Daphne in the Brilliant Blue Volume 2

Daphne in the Brilliant Blue Volume 2

Format: Anime DVD
Release: 08th December, 2008
Rating: 12
Publisher: MVM Entertainment

7

The market for big busty fan-service animes has really shrunk in recent years. However, Daphne in the Brilliant Blue should quench the thirst of many fans that adore that type of anime and as with Volume 1, it should also quench the thirst of those who want a storyline as well.

Picking up where Volume 1 left off, Volume 2 continues to show the journey of Maia Mizuki and her employment at the Nereids agency. Volume 1 introduced many characters into the fray, the Branch Manager, Rena, Shizuka and Gloria. Maia is only just starting to get used to fulfilling the demands of the customers who approach the Nereids agency, which vary from acting as rent collectors, cat rescuers to crime fighting units and bounty hunters.

Volume 2 starts by introducing a new character into the already expanded cast. A former convict, and a deadly marital arts expert attempt to try and rejoin the Nereids agency. Yu Park, however, has her license to rejoin Nereids declined by a somewhat annoyed Police Detective; Yu Park had to serve time for causing injuries to more than 20 people, and causing damage to the local area in the attempt to capture petty criminals.

To try and get back Yu’s license, Rena attempts to seduce the Detective and use her womanly ways on the poor man. However, terrorists storm the floating restaurant and attempt to use both the Detective and Rena as hostages. Unfortunately for the terrorist, Rena is able to contact the agency and get Yu to save everyone on the boat. This infuriates Gloria who wanted to shoot all of the criminals onboard the craft but arrives just a bit too late.

This Volume also reintroduces Maia’s friend, who managed to get employment at the prestigious Ocean Agency, as they are out for a meal together. Unfortunately, her hire car is stolen and whilst reporting the crime at the local station she bumps into her Nereids’ team members and is caused some embarrassment. Whilst Maia is telling Rena about the theft of the hire car, the Detective who had previously been saved by the group turns up and Rena manages to get a contract from him to get the cars back.

After a stake out the group are able to find the convicts, who use high-tech ways of stealing cars and threaten to kill Maia as they take her hostage. Fortunately for Maia they crash and she manages to secure her friend’s car and get the reward money. This is good as they then have to all pretend to really respect the Line Manager as his daughter is doing a school project on him.

To make things more interesting the group go to a deserted island, this is so he can “catch” a criminal, who turn out to be Gloria and Yu dressed up. His daughter is devastated and runs away, straight into a black market for penguins. Maia, the Branch Manager and his daughter are all captured and are used as hostages so the rest of the group can’t save them.

Whilst speeding off to kill the Branch Manager’s daughter, he manages to jump onto the back of the boat and knock the criminal into the ocean. This shows his daughter that he’s not entirely useless and this memory of the Branch Manager is destroyed in the next episode where he is removed from the room for commenting on someone’s cleavage on TV. The amazing Maia has to help a racing driver, who is an old friend of Shizuka.

Daphne in the Brilliant Blue Volume 2 is a lighthearted comedy show. The animation quality is just as good as the first volume, and the characters are really beginning to be fleshed out in this volume. Although some characters, such as Gloria really are two-dimensional. The skimpy costumes continue in this Volume, with Yu’s battle costume looking similar to a bondage outfit and nearly the ultimate fan-service for Rena.

As with the last Volume, the voice acting continues to be great on both sides of the language pool. Although Yu’s acting is a little distant and although she’s meant to be a distant character, it sounds more bored than anything else.

» Final Score

7

Volume 2 continues Daphne in the Brilliant Blue’s light-hearted comedic storyline. Taking jabs at itself and it’s own character design along the way, it’s an amusing and easy show to watch.