Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi

2 reviews - 4.0 total score (Explanation of the rating system)
avg. score: (2.0)

2. Ganoen

Much like h8er13, I watched this series hoping it would improve on the potential I saw in the first Ai Yori Aoshi. Tough luck for me.

Enishi is more of the same, essentially slapping another 13 episodes to the first run. None of the characters have changed, nor have their circumstances. They also look the same, despite the fact that Enishi occurs a couple years later. Kaoru and Aoi haven't gotten any more exciting, and it's hard to feel much for their relationship when it never seems to have any problems at all. Tina is still the rambunctious American, Miyabi the cold manager, Mayu the spoiled rich girl, Taeko the clumsy maid and Chika the relentlessly energetic teen.

It's hard to review this series because, honestly, nothing much happens. They have minor little crises or trips or visits etc. that get you through the episode, but no one grows or changes. It's all rather boring, and increasingly frustrating as each episode passes with the series still not finding a direction. The main thing that keeps this from 1 star is the impressive art and animation, and the solid voice acting.

Big fans of Ai Yori Aoshi will probably find something in the series, but for everyone else, watching a re-run from the original series will provide the same experience as watching an episode of Enishi. It's not a terrible way to pass time, but you can do better.

1. h8er13

I didn't particularly like the original Ai Yori Aoshi, but I thought that Enishi might somehow make up for the crap that was its predecessor.  I guess I was wrong.  Enishi is pretty much a direct continuation of the first season, with no added themes, same characters (actually, two new minor characters were introduced, but they add almost nothing to the series as a whole), and ineffective dramatic sequences.  This series has no direction at all.  Similar to the first season, Enishi details the everyday lives of all the characters.  Again though, there is no direction.  All the characters are so flat and stereotyped, and everyday is the same boring things, while everyone secretly longs for the main character, Kaoru.  The romance that the series tries to create between Kaoru and Aoi, the main female character, is not heart-wrenching, or dramatic, or even interesting.  The worst part of this series, besides everything mentioned above, was that there was no conclusion.

At least the animation was just as nice as the first season's.  Also, the opening and ending themes are catchy.