Yashahime is getting a second season!!

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Daredevil (Season 2)

Zach Goodier

Daredevil is back, and this season is just as tense as evil. Still dealing with the aftermath of Fisk’s attempts to take over the city, Matt Murdock is finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. However, crime is still running rampant in the city, and with the rise of violence as a mysterious new vigilante starts killing off mobsters and other criminals, Daredevil is still working overtime to try to clean up Hell’s Kitchen.

My favorite character this season.

The big new addition this season is the Punisher. I had concerns about how he was going to handled in this show, given his bloody and much grittier feel than typical comic characters, but he is executed very well, especially with a solid performance by Jon Bernthal. The Punisher is a very faithful adaptation of the character, with Frank Castle being the victim of losing his family in an unfortunate shootout between mobsters and police in a failed sting operation. Frank seeks revenge by hunting down criminals throughout Hell’s Kitchen, which puts him at odds with Daredevil, who believes in imprisoning criminals rather than kill them.

While fighting a common enemy, these two are far from friends.

This brings us to one of the great parts about this season: the moral conflict. Daredevil is frequently challenged by both Castle and Elektra (who plays a major role later in the season), who have no reservations about killing to rid the streets of criminals who prey on the innocent. In one scene, these two have a discussion about their methods, during which Daredevil claims that Castle is no better than the people he kills, while Castle points out that all the criminals that Daredevil defeats merely go to jail, and many are already returning to the streets to resume preying on people. It goes a long way toward bringing the battle home for both characters, who struggle with their choices, but are committed to their own paths.

The firm faces new cases, and the dynamic between friends changes as secrets are revealed, and choices made.

Elektra makes an appearance later in the season, becoming important as a new enemy rises in Hell’s Kitchen: The Hand. Elektra is interesting, but kind of feels weak when being introduced so close to The Punisher. I felt she might have been a greater character if they maybe held off another season so the Punisher storyline could reach a conclusion of sorts, because I had a hard time shifting my attention from the anti-hero when Elektra is introduced in the midst of Punisher’s story.

Elektra is a nice addition, but felt somewhat forced into the story while other story arcs were still in major sections.

Still, this season is great, but not without a few weaker moments. That being said, the strong definitely outweighs the weak in this season, and between The Hand, Fisk’s revival, and the Punisher; Hell’s Kitchen is getting crowded fast, as various individuals/groups are preparing to fight for the future of the not only the city, but the world at large. 

Good:

-Punisher is great.

-Fisk is still in the picture.

-Plenty of strong moments for all major characters.

Bad:

-Too much going on at certain points, distracts from the individual storylines.

-Elektra definitely upstaged by Punisher.

Scully Rating: 8.5 out of 10

The Last Man on Earth (Season 2)

By: Robert Murphy

Out with the old and in with the new. That seems to be the general idea for the second season of The Last Man on Earth as Phil "Tandy" Miller (Will Forte) tries to put the mistakes of his past behind him. Last time we saw Phil he was in a tight spot being banished from the group of survivors only to be saved by the unbelievably generous, not to mention insanely forgiving, Carol (Kristen Schaal). The two have spent their days living blissfully across the country and both having come to appreciate one another a little bit more, Phil not minding Carol's craziness and Carol becoming a little more free spirited with the law breaking enjoyment that Phil so relishes. But, the time to make amends for past since coming knocking at the door and Phil (and the show) try to change what has happened for the better.

The show begins on an extreme high point, Phil is left to fend for himself since he is believed to be the last known survivor of a global plague, he laments after living out some ridiculous fantasies and doing just about everything you can think of with no rules or restrictions to govern a person. But, the basis for the entire first season of The Last Man on Earth from then on revolved solely around Phil and how much he devolved into his basis human needs such as lusting after woman, who weren't his wife, and generally being so underhanded that he almost left someone in the desert to die. It was a bit much to handle as week after week Phil would stoop to new lows within the group in order to attempt to get what he wanted from them all. The group of survivors comprised of Melissa (January Jones), Erica (Cleopatra Coleman, Todd (Mel Rodriguez), Gail (Mary Steenburgen) and Phil #2 (Boris Kodjoe) all had their way of dealing with him until the final exploding point but even still it was Phil in the spotlight and it just got repetitive. 

Season two attempts to mend this by going back to it's roots in the first episodes, there are scenes depicting Phil and Carol's loving relationship and general havoc as they search for a place to call home. It immediately breathed new life into the story once Phil revealed a much more tender part of himself, there was much more emotion to the story in the first few moments than that which was felt in the entirety of the last season. Thankfully it doesn't go away in the first two episodes either and it would seem as though Phil is a changed man and someone who is genuinely repentant for all that he has done to those few remaining survivors of this planet. This leads him and Carol to return to their former friends in order to rejoin what little humanity there is left and slowly but surely Phil regains much of his as well. 

What follows is a series of episodes hell bent on Phil's second coming. He is determined to by any means necessary redeem himself to the group, even spending time in a stockade that plays into numerous episodes later on as a form of punishment for those who break the rules or cause any trouble among them. One way or another they all begrudgingly become use to Phil being around again, despite his affinity for making puns out of everything, but it is another sign of true emotion brought to the series as he becomes friends to them all again, well most of them, well mainly Todd. 

As for the cast, things haven't changed too much in Phil and Carol's absence outside of some new relationships and old relationships seeing a tough time. The thing that most begins to rock the boat however is not necessarily Phil's return but rather Carol's who was a true friend to them all before she ran away with Phil at the end of last season. So Carol's return leads to old flings being rekindled, a surprise character dying and many other issues that stir the pot such as Carol's constant badgering about repopulating the Earth, which is something not everyone is on board for. It's all great though because the group themselves seem to have their own story going for it with Phil really just being an onlooker to their experiences, literally in the first few episodes, and desperately trying to be a part of it. 

Perhaps the only thing that feels out of place with this new season was the biggest tease left over in the season finally last year and that is the introduction of Phil's brother, astronaut Mike Miller (Jason Sudeikis). It was interesting to find out that not only was there another survivor but he is currently thousands of miles above the Earth in a space station. If you thought Phil was lonely imagine how his brother feels with no one to talk to except for the friendship he has formed with a group of worm looking bugs. His situation is quite perilous though as he attempts to locate any signs of settlement on Earth or a way to get back without dying in a fireball of metal. The issue is that it doesn't fit well with the situation that is going on Earth, the switching back and forth for brief moments to see how he's doing feels like a pause for the main story at times. It will surely fit better if another season comes about but for the most part I'm glad that Mike's story was kept to a minimum.

When you get down to it the new season for The Last Man on Earth is a step in the right direction. Phil has finally shown signs of true genuine emotion and the story does away with all his ill gotten escapades to frankly screw or screw over everyone in the group. The comedic factor that this may have brought people before isn't sacrificed though with this new change to the dynamic. There were plenty of hilarious high notes for the show as it blended together a new Phil and a whole new set of drama for the group to tackle in order to survive the apocalypse, but hey it's been a breeze so far, right?

Good:

- The new Phil Miller

- Plays off of the better notes left over from season one

- The rest of the cast still is spot on especially Carol

Bad:

- Mike Miller's story is hit or miss

Scully Rating: 8.2 out of 10 

Rick and Morty (Season 2)

Robert Murphy


One of the wonderful things about cartoons and animation as an art form is that you can do just about anything and everything you set your mind to with it. Take that idea and add on top of it a time travel function where you can go anywhere in the universe, multiverse, parallel universes and all of that stuff, then you have something with boundless potential and that has always been true for the Adult Swim series Rick and Morty (both voiced by Justin Roiland). The shows first season served as an introduction to the characters, Rick being the self centered genius doing whatever he wants and Morty is just along for the ride because what's the point of being clever if no one is around to see it, but now there is so much more to it.

The dynamic for the newest season of Rick and Morty is very much the same only with some slight changes. Before it was just Rick and Morty going around on adventures together but now the rest of the family is along on more than one or two adventures throughout time and space. Rick, of course, is still doing whatever he feels like and dragging everyone else along for the ride. He has a hardened look at things compared to most, I guess that's what happens when you're generally the smartest person in the room and know just how grand the universe truly is. Rather than being able to enjoy this though, Morty, Summer (Spencer Grammer), Beth (Sarah Chalke) and Jerry (Chris Parnell) all get to see the darker sides of the universe rather than the better sides of it. I'm sure they do exist but I rather enjoy the gritty version of things that Morty has to show all of us.

This is the shows main appeal as well, it isn't horrible and cruel for the sake of it but the series definitely goes to some harsh places. A great example of this happens in the second episode "Mortynight Run" where Morty tries to save the life of someone he believes is an innocent life in need of help. Rick usually ignores these situations and figures nobody is worth actually saving, sadly the show proves him to be right in most cases and the situation goes horribly for Morty from there on out. It's easy to see Rick's point of view in a lot of ways but the entire universe and craziness of it all is the real fun part about Rick and Morty because no matter whose involved things will turn out horribly.

All of this is business as usual for the series and while it is great to see this concept expanded upon with new amazing adventures, funny creatures and interesting worlds, there is a new component to the show that will hit viewers hard. Not too much is known about Rick before he returns home to reconnect with his daughter, Beth, and the rest of his family and you won't learn too much more about it until the season finale either. Needless to say though Rick has been through some tough times and that's why he is so jaded now and this is something that comes out more than once this season. The first hinting of this happens in an episode title "Auto Erotic Assimilation" where Rick meets up with an old fling and is having a blast up until she leaves, Rick is okay or so we think until the last scenes of the episode. More than once stuff like this happens and it shows that there is a good level of heart and emotion to a show that admittedly tells fart jokes on a regular basis.

One thing that I did wish would have changed for is the relationships that go on with our main characters. Things do get shaken up as I said earlier and most everyone goes on adventures with Rick now that the family is more aware of what he and Morty are doing and it's great that everyone's along for the ride. This doesn't change some of the bad dynamics that continue forth though specifically with Beth and Jerry. Last season their marriage was obviously on the rocks and needing plenty of work but this season it became more of an annoyance than anything else. They kept bringing it up how bad their relationship is but they never do anything about it, the best moment was when Rick says "Either get divorced or shut up!" There was one shining moment where the jokes were all still worth it, it happened in episode "Big Trouble in Little Sanchez" where the two go to outer space marriage counseling and they end up destroying the place with their toxic marriage.

Rick and Morty's second season ends by setting in motion an actual story arc and leaving viewers with a hefty cliffhanger to think about as we eagerly await the third season. It's also great to see a series that you would never expect to see be something with emotion to it actually grow to become more than some really bad (but hilarious) jokes. 

Good:

- Same level of humor and laughs as the first season

- Rick and Morty have a wonderfully dysfunctional relationship

- A deeper look in Rick and the makings of an over arcing story

Bad:

- Beth and Jerry's over done marriage issues

Scully Rating: 8.8 out of 10

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Season 2)

By: Robert Murphy

Most shows take a little time to snap back into things when they leave their first season and the way things were left at the end of Brooklyn Nine-Nine's first season you would expect the same. However, Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) wastes no time in returning to his old ways and his old precinct after leaving to go on an undercover assignment at the conclusion of the last season. New cases and perps come crawling out of the woodwork but not only that the relationships within the precinct get much more complicated.  

One of the things that I loved most about the first season for Brooklyn Nine-Nine was how well that all the characters fit into their roles and the on screen chemistry that each of them had with one another. Andy Samberg, Terry Crews and Joe Lo Truglio of course are veterans of on screen work whether it is movies or TV so it is hard not to see good things from them but the rest of the cast were virtually unknown to me but all became fast favorites. The relationships they all share only prove to be strengthened further in this season as well. Jake Peralta may be the shows center but things do not focus entirely around him and that is a good thing, plenty of the stories for this season delved into the lesser known actors and actresses stories as I mentioned. I was particularly fond of Rosa Diaz's (Stephanie Beatriz) storyline this time around, her character was already the tough bad girl with quite the serious edge to her but things get more complicated when she begins to date Captain Holt's (Andre Braugher) nephew. It lends to a more lighter side to her character and some interesting episodes as Captain Holt and Rosa are the most stoic characters in the show and now they must interact on a personal level. 

There are also some shake ups in the dynamic for some of the characters. Jake and Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio) have always been the precincts bromance and no matter what Charles backs Jake up with his most idiotic decisions and problems. The "Stakeout" episode proves to shake this relationship to it's core as the two decide that they can pull off a two week long stakeout together without a single problem. This time together would prove a little too much as even Boyle begins to see fault with his best buddy Jake. 

The same classic comedy also makes it's return this season. Jake is perhaps one of the most hilarious aspects to a show like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and of course he should be since he is the main character. But, what makes much of what he does so hilarious is because he is playing a role that I think the real life Andy Samberg would actually take part in. Jake acts like a kid in a candy store most of the time and has a very romanticized idea of what it is like to be a cop. In the show he is an excellent detective but at the same time he relishes the car chases, the idea of possibly dressing up and staking out mob guys at the local docks and other Hollywood cop movie gimmicks. What is even more wonderful is the show gives Jake the opportunities to live out many of these fantasies, the first episode of this new season, "Undercover", Jake was disguised in full track suit style clothing as he worked undercover to try and take down a mob network. We then have the episode where he got to run along the rooftops of cars to try and chase down a suspect and the episode simply entitled "The Chopper" where Jake, Boyle and Captain Holt lived out Jake's dream of riding in a helicopter to catch an escaped bad guy. 

I may give plenty of praise to Samberg but one of the funnier characters to blossom even more this season would have to be Captain Holt. Andre Braugher plays the stoic captain that often appears quite robotic but this plays perfectly into his serious brand of comedy for the show. His rivalry with Deputy Chief Wuntch (Keyra Sedgwick) is what particularly makes him so hilarious this season, she has an obvious attraction for him despite knowing he is married and gay, she will take the opportunity to frisk him for wires or even still an intimate kiss. Captain Holt however takes it all in stride and tries to do his best to thwart her with his brand of humor by making jokes such as "Wuntch time is over" as he receives and on stage reward from her and proudly says "no regrets." 

All the cast continue to present their own unique brands of humor to the show. Charles and Gina (Chelsea Peretti) end up spending a lot of on screen time together despite Gina's obvious disgust for Boyle. At the end of the first season we see the two hook up after a heavy night of drinking and Charles ending his relationship with his fiance. The two end up entwined for a few episodes but what gets worse is when their parents get involved together. Joe Lo Truglio is complete ridiculous and has no shame or filter for what comes out of his mouth and states things like "our sex led to this" and other gems that would make normal people uncomfortable. We then have Terry Jeffords (Terry Crews) who brings his large buckling humor to the show. The very first episode he put Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) through a training exercise where he acts like a seven year old boy and you can probably guess how good it gets from there.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine continues to be sharp and funny well into it's second season. I am a little worried where the show may be headed as the final episode set up for an odd cliffhanger. However, as long as the group dynamic continues to work as well as it always has, I can see no reason why I won't enjoy going into a third season. 

Good:

- The second season continues to be smart and funny

- Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher are hilarious in their roles

- Plays into the cop cliches but for humor and not effect

Bad:

- Cautiously entering the third season, no spoilers, but I do wonder what lays in store

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10

Log Horizon (Season 2)

By: Robert Murphy

For most people, being transported into their favorite game or show would probably seem like a dream come true, but for the players of Log Horizon it has become a dream that they cannot wake from. Shiro and the other members of this world have now spent over a year in the former MMORPG known as Elder Tale and while things are far less terrifying than the day of the Apocalypse, there are still plenty of problems left to face. I'm sure that the villain in glasses has something up his sleeves though to solve everything as he did before so let's find out what season 2 has waiting for us.

I praised the first season of the show for it's detailed and concise way of telling viewers about the MMORPG angles of Elder Tale that many characters use or referenced throughout the story. All the information comes across in a way that is not only interesting but is explained in terms that even people who have never played an MMO could understand what was going on. This feature continues in the second season of the show but it also gets delved further into as well. As all the players continue to live in the world and make it their own, certain elements of the game start to change or rather become real. Things like "flavor textures" or whether or not an item or weapon is evil begins to mean something. Players in games often pick up items because they look cool or use them because they're super powerful but never have to worry about whether or not it was an evil object or if it did a certain thing. Well, these features become an element that players need to worry about as an evil object or an object that can do something like make you confess your inner most love will affect them. It was an interesting addition to the story that I loved especially in the Valentine's Day episode where a specific fruit made you confess what you desire most in the world. It also furthered the indoctrination of players into the world and what affect adventurers now had on it.

Adventurers or the regular characters of the world are viewed as strange outsiders for their abilities and their free will. Where as People of the Land or the NPC's can only do certain things or only do certain things because it is all that they know or have ever known. We see the adventurers affect things even more this time around though after Shiro and the Round Table have formed a friendship with the nobility of Elder Tale. We see players start to train soldier characters or watch over the important characters in the game like they were real people. This being an interesting point because it's hard to tell that this world that we find ourselves in is actually a game or use to be one because the people in it feel so real and are no longer just faceless quest givers anymore to the adventurers. I started to notice this more and more about halfway through the story when the "kid's arc" started and the younger members of the Log Horizon guild went on their very first quest. The kids all gave it their all to defend a town from certain destruction even though these people are allegedly not real and risked their lives for them. 

The aspect of death was a key part to the story this season as well. Shiro, Naotsuga and members of another guild all join together in the first arc of the story to take on the hardest raid in the game. Not only is this a fantastic part of the story that finally features what a raid looks like and introduces some new interesting characters, it also brings about Shiro's first death. Players have died in this world and come back no problem but it's never happened to one of the main members of the story. It is a great part of the story especially when you see just how death works and how it affects players afterward, don't worry I won't spoil it for you but needless to say you don not come out unscathed. This aspect also proves to push the story along because it let Shiro learn a little bit more about the world that they are all living in now and theorize a way of getting them out. I pointed out in my review of the first season how getting out of Elder Tale didn't come up much and really how the first season mainly served as a setup for the story. Now though we see real progression in the story as Shiro and the members of Log Horizon try and figure out a way home to their lives and their families.

My biggest problem though with the story has to be our resident bad guys. At the end of the first season we saw Shiro being confronted by a mysterious woman named Nureha and she has some obsession with him and his skills. We found out that she is a member of a group named Plant Hwyaden and they aim to cause real trouble for the world. The group is interesting because not only do they have insanely powerful NPC members but one of them is an old friend of the Debauchery Tea Party which is the guild that Shiro, Naotsuga and Nyanta use to belong to but now is for some reason on the bad side of things. These players seem to have a problem with being unwilling held in this world and are out to start conflict and war among the People of the Land. The reason I sound speculative about all this though is because I really never figured out what these characters were all about. This group is randomly introduced and while their character seem interesting and appealing, not a lot is known about them other than them wanting to cause conflict. It's kind of a big bust for the story because you never figure out what their goals are and what these characters are all about. 

As for the rest of the returning character's, they all continue to go on strong for me. Shiro was already a compelling character to begin with and his exploits this time around only further my liking of him. Akatsuki was also another favorite of mine and she actually gets her very own story and look into what sort of person she is and why she acts the way she does. Turns out theres more to this spunky little ninja than meets the eye. I did mention that the younger members of Log Horizon get their own arc once again and to be honest they were weak characters for me in the first season. But, their characters see amazing growth both in terms of them becoming skilled players and them actually growing. Their characters all receive new looks (every character does) and they appear to have grown since the first season. This may be due to the new studio that has taken over or the fact that these characters actually are changing just like the world they're now living in. Regardless, I enjoyed the new look and the new studio (DEEN) that has taken over has done a wonderful job of keeping the style similar to the original while adding their own touches to the show.

In conclusion, Log Horizon's second season continues forward with many of the solid features that were brought forth in the first season. It is still very much a show about characters and the world over the story, it just seems like everything that is going on envelopes you so much that you sometimes forget that Shiro and the rest of players are actually trapped in this world and trying to get out. However, this season does see forward motion on the aspect of all of the characters possibly escaping Elder Tale and just how they all became trapped there in the first place. I certainly cannot wait to see what else is around the corner for Log Horizon though and hopefully see each of my favorite characters get to return home, in a couple more seasons that is. 

Good:

- Returning characters are still fantastic

- The story sees some real progression and some interesting plot points such as what happens when a player dies 

- Some new/strong character join in on the story

- Still an overall interesting concept and the world of Elder Tale continues to get bigger and more interesting with each episode

Bad:

- Plant Hwyaden is a group of interesting but lack luster characters that get no back story or information revealed on them

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10

Tokyo Ghoul √A

By: Robert Murphy 

It’s hard enough to be living in a world surrounded by monsters that you cannot see, it’s a whole other issue when you get thrown into that world and be expected to survive. This is exactly what happened to Ken Kaneki, an average student who loved to read his books and spend his days off in his head. This would all change though when he is attacked by a woman that turned out to be a ghoul, creatures that feed on human flesh and prey on human beings. He is fortunately saved by an unknown presence but in order to survive, parts of the ghoul were implanted in his body and permanently altered him into a mix between human and ghoul. After a series of grueling events, we find Kaneki finally awakening his powers as a ghoul. Viewers saw brief glimpses of his strength all throughout the first season but Tokyo Ghoul √A starts out with Kaneki’s powers being unleashed in full upon the world. We see a new, quieter but fierce presence from his character and I’ve eagerly awaited to see what he is now capable of and what lies in store. So without any further stalling, let’s dig in.

I am not going to lie, many of the issues that I had with the first season of Tokyo Ghoul had stemmed from Ken Kaneki not being an engaging main protagonist. He was a character that seemed to have great power locked away inside of him but was too afraid to use it. His character should have gone through the typical transformation that you see main characters do in order to get stronger but he never did, he kept getting his butt kicked and whining about it. I do however understand why he didn’t want to unleash his powers, in order to become more powerful as a ghoul you need to feed on humans, you need to let go of your humanity and that wasn’t something Kaneki wanted to do. Now though I have fallen in love instantly with his character transformation. Kaneki has dawned a new white haired look and gone all leather on us and it is frankly very epic. But, it isn’t just the fact that he looks better or even that he can now put up an actually fight, his character actually has some depth and interest to him now.

In Tokyo Ghoul √A, Kaneki is on the opposite side of things and joined forces with the very people that employed Jason last season and effectively got him kidnapped. Aogiri Tree is the name of this organization and they’re a group filled with insanely powerful ghouls (probably could tell in the last episode of season one). His reasons for joining the group are a little confusing to me, even after watching the season all the way through it’s still a tough one to nail down. It’s sort of one of those “I did this to protect you” things that you see people do but it ends up seeming too convoluted. Regardless of the reason, it puts Kaneki in an interesting position with things and his struggles became far less whiney in nature. He doesn’t go all full ghoul and starts killing humans, quite the opposite in fact and he goes through many new transformations and issues. It’s far more of an engaging process this time around and I was more invested in Kaneki as a main character.

As for the story, things mainly revolve around the inner struggles that I have spoken about at great lengths for Kaneki and his overall transformation. It may not seem like it but the whole series is really his show this time around. In Tokyo Ghoul’s first season viewers were subjected to a lot of introductions and character development that further bogged down the story. It seemed to take quite a significant amount of time to introduce all the players and people that you will be seeing throughout the shows entirety and it left little time for anything else. Now, characters have all been established on either side of the story and the new ones that come along get introduce but develop gradually as the story goes on. It seems the developers this time around found their groove with bringing in new people and were now free to work with the solid characters that got introduced.

Amon, the by the books CCG agent, is another example of how things are progressing more smoothly for characters in this second season. Amon was a bit bland and hard to figure out, you knew he had strong convictions but he still never stood out too much, perhaps it was his insane partner outshining him that caused this. This time around though you see a lighter and stronger side to his character when he is not only partnered up with Akira (daughter to his former partner) but you also see into his past and what made him become a CCG inspector. I burst out laughing when Akira finally goes out to drinks with Amon and another inspector and he ends up staying the night at her place because she drank too much. A lecherous thought pops into his head and he begins to do push-ups, almost like his own version of a cold shower.

This experience wasn’t entirely perfect however, there were four or five different characters that came into the story briefly but quickly disappeared. Two other half ghoul characters (Kuro and Shiro) appear in the story and bring up some memories for Amon and another CCG agent named Juuzou but then quickly disappear, never seen again. During the prison break episode, Aogiri Tree invades a secret CCG prison to release the high level ghouls imprisoned there but one powerful ghoul in particular was meant to be released and this guy ends up beating the snot out of Kaneki and is also never seen again. Perhaps the biggest plot hole character though would be Kaneki’s old friend from his human days, Hide. Hide appears numerous times throughout the season at the CCG headquarters, he apparently becomes some sort of delivery worker. But what is overall confusing about him is when he appears in the final two episodes in CCG armor and is fighting off ghouls. Was he doing it to find Kaneki? Why was he there at all? What was he trying to do the entire time at the CCG?

Confusing questions like this have popped up in my mind more than once with Tokyo Ghoul √A, despite my overall enjoyment of the series there is a fair amount of information that feels left out. This point especially comes up for me when I watched the final episode for the series when things abruptly come to a close. The final episode isn’t a bad one in anyway; it’s a very slow and quiet experience but does a great job of saying a lot about Kaneki’s character and what he’s gone through. The big issue though is that everything piles up and up and you get ready for the big finish and the screen fades to black. No more, no less and you can’t help but wonder what the heck just happened. It isn’t a brilliant cliffhanger to be left with, yes it makes me wonder what’s next but it ends so quickly that it doesn’t explain what you’ve just experienced and really is just bad storytelling.

Despite its problems, I cannot hide my overall enjoyment for Tokyo Ghoul √A. The characters are so much stronger than they were the first time around, before you were bogged down with their introductions and getting to know them took an insane amount of time. Kaneki also becomes a solid lead character for a change, he was so hard to like when you first met him and it was hard to sympathize with him when a lot of his attitude got in the way. The story does need some work though; there felt like plenty of information had been left out in certain areas of the story, plenty of confusing questions needing to be answered and some characters that weren’t explained well. Hopefully with the promise of another season on the horizon the developers can get these questions answered but for now it left a bit of an after taste in my mouth for a show that could have been rock solid.  

Good:

- Kaneki goes through an amazing transformation that makes him a stronger lead character

- Other returning characters are much stronger and more engaging

- A quieter but fantastic story

- What action there was this time around was great

Bad:

- Plenty of new characters get introduced but immediately disappear

- Plot holes and left out information make the story feel like you’re missing something

Scully Rating: 7.8 out of 10

Game of Thrones (Season 2)

Zach Goodier

(Note) The first paragraph contains most of the detailed spoilers, but there will obviously be a few around in the reviews, so be warned. 

*Season 1 spoilers*

With the rise of the new Lannister dynasty following the death of Robert Baratheon, and the revelation that king Jeoffrey is no true heir to the throne, there is now a civil war erupting over the Iron Throne.  Following the news of Jeoffrey’s lineage, Robert’s brothers, Stannis and Renley, each fight for the crown.  In the North, Robb Stark seeks to avenge his father’s murder and false accusation of treason against the crown, and to free the North from the Iron Throne, and become the first King of Winter in over 3 centuries.

*End Spoilers*

And remember, it does.

This season picks right up with introducing us to the contenders for the War of Five Kings, with an introduction to Stannis Baratheon, which we never had last season, as well as his “Red Priestess,” Melisandre.  Stannis’ “Hand,” Davos Seaworth, is concerned over the influence this woman holds over Stannis, and that leads to many interesting scenes in this season, as Melisandre constantly makes the audience wonder whether her intentions are truly in Stannis’ best interest, or if her unnerving magic is leading him astray.  Most of the other main characters are simply the ones we met last season, with a couple new additions of note appearing within the season.

  

Lord Stannis, King Robert's brother, and Melisandre, the mysterious "Red Woman"

The War provides a truly compelling element that we lacked in most of season one, actively pitting these characters against each other.  While season one contained a lot of politics and plotting, with a fight here or there, the war adds a military element to the game that keeps everyone on their toes.  While the Lannisters clearly have the other houses beat in terms of schemes and wealth, even their massive army isn’t invincible when contenders like Robb Stark and Stannis Baratheon prove to be very capable strategists.  Even at the end of the first season, we saw Robb prove himself a capable leader on the field. 

Davos is another addition, and a very relate-able and honorable man, despite his past.

Across the Narrow Sea, Dany is still struggling to recover from the end of last season, and her dragons (that’s right, she has DRAGONS now) are still too young to do her any good.  Still, Ser Jorah is at her side, guiding her and trying to help her back to power, but life is difficult without armies, wealth, or friends, so she has to strike out anew with her small band of followers to try to start over, which offers her a new perspective on the world and the importance of power and how it’s wielded.

Brienne of Tarth is another new face, and she place an important supporting role in the story.

In the north, the Night’s Watch moves beyond the Wall, to try to find out what threats lay beyond.  This journey takes most of the season, but we get a lot of added lore for the Night’s Watch, as well as some of the history and legends in the North.  The savage region is home to wildlings, and worse, as we’ve begun to see.  While this storyline seems to be isolated and not so important to the kingdoms, you quickly realize that these events are laying the groundwork for important events to come, and Jon Snow is forced to make some difficult choices.

Renly, Stannis and Robert's brother, has raised his own banners to take over Westeros.

This season is interesting, because the lines have been drawn, and the banners gathered, but clearly this is anybody’s game right from the outset, with nobody truly holding all of the cards.  Robb Stark and Renly Baratheon are certainly the most favorable men to lead of the group (both by the majority of the audience and by the majority of their subjects), but Renly lacks experience and the will needed to truly rule, while Robb lacks the soldiers and wealth that the other contenders have.  Tywin is certainly the favorite to win, with the deepest pockets, massive armies, and extensive experience in the field, but he finds himself with enemies at every front, and Robb in particular proves to be troubling for him because of his brilliant mind for both battle tactics and broader strategy.

"Impin' ain't easy."

After the end of season one, I wasn’t sure if I would continue to enjoy the series, due to how events played out in the story; however, I found myself still very much hooked, and characters such as Robb, Tyrion, and Davos, as well as some of the other new additions, actually manage to fill the void left after season one with much larger and stronger roles in this season.  Tyrion in particular becomes a standout character of the series, walking in a moral grey area where he isn’t a hero, but isn’t nearly as bad as his fellow Lannisters.  This, as well as Peter Dinklage and his excellent acting, actually make the show feel even better, somehow.

If there's one thing you need to know about GoT, it's that we HATE Joffrey... He is the Justin Beiber of Westeros, plain and simple.

The first season had a 10 rating from us, and season two, with its expanded visual effects, which you’ll see later in this season, truly adds to the sense of scale of this war, and just how dangerous the “game” has started to become, making the series even greater.  All of the storylines manage to progress at a natural, yet exciting pace, keeping the show well balanced between excitement and suspense, while not relying on action to keep those feelings going. 

Robb is in a tough position, but there's hardly a better man alive for the job than him.

If you have yet to pick up this series, or didn’t want to continue after season one, I would highly recommend you do so.  Despite the reservations even I had at some of the twists and turns this story took, the show still keeps going strong, getting even better in many ways, as I’ve already said.  As soon I started season two, I was hooked all over again, and for all the same reasons.  The story is original, suspenseful, exciting, and the twists and turns keep on coming.  While the raw and unrestrained elements definitely will alienate a sizeable part of potential viewers, as I’ve said of season one, it manages to entertain those who appreciate fan-service while adding to the brutal, dog-eat-dog feeling of the series as a whole.  Life in Westeros… well, everywhere actually… is brutal, and people survive however they can, and that’s one important element to this series that makes it feel original and unpredictable, and keeps people like me coming back for more time and time again.

Good:

-More excellent story

-Standouts like Robb and Tyrion, who have expanded roles from season one, as well as the extensive list of amazing characters that join them.

-THERE BE DRAGONS… even if they are still small.

-More twists, turns, and just plain awesome than you can shake a dozen sticks at.

Bad:

-Still a very RAW series, which doesn’t hurt my rating but should always be noted for potential viewers.

Scully Rating: 10 out of 10