After the foundation of the series being laid in cour 1 cour 2 takes more of a slice of life kind of approach with small missions weaved in between. The missions which stood out were the terrorist attack and the tennis match both action packed and thrilling. These missions prevented the show from being too bland. This cour managed to give attention to characters whom were not given in the first half. For example Yor Sylvia and Franky. I felt we were able to see Loids goofy side when Fiona was posed as competition to Yor.
The show kept to a small main cast with Bond and Fiona being the new additions. Fionas entrance managed to spice things up and reinforced Yors doubt of being a suitable wife a sentiment which was introduced in the first cour. She is also an interesting character: gloomy and stoic on the outside but full of emotion and passion on the inside. This aligns with the shows philosophy of hiding your true self in order to maintain peace. Although I felt the lines in her monologues were more than what she actually says out loud she was fun to watch.
The climax of the show was when Loid finally made contact with Donovan Desmond reminding us the purpose of Operation Strix. This occurrence seemed a bit sudden as it was not brought up in the episodes before it. However it was not rushed. We were given ample time to see the interaction between Loid and Desmond and we got a glimpse of Desmonds personality. The meeting was important not only for Loid but also for Damian. Loid used Desmonds position as a father to earn his trust but the conversation also enlightened Damian of what his father thought of him. While Loid saw him as a threat Damian saw him as a guiding figure.
There was an upgrade to the animation. The inner monologues were creatively presented especially with Fionas. Hers was really dramatic and that made her character entertaining. I particularly liked the animation of the tennis rackets in the tennis episode as they heightened the intensity of the match it also reminded me of the dodgeball episode from the previous cour. The OP had an upbeat and matched the mood of the show: strangers who found a family in each other. The visuals were good set in the fall but I felt the scenes moved too quickly. I liked the ED more though which was also upbeat but had a more catchy tune.
Overall this cour fared slightly lower than its predecessor but it still managed to maintain the wholesomeness and comedy that it promised us. Anyas antics will never get old and we learn more about her this cour through interactions with her friends as well as Bond. I could not figure out where the show was heading before the last episode but the meeting and Desmonds enigmatic persona did give us something to look forward to in the next season
75
/100