Majisuka Gakuen 2 (2011)

So, after reading the other reviews here I felt obligated to write my own as this is one of my favorite shows.

Many people consider the first Majisuka Gakuen (first season) to be better. I don't for many reasons, even though I loved the first one loads too.

Let's start of by saying you shouldn't jump into this unless you've seen season 1. You could I guess, but alot would be lost on you in terms of relationships/characters and events.

Why is this better then? Let me tell you what I think. The fighting is improved to start things off. Honestly not a major point for me, it was fine enough the first time around. As for the storyline, I felt that season 1 was basically a "Crows Zero" but with girls. It had alot of the same plot points. Majisuka 2 also had elements of Crows Zero 2, with schools fighting each other. But there was alot more to it than that. We get alot more character development from people like Gekikara and Nezumi (the two that lack it the most in season 1). They become real people instead of the over the top versions. And without spoiling anything I can say the school itself get's more internal trouble when the seniors from season 1 graduated.

The focus is better for someting with such a large cast since instead of following a set main character, it switches alot more between different persons and that gives more understanding of the various people too.

We get to understand the struggle of both the bad guys and the good guys and at the end of the day, everyone is likable in their own way.

I can't really get in more on why I found Majisuka Gakuen 2 better than it's predecessor (and ultimately one of my favorite shows) without spoiling plot points and events.

I can say however that it improved on nearly every aspect. As long as you don't go into it expecting it to be the same as season 1.

Oh, and did I mention there is no Daruma? That alone earns it an extra point.

Sidenote: You don't have to know anything about AKB48 going into this series. I didn't, and love it!

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In short: Don't waste your time unless you are a fan of AKB48 and all of their many incarnations. If you liked the first one or thought it was fun, the first 3 episodes will be a good place to stop. Let me tell you why:

I really liked the 1st season, so to me this is an epic case of the 2nd season not being as good. To me the story didn't really focus. the 1st season focused on Maeda and the story was built upon her, but for the second season seemed to focus on some weird story between Nezumi, Center and Shibuya.

I really enjoyed the hardcore yankee attitude in the 1st season. I also really like the inter school competition. This season all the characters were played to seem weak, in fighting and in acting. I did like that they brought back the original Rappapa gang, but they had Minami (yuko's character) appear way too many times. They also seemed to have wayyyyy to much girl love like "are they about to kiss?!" ran through my head a few times.

I didn't like the excessive violence in this season, I know Yankees are beating people to a pulp but they aren't killing anyone. However on a conflicting note, the gang fights are better in this season. The ending made no sense at all, I understand what the writers were trying to do with it, but the "from bad to good" concept only really works when there is some major event that evokes change. For some of the characters there was no catalyst. In short: Don't waste your time unless you are a fan of AKB48 and all of their many incarnations.

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