Knights Of Sidonia: Season 2 - Battle For Planet Nine (2015/Sentai Blu-ray Set)

Picture: B+ Sound: A Extras: A Episodes: A-

As the Sidonia continues it's journey through space, it continues to fight the entity known as the Gauna, but with an ever evolving enemy, mankind is forced to evolve as well in Knights Of Sidonia: Season 2 - Battle For Planet Nine (2015). Along with Tanikaze and the crew of the Sidonia, they are joined by Tsumugi a new lifeform, a Gauna human hybrid created through forbidden technology, but will she be their salvation ...or their doom?

1,000 years after Earth was destroyed by the Gauna, the remnants of humanity survive in the asteroid spaceship Sidonia searching for a new home. In order to compensate for the lack of food, people were genetically altered and can undergo photosynthesis, and reproduction is done through cloning. With Tanikaze training the new generation of pilots, they are able to upgrade their Guardians, their technology and weapons. And for the first time, Sidonia can go on the offensive to attack the Gauna.

This is one of the better Sci-fi anime out there. It takes the ideas of what would be like if human is no longer born, but created through genetic manipulation. While mankind may evolve, human nature stays the same.

The 1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer I among the better performers in the Sentai catalog with nice detail and depth, despite the darkness in so many scenes, but the even bigger surprise is the DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mixes as we rarely see more than 2.0 stereo surround on most Sentai releases. We get a decent English and even better Japanese multi-channel presentation and that one is one of the best sonic presentation from Sentai to date. Extras include Sidonia the Movie, trailers, clean opening and closing animations.

Episodes this time are....

Discord - Nagate continues to protect Sidonia, but as the Gauna continue to evolve Kunato invents a new weapon for Sidonia.

Ability - Kunato introduces Tsumugi a Gauna human hybrid, a new lifeform able to attack the Gauna one on one. The Immortal council plots to remove Kobayashi as Captain of the Sidonia, but she eliminates them first.

Course - A new type of Gauna attacks Sidonia, Tsumugi flies solo to face the Gauna and gets captured. Tanikaze comes racing to her rescue.

Rage - Tsumugi manages to break free and goes on a rampage but then she becomes heavily damage protecting Sidonia from the Gauna's super attack. Tanikaze sacrifices his own propulsion engine unit to expose the Gauna's core, allowing the other pilots to finish off the Gauna.

Desire - Tsumugi is damaged but able to regenerate herself in the laboratory. Izana loses her right arm and leg in battle and gets cybernetic limbs. As Tanikaze waits for them to recover, he is forced to move out of the pilot dorms to find a new home.

Startup - Tanikaze find a new home and has Izana and Tsumugi come live with him. A new experiment weapon explodes and cause damage to Sidonia.

Rumbling - Sidonia recovers from the failed weapons test. Yuhata decides also to move in with Tanikaze too.

Reunion - Izana's grandmother plays matchmaker for Tanikaze & Izana, and tricks him into taking her out on a date.

Duty - Izana finds out her grandmother arranged everything and gets mad at Tanikaze. Izana is sent on a mission to explore Planet IX, Izana notices a blip on the radar and discovers Gauna and crash lands.

Entry - Tanikaze and Tsumugi take out the new prototype Guardian to rescue Izana.

Chance Meeting - Tanikaze and Tsumugi manage to rescue Izana. Only fight a new type of Gauna that has the ability to consume their energy/weapons.

Decisive Battle - Everything seems lost for Tanikaze, but at the last second he manages to break free. Tanikaze then uses himself as bait to lure all the Gauna on the planet into a trap, defeat them and effectively taking over the planet.

- Ricky Chiang