Infinite Stratos 2 (2013)

[IS〈インフィニット・ストラトス〉 2]

Director: Susumu Tosaka, Yatsuhito Kikuchi
Studio: Eight Bit
Starring: Koki Uchiyama, Yoko Hikasa, Yukana
Episodes: 12

Synopsis:
A terrorist group known as Phantom Task is targeting IS technology and sets its sights on acquiring Byakushiki.

Impressions:
Apparently this season was received much better in Japan than out of it, to the point where it's blamed for breaking the fandom. We start with some yuri bait involving Charlotte and Laura (which is nice for them, I guess, if Ichika ends up only picking one girl and—like the schmuck he is—doesn't pick best girl Charlotte), but then speedrun through a pool episode and summer festival. An odd choice that thankfully gets remedied in a later OAV, but this is the first sign that series planning takes a hit. I don't know how much can be blamed on the showrunners and how much owes to the source material, but we have the alleged main plotline with Phantom Task being woefully undercooked to the point where I'd be happy to do away with it entirely and just focus on the usual school antics. We also have the additions of the Sarashiki Sisters that disrupts what had become a fairly stable dynamic with the harem. Their character types, one being very forward and the other very passive, aren't really covered by the main quintet and Tatenashi being a pot-stirrer can be seen as spicing things up, but you can argue that this ultimately does more to spread things thin when we're already not doing a great job of developing the girls we already have. For me, there was about one thing I didn't like for every thing that I did, which left me with more of a neutral regard for this season. I know there are many fans who hate it and the fact that we're not likely to be getting a continuation only rubs salt in the wound. Take it or leave it.

Rating:
50/50