Valvrave The Liberator - 02
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Funny how that in the same week that Majestic Prince surprises me, so does Valvrave.
As much as I enjoyed this episode, I can't state with certainty whether it was for the reasons the creators wanted. That said, it's hard to imagine this episode being enjoyed for all the serious reasons and not the unintended - I may be wrong in presuming that - silliness we see here. The big difference between Majestic Prince and Valvrave, was that I'm much happier with the former's performance this week.
In short, this episode of Valvrave was plain silly. Maybe it wouldn't have been perceived this in the late 90's/early 2000's but by today's standards it was more comedic than serious. A lot of this stemmed from the over-reactions of A-drei to the "betrayal" of L-Elf and that somehow set the tone for the episode. L-Elf and Haruto's relationship did grow stranger as a result of the recent events that transpired and that too added another layer of confusion to the cornucopia of things happening in the episode.
ED
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What the episode did retain from its premiere was the dark elements in the plot. Indiscriminate deaths keep flying around in Valvrave the Liberator, with no signs of slowing down. In L-Elf's body, Haruto racked up a nice kill count in this episode, hinting that the series may not want to give up it's "dark" hook. For now, it all seems a bit childish and lacking in thought. It could have been handled better, though it remains oddly amusing and entertaining to watch.
A few hiccups in this episode to say the least. Perhaps the biggest disappointment was Haruto's failed confession to Shouko, who is revealed to be alive and kicking. A part of me was hoping we'd get a main character who's not afraid to say what he wants but I can understand the delay in any romantic development; potentially, the girl who was in the cockpit in this episode could get some screen time and romantic development. What's also happening in the background is the introduction to more characters, as the plot slowly progresses.
It was fun but I feel a little refinement is in order. Right now Valvrave the Liberator can't be taken seriously.
Valvrave the Liberator Episode 03 Preview
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