Speed Grapher Volume 2
Hawkeye
Having narrowly escaped the dark organization ran by the mysterious Suitengu, Saiga and Kagura continue trying to find a hide out that won’t be sniffed out. However, it seems they can never find a safe haven and just end up leaving everything they touch in ruins.
Saiga and Kagura think they’ll be safe hiding in a club of cross dressers. After all, who would ever expect the heiress to a major corporation socializing with men who wear women’s panties? They didn’t count on Suitengu’s henchmen being able to literally sniff out their location, combined with a dangerous woman made of diamonds. Forced to run once more, they find themselves entangled in Saiga’s past, finding sanctuary in the home of an old war veteran. Saiga has more to worry about then nostalgia as the mob gets closer and closer, and he discovers a tragic fact about Kagura.
The story is fast-paced and action-packed, but also brilliantly combined with history of the characters. It’s a mystery, it’s a comedy, it’s a drama, and it’s an action series. I love how they combine all of these elements in such a way that the show isn’t disjointed. They tell the story in such a way that I know the two main characters can’t run forever, but I’m still hoping for a miracle.
The animation was as good as ever, and it’s almost like the first volume was just a teaser, a preview, a warm up of what was to come. As the story progresses, we’re introduced to new villains, and with new villains comes new powers. I was amazed how beautiful they made the woman out of diamonds, she was translucent and sparkling, yet still terrifying. The action scenes are also still clever. It isn’t just running around and dodging things, it’s tactics with proper visual lead up so you can figure out what’s going on.
Even the sound effects seem to get better as the show goes on. There was another villain who used dentist’s drills as his weapons, and I have to say they got that horrible drilling noise perfectly. The extras were also excellent. I particularly like how they seem to be doing character cast auditions for each volume. I was also fond of the character profiles and art gallery.
This series is a roller coaster ride of action and flash backs. The characters are evolving and revealing more about themselves and that’s exactly what I love to see happen in a show. While the plot isn’t for the younger audience, it’s rated mature after all, those seeking a mature story line that’s on par with rated R movies here in the US will not be disappointed by this series.
Entertainment: 9
It just keeps getting better and better.
Technical: 9
Every thing was excellent.
Overall: 9
DVD Features: Episodes 1-4, Engish, Japanese with English Subtitles
DVD Extras: Art Gallery, Character Cast Auditions, Textless Songs, Character Profiles and Trailers
