This and Durarara!!x2 Shou probably are the biggest anticipated titles to air this Winter season and when it comes to Gen Urobuchi’s writing he just cannot seem to let got of one thing:  plot twists.  For the most part I really enjoyed Aldnoah Zero’s first half but this.  What in the world are they trying to do here?

Picking up 19 months after everything that happened at Saazbaum’s Landing Castle, the crew of the Deucalion fend off against a Martian Kataphrakt, Frozen Elysium.  I was expecting tons of deaths here, but all we had were regular soldiers dying–  the war is still going on and what is this?  Inaho is still alive?  Oh please, Urobuchi should have left this character dead along with Princess Asseylum.

Deceiving the Terrans, the Martians bring in a newly introduced Vers blood relative, Princess Lemrina to act under the disguise of Asseylum.  I can deal with this and considering how well the creators here were able to put in exactly what occurred in the aftermath of the Landing Castle event.  It’s a reoccurring theme that’s been showing up throughout:  deception among the two human civilizations.  Another problem I have here is how the writer on this episode chose a crucial plot device so easily:  Asseylum’s blood on Inaho to get the Deucalion out of the Landing Castle.  Too easy i’d say.

For most of the episode Slaine looked way too calm for a newly appointed Vers Knight and the backstory indicated that he’s got the upper hand now against the Counts of Vers.  But it doesn’t stop there!  They could have ended this right after Lemrina’s speech BUT Urobuchi had to do it again with another plot reveal!  Slaine goes off and visits the real Asseylum stuck inside a medical tank of some kind!  What is this show doing by tossing aside the climatic scenes we had in the first half’s ending only to fall flat with a mediocre premiere going in its second half?!  Is this turning into Guilty Crown?  The story shouldn’t revolve around the basis of the characters emotions and single-minded actions?  Oh Inaho please don’t be like Shu Ouma from THAT series.

I’m disappointed, but regardless of how poorly done the characterization is at this point it is still a show I find slightly entertaining due to its high production values.  Even if it doesn’t know what direction it wants to take with the the characters let alone the story it still has a great soundtrack, fantastic visuals and at least some intrigue with the concept of a single human race adapting into two different worlds with different views of life.

Now the question remains:  should I continue blogging this after the botched second half’s premiere?  Hmmmm… guess I should wait and see how well this second episode plays out.  Hopefully some good can come out of it.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 4/10

—