Following the Ryunka disaster, Tokyo is left in a period of social turmoil. To make matters worse, the group of aliens directly responsible for the catastrophic event have escaped from the Space Federation and are hiding on Earth.
Still sharing a body, Space Federation officer Birdy Cephon Altera, and high schooler, Tsutomu Senkawa, are tasked with capturing the fugitives and bringing them to justice. However, an unexpected crisis develops when the outlaws become targets of an unknown assassin with a vendetta. Now Birdy must deal with the chaos of everyday life and also uncover the identity of the assassin before more escapees fall victim.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Archaeon
The original is always better than the sequel. Or is it.........? Being a long time fan of the original Birdy the Mighty OVA from 1997, it goes without saying that I was definitely looking forward to the new series of Tetsuwan Birdy Decode. Unfortunately the first season of Decode, whilst being good and great in some areas, was lacklustre in others - especially where the pacing of the story was concerned. Thankfully, A-1 Pictures have changed the whole ball game with the release of Tetsuwan Birdy Decode: 02. The second season picks up directly after the end of the first. Tsutomu and Birdy are still sharing a bodyfor the time being whilst the world tries to make sense of the Ryunka incident. Meanwhile, a prison transport belonging the the Intergalactic Police is attacked by an unknown assailant. The escaped convicts take shelter on earth, and Birdy is ordered to find and capture them. During the course of her investigation though, Birdy runs into an old friend...
The story seems pretty straightforward on the whole, and there are some predictable events that occur, however don't be fooled by the failings of the first season as Decode: 02 is a completely different beast. The story is much tighter this time around, and is very much focused on Birdy rather than Tsutomu. One irony is that, whilst the first season looked at Tsutomu's love life, the second season is very clearly about Birdy's relationships, and I found that this aspect was far more engaging than the sci-fi school romance that was season one.
One of the main problems I had with the first season was the inconsistent, and often slow, pacing of the series. I just wanted the show to get on with the story rather than beat around the bush. As with any story, no matter how good, unless the pacing is correct the audience will lose interest, and season two is no slouch is this department. The tighter storyline, combined with some excellent pacing and some great (even with the predictable bits), plot development, allows the audience to become far more engaged in the story. The added bonus of this season being mainly about Birdy makes her character far more accessible,and endearing, as well.
Oh, and we also get to find out why she's called "Berserker Killer Birdy".
The animation for Decode: 02 is easily on par with that of the first season. The incorporation of CG is almost seamless, and the character movements, especially during the action sequences, are exceptional. One thing that may have detractors though, is that some sequences have a decidedly "rough and ready" look to them. This isn't due to a lack of time or skill on the part of the animators though, as it is very much intentional. The aim of these sequences is to direct the viewers attention to the characters and their struggles, allows the animators greater freedom and flexibility when it comes to character movements, and promotes a greater degree of emotion than a clean, clinical finish could everallow. The reason they chose to do this is purely because Birdy is an Ixion Altairan, a genetically engineered "super-soldier", and when you watch those scens, you'll begin to understand why they work on several levels. Fans of the awesome Casshern: Sins will recognise this technique as it is used heavily in that show as well.
Sound has been improved in the second series, with the characters themselves expressing a greater degree of emotion through their respective seiyuu (more on this in a bit). One of the high points of the voice acting occurs when Chiba Saeko (Birdy), and Irino Miyu (Tsutomu), speak exactly the same lines at exactly the same time. I won't say why this happens, however the degree of emotion expressed by both is extremely well synchronised.
Music is also a step up from season one. The OP and ED are just as good as the first series, however I did find myself preferring the OP to Decode: 02. The thematic music used throughout the series follows the same trend as season one, however it seems to work better here. This may be due to the tighter storyline, however it may also be due to the fact that there have been some changes to the tracklist, so some thought looks to have gone into what works where.
One of the driving forces of the Tetsuwan Birdy Decode series has been it's characters. In season one both Tsutomu and Birdy were engaging, yet both lacked a certain polish. In Decode: 02 however, Tsutomu is far more composed and mature (the Ryunka event and it's aftermath having been a rite of passage of sorts). Birdy has also undergone some improvement, and is far more endearing than she was in the first season. The fact that this season delves more into Birdy's past also helps to round out her character a lot, as the audience can begin to understand her motivations and goals.
I absolutely adored this season, and it is easily one of the best follow-ups I have seen in anime - period. This show has something for everyone, from human interest and romance, to mystery and major ass-kicking (super-soldier style).
Decode: 02 proves once again what we all know already. With a little care and thought, the sequel can easily surpass the original.
Denizen
This is the second part of the new Birdy Decode series, but you wouldn't realise it. The first season was good, but the sequel comes along and totally blows it away in almost every department. Most notably would be the animation - 02 exhibits some of the most incredible animation in a 13-episode series for a long, long time. Where other shows might shell out for a good fight scene here and there, 02 provides stunningly kinetic action scenes throughout the entire run, most notably in its incredible finale. If you like good animation, it's a must. But it's not just the animation that dominatesover the first season. The characterisation and setting also prevails - the plot gives a more Birdy-centric view, and Tsutomu loses any annoying qualities he once had. Their chemistry is quite nice to watch, and other characters also receive some good development.
Nataru, a new character, is an excellent addition and forms a large part of the plot, fitting in well with the setting and providing some great development for Birdy. The new antagonists are also worthy, and the colourful villain cast makes a nice change to the vague enemies of the first season.
The music is nothing particularly amazing, but it serves its purpose well. The OP and ED are just as good as the previous ones, and the Main theme that plays here and there is a joy to listen to.
If there is one obvious complaint, then it would have to be the art. In some places, it really suffers, looking lazily drawn and messy - however, this is all intentional in providing some high-quality animation and making an otherwise bland enviroment or dramatic scene come alive. For once, it's nice to see a studio favour the movement and action that you would expect from an animated piece of work, rather than focus on static close-ups and un-necessary amounts of shading.
And, an extra added difference to the second series is that it heavily ramps up the Gore-factor. This is good or bad depending on your persuasion, but the series certainly does not take shortcuts when it comes to brutality. In my opinion, this makes everything even more refreshing, but opinions may differ.
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Overall, Birdy Decode: 02 is a rarity in that it's much, much, much better than its predecessor - which is almost a shame, as people who disliked the first season would be put off by the second, despite it's many corrections and improvements. Overall, I recommend this anime to ANYONE. Whether you saw the first season, whether you didn't, or whether you liked it or not, you should give this show a try.
Cobbles
Tetsuwan Birdy Decode 02 is possibly one of the greatest follow ups to a mediocre first season. It takes all the flaws of the original and simply does away with them while throwing in a much more focused plot and characters. While the first season wasn't bad by any stretch of the word, it was fairly uninspired. It often felt like the series didn't know what it wanted to be, not really striking a balance between the slice of life elements or the science fiction. The pacing was all over the place, often ranging from adequate to mind-numbingly slow. The last couple of episodes feltvery rushed and a lot of plot points that were introduced earlier never really amounted to anything substantial.
A-1 definitely got their act together for the 2nd season, with a far more enjoyable plot. The second season picks up not too long after the first and everyone is dealing with the damage dealt to the city by the Ryunka in the the finale of first season. While the previous season focused on Tsutomu's life and problems, the 2nd season completely focuses on Birdy, leaving Tsutomu (rightfully) in the backseat. A lot of the slice of life elements are cut out in favor for a focused exposition on the plot. Nataru, Birdy's childhood is introduced in this season and plays a very important role to the plot as well as a foil to Birdy. The aliens who were behind the Ryunka in the first season are also introduced and are (ironically) hiding from galactic law on Earth. All these characters come together in a plot of revenge, conspiracy, conflict, relationships and bloody resolution, basically all the elements of a good story. Birdy really becomes a much better in this season. Instead of just being there to kick ass and make the occasional joke, we get an in depth look into her character, explaining the "Berserker Killer" title she has as well as her origin. Her story is much more interesting compared to Tsutomu's anyway, and I'm glad that A-1 went in the direction they did.
The animation and art...where do I begin? The animation is probably the best aspect of the series, and the 2nd season doesn't disappoint. It has a distinctly different style from the first season. Instead of top notch art and smooth animation, they opted for less detailed yet expressive art and jerkier yet stylistic animation. Its not fair to say that the first season had better animation, sure there were more frames but the 2nd season really delivers with its unique animation. The fights are a wonder to behold, truly some of the best in the industry. The last fight is especially incredible and breathtaking, often mimicking cinematic movement.
The music is also a step up from the original, the soundtrack has many more orchestrated pieces and its used wonderfully in context with the animation. It definitely sets the mood whether it be comedic or serious in tone. The opening completely owns the first one, fitting the scenes and context of the story perfectly. All in all, the music is much more memorable this time around.
In conclusion, Decode 02 is how great sequels are done. It improves on all aspects of the original while fixing up issues and tightening up the writing. Its definitely one of my favorite shows and I think everyone should give it a shot. If you stick with it, it'll pay up in spades.
Nilvius
[Story:8.5] After how mediocre the first season was, I initially had no intention to continue with the sequel – that is, until seeing several screenshots and raves about it on the net, which prompted me to give it another go. Thank goodness I decided to give it a chance as the second season is fantastic, to say the least. The first season was insipid because the focus is on the school life aspect while the more appealing intergalactic setting and aliens in masquerade get demoted to the background for a relatively large part of the series. The whole ordinary kid stuck in extraordinary eventspremise is overshadowed by the fact said extraordinary events are way more interesting that the ordinary kid. Naturally, the reverse is what made the sequel so much better. In addition, season 2 deals with alien fugitives taking cover on Earth, allowing the introduction of Birdy’s childhood friend, thus giving the opportunity to explore Birdy’s back-story. To put it simply, the sequel did practically everything that I complained was lacking in its first season.
As such, it can be argued that the real reason that season 1 is mediocre is because the real 'story' have not occurred. And it makes sense when one consider the case of the so-called standard 26-episode series. The alien they fought at the end of the first season? It's not the so-called ‘real’ Final Boss. It was not the actual climax. The secret project and experiments was just the set up, merely to prepare the stage for this sequel. Indeed, this one is when it’s finally ready to deliver what it has been building up previously. This is when things finally start to get serious, hence why the pace in season 2 is much faster and with more events occurring.
[Characters:8.0] As said, the character of focus is one of the key reasons defining Birdy Decode on the whole. Previously, the side characters doesn't really contribute much to the story. For all intent and purpose, the only relevant characters were mainly just Birdy, Tsutomu and Natsume who got caught in the event. Now, apart from the protagonists, the main antagonist too gets the fair share of back story and other minor character also get their share of the limelight.
And of course, there is much drama and development to be had for Birdy herself. From her comedic Arita Shion persona to flashbacks involving her past, the scenes were well executed. The lighter moments are comedic when it needs to, while the heavier and darker scenes are dramatic without being overdone. In particular, the story can get surprisingly quite touching and bittersweet in the latter part of the series.
The choice of voice-acting cast was great too. As with the prequel, I like the voice acting for Birdy, especially when she is in her Arita Shion mode. Special mention goes to Mamiko Noto as Birdy’s caretaker.
[Art:8.5] Another compliment goes to the major improvement in production values. Not only is the story better, even the animation quality is much higher. The action sequences are fantastic, albeit some of them being rather brutal. In short, the art style is excellent and in particular, I like the mix of animation styles - for example, the sketchy style (similar to those of Gainax productions) is highly appropriate for some of the more emotionally chaotic moments.
[Music:7.5] Decode has good soundtracks, but the prequel didn’t quite get to put them to good use. Thankfully, this season rectify that. Furthermore, the choice of opening and closing themes are also much more agreeable.
[Summary] With a classic science-fiction setting, some romance and plenty of cool action sequences, it shall suffice to say that Birdy Decode 02 is definitely worth the watch.
Personal Overall Rating: 8.5
material115
After the whole Ryunka incident that kill half of Tokyo and turn it into a pile of rubble in first season the story continue............ If you already seen the first season you'll be surprise how good this s2 will turn out, it even make S1 looking seriously mediocre in comparison. Everything just being done better this time. This time the new antagonist and the culprit behind the incident is introduce. Prior to save the world plot in S1, S2 is consider more down to earth and focus toward aftereffect of the incident, How did it effect the people who were involve in it.The main protagonist Tsutomu Senkawa a take a back sit in this whole story. It pretty well thought out I would say, instead being man-up just to fit in, he just being himself. Definitely a plus for me since it do not fall toward generic power up shounen. Birdy on the other hand take on the spotlight, and we get to know her hidden past.
The story is extensively center toward the antagonist and birdy, their past and relation. Without giving anything away, I would say it was relatively touching story and it doesn't force the viewer to like it or GTFO. you basically could like it even though if you doesn't really find it was touching.
The execution/directing in this season is one of it main factor why it good. The pacing was great throughout the whole 12 episode. Furthermore it don't take no for an answer, every death being done in rather brutal way. It maybe a bit shocking for some, but it definitely make the stake seem much higher this time around.
The animation was great probably one of the best if not the best for tv anime, the most notable episode is 7 and 12. If you ever watch Kemonozume or mind game will notice the similarity in style. instead being use for the whole show like kemonozume, TBD02 use those style just for a few action sequence, with an amazing end result.
the music was good, and the sound effect is good as well. As expeted by A-1 Pictures "a subsidiary of Sony's anime production firm Aniplex".
Overall I would give this anime a fairly well deserve perfect 10, you couldn't find any anime out there that use a perfect balance in its strength. You could hate all the character and yet it still good, you also could hate the story and yet it still good, you could hate the animation and yet it still good, and none could not hate all three unless you're an contemptible person.
No matter what kind of an expectation you have in this, it save to say it will definitely deliver and "Shipping" expectation don't count.
Cespar
Having a somewhat lackluster ending from the prequel I’ve never expected the quality difference between the prequel and sequel of the anime. I’ve watched the OVA (the Cipher) before this sequel. I recommend you should too as it is a liaison between the two parts. *I will note that this sequel is more violent than its prequel. There is a reason why it’s rated R while the other is P-13. It follows a more mature subject matter and there are decapitations and yanking limbs.* However it’s not violence and edgy scenes is what makes a better sequel. *I will also note that it is mostly spoiler-free andthis is based on 5 as the mean instead of 7 in standard grading*.
Story- 8/10
The story doesn’t become a magical reset and begins a month after the events of the prequel. The dynamic duo of Birdy and Tsutomu now must hunt down escapees that came down to Earth who have ties to the consequences in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Natsumi Hayamiya and Tsutomu’s other friends decided to address those effects for the upcoming cultural festival in their school.
From then on, Birdy is the focus, unlike the prequel (which was Tsutomu). It explores her past with the various villains and people (Altans and aliens technically) that she reencounters. It has its share of geopolitics, slice of life moments, action, and drama. Fortunately, it often jumps scenarios and helps encompass its tones better as the comedy doesn’t hamper the following serious atmosphere. Anymore than that and it would be spoiler territory.
This is a much more focused story with better pacing and structure. It follows the same formula of a mystery from the prequel with bits and pieces that come together, but this time it helps flesh out a character. Though more linear (quite predictable actually) and not entirely complicated, it is well articulated and more detailed, making use of the world-building better than before. The ending resolves many of the asked questions in the prequel, but lends subplots and foreshadowing to be expounded for a third part (which unfortunately is never made).
I do have to say it may require a more myopic focus and a rewatch to help piece everything together for it to make much more sense and appreciate it. Things may appear superficially simple, but its execution is key.
Watching it casually or an episode weekly will probably keep you scratching your head or lose interest in this anime.
Characters- 9/10
As stated, Birdy becomes a highlight of the show and being the much more interesting character, the story becomes more character driven. It also brings up the persona, Shion Arita, and makes well use for its comedic purposes. Her childhood people are complex enough to have some depth and the various escapees as well as Tsutomu help colorize and develop her personality.
These escapees have enough screen time to have characterization and their interactions prevent them from being the “I’m an evil villain trope”. Each can have different enough personalities that help me distinguish the characters (though they’re hard to recall their names due to the short time span) without being one-sided as a whole. Best of all, the main antagonist is a much more complicated villain with better motives than the cardboard cut-out of Shyamalan. However, I can’t spoil anymore, but I can say that they explain why she is “Birdy the Berserker Killer.”
Unfortunately, Tsutomu loses most of his screen time, but he does have his fair share and he develops more maturity based on his experiences on the prequel. Irma and Capella have more comedic interactions. In addition, Muroto and Tsutomu’s friends while lacking in development; helps bring a different perspective of the world to make it more realistic and less about the melodrama or light-heartedness of the vantage point. I can say the same by bringing Megius and Skeletso to the story even if it is a minor one.
My biggest complaint would be some of the other characters. However, it could be a good thing that they dropped the weird cameo villain Gomez, (the blond dude with sun glasses) and the even bigger villain as well as Nechla (the space pontiff) as it can foreshadow another part and keeps the focus better to the set of character it mainly brings out.
Music- 9/10
The music is much more orchestral and helps build that engaging tension while having some more dramatic portions. At some points it reminds me of music similar to various blockbuster super-heroes movies and tragic drama. It has some cool rock music and the opening of it is a much more appealing J-pop sound. Overall it's quite well rounded in style made by Yugo Kanno (Psycho-Pass and Jojo's Bizzare Adventure Stardust Crusaders)... fitting for this anime. While I still do notice the repetition and a lack in memorability in music; however, it is much more emotionally moving and greatly captures the mood and atmosphere well when required.
Art/ Animation- 8/10
It’s either a LOVE/HATE kind of style
**By the style, I mean that of the low detail, yet hyper fluid rotoscoping it often uses. That form is outside of the cel animation and really puts off many people. I saw it very similar to the well-known Naruto vs. Pain fight animation and the fights of Noein: to your other self. Otherwise it looks similar to K-On, minus the moe elements.**
Various facial expressions may seem jarring and it appears to look like the expressionist painting, the Scream, along with the sketchy animation similar to TTGL which not everyone will appreciate. However, this shouldn’t be judged solely based on its appearance, but what it does with it.
Ep 7 and 12 are the episodes that follow this to the fullest of this aspect. Although Ep 7 has been fixed after the DVD release and cleaned it with more solid figures.
Now I should get back on track. Unfortunately, this show is starting to lose its budgeting. It was made well into the global recession of 2008 and the quality shows here (unlike the prequel.)
The fights are still very well choreographed and much more numerous than the prequel. Most fights are now bloody and don't last very long as it's usually more plot centered. Character designs are quite simple and the interactions are still very well made that provide some of the best body movements done with hand-to-hand combat. However, it's the art style that attempts to evoke the emotional aspects of catharsis.This would be a first priority and making it look badass as a second priority. In other words, you shouldn't be expecting dazzling polished spectacles, but rather, the dynamic, visceral conveyance of characters and their efforts (similar to Ping Pong the Animation.)
I wouldn’t call the art style lazy as it requires more movement and doesn’t have a lot of repeated frames (except with one scene with the walking motion in the hospital). It's quite different from other shows that have minimalistic movement, yet has some eye-candy detail, but I personally adore this animation style.
Enjoyment- 10/10
I’m quite surprised it surpassed my expectations, often maturing its story and become slowly well-rounded and well executed as each episode passed. It fixed the issues for me for a disjointed story and the violence was done with reasonable sense and defined motives (with some moral ambiguity) with never becoming too gratuitous for me.
It makes tighter use of characters and the genre-bending (not to be confused with gender-bending) that makes me appreciate the usage of children and adults to tell such a story in a fictional world with depth.
It's quite a shame not many would have seen this anime made by A-1 Pictures nor is this anime fully completed. Definitely a more underrated masterpiece that improve greatly compared to its prequel. Finishing it made me wish there were more episodes and more anime like it.
Without becoming an over-hyped fan boy, however, I can see why people may not like this show. The mix genres it has would make others have a mixed reaction towards their entertainment. Some would be really put off by the jarring art style or gruesome violence and others would not like the lack of central themes and linearity(although it is heavily nuanced) of the sequel.
Overall- a very high 8/10 (sorry I don't round up)
This is an exceptionally well-done show that I believe is much better than its prequel.
More avid fans would definitely like the more engaging story. It’s quite a shame that many would drop the prequel and not realizing the difference between the two.
I recommend it for those who prefer more on a story-focused anime with fight scenes only as a plot device (not the plot itself, unlike in most shounen anime.) Don't expect stylishly badass characters with the over the top rule-of-cool factors, as most of the time, this anime's strengths are the space opera in this setting and surprisingly human problems.
However, I still have to recommend you watch the prequel before in order to appreciate the latter, especially since the two are tied together and not a standalone 12 episode series.
VermillionGhost
This is my first review, so I'll keep it short for two reasons. Firstly, I don't really know what I'm doing, secondly I watched this series ages ago. That being said, it pissed me off enough to remember to review it here. I watched the first series mostly because I saw it had Micah Solusod voicing the lead role. Hey, Soul (Soul Eater) was cool, so surely some of the coolness would rub off? Which brings me to the sound of the series. I watched the english dub, and the cast was stellar. Big industry names were everywhere and it was a pleasure to play "guess-the-actor". However,this is just about where the good news ends.
The first series could be considered mediocre. Birdy was fairly cool, the shared-body spiel was mildly entertaining and the aliens were ugly. Fine. No problem. The second season was nothing like it.
I'm not sure exactly where the producers wanted to take this show. Where ever it was, it is a dark, dark place. Most of the ridiculous gore and hammy dialogue could have been endured, if they didn't bring kids into it.
Yeah, they were aliens in kid's bodies. Yeah, the person killing them had some sort of revenge backstory. I don't actually care. Watching this made me feel ashamed, unclean and morally bankrupt. They didn't die painlessly; they were mutilated and while they screamed and begged for mercy, the guy told them they deserved it. There should be lines, and for me, this didn't merely cross a line, it bulldozed it with a frikken tank. Where do people take a step back and go "no, this is wrong, we should not encourage the production of this sort of media"?
And the worst part was, this killer was actually supposed to be some sort of sympathetic character. Hell, he was the love interest!
Additionally, Tsutomu barely features after being built up as a protangonist in the first season. You are instead deluged with flashbacks and backstories, which, while explaining some of Birdy's history, had moments that were largely irrelavent.
The story ended up being quite predictable. Not to throw up too many spoilers here, but the aliens are going to get picked off one by one. Then there won't be any aliens left, which pretty much concludes the season.
The art was fine, till the last few episodes, where funding ran out and the art team made some creative decisions in the fight scenes that pretty much remove background, gravity and proportions from the show. For me, the show also lacked any sense of catharsis: it's clear that they way is being left wide open for another series. Which I won't be watching.
There was a lot of blood, a lot of screaming, a lot of Birdy being pathetic. I really wouldn't bother with this season if I were you.
DesolatePsyche
First things first. My "reviews" system is explained on a blog entry. Which can be found through my profile. ------ ✦Story The story of human-looking alien space federation police girl and human boy body-sharing adventures continue. This time around story had similar aspects, its lore/past, its tragedy, its drama and its romance. Only this time the focus of characters was different. Meaning that drama/past/conflict and romance was between different characters. Nevertheless I found the story quite good, emotional, fun, well presented, good development and so on. It was simple 7, it was good, fun and enjoyable. My biggest complaint would be that some romantic developments wereunfinished or not focused on. Still would loved Senkawa and Sayaka ending up together.
✦Art&Sound
Art was actually quite good. It had lot of interesting Animation methods and as well the artistic value. Lot of fighting scenes were very satisfying with they way they showed some of the motions. Tho at times Animation looked like some flash game sequence and at places it was a bit way too plain/flat toned/shaded.
As for music & OST, I did love the Opening song, rest was good enough.
✦Character
Aside Birdy and Senkawa, this time we got a whole Alien squad of cast that was focused on. With a bit development and learning/growing into some of the side-characters and their involvement. Won't side much aside that the focus squad of characters were basically all with some sort of involvement in the past, somewhat with Birdy (related thing) and a our new "main guy focus" having close relation to the Birdy. Anyhow, found characters were okay, grew into some, were sad moments and progression was as well for the most part acceptable.
✦Enjoyment&Overall
RNG gave me this anime to watch, synopsis and cover imaged looked something that I would had probably dropped. As the whole alien thingy and odd costumes, felt very niche and tryhard anime. But as it turned out it wasn't anything as I thought it to be. Was far more enjoyable than I imagined. It was simply a fun some-what battle shounen Anime with tragedy and a satisfying touch of romance. Although, as mentioned, I'm a bit sad how couplings felt unfinalized.
Alinhje
I liked Decode 2 more than Decode, because it’s more about Birdy and her past then about fighting criminals (although that obviously also appears, since not all criminals involved with the Ryunka have been captured). Some new characters are introduced (however it is better to say, characters that are new to the watchers) and they make the series rather interesting. Decode 2 includes some unnecessary sidelines to the story, but they make the story feel more like a whole. I watched the series in high speed, because the more it progresses, the more interesting it gets. I would give the series a 9/10, but there’s somethingthat stops me from doing so and makes me rather give it an 8/10: the animation all of a sudden lacks the detail it should have. This appears in some fighting scenes and it truly bothered me because this is an action series, the action should look pretty nice. Other than that I truly loved watching Decode 2.
Gsarthotegga
This was a serious improvement over the first season, which is a huge surprise. I can't think of many instances where a bad season 1 led to a good season 2. Unfortunately, it's probably not easy to watch this without first watching season 1. I personally think the suffering is worth it. The art is solid, and there are jumps in quality and different styles used periodically for the animation. This is one of those shows where the key animators get to go wild and show off their creativity; if you're familiar enough with specific animators, you could probably see their signatures all over numerous segments—andthey've made the rounds on various "sakuga" videos. I'm sure this is a series many anime fans will criticize as having "bad art" or "bad animation" because it's inconsistent, and is sometimes quite rough... but these shifts often fit the emotions building in the scene so well, and it's rare to see animation so expressive and free in the commercial anime scene. The dynamic angles of the camera, the direction, and the editing accentuate the animation to an astonishing degree, and this kind of synergy is, I think, a big part of what has enamored so many people with anime—no matter how much they complain about anime cliches or the conformist tendencies of the industry. When done well, anime has a gripping and visceral style simply unlike anything else.
Season 1, despite having good qualities, wore two hats and juggled between the two frequently--often in an awkward at best, and tedious at worst, way—plus, at least one of those hats was a propeller hat worn by a drooling idiot. Season 2 has much tighter direction and writing, and it has a decent plot with very little fillerish moments.
In many ways, this story is about the characters trying to understand and find meaning out of a mysterious (for everyone other than a few mains) and seemingly meaningless devastation left in season 1 by the Ryunka. Tsutomu's friends from season 1 are part of a documentary team, and they film the ruined cities, the shelters with both broken and enduring people, and the marauding criminals. it's not far removed from coming to terms with being nuked at the end of WWII, and a few shots seem clearly drawn from photos at the time. The villains even slaughter a whole battalion of American soldiers and steal a nuke (which will be the second impact to the Ryunka's first), so it's not exactly subtle in that regard—but if I'm being honest this is one of the better attempts at reflecting on the early post-war period through an alternative lens. Moreover, the setup gives the mains something of interest to do, unlike in the original.
The terrorists who are responsible for the main crisis of season 1 are the main villains this time, forced to hideaway on earth. Birdy has to hunt them down, but there is also another character who is brutally murdering them to seek vengeance. I tend to not like characters whose main motivation is revenge, but not only is this character quite sympathetic, but the anger is so raw due to the excessive cruelty and overkill he visits upon his enemies, along with the idiosyncratic animation, and there's definitely a bit of an unstable Jekyll and Hyde thing going on here.
Much like the original, this new season gravitates heavily between two different plot lines: the other one involves Birdy's past on her home planet, which thankfully uses a plot device to include Tsutomu. The backstory is heavily interlinked with the main story, and there is a kind of time travel ability the "main villain" has... not unlike most shows, this aspect can become a little convoluted and confusing, but instead of focusing on the ability as merely a plot device, there's a strong emotional resonance to it that allows the story to wrap up nicely in the somewhat paradoxical ending. A definite high note after the intensely animated final fight scene.
Tsutomu is also not totally worthless like he was in the original, even though Birdy's past and new romantic interest is the main focus—he's matured a bit, even gets some time on his own where he has to take over for Birdy, and he negotiates often and even in a pivotal moment. He felt too much like a burdensome sack of crap in the prior installment.
Unlike the original, pretty much all of the scenes and characters feel like they were meant to be here this time. Though, admittedly, Capella, a secondary villain (of sorts) from season 1 was depicted in an oddly whimsical fashion, despite having such indifference about toying with super weapons and appearing quite malicious in prior installments; her part felt out of place, and it seems they had to place her scenes here in preparation for a planned 3rd season that never came, and who knows if it will, what with this being a series that's now over a decade old... this is definitely the biggest flaw, and it affects the flow of the series quite a bit.
Late in the series, one of the terrorists strikes a deal with Gomez and his boss from the first series, but this wasn't alluded to until the very end, and what this was about isn't too clear. This same character has very fuzzy motivations that aren't really explained, and it even appears she is "hiding her power level," as she goes from being an average fighter, relatively speaking, to a complete badass for seemingly no reason. Insanely rushed.
Most of these issues don't heavily detract from the proceedings, and the animation, art, and the fight scenes, all of which have far more emotion behind them than either the precursor series or most other anime, more than make up for any of the issues; the writing-related issues also don't prevent the story from being quite decent for what I expected would be nothing more than a shallow sakuga fest following in the footsteps of the last stinker.
itsthatguy
Ladies and gentlemen, Birdy is back! And this second entry (or third depending on if you include the original OVA series) in the Birdy franchise certainly is a much different entity than the one that viewers encountered in the first season. The second season kicks off with a bang and a surprisingly high amount of gore not seen in the first season. These first few moments end up setting the tone for the rest of the season, which is much darker and more mature than the first. The pacing of the story, which was somewhat slow and drawn out in the firstseries, feels a lot tighter and more focused this time around. The plots initially feels similar due to the continued central focus on the Ryunka, but as the series progresses and with the introduction of Birdy’s childhood friend Nataru, a lot more focus is on the characters and their development. The fights and intense action that appeal to adrenaline junkies like myself are thankfully still present and still play a pretty significant role, with the action being much grander and surprisingly violent and gory at times this time around.
While Tsutomu clearly was the main protagonist of the first series, this time around it is evident that attention has greatly shifted over to Birdy, with Tsutomu’s actions and relationships taking a back seat. This ends up being a lot more unique and engaging as the viewer is treated to a significant amount of fleshing out of Birdy’s character while also getting a lot more insight on the inner workings of both her role and development as a Federation officer and the Federation itself (in the end though is it really all that surprising that the story of “your average male high school student” is less interesting than the story of a super-powered intergalactic police officer?).
The show’s writers did not forget the events of the first season, with the sight of the Ryunka-decimated Roppongi ruins being a constant reminder of the friends, family, and homes lost during the conclusion of Tetsuwan Birdy Decode, further contributing to the more serious overtone of the second season. This is not to say that the second season is entirely depressing and dark. The lighthearted and comedic moments that were more prevalent in the first season do surface from time to time and are just as enjoyable, they just don't occur as often.
In spite of my above praise for the more developed plot in this season, there was one facet of the story that I have an almost unforgivable problem with:
The ending
Now this is not to say that I have a problem with the direction that the story took, I actually quite liked it. What I am talking about here is that Tetsuwan Birdy Decode:02 has quite possibly one of the most open-ended conclusions of any series that I have ever seen, it really felt like the story just sort of dropped out at the end. This is mostly due to the fact that the source material at the time was not completed, thus there was no more story to be animated. However, this leaves only a few questions that were raised during the first season sufficiently answered and the apparent main villain, Christella Revi, has yet to make an appearance for longer than 30 seconds. Seeing as how it as already been over two years since this season aired, it is becoming more and more unlikely that a third, conclusive series will ever be in the works. Even though I really enjoyed Birdy, if you desire solid conclusions in your anime, then you may want to stay away from this one.
As I said before, characterization is much more present in this second incarnation and it really does serve to drive the story almost as much as the action does. By means of “flashbacks,” the viewer is finally given the opportunity to see a lot more about the events and people that shaped Birdy’s character and how, despite being a biologically engineered war machine, she still has normal thoughts, desires and emotions like any person. For the most part, Tsutomu gets pushed toward the back of the action this season much like Birdy was in the first and thus plays a much smaller role this time around. Those times when he does resurface and give his two cents though, it’s amazing to see how much he has matured and grown as a character. As for significant character development, that is about it I’m afraid. The introduction of Nataru and the Ryunka escapees does keep the rest of the cast from feeling stagnant and uninteresting as it seems that, along with Tsutomu, most of his friends have also become pretty insignificant to the story and do not add much this time around, despite still being featured pretty heavily.
I found the art for the first season to be absolutely amazing and this second season certainly did not disappoint. The artwork this time around is much more refined and the artists work the darker tone very well. The characters are all drawn beautifully, the backgrounds were detailed and interesting and the fight scenes looked spectacular. The one criticism is that, much like the first season, there are periods of clunkiness and a marked drop in quality for some of the fight scenes. This clearly was intentional, as a certain distinct impression was supposed to be left on the viewer during these moments. However at times it worked for me and I really enjoyed the contrast that could be made, while at other times I desired the cleanliness and attention to detail evident throughout the rest of the series. In spite of this, Birdy is still hands down one of the most visually appealing series I have ever seen.
Musically, Tetsuwan Birdy Decode:02 also has a much more mature tone. Not that I didn’t enjoy the music of the first season, it is just a matter of that it was more lighthearted and peppy, while the new opening and ending themes were much more in line with the smooth, refined feel of the second season. The opening theme, “Kiseki” by Nirgilis was delightfully grand sounding and the accompanying animation meshed perfectly, while the ending theme “Tane” by pop trio No3b sounded smooth and uplifting.
Additionally, I would like to mention that for those of you viewers out there who are fans of good English dubs, Birdy has one of the best ones to come out in recent years. And for those of you fans of the original Japanese version, it is also one to be applauded. In particular, Saeko Chiba does an rather great job as Birdy and her pop idol counterpart Shion Arita.
Despite an incredibly open-ended conclusion, the more focused storyline of the second season and the excellent artwork are good reasons to give this title a try. If you disliked the first season’s slow, easygoing pace or are unfamiliar with the Birdy franchise I believe that you will be in for quite a treat, at least visually if nothing else, if you give this one a chance as it has some sort of appeal for all viewers.
This is itsthatguy signing off, saying you stay classy MAL users
KR5-S14Kouki
Well I just recently watched this series and this review will be on both seasons. I wanted to write something because this anime came off as surprisingly entertaining. When I first saw the cover-art of Tetsuwan on anime sites, I wasnt very intrigued and didnt feel the slightest interest in it, one reason being it looked somewhat childish, I mean birdy's outfit is kinda, how do you put it colorful? Anyway it looked more like a shoujou and not that shoujou's arent good but im a guy so they usually dont appeal to me. Another reason I didnt feel interest was because from the descriptionit seemed like it was a part of the gender bender genre, and again not that theres anything wrong with that genre just not my cup of tea.
Well I was on Youtube one day and was watching someones top ten scenes in anime for fighting scenes (which is sometimes a good way to scout new anime) and a scene from tetsuwan came on and the fight scene was actually quite good and...violent. Not childish at all.
Anyway I decided to give it a shot, and like I said, was pleasantly surprised.
Tetsuwan is about a boy who...blah blah blah, you can read the description of the anime to know what the general plot is.
Anyway the plot of tetsuwan is not necessarilly brilliant or super creative. But what gave the story its appeal for me was the relationship between Birdy and the MC. The two made a good pair and were quite supportive of each other. There isnt much romance between the two and that was alright because that was not the relationship they had. But dont worry there is romance in the series just not between those two. Which brings me to my other reason for enjoying the series. There was quite a good mix of genres in it. It had great action in it, which was actually more on the mature side (limbs and heads sometimes getting torn off and blood), there was some drama/romance for both the mc and Birdy, and there was also comedy. It also wasnt a gender-bender, at least to me it wasnt because it didnt have any of the things a typical gender-bender would have. There was great character development for the MC and Birdy but however it lacked development for some of the other key characters.
Now for the physical aspects of the show, the art was decent, but was one of my main problems with the series because its normally good but there are several scenes were it gets really sloppy. The music on the other hand I quite enjoyed, the Op for the second season was quite good and I never skipped it. There are some plot holes but not enough fro you to get caught up in and ruin it for you.
All in all it was a good find for me and I would recommend you give it a try. Like I said its not a masterpiece but it was enjoyable and felt different and refreshing. I would give it a 7.5 if I could but seeing as I cant it gets a 8.
kirazerorequiem
started off looking like it would be better than the first season. in the end was just a pile of boring overused scenes with little good action STORY: Very bland and cliche, nothing new or interesting. what little story seemed to go nowhere. ART: Was drawn decent at times but other times quality would just drop, the main would look like a tottally different person at times, to me. SOUND: Overused annoying music , irritating voice actors.CHARACTERS: not interesting or new, wasn't fleshed out but done in a way it was fine.
ENJOYMENT: Wasn't none besides a few fight scenes, the characters would just make the most irrational decisions.
PiereDelecto
Tetsuwan Birdy Decode is one of the best popcorn/low-investment series out there. Both seasons of Birdy but the second in particular really have it all - the pacing and character arcs are so on point that it makes it very hard not to binge and the stylistic range on display from the art/animation sqaud is peak A1-Pictures and a rare treat. Honestly, this is one of the few Anime I would be shocked for nearly anyone to watch all the way through and tell me they didn't enjoy. The fanservice that comes through the gender-bender angle is so modest and sparsely/creatively applied that it hitsdifferent and feels very "normie". That atypical mark of quality - namely doing sophisticated sex appeal that isn't creepy, something they also manage with the romance angles they take - is a microcosm of the quality directing in Birdy Decode. All the beats feel just right and basically never make you think "man if only they had just ____, that would have been awesome..." Instead you're like "wow I can't believe they actually just ____, awesome!". You'll find yourself laughing, nodding, and emotionally golf clapping all the way through this one as you sit back, take your cynical weeb hat off and watch the pros show you why they are the pros. In contrast to the more typical smh lolololols that are so much easier to come by, Birdy is a solid, fun show with high entertainment value that doesn't dumb anything down, with a compelling narrative and the balls to manifest a tidy ending in both seasons.
Birdy's story rounds itself out extremely well, doing just about everything really well at the same time spread across multiple main and side characters - slice-of-life, action, coming of age, sci-fi, space, superpowers, comedy, romance, sakuga, school stuff, sympathetic villains, mystery - and generally a cut above the shows you might compare Birdy to in each of those categories. A1-Pictures really found that sweet spot and spread the art and animation budget out in such a way that they just win those categories. The character models are unique and organic, with something of a star wars/marvel universe "all aliens are some ungodly bipedal versions of an organism from earth or basically humans" thing. It's serious and fluffy and complex all at once, which comes as a side-effect of just letting the creatives on the project do their thing without giving a shit about some target audience or whatever. That's the feeling Birdy radiates, one of genuine expression and creativity coming from people who love to do what they do, like it has a soul. And who doesn't love it when a show has that going for it, or wonder why the hell it has to be so rare.
Another thing that really deserves praise here is the English dub. It's hilarious, heartfelt, and mature. The voice actors gave this one their all and not just the main characters but almost every side character absolutely comes alive. The excellent dub work finds fantastic synergy with the mix of statuesque, comic book style side characters like the giant cockroach guy or the Pontiff which exist right alongside the very expressive art style chosen for more central characters where there is an uncommon focus on facial expressions and dynamic close ups that let you really take those in. The villains in Decode:02 step it up a notch from Decode:01 as well, displaying more intelligent strategies and being much more relatable and sympathetic in addition to the personal stakes between them and the main characters being higher. And that's saying a lot because that angle was covered pretty damn well in Decode:01 already.
On that note, definitely recommend starting with Tetsuwan Birdy Decode season 1 if you can, since Birdy Decode:02 does a great job of focusing on exactly what you would want to see explored in a second season if you just got done enjoying the first.
It's hard to overstate how much better this show is than the various descriptions and summaries out there might suggest - if you're on the fence do yourself a favor and fire it up, I promise you won't regret it until it's over and you can't help but wish there was a Birdy Decode:03 out there too!
Resting_Bonfire
Tetsuwan Birdy Decode:02 As time goes by, you notice more and more which anime "Darling in the Franxx" was inspired by. And this is another one of them, as far as the second season is concerned. This season hangs right on the heels of the last episode, including the Ova and follows the new events from season 1 with a pretty fast pace, especially at the beginning. Honestly, I had high hopes for this season as it got off to a pretty solid start and possessed a pretty interesting implementation and portrayal of the vigilante theme. Together with the new third protagonist of this season aroundwhich the story revolved, this was on the whole an interesting plot. Unfortunately, until about episode 8, everything after that was boring, stretched out, and covered with an absurdly stupid finale. Seriously? Of all the things you could have done, you chose this paradoxical decision? And then with such a bad implementation and explanation? That was even more of a failure at the end than "Mirai Nikki".
Of course, this spoiled the whole positive build-up of the season, although I would have liked to say that this season was better than the first. It was superior in terms of faster pacing, better writing, and characters.
Story [5]
And here's where another problem has been. The entire story arc was only connected to revenge, on the masterminds of the first season. Otherwise, it dealt with nothing more than the various ambitions of the characters. But thanks to the much better execution than in season 1, this had been presented very creatively.
Unfortunately, the finale to which everything boiled down was quite a disappointment. "Time" is a dangerous topic, especially if you can't properly implement it in the plot. Because of this poor approach, everything that was built up for this finale was naturally ruined.
Characters [6]
Honestly, this surprises me, but I couldn't give this season fewer points. Not only did we see a very understandable presentation of revenge and vigilante justice. But also many character conflicts and developments, especially between the finale of the first season and the transition to this one.
The protagonist learned and developed through his mistakes so he could help Birdy with the same problems. Kind of ironic, isn't it? First, he was the problem child who couldn't accept the truth and wasn't aware of his feelings and now the roles have reversed.
The antagonists this season have unfortunately been very empty and had almost no screentime nor real ambition. The only thing they had was a hateful personality so that you would feel a "good feeling" as soon as their karma reached them.
My favorite this season, however, was a new character that everything revolved around. His calm yet impulsive personality and a strong quest for justice made him completely understandable and relatable.
Animation [6]
Predominantly subtle in the day-to-day and increasing in the action. This dynamic style of animation is atrocious in terms of detail, all you see are stone blocks flying around and characters playing Twister. However, they have been very suitable for larger stage changes in the battle scenario, as well as the choreography of the fights.
Music [6]
The intro...I kept having Darling in the Franxx flashbacks, help?
It was musically satisfying, as well as visually. On the whole, neither an earworm nor a major recognition value is present, just as with the outro.
Only a few osts have been stimulating and interesting.
Conclusion
I don't know the manga, but after a quick check, I noticed that there are significant differences between the manga and the anime already at the beginning. Therefore, it could be that the flaws in the work are "Anime Only". Unfortunately, I won't know and since this season has an open and unfinished ending, it will probably be the same for many.
It was a decent anime for in between, which had good approach but failed in a meaningful implementation.
Enjoyment - 5]
WeeabooHunter101
Following on the coattails of one of my favorite anime, this sequel season come pretty close to matching the what I loved about the first season of Birdy the Mighty Decode. One of the things I loved about this season was that almost the entire plot was focused on the impact of the events of the previous finale. Too often it feels that the trauma of the past are covered up or ignored by the narrative's world, or used only for some personal crisis. Here, the finale is shown to have an intergalactic impact that drives characters forward in the plot, and it shows the many typesof reactions. The villains seek to cover up or vindicate themselves from their conspiracy, while others seek vengeance or justice. The disaster has displaced many who seek aid or prey on others.
Animation, music, etc. are pretty consistent from the first season, though some of the fight scenes choose to change their style. Than animation for those scenes becomes coarser and more raw in an attempt to show a loss of physical and mental composure among the combatants.
Overall I loved the first season, and this season is a very good follow up. I sincerely hope more people seek out this show in the future.
OddOtaku
If you've read my previous review of Tetsuwan Birdy Decode, you know I loved it but had a couple gripes with it. Well gladly I can say that Tetsuwan Birdy Decode:02 is much better. The villain isn't a meme. This time, it's a new villain who feels just as fitting in the cast with everyone else. Though, it does kinda feel now that everyone else is swept under the rug but it's likely because we already know about them. It even kinda goes to take them to show them recuperating from the previous seasons events that occurred. And Birdy has a new objective of keepingthese criminals alive to face justice though it seems some don't want them to live long enough to. It's a perfect way to make conflict which again in this series, feel natural. But two sad details, while the style of the art is the same, fast paced sequences has taken a hit on its quality, especially on the final confrontation, and secondly, there is no third season in sight which is a shame with the number of questions left to be answered, even if you've watched the OVA. Maybe in the manga it's all cleared but I've yet to finish those. Would I recommend Birdy Decode? Yes, I would suggest you see this show.
