Anime: Grisaia no Rakuen

The Fruit of Grisaia was not your run of the mill harem, and The Eden of Grisaia continues that proud tradition. Whereas the Fruit of Grisaia focused on how our Sagara Sousuke clone saves a bunch of girls with unique (and sometimes horrific) pasts, the second installment continues from the OVA (The Labyrinth of Grisaia) and explores Yuuji's past and motivations, and perhaps finally brings some closure to the series.

With the exception of a very few parts, this second installment is much more action-oriented than the previous series. Remember how the first season broke from harem-mode to spend almost three complete episodes on Amane's past? Expect similar things in this season. If you found the last season intriguing, and are keen on learning more about Yuuji, then this is definitely a great watch. If you're looking for something between an action and a harem, with perhaps a darker tonality than your run-of-the-mill action-based ecchi, definitely give this a try. If you hate emotionless, male versions of Ryougi Shiki, steer clear.

Animation:
The animation in The Eden of Grisaia maintains all the unique characteristics of the first season, an extremely widescreen format with a rich and diverse color palette and nice shading. Given the nature of the plot, the scenery is a bit different from the previous season with a lot more shifting scenery. Given that most of the girls' character development occurred in the previous season, don't expect as much emotion in general as Yuuji doesn't have much to offer there. There is a bunch of new characters in this season, most of which play minor roles but nonetheless all play a part in the plot. The neko maid was a particularly fun addition (you'll see why).

What is lost in emotion is made up and them some in many energetic action scenes and (occasionally) fights. Remember how Yuuji half-heartedly trained Makina with sniping and how Sachi is secretly an explosives expert? Expect the series to fully utilize those skills in this season. There is some gore and blood as with the last season; if you made it mostly unscathed through Amane's arc in the last season you should be good here. I won't say that the action (or physics) is completely realistic, but at least there isn't any reliance on mechs or magic. Given the focus on Yuuji there won't be as much fan service in this season, though you will still find some mature ecchi scenes, similar to what was in the first season.

Sound:
The show starts with a rather fast-paced, pop-based OP that feels rather fitting given how fast the plot moves, though I don't particularly care for the melody. There are two main EDs that go with each arc. The first main ED is a nice, electronic-infused work with a rather good melody, which reminds me of FripSide's work with Railgun. The second main ED is a slightly slower piece that isn't as memorable. Some of the BGM (especially the playful songs) is fairly familiar by now; though nothing was particularly worth collecting, it successfully gives the show a unique feel.

The original cast returns to give a strong performance in this sequel. The cast grows significantly with a lot of new supporting cast, some of which play pretty significant roles. As with the plot in general, expect the conversation to be a bit on the mature side relative to your standard harem.

Story:
The story takes a deviation from the character-based arcs in the prequel; it's much more linear here. We last left off with Yuuji, for some reason, explaining his life story to Yuria. The first arc of this season continues where the OVA left off, explaining how Yuuji was re-socialized by his master Asako and how he learned to be useful to society through the armed services. It explains a lot about Yuuji's motivations and how he became such an efficient and cunning killing machine. The second arc sees the return of Heath Oslo, the pedophile and prolific terrorist who wants to reclaim Yuuji. How will the girls return Yuuji's favors in the past season?

Expect quite a few plot twists and cliffhangers in this winding adventure that grows to a literally atomic climax. This is followed by a nice, long conclusive ending.

I found this adaption truly amazing in its ability to connect events and characters. Point to virtually any scene in the prequel, and you'll be able to see the repercussions in the sequel. Almost all of the open questions of the first season were completely dealt with in this season, barring the aforementioned unrealistic physics and what not. It truly is well beyond what I would have expected from an erotic hentai adaption.

Character:
Normally I'd condemn the mass-expansion of character but in this case, all the additional characters are prudently added and meticulously used. If you see a new character in the first arc, don't be surprised to see them return later on.

The focus is squarely on Yuuji this season, and you'll get to see him develop from an emo pile of suicidal massacre to a purpose-driven machine (yes... still rather emotionless) willing to sacrifice everything for the ones he cares about. There is a lot of wit in this show whether it is Asako's off remarks or Kazuki's sly jokes- definitely don't skip the final part of the conclusion. In the latter half, you'll also enjoy more of the original school girls- they're mostly static characters by this point but still quite entertaining.

Value:
Many shows try to attempt something different, and often they give this up and return to well established patterns- especially in sequels. Grisaia is unique in that it sticks with its approach and delivers a truly unique mix of action and harem. Yes, it is a bit dark and yes, the subject is probably more appropriate to those 16+, but it truly is a unique work, and an unexpectedly good one. Re-watch value also exists given the number of connections and foreshadows throughout the show. I highly recommend this sequel for those who enjoyed the original.

Second season for Front Wing's Visual Novel The Fruit of Grisaia, the conclusion of a trilogy that started as a visual novel for the PSP or Vita. It has the episodic arcs of the visual novel (without the 18+ sex, mostly) and left a lot of the plot and interaction in. A little (well, a lot of) backstory, a bunch of character development, and a resolution to the first season. The conclusion of the series seemed a bit rushed at the end, but overall, a quite satisfying conclusion to the series. Watch the Labrynth of Grisaia 1 hour special before this for the prequel, but it's not exactly necessary.

Animation: Overall, the series has the feel of a series with some parts farmed out to committee, with some of those parts being quite fluid and exciting, and others a bit static and, well, ordinary. 8-Bit (Absolute Duo) is the main culprit, but it had a lot of help from numerous houses. The character design follows the VN and is by Akio Watanabe (Bakemonogatari), so it's excellent and the characters are each different from each other (no confusion here). There are good hand-to-hand battles that are fairly short (and somewhat physically impossible), which reminded me of Fate-Stay Night UBW. It's good, with realistic backgrounds and a feeling that it is grounded in reality, while being an impossibly James Bond-ish plot. I would rate the execution a solid 8, with deductions only because it felt a bit cut and paste, with other houses providing parts.

Sound: Voice actors are very good, and it's the same cast as the first series so you dont have to check your hearing aids. The voice of Yuuji is Sakurai Takahiro, who also voiced Oshino Meme in Bakemonogatari series, and he tethers the series with a gravitas or weight that could have the series become comedic otherwise. The BGM is provided by Elements Garden, as in the other series, and is well integrated. Special effects and sound stage is appropriate and wide. I would rate the seyuu fairly well, though the tendency with the girls is to voice kuudere or tsundere parts just like every other series (maybe there is a class in this at seyuu school). I rate the sound as a 7.5, and I will round up.

Story: The story is in several arcs, with multiple episodes devoted to the arc. You have the backstory-of-Yuugi arc, the backstory and inclusion of his sister and a bit of development of the five girls from last season, but it's mostly all about Yuuji and his obsessive former master, Heath Oslo, a terrorist. If you want to see why Yuuji hates him, you only have to see him wear a dress and a wig to know.
The plot does not make a lot of sense because it includes multiple mistakes in how the military works (Doctors in the military don't command troops) and asks us to imagine a world where conspiracies unfold within conspiracies (well, GITS Alternative Architecture does this too) but it's not essential to the plot, just roll with it. We are given Yuuji's tragic backstory, told how he is connected to some of the girls, and taken through his training as a sniper/assassin, and then he confronts Heath Oslo in a final "boss" battle. It's rushed, it needs two more episodes to give it some weight at the end, but the first and second arcs are so good that you don't really quibble. I would rate the story as a solid effort worthy of a 7.5. I will round down on this one.

Character and Value: I am not really impressed with ubercompetent men and whiny women as characters, it's a cartoon trope. I wish they had bothered to invest Yuuji with some real personality quirks other than cross dressing, but his character is otherwise Bond, James Bond fine. The obligatory tsundere Makina is so fuutsu normal that I am almost glad she's not given a lot of lines. We don't see much love interest in the current Yuuji, as the only real love interest that is developed is with his surrogate mother/trainer/lover, Asako. The plain fact is, we don't see why Yuuji really would want to carry on at the end, he does not obviously have something to keep him going. And if you are like me, you want to know what keeps him motivated other than revenge, as the end is pretty empty on that score. Still, characters are engaging enough to overcome the irritation of the comedic bits. I give this a 7.

On value, I think it has rewatch value and you might enjoy the backstory if you liked the characters from the first series, but nobody gets more development than Yuuji, so you need to like his character to get the rest of the story. I liked him enough to bite on a second season, and am intrigued to see if there is anymore to come, so I rate the value a solid 7, which is what I also give for enjoyment.

Conclusion: A good second season that finishes the trilogy nicely, and worth the time for those who enjoyed The Fruit of the Grisaia. I recommend it for those who enjoyed season one.