OP Sequence

OP: 「Questions?」 by 中村優 (Nakamura Yuu)
Watch the OP! Mirror 1, Mirror 2, Streaming

Summary:

It’s been half a year since Druaga was defeated, and the tower has been renamed the Tower of Gilgamesh. The monsters are gone, and Fatina is now acting as a tour guide and souvenir seller. She and Jil have been living above a tavern owned by Kelb who quit the military after it was decided by the higher ups that Gilgamesh would take credit for Druaga’s defeat. Jil, however, still hasn’t fully mentally recovered from Neeba and Kaaya’s betrayal and from the disappearance of the Mythical Tower, and Fatina has to take care of him. On this night, she decides that they should go out and have some fun, but the play they initially attend involves two pairs of lovers’ betrayals, so they end up heading to a wrestling match instead. Because of what they saw at the play, Fatina asks Jil about still being bothered about Kaaya, but he doesn’t answer and instead questions her back about Neeba. Fatina claims that she already forgot about Neeba, and to prove it, she takes Jil’s hand and places it on her leg. She wants to start all over and rests her head on his shoulder, but their moment together is interrupted by a little girl grabbing both their legs from under the seat.

As the two try to figure out who the little girl is, a large group of knights approach them to try to take the girl. Jil and Fatina thus make their way with the girl into the center of the wrestling ring where they’re helped out by one of the fighters, and in the ensuing chaos, the group of four escapes. Some more knights take the pursuit outside, but they are held off by a mysterious archer from a distance, and this allows Jil and company to hide themselves. It turns out that the wrestler who helped them was none other than Utu, and as for the little girl, she claims that she’s Ki, Gilgamesh’s queen and first priestess of Ishtar. What’s more, she shows Jil a vision of Kaaya impaled into the side of some ruins and explains that if Jil wants to stop this from happening, then he should take her to the top of the tower.

ED Sequence

ED: 「魔法使いですけど。」 (Mahoutsukai Desu Kedo) by 折笠富美子 (Orisaka Fumiko)
Watch the ED!: Mirror 1, Mirror 2, Streaming
It’s good to see that the OP and its animation is as alternate-universe energetic as those of the first series, though I think I like Swinging slightly more. As for the ED, the song is okay, but the images that went with it were a bit odd, as if this were a temporary thing that they change every week or every few weeks.

I thought this first episode did a pretty good job reintroducing the characters and bringing up the new conflicts. Nothing huge happened, but there were a lot of hints of things to come and plenty of still-unanswered questions, like why Gilgamesh is acting so weird lately (speaking of which, I guess now that the tower is named after him instead of Druaga, then that might ultimately make him the final boss). They’re moving just fast enough to keep things from getting boring, and it’s fortunately not just a redux of climbing the tower like I feared it might be. I also didn’t really have any complaints about the production quality or voice acting.

One of the more interesting questions coming into this season was who Jil would be paired with, and since Kaaya wasn’t in this episode much but Fatina was, I felt compelled to root for JilXFatina the entire time. The two of them would make a nice couple with Ki as their very cute kid. However, given that Jil is still motivated to go after Kaaya and seems destined to be paired with her, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t end up with her. I wouldn’t be against that as long as Fatina gets a decent amount of character development as well. Speaking of which, who was that red-haired woman looking at Kaaya at the beginning? The only person I could think of with that color hair is Ahmey, but I really don’t want them to magically revive her character.

In any case, I enjoyed this first episode enough to keep watching and probably blogging. As I said in my winter preview, I’m pretty invested in the characters and want to see the story to the end. Hopefully the Gonzo crew won’t disappoint.

55 Comments

  1. I really thought that the first series was good up until episode 7 or 8 then it turned to garbage. This episode was pretty darn good, but it has me wondering will they repeat the last mess leading up to the ending for this series as well.

    Megas
  2. Wow. Thank you for blogging the second season. I truly appreciate your dedication to the anime blogging community. If you didn’t blog ‘The Tower of Druga,’ it would’ve been disappointing. I’m glad you’re on the same wavelength as your frequent guests. Now all we need you to do is to take a big leap into the adult world of HENTAI. Come on, there’s no hurting, join the bandwagon and experience the joy of 2D characters in a heartwrenching tale of love-relationships, ranging from the siscon to the overly endowed childhood enigma. Join us to fight the forces of darkness! (-(-(-_-)-)-)

    All that’s been said, I just want to add my prediction. I believe that this season will leave some of the fans of both heroines disappointed. Let’s just hope the main character won’t lost against his step brother. Saying it like that sounds really disgusting. Bottom line is, I can not picture an ending where the male lead ends up having nothing at the end. It’s morally displeasing. 🙂

    Tim
  3. This episode was a little disappointing for me; maybe because it was a long wait. I guess it returned to the “not very interesting or not very boring” kind of episode for the mean time.

    Talking about who will Jil will end up with, i don’t want him to be with Kaaya for whatever reason. I don’t mind an ending with Ahmey but i don’t think it will happen at all since they don’t have anything in common and Ahmey already has someone she likes. Fatina has changed a lot, i used to hate her but i guess i feel it is ok to be with her now. The last option is to end up with Kai. It would not be that bad since she helped Jil from the very beginning. But it is kinda awkward.

    banzemanga
  4. considering that ahmey was in the OP, i’d say the chances of her being magically revived is fairly high. but judging from her 1 second OP time, she either plays a minor role or appears through flashbacks.

    winglessbaka
  5. Oddly enough, I found myself wanting to draw a few pictures of Jil and Fatina together. I think they’d make a cute pair also with Kai. I think Kai is automatically my favorite character now. In her kid form only though. My sheesh~! When the gang had hidden themselves from the guards, and Fatina turned to Kai to ask if she was okay. The way Kai was on the bags.. chillin’… being all… chill. She just stole me away then and there. I like her as much I as I did Pino from Ergo Proxy. And I foresee a lot of comedy coming from her too.

    I feel like it’s to soon to say this but I can’t wait for the next episode. xD

    Squanto
  6. This episode was pretty good as a reintroduction to the chars, as Omni said. I also feel that Fatina brings alot more energy and fun to the show that Kaaya(most of the time) lacked. I’m actually hoping Jil and Fatina will develop into something before he reaches Kaaya again.

    frubam
  7. Jil should just stick with Fatina. I mean at first, I was rooting for Kaaya since she and him were a good combination, a support and a fighter, plus they got along well and she was the reason why he was able to form a good team and was able to climb the tower. I didn’t like Fatina at first due to her attitude of treating Jill just because they thought he was weak, due to their first encounter. However, the moment of betrayal made me switch to Fatina instead, unless they really show a dam good reason, I mean a very dam good reason for Kaaya to betray Jill (whom was hoping to revive Ahmey).

    X
  8. the girl in the opening scene is definitely Ahmey. look at her bangs. i think the second tower isn’t based in reality, i think she’s able to exist because the second half of the tower isn’t based in reality, hence why everything looked totally different.

    v1cious
  9. well izzit me or something , wat happen to toaru no majustu index and abyss, as i heard they change the time slot but this whole week no news about them, it seem they (japan )focus on new show

    furinyue
  10. Lol at the fork in home plate in the OP. (For those not familiar with baseball, a forkball is a type of baseball pitch.)

    I felt the first season was average. Some episodes I liked quite a bit, and some I wasn’t so fond of. But that cliffhanger had me wanting to see what was going to happen, and so far, so good. I really enjoyed this first episode and am much more excited about this season than the first.

    boznia
  11. I really would like Fatina to be happy with Jill. But I really feel that their relationship would be temporary… Even the ED promotes Kaaya and Jil pairing…

    I hope this season would be better than the first… More character development…

    yohkoyamamoto
  12. I think that the author will playing a lot with a love triangle between FatinaXJillXKaaya. See here http://www.druaga-anime.com/gallery_ill.html , there’s a picture of the last moment in the lake(when Jill carried fatina). But it has two version, Jill caried Fatina and Jill caried Kaaya.
    Then I start thinking that which one Jill ended with is would be mistery untill the last episode, LOL.

    blackice
  13. its good the season 2 jumpstart right away with a few changes and i also thought it was good to see that after a year gone those who were climbers had resulted to living just like the rest of the people can,t belive jil is still holding on kaaya when u have fatina i hope he makes a decision on who he will end up with lets hope they don,t throw in a third love interest.Also who is the red hair lady and who was the person removing the blade from kaaya.

    Nello & Nano
  14. I really like Ahmey but I don’t think she’ll get revived. I hope Fatina and Jil makes some development or else it looks like a Jil x Kayaa ending. I don’t mind this pair as long as Fatina doesn’t die and have plenty of development time.

    GStrike-
  15. Nice episode. I was worried they would either speed through (what I guessed would be) Jil’s depression, or not show it at all. Instead, they made it believable and had some Fatina-Jil action going on.

    Mark
  16. BTW, has anybody else noticed that (IIRC) this is the first time that the succubus has appeared to anyone other than Neeba? I thought she might have been a figment of his imagination. Maybe she symbolizes the guilt that Neeba and Kaaya are going through.

    Mark
  17. I actually would like to see a JilxKaaya ending because I think they are really good together. Yeah Kaaya betrayed Jil but I think it’s safe to say (due to the last episode of season 1 where Kaaya kisses Jil and tells him she loves him) that Kaaya truly does love Jil and Jil obviously has feelings for her.

    I think the whole betrayal thing will just turn out to be the very over used female anime character goes to face terrible danger while she leaves her friends behind as so to not burden them development used in many an anime. She still loves Jil but fears something terrible would happen to him so she leaves him behind all in all neglecting to understand that mental/emotional pain she’s putting him through is far worse than physical injuries, and that they always end up coming to save your ass anyways (lol).

  18. Blah, put me in the Jil*Fatina camp. The chemistry is excellent between those two, and we all saw Fatina’s bias swinging towards Jil at the end of the first season.

    They look like two young ones in a relationship, whereas Kaaya seemed a tad too mature/stoic (behind her seemingly cheery -cup half full- nature)/serious for him.

    But alass, judging from the openings/endings from both seasons, fate isn’t on my side… unless there’s a surprise, which I doubt.

    We finally get to see Utu’s face! 😮 Oh and yeah, Kai is so discustingly incredibly crazy cute it’s sickening 😛

    Decel
  19. I was also rooting for JilxFatina, probably because him ending up with Kaaya seems so predestined and thus predictable. Regardless of whom he ends up with I hope they continue Fatina’s development and maybe play up this love triange abit more. I wonder when Coopa and Melt will show up.

    jules
  20. One of the few Kaaya X Jil survivors I guess. I thought it was a good episode (though I’m hoping to see some more fansub groups pick this up).

    Personally, I’m really glad they don’t have Jil just settling for Fatina (cause, at this point, that’s what it really would be) and still being tormented by the fact his brother stole his love interest. Whether he develops feelings for Fatina later on this season is fine, I’m just glad they haven’t betrayed his character as a stubborn guy who has a hard time letting things go (think back to his determination to climb the tower in the first season after being fired).

    Bakayaro
  21. I’d be all over the Fatina x Jin camp if it weren’t for the fact that the former is older than the latter. I like both pairings, so the age factor is what I consider the deciding factor for me.

    paulrenzo
  22. How old is Kaaya then? I get the feeling that Kaaya is older than Fatina.

    The opening sequences may have swayed me, because the setting seems that Fatina & Jil are longtime childhood friends in the same grade, so if she is older than him, it’s no more than a year.

    Decel
  23. Absolultely hated the ending for season 1. I’m glad for the jilxFatina pairing but it looks pretty short term. Looks pretty obvious Jil didn’t get over Kaaya. Premise for 2nd season is based on his unresolved feelings and desire to save Kaaya from her fate. I really feel terrible for Fatina. First Jil’s brother uses her (and tells her such) and Jil will refuse her feelings.

    Anyway. Can’t help but watch this thing. Damn.

    Irie
  24. Did no one else catch that Show Spoiler ▼

    ? And it totally makes sense that she’s the queen, she obviously had some connection to the king when she got Jil’s sword last season, they just ignored them ’till now.

    Jil and Fatina would be great, but it seems like Kaaya has deep feelings that might be affecting her quest. And Jil is obviously still depressed that Kaaya is gone.

    They’re promising some pretty nice plot details this season, here’s hoping they deliver.

    Traveler
  25. well maybe not the same… sisters? Kai is definitely someone who’s related to Kaaya though. Even her circlet matches Kaaya’s ring from the opening. Also, the last thing she says before shifting is ‘Jil’. Could she be a future Kaaya, returned to stop horrible things from happening? Why is the guard after her?

    Traveler
  26. OMG quote:Speaking of which, who was that red-haired woman looking at Kaaya at the beginning?

    I THINK IT IS AHMEY~SAN!!! because!!! it shows on the preview in episode 6 that ahmey is there in that house where Neeba and Kaaya left to go journey and stuff x3~ zOMG! I MISS AHMEY! cant wait for todaii’s episode!

    Luna Noctis!

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