Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal Season 2 Complete Collection brings together the final season of Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal and the first season Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal II (which was marketed outside Japan as more of Zexal). Because of this, the episodes represent something of a bridging point for the series.
The first half of the collection concludes the storyline that ran during the previous two seasons. These episodes manage to overcome some of the problems that plagued Zexal‘s previous collection. The plot moves along at a good pace, answers are provided to series long questions, and Yuma isn’t the only character to save the day. With the material given the conclusion to Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal was as good as viewers could have hoped for.
The second half of the collection, in contrast, is all about build up. The protagonists of this part of the show were teased at the end of season 3 of Zexal, and this part of the box set spends more time fleshing them out. Because of how Zexal as a show was structured, the ending this “season” feels more like a mid-point than Yu-Gi-Oh! Season finales normally do.
A few of the second arc’s episodes do feel like filler, but they are also endearing. This is particularly true of the villains. Girag and Alito benefit two of the more fleshed out personalities found among Yu-Gi-Oh! Villains. They support each other, and have their own interests. At times it almost seems like they have forgotten that they are supposed to be villains.
This part of the episodes contained within this box set also attempt to give main character, Yuma more of an arc. For the most part this arc is handled well. The collection ends before it can be seen what long-term impact it will have, but is built up to and executed well. There is however one noticeable flaw to this arc. At one-point Yuma’s fusion with astral turns bad. This change to a dark Yuma is signified, in part, with Yuma’s skin turning darker. The fact that turning black is used as a short hand for evil is not a good look for the show. It mars what was otherwise a decent sub-plot.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal Season 2 Complete Collection is an improvement on the episodes contained within the first collection. The first collection introduced a lot of new elements over its run without really bothering to build a cohesive direction or provide much explanation for them. There are still unanswered questions, but it is much easier to see what the show is doing with this collection. Its individual pieces make for a much more cohesive whole. This makes it easier to enjoy Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal‘s strong points, like its good characterization and silly sense of humour.
YU-GI-OH! ZEXAL SEASON 2 COMPLETE COLLECTION / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: SATOISHI KUWABARA / WRITERS: VARIOUS / STARRING: ELI JAY, MARC THOMPSON, SEAN SCHEMMEL, EILEEN STEVENS / RELEASE DATE: 23RD OCTOBER
