best for this show in general.
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