AKA: ギャラクシーエンジェルZ, Galaxy Angel 2

Genre: Sci-fi / Action / Comedy

Length: Television series, 18 episodes, 11 minutes each

Distributor: Currently licensed by Right Stuf International.

Content Rating: 10+ (slapstick violence, weird mischief, some language)

Related Series: Galaxy Angel (all variants)

Also Recommended: Excel Saga, Galaxy Angel, Magipoka, Pani Poni Dash, Ranma 1/2

Notes: Second season of Galaxy Angel, which in itself is loosely based on the dating-simulation / action game by Broccoli (Di Gi Charat). No previous knowledge of the first series is necessary to enjoy this one.

Rating:

Galaxy Angel Z

Synopsis

The Angel Brigade, made up of five quirky, cute girls, continue to search the planets in search of Lost Technology, such as noodles that make you inivisible. They usually end up causing more trouble than needed, though.

Review

Galaxy Angel Z is definitely a case of "more of the same" in terms of its content. There's no new main plot, main characters, or other major changes to the formula (although there is less emphasis on Lost Technology than last season). Which means if you liked season one, you'll enjoy this, but if you didn't like it the first time, Z won't probably change your mind, and you are free to click the back button on your Internet browser and ignore the rest of this review.

Whereas the original Galaxy Angel seemed to focus mostly on Milfeulle and Forte, and there were a bunch of episodes where all five members of the Angel Brigade did missions together, they didn't seem to interact as much as they could have until near the end of the season. This season gets off on a better foot by having all sorts of oddball pairings, plus a lot more episodes where all members of the Angel Brigade are shown.

The plot lines themselves are more interesting than last season as well. In addition to the noodles that turn those who eat them invisible as described above in the synopsis, other episodes include;

- Mint, Ranpha, and Forte hunting down a walking sunfish which is said to cure those with wrinkles on their face. Milfeulle herself must go against her own troop's wishes to try to save the sunfish.

- The Angel Brigade get a giant mecha to save the day, only to have it explode right before the end of their own 70's mecha parody theme song

- Vanilla hunting down a guy who steals Normad, using robot walkers, early 20th-century cars, and even a carriage powered by penguins to get Normad back!

- The rest of the Angel Brigade have to cheer Milfeulle up and keep her from getting sad on the one day of year where she has bad luck, which can cause the whole world to be sucked into a black hole if she cries too much!

In short, typical Galaxy Angel stuff. There's also the mandatory serious episode each season of Galaxy Angel has, as well as oddball episodes such as the switching of bodies and the growing of certain pink-haired girls..

The characters are mostly the same. Milfeulle is still cheerful, freakishly lucky, and loves to cook sweets. Ranpha is still an athletic girl looking to find a nice guy to settle down with. Forte is still a gun-happy woman with a short fuse. Mint is the easily irritable, costume-loving girl from a rich family who speaks polite and, though cute in a moe sort of way, has a hidden dark side beneath her cute exterior. And lastly, Vanilla is still much like Ruri from Nadesico, though obsessed with religion instead of calling everyone idiots. Their talking missile in a doll's body mascot, Normad, is still the sarcastic, annoying loudmouth he was in season one, where he treated everyone but Vanilla like dirt (and in the Japanese version, he's even voiced by the same person who does Vanilla). He's a little less annoying this season, though he's definitely a love-or-hate kind of character.

The overall animation and art is slightly up from season one, with cute, clean character designs, and environments just detailed enough to know what is going on. Nothing breathtaking, but solid overall job from Madhouse. CG, though rarely used, is actually well-done, though it's mostly limited to the Angel Brigade's ships (which you don't see in CG often anyway).

At 11 minutes an episode and no continuity to speak of, Galaxy Angel Z is for those looking for cute female eye-candy in 11 minute bits of comedy, or for those who already like the series and want to see more. Anyone else would find it hard to get in; you'll either love the antics of the cast or think that they're undeniably moronic and forgettable. It's something that you really have to see for yourself to see if you'll like it or not, but those that do will find much to like, and once you're done you can continue on to Galaxy Angel A, which is just as good.

It has its ups and downs, but it's still quirky, fun, cute, and humorous (the switching bodies episode is one of the best of its kind I've ever seen done in animation). Though if you didn't care the first time, or if you're looking for something deeper in your anime, pass by this. — Tim Jones

Recommended Audience: For older children and up, mostly due to slapstick violence. Bandai's English subtitles contain some swear words, and a couple even appear in the English dub, so parents might want to check the language first. Vanilla is very much into religion and prayer, and her reference to God may or may not bother some. Surprisingly there's very little fan service, despite starring five girls.