VANDREAD the Second Stage Review: The appeal and evolution of the sequel

Vandread: The Second Stage: Deepening drama and evolving battles

"Vandread The Second Stage" is a TV anime series that aired in 2001, and was produced as a sequel to "Vandread" which was produced in 2000. It was written by Mori Takeshi and GONZO, and directed by Mori Takeshi. It aired from October 5, 2001 to January 18, 2002, with a total of 13 episodes broadcast on WOWOW. Each episode is 30 minutes long, and was produced by GONZO and Digimation, with the copyright belonging to "©2001 Mori Takeshi, GONZO/Vandread 2nd Production Committee".

story

The story of "Vandread The Second Stage" begins with the crew of Nir Varna, who have learned that two planets, Taraak and Mejer, are at risk of being "reaped", and continue their journey to save their home planet. In an escape pod they retrieve along the way, they discover a free-spirited girl, Misty, in cold sleep. A message hidden in her pod reveals the shocking current state of Earth and the truth of the "reap". They also discover that there is a red pexis on Earth that is linked to "negative emotions" and is different from the blue pexis at the heart of Nir Varna. As the enemy's attack power increases, Hibiki and the others realize that the real battle is just beginning. Despite being subjected to a fierce onslaught from the enemy, Vandread evolves into its final form. The story continues in search of answers to the questions of whether they will be able to save their home planet and what the true purpose of the Earthlings is.

Commentary

"Vandread: The Second Stage" was produced in response to strong demand from both within Japan and overseas, and offers a deeper drama than the previous series. The profound and well-paced storyline draws the viewer's sympathy and encourages emotional involvement. As with the previous series, the mecha are depicted in full 3DCG, and the battle scenes, which have an increased sense of speed and scale, are also a highlight. As a new series that surpasses its predecessor in every aspect, "The Second Stage" has captivated many fans.

cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Hibiki Tokai: Hiroyuki Yoshino
• Dita Liebely: Yumi Kakazu
• Meir Gisborne: Fumiko Orikasa
• Shura Basil Elden: Yu Asakawa
• Bert Garsas: Tomokazu Seki
• Duero MacPhail: Hideki Tasaka
• Barnett Orangero: Michiko Neya
• Parfait Balblair: Megumi Toyoguchi
• Paiwei Underberg: Sawa Ishige
• Ezra Vieille: Sayaka Ohara
• Gascony Rheingau: Mayumi Asano
• Busam A. Caressa: Yoko Sawami
• Magno Bivan: Naoko Kyoda
• Pyoro: Mitsuo Iwata
• Misty Cornwell: Moyu Arishima

Main Staff

The following staff members are involved in the production of this work:

• Planning and original story: Mori Takeshi, GONZO
• Director: Takeshi Mori
• Planning cooperation: Umanosuke Iida, Shinji Higuchi
• Series Composition: Atsuhiro Tomioka
• Character design and chief animation director: Kazuya Kuroda
• Mechanics visors: Masahiro Maeda, Hiroshi Yamaguchi
• Mechanics design: Kanetake Ebikawa, Yoshikazu Miyao, Tomohiro Kawahara
• 3DCG Director: Hiroaki Matsuura
• Art director: Junichi Azuma
• Art setting: Masanori Kikuchi
• Director of photography: Karato Mitsuhiro
• Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka
• Music: Fuminori Iwasaki
• Production: GONZO
• Produced by: Vandread 2nd Production Committee

Main Characters

The main characters of "Vandread the Second Stage" are as follows:

• Hibiki Tokai : 16 years old. A third-class citizen of the planet Tarak, she works as a mechanic. She is a troll, prioritizes her man's reputation above all else, and often digs her own grave by trying to look bigger than she is. She admires strong men and is always proud.
• Bart Garsus : 16 years old. He is the son of a wealthy businessman in the demand industry on the planet Tarak, and is a member of the first class of military academy. He has a strong policy that if you have money and you can talk, there is nothing you can't get, but he is a man of words and a playful person, and is not there when it matters.
• Duero MacPhail : 17 years old. He is the first graduate of the military academy on the planet Tarak and is an elite with a military medical license. He is loyal to his desire for knowledge and is interested in the structure of the human body. When he sees an injury, his heart beats fast and he is passionate about treating it. He is usually a quiet and cool doctor, but he observes others and calmly judges events.
• Dita Liebeley : 16 years old. A pirate from Mejer and an apprentice pilot. She believes in the existence of UFOs and dreams of pandering to aliens. She sees the Taraks as "aliens" and does not consider them enemies. She is easily convinced of anything, goes at her own pace, and is clumsy, but she is unaware of this. Once she makes up her mind, she goes straight for it, and has an honest and straightforward personality, but she also goes off the rails without regard for the trouble she causes to those around her. Whenever she has free time, she looks up at the starry sky in search of UFOs.
• Maia Gisborne : 19 years old. A pirate of Megeer and chief pilot. She is quiet, strict with herself, and doesn't show her emotions, but her strictness has earned her the trust of her subordinates. She wants to become stronger, and continues to search for a way to do so. She likes being alone and has a strong sense of responsibility. She is a top-notch pilot.
• Jura Basil Elden : 20 years old. A pirate and pilot from Mejer. He loves to stand out and to have fun. He has a strong sense of pride and will use any trick to get it. He will get what he wants, but that is his goal and he is not very interested in what happens after that. He is the type who looks good on the outside but is not very interested in what happens inside.
• Barnett Orangero : 18 years old. A pirate from Mejer, and a pilot. He is always with Jura and plays a supporting role for her. He is aware that he is a jack of all trades, master of none, but he hates it. He is not good at expressing his true feelings.
• Parfait Balblair : 18 years old. A pirate from Megere and the chief engineer. He doesn't seem to be interested in anything other than machines and inventions. He is best friends with Dita and never loses his composure, no matter what the circumstances. This may be because he is extremely nearsighted and can only see the situation in front of him.
• Paiwei Underberg : 11 years old. A pirate from Megeer and a nurse. Since medical care on Megeer is left to the system, her main job is to check the condition of the crew. She sniffs out other people's secrets and keeps a record of them. She's a people-pleaser who gets along with everyone.
• Ezra Vieille : 24 years old. A pirate and operator of Megere. She is always smiling and a kind older sister. She loves Dita like a little sister. She listens to what Dita and Parfait say, but actually doesn't understand them at all. Once she gets angry, she may become uncontrollable.
• Gascogne Rheingau : 32 years old. A pirate from Megere, he is the manager of the Cashier System. He is rarely on the front lines, instead taking care of all the maintenance and equipment for Dread Team Meia and the others. He calls himself a "backstage player" and has the bold and open-minded ability to lead his subordinates. His words always carry the weight of a leader, and he gets to the heart of the matter with few words.
• Buzam A. Caressa : 25 years old. A pirate of the Mejer, she is the first officer. She supports Captain Magno and acts as his advisor, and takes command on the scene. She is a cool lady who is admired by the crew.
• Magno Bivan : 108 years old. A pirate and captain of the Medjer. She has the air of a kind of liberated nun who has seen the sweet and sour side of life, but her actions are backed up by her experiences as a renegade monk. She formed a pirate band and became a threat to both Tarak and Medjer.
• Pyoro : This is an information processing unit that was installed in the Ikazuchi when the first generation of Tarak migrated to the current planet. A certain incident caused its memory circuits to be restored, and it was regenerated with a more human-like quality. It moves freely around Nirvana, and after regeneration, it somehow becomes friendly with women. However, it has a special skill of shutting down its system as soon as it becomes inconvenient.
• Misty Cornwell : A girl who was in cold sleep in the escape pod from Pluto. She brings shocking facts about the "harvest" planned by the Earth to the crew of Nir Vana. It will be interesting to see how the relationship between Hibiki and Dita changes with the arrival of Misty, who comes from a culture where men and women coexist.

Main Robot Items

The main robots and items that appear in this work are as follows.

• Tarak : A satellite of a star system located in the center of the galaxy, a planet of red soil inhabited only by men. It is a military nation with gun emplacements on its surface to defend against external invasions. The people live in cities built underground like trenches.
• Mejer : A nation of women only, located on a planet in the same star system as Tarak. Tarak is a moon of that planet. Due to terraforming, with the exception of a few, it has formed a fleet nation centered on the space fleet from the time of colonization.
• Special Barbarian Type
• Dita Special Dreadlocks
• Meia Special Dread
• Jura Special Dread
• Vandread Dita
• Vandread Meir
• Vandread Jura
• Super Vandread

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• Episode 1: Red Angel
• Episode 2: Be My Baby
• Episode 3: A Blossoming Journey
• Episode 4: Everything
• Episode 5: Somedays
• Episode 6: Original Smile
• Episode 7: Kiss Me on the Cheek
• Episode 8: Reality
• Episode 9: Embrace Me
• Episode 10: Easy Come, Easy Go
• Episode 11: Paradise
• Episode 12: Himegoto
• Episode 13: TRUST

Related Titles

The following works are related to "Vandread: The Second Stage".

• Vandread
• Vandread: The Movement
• Vandread: Fierce Battle

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs for this work are as follows.

• OP1
  • Song Name: JUSTICE
  • Lyricist: Yudai Takamitsu
  • Composer: Fuminori Iwasaki
  • Arrangement: Masami Kishimura
  • Vocals: Aki Kudo
• ED1
  • Song Name: YES TOGETHER
  • Lyricist: Natsumi Watanabe
  • Composer: Fuminori Iwasaki
  • Arrangement: Masami Kishimura
  • Vocals: Aki Kudo
• ED2
  • Song Name: TRUST
  • Lyricist: Yudai Takamitsu
  • Composer: Fuminori Iwasaki
  • Arrangement: Fuminori Iwasaki
  • Singer: Salia
• IN1
  • Song Name: Somedays
  • Lyricist: Donna Burke
  • Composer: Fuminori Iwasaki
  • Arrangement: Fuminori Iwasaki
  • Sung by: Donna Burke

Ratings and Recommendations

"Vandread: The Second Stage" is a sequel made following the success of the previous work "Vandread," and satisfied many fans in a way that lived up to their expectations. The story continues from the previous work, maintaining the sense of urgency that the two planets, Tarak and Mejer, are on the brink of "reap," but the story has become even deeper with the introduction of a new character, Misty, and the revelation of the shocking current state of the Earth and the truth about the "reap."

Of particular note is the growth of the characters and the changes in their relationships. With the arrival of Misty, Hibiki and Dita's relationship took a new turn, giving viewers a fresh surprise. Additionally, the backstories and inner thoughts of each character were explored in greater depth, successfully drawing out the viewers' sympathy. For example, the conflicts and growth of each character are carefully depicted, such as Hibiki's pride as a man, Dita's admiration for aliens, and Meia's strictness and sense of responsibility.

Don't miss the battle scenes. As with the previous film, the mecha are depicted in full 3D CG, and the battle scenes, with their increased sense of speed and scale, are visually appealing and heighten the tension of the story. In particular, the process of Vandread evolving into his final form is an important element that draws the viewer in.

Music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of this work. Each song, such as the opening song "JUSTICE", the ending songs "YES TOGETHER" and "TRUST", and the insert song "Somedays", enhances the atmosphere of the story and stirs the emotions of the viewer. In particular, Aki Kudo's singing voice has the effect of further deepening the moving feeling of the story.

"Vandread The Second Stage" is a new series that surpasses its predecessor with its deeper drama, evolved battle scenes, and fascinating characters. This is a work that we highly recommend to those who like science fiction and mecha anime, and those who are interested in human drama. Also, for those who have watched the previous work "Vandread", this is a must-see sequel, so be sure to check it out.

Furthermore, to get a deeper understanding of this work, we recommend watching the related works "Vandread", "Vandread: The Movement", and "Vandread: The Fierce Battle". Through these works, you can gain a deeper understanding of the worldview and character backgrounds of Tarak and Mejer. The theme songs and insert songs of each work are also important elements that add to the atmosphere of the story, so please enjoy the music as well.

"Vandread: The Second Stage" is a human drama that goes beyond the boundaries of science fiction anime and has been loved by many viewers. Please experience this moving story.