Anime Review: Aldnoah Zero Season 2 (Lights, Camera, Action!)

Aldnoah Zero Season 2 (UK Rating: 15)

Even though it was a mere 12 episodes, the first season had a huge amount going on throughout; deep breath, it's time for a big recap. When Apollo 17 reached Mars in 1973, the astronauts on-board found some highly advanced technology - the titular Aldnoah - which allowed the Earthlings who relocated to the red planet to build up an empire that was technologically far superior to what they left behind on Earth. The people of Mars - or as they came to call it, Vers - developed into a feudal structure of Counts under the Royal Family. Vers grew powerful but lacked the resources that Earth had an excess of, thus started a civil war. The main story picks up in present day where a ceasefire is in place between the warring worlds, and the current Princess of Mars - Asseylum Vers Allusia - is determined to broker a peace. Unfortunately, there are plenty in the Vers Empire that are drastically opposed to such a peace and they decide to remove the Princess, assassinating her and placing the blame upon the Terrans to reignite the war. The Princess escapes and is found by the hero, Inaho Kaizuka, and after learning the truth of the planet and the corruption within her own people, she finds common cause with what she was taught were her enemies.

By season's end, the three main players had undergone significant story arcs, and the finale smashed them all together in a deadly situation. A situation that left Asseylum mortally wounded by Count Saazbaum, Slaine finally chose a side, the Martian one, deciding to save Saazbaum and leaving a parting gift with Inaho, a 9mm bullet in his head, cementing his bad guy status. Still with keeping up? Good!

The first season gave the audience a glimpse at the showdowns between Inaho and Slaine, between the Bat and the Orange Kataphrakt, but now both have become much greater than they were before. Inaho's eye has been replaced by with a cybernetic transplant, a complex system known as an Analytical Engine that helps him factor in numerous variables and find solutions to even the most difficult of situations. Slaine, meanwhile, is climbing the ranks of the Martian society thanks to his new mech; he received Count Cuhteo's Tharsis along with its foresight abilities. Inaho was quite unlikeable in the first season, with his often cold and emotionless behaviour, and although it's not much better here, his deadpan humour is a little funnier at least, and the risk of the implant pervading into his brain gives him a weakness that helps ingratiate him with viewers, even just a little. Honestly, Inaho shows more emotion in the opening - random aside, a fantastic opening theme here from Hiroyuki Sawano, which is one of those songs that will guarantee you watch the opening every time.

7/10

Very Good - Bronze Award

A great mecha series that feels double its size in length for the mass amount going on over the course of the show, Aldnoah Zero has some great action, smart writing, is interesting, and feels individual in a sea of mech anime. The characters let it down somewhat, though, with Slaine's turn feeling a little strange, Inaho not very likeable as a protagonist, and the supporting cast is mostly ignored after being a real highpoint of the first season. It ends on a plus, however, with an ending that's fantastically done and continues the series' habit of surprising its audience.