Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy Review

Hey guys, it’s the final week of November! Starting today, I’m going over all the content I have planned to review for December. It’s nowhere near as much as I had last year, but hopefully I’ll have more time to make the reviews in question better. With that said, here’s another review of a show that I bought from Connecticon. I had a much easier time going through this one than I did with Tenchi In Tokyo. So, grab some wine and a little chocolate, and enjoy this lighthearted review of Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy (A.K.A. Season 2).

Story/Setup
Starting just after season 1, we find that normality has returned (I’m using the word returned rather loosely) to the lives of Keiichi Morisato, and the goddesses Belldandy, Urd, and Skuld. However, with the arrival of a new goddess, old friends & new enemies, life immediately goes back to a quirky state, where something oddball happens just about everyday. For better or worse, the gang’s bond strengthens, and life stays is wonderful yet weird self.

Yeah, the story isn’t necessarily one of the most in-depth. However, it’s simplistic, easy to understand, and you can get into everything rather quickly. 

Setting
As with season 1, Flights of Fancy takes place in what I believe is Tokyo. I say “Believe”, because I don’t think the show actually says where it takes place (If it does, then I’ve never noticed). The temple/house where the group lives is one of the most inviting places you’ll ever see. It’s calm, serene, and it just beckons you to live there, or at the very least stay for a day or two. The city & school are rather lively, as there are lots of people around, and things are abuzz with activity.

There are plenty of other places the show goes to, including a country vacation home, a hot spring resort, and a extra-dimensionally enhanced version of the group’s living room (Watch episode 20 to understand). Though they aren’t the focal points of the show, they still have the same positive qualities as the other places.

Characters
The cast within Flights of Fancy is the exact same group of characters that came from the first season. You’ve still got Keiichi, Belldandy, Urd, Skuld, and all of their friends & enemies. For the most part, the character’s character (That looks & sounds weird, I know) has remained the same: Keiichi is still a humble & nice guy, Belldandy is still sweet & naive, etc. The 2nd season introduces one new character, and that’s Peorth, another goddess that lives with the gang for a bit. She’s actually a lot like Urd (Sultry, sexy, and kinda has an eye for Keiichi), but she has a rivalry of sorts with Belldandy, and doesn’t seem to have as many inhibitions. She’s not in the spotlight as much as you think, but when she’s on screen, she has a presence. 

Animation
The animation quality remains the same as that of season 1, but for anyone who’s never seen the first season, here’s a quick tidbit. The animation goes for a realistic/bright color pallet, which in turn creates a warm & inviting atmosphere (Despite the more serious moments). The backgrounds & environments look nice, and the characters look & move great (Especially the ladies). For what the show is trying to do, the animation fits with everything else.

Voice Acting
Flights of Fancy, unlike Tenchi In Tokyo, contains all of the original voice actors. They do the exact same voices in this show that they did in season 1 (Which actually wasn’t that bad), and so there really isn’t much else to say.

Episodes & Episode Length
Like Tenchi In Tokyo from last week, Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy is a long show. 24 episodes that run at 22 to 24 minutes each, to be exact. Whereas Tenchi In Tokyo feels long, this series go by at a slightly quicker pace. Perhaps because it’s 2 episodes shorter than Tenchi In Tokyo, or because of the faster pace of the series in general, I don’t know.

Availability & Pricing
The availability of Ah My Goddess: Season 2 is a curious case. The original season was released by Anime Works, and like many of the series they put out, are now difficult to find. In regards to season 2, it was re-released back in 2011 by Funimation under their S.A.V.E. (Super Amazing Value Edition) program. You can find it in places like Best Buy & FYE, or on websites like Amazon, where new copies currently start at 18 dollars, which is a really good deal.

Extras/Other**
The complete collection of Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy comes with a bunch of stuff, including commentaries, interviews, and trailers for other shows. It’s a good amount of bonus content, and will definitely satisfy anyone who finished the show, but want something else afterwards.

General Impression & Rating
Ah My Goddess: Flights of Fancy is perhaps one of the sappiest titles I own. I’m not a fan of romantic comedies, mostly because of how irritating they can be. Every once in a while, a title will come along, and whether because of it’s story or originality, Ah My Goddess hooked me in. Hell, I watched this series twice before I finished Tenchi In Tokyo! It does have it’s faults, but they in no-way tarnish how funny, sweet, and charming Ah My Goddess is.

Ah My Goddess: Season 2 gets a 9 out of 10.

See you next time, when the holiday season arrives on our doorstep. Until then, stay Otaku!



**
I know that most of what I said in this section is a repeat from last week’s review (Apart from the name change), but I honestly couldn’t think of anything different to say.