(To be honest, these sequels are really unfair...if you have a good series that doesn't really have a predictable conclusion, you can continue using the same old shtick ad infinitum and it'll have that "oomph" behind it, no matter what. Ika Musume is one such example. ALSO, if you have NOT watched Season 1, you will be confused by this post. Be careful.)
lol
Shinryaku's graphics are exactly the same except slightly cleaner and shinier - nothing special there. It didn't really need to be improved anyways, so nothing further to say in the graphics department except that I really liked how they didn't skimp on the ending and changed it every time to include the context of that episode. Good work - caring about small stuff like that is what makes an anime go from good to great.
The soundtrack of Ika Musume season 2 is noticeably improved and actually good. This series had one of the only soundtracks of the fall season that actually stuck out. Yes, of course iDOLM@STER got Best Overall Soundtrack - if a series that focused on idols and their songs didn't get that award from me, something would be wrong (unless the series was really bad, like iDOLM@STER: Xenoglossia). Surprisingly, it had a very good OP AND ED - the OP (High Powered) is hyperactive, synth-y, and most importantly squiddy as humanly possible, whereas the ED (Kimi wo Shirukoto [Learning About You]) is a very nice, very conclusive and gentle song that nearly makes me nostalgic every time the sun sets at the end. The soundtrack INSIDE the episodes are also pretty good - the music that plays whenever they have dramatic or heartwarming moments (like in the last parts of the last episode) are great. Overall, Ika Musume gets a solid grade in the sound portion.
As for plot and characters, Shinryaku's old cast joins us for the second time - from the chilling voice of Chizuru to the awesome, heartfelt squeals of Itou Kanae Sanae, we see the magic of Squid Girl unfold yet again. Yet, in all its comedy, it can still manage to deliver a simple message that makes our hearts swell with emotions.
And that message is, "Never get in the way between Sanae and Ika Musume"
Again, I almost don't think it's fair to review good sequels independently of the entire "franchise", since the series just has so much backing behind it - it's had a good recipe, a dedicated fanbase, and experienced people working with the series - the only way is up, really, unless the direct/writers majorly fuck up.
I mean, what am I supposed to say here? The same thing happens as in season 1 - three separate stories per episode, each one is a bundle of laughs or development of the main cast. The studio (Diomedea) improved on a LOT of stuff from the previous season though. The following serve as examples:
- They cut back on the screen time of bad characters (Cindy and the MIT guys are good for throwing in a literal/physical plot "device", but really terrible for anything else. Apparently awkward nerds are bad for conversation...who knew),
- Added more interactions/bonding time with the main family + fellow squid (I like Eiko and Ika Musume talking together, sue me),
- Had more spontaneous and less slapstick-related humor (lol @ marriage scene)
- Got rid of most of those weird stories where you have a tiny Squid Girl doing stuff. Never really got what the point of that was...
However, I feel like they also cut back on the number of scenes where Ika Musume finds some new skill (sans actually invading the Earth) and does it perfectly in one try. These jokes were great and I had hoped there would be more of them. If you have a good joke going, continue it! Don't shy away.
When they started playing house, I KNEW it would end up this way.
I think they managed to pull off the serious sides quite well. Nobody needs to have a huge dramatic "omfg all of my friends have cancer" moment. The ending episode climaxes around the fact that Ika Musume loses her shoes and Eiko gets them for her. I think small stuff like that is what has a larger impact, not only because it's believable or relatable, but because it's simple - it's clear - and it's tugs at the heart better that way. I think Squid Girl had a great execution in both delivering humor and seriousness.
You'd think that for a series that's supposed to go on indefinitely, you would have characters that stayed perfectly the same over 105179350 episodes (see: K-On). While the cast of Ika Musume stays mostly the same, I also feel that there is an active effort by the studio to develop them further, and I really appreciate that. The trend is fairly simple - they all get closer to Ika Musume - but it's much, much better than nothing, and noticing the difference after some number of episodes really makes the series better for watching the entire way through.
Overall, Ika Musume definitely gives what its old fans what they want - and more. From the beginning of the OP to the last statement by Chizuru, this is a good demonstration of how to make a sequel to a good series that will make the viewers smile. For those of you who are interested, watch both seasons - they're worth it.
Invasion is still invasion, even if it's into our hearts.
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