Saber Marionette J to X

Well this is my first review, and since no one else has written one for this show I figured now might be a good time. First off for those that plan to watch the show, the plot synopsis is rather glaringly wrong. Faust is not an enemy in this series and the saber dolls do not fall in love with Otaru. Now the first thing one would ask when watching a sequel is whether or not it measures up to it's prequel. In my opinion it is not as good as the prequel, but there is still a lot to like. The music and sound have improvedsince the start, which may appeal to some. The fight scenes aren't spectacular but get the job done, giving the sense of strength that the marionettes possess. It's where character and story become involved that things get iffy. Shows like this aren't exactly known for their deep plots full of betrayal and woe, so where story goes you have to look at it in a certain light. The story wasn't bad, but at times felt painfully obvious. In all honesty though the show did really grip me in the key points and I really enjoyed it. The main problem I had was that it really chugged at points, making me lose all interest. When the show picked up it was good but pushing through was difficult for me at times. The show had a great ending that had originality (as far as I know, anyway) and really made me want more episodes, so even though it was slow at times it did have really good moments as well. Character development is also a rather large hurdle this show tripped on. The marionettes have mostly grown their maiden circuits to the max from the first series and did not change much from that end on. The first series had a strong plot foundation for development that tried to stretch into this show as well, but in my opinion did a lackluster job of it. That being said, while the characters did not do much developing, I still enjoyed their varied personalities a great deal and really enjoyed the show. Final Words: Nothing showstopping. Really just stretching the material for another season, but for those who enjoyed the first, a great continuation with a stellar ending that made me sad it was over and wanting more episodes, and really what more can you ask for?