So the debut episode of Prisma Illya season 2's 2nd cour came out a few days ago. The 'story' picks up where the 1st cour left off, although to be honest, episode one had no real story. It's summer break for the girls, they went to buy swimsuits, all sorts of crazy shenanigans happen, Shiro is once again blissfully unaware of how popular he is...and next episode is a beach episode. I've watched the episode twice already, and each time I always wonder how on earth Shin Onuma knows exactly what I (and thousands of other otaku, I imagine) want. They have gotten really, really good at pandering to people like me. With a start this strong, 2nd cour is going to be absolutely incredible.

The weird thing is that, I actually consider the Prisma Illya manga to be rather mediocre. Or at least, the manga is nowhere as good as the adaptation. To be sure, the manga also had its heavy dose of yuri and maids and whatnot, but what made the anime adaptation super good was the VAs and the soundtrack, the stuff that the manga cannot provide. Mai Kadowaki has done a superb job (as always) voicing Illya. Her pitch is so cutesy and well-toned, it's almost obscene. And of course, the soundtrack has consistently delivered the right atmosphere, may it be a violent fight or an intimate, flowery moment between Chloe and Illya. The yuri is as wonderful as it is, but the music really turns the knob up to 11, if you get what I mean.

I have a really hard time understand why I love this show so much, when in fact Prisma Illya pretty much represents everything that's wrong about the anime industry. I mean, episode one practically went all out in terms of piling on fanservice (not that I mind). I think the real reason why this show is so great, is that Prisma Illya has always been naughty and slightly erotic, but has never appeared criminal nor perverted. It's hard to think of another show that depicts lesbian, under-aged incest with such purity and good taste. If I watch another Illya x Chloe scene, I swear I am going to go crazy. Not that I'm not kind of screwed-up already, ha!