Anime: Maken-ki! Two 6a1lg

Maken Ki has rather unexpectedly returned for a second season of ecchi-based nonsense. However, this time around, they decided to completely ditch the formerly weak plot aspect altogether; instead, the series is comprised of episodic, ecchi-based scenarios such as all the girls being turned into cat-girls and Takeru being turned into a girl so he can peek at the other girls (and pleasure himself) to his heart's content. If this sort of senseless, NSFW ecchi is what you're looking for, you've found your match. If you hoped this season would patch the weak plot or character development from the first season, you'll find none of it here. I'm more in the later camp and was disappointed at the lack of progress.

Animation:
The overall animation of Maken Ki 2 is very similar to the original, perhaps if anything the coloring is a bit less saturated. The drawing is relatively crisp and the shading adequate. The character designs all carry from the first season and, if you them, the characters are still easily identifiable. I did find it a bit annoying that the same antagonists kept reappearing, as if never disciplined or even onished for their previous crimes.

Obviously the focus of the show is ecchi, and even more so than in the original. Don't expect as much action in the original, and the Maken abilities are used just as much for retribution against the protagonist as for dealing with antagonists. Expect excessive boing, inappropriate camera angles, endless fondling, endless girls squealing, and clothing made of thin paper.

Sound:
The OP is a fair, light-pop work sung by the heroines. The ED is a more traditional rock piece with a slightly catchier guitar melody. The BGM is similar to the original, both in tonality and lack of presence.

The VA cast returns from the original so expect the same level of performance as the original.

Story:
This season is all about finding excuses for girls to be in suggestive or otherwise compromising positions. There literally is no plot progression. In my review of the first season, I had hoped that a sequel would help resolve many of the open questions. Well, they successfully addressed none of them. Don't expect any sort of a conclusion either, I assume the director just assumed the viewer would be happy to have had the privilege to see so much skin in a series.

There is a bit of humor in all this ecchi madness, but it's of a light nature that is neither deep nor memorable. The only tangential value in this series is the additional explication of how the original Maken group formed.

Character:
There is likewise no character development or additional character backgrounds. Everyone's relationship remains pretty static in this series, so don't expect anything meaningful to develop. The vast breadth of the number of primary and ing heroines also complicates this as I was struggling to recall who everyone was.

Value:
If this show were to have a one line tagline it would run something like "boobs, in your face". If this appeals to you, then you may very well enjoy this show. For all those who derive enjoyment from the more refined aspects of the anime industry, I recommend you search elsewhere for more tangible returns.

This series is nothing but fillers and fan service, I feel that someone took over this project and has never read the manga. I hope that if a Third season is created that they follow the story in the manga rather then running off and creating something that make no sense to fans that actually enjoy plot and character building. Perhaps people were to caught up in fan service and those who made the anime though they could capitalize on this? I have never seen such a good manga get serialized and then get two season just to become some over the top fan service anime. Fan service is fine in its own right but to make over 10 episodes of just partial nudity and harem type episodes?! The creator took it too far and was in my opinion not focused on the manga it self. thanks but no thanks to this anime if you are looking for content.