Stellvia – Foundation II (TV Animé)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C-     Episodes: C+

 

 

When we looked at the first volume of Stellvia, I wondered if the show could get better with the next shows.  Now that Foundation II has arrived, the shows are like the packaging, just as fancy, flashy and sadly predictable.  It is “fun” on the level it is intended, but that is very limited and considering the starting age for this material is 13, it now seems more than before that the audience is limited agewise outside of the usual fans of this kind of material.

 

This DVD features episodes five through seven, so you get one less than the first DVD.  There is an updated sheet inside the DVD case shows the fancy metal-sparkle cover volumes with a different female character each disc.  The set up is interesting, but it is too bad that this is just another formula show about young girls.  At least this is acceptable for that 13 and up market, but the animation is also the usual and the color schemes are only so impressive.

 

The full frame 1.33 X 1 image is again a bit soft in the style of this kind of animation that I never like and never get used to.  The source material and final transfers are clean and the show which is what should be expected for a recent production.  The sound offers English and Japanese language tracks as usual, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo in both cases as well, but any kinds of Pro Logic surrounds are very limited.  The only extras again include the opening without text and more previews for other Geneon DVDs.  I do not know if this will ever pick up, but you can find out more about the show by going to the review of the first DVD elsewhere on this site.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo