After being on hiatus for three agonizing months, Valrave the Liberator returned with a vengeance in October with another set of twelve episodes. (I reviewed the first season here.) The criticism of the early parts of the first season may have been that it started a bit slow and seemed a little too kiddie, but that same criticism can't apply to this second season. At all. Episode thirteen of the season picks up where episode twelve of the first season left off with Haruto and L-elf in Valvrave 01 taking on Cain in Valrave 02. Cain inevitably escapes before anything really happens (of course, he does) and we are fast forwarded two months into the future when the students of Module 77 land on the Moon.
After that L-elf decides it is time for a political journey to ARUS on earth, but things take a turn for the worse and they end up crash landing in the enemy territory of Dorssia. While in Dorssia their forces are split up and one of their very own is captured.
Things only get more complicated when a few Dorssian soldiers discover that Cain and the Valvrave pilots might not be human anymore. Things get downright bloody, many pivotal characters die (one of them in particularly you'll see coming a mile away), insurrection happens, and then it's all over and you're left with an oddly satisfied breathless sensation.
I got to say that this is a rather fitting conclusion to a really good mecha show. I do feel that the epilogue of the final episode rushed things a bit, though. Perhaps a more detailed conclusion in the form of an OVA would be the way to go. I'm fairly surprised that so many of the loose ends were tied up. A few still remain, though. Like that future prince seen in so many of the "flash forward" segment. Some of the plot points seemed a little bit too convenient. I mean, I know L-elf is an all-around badass, but it seems like he appears out of nowhere with a plan a little too often.
But overall I am very satisfied. I'm sure I will watch it again in the future and if there is any company in America with any brains than they'll give this show a good dub and a blu-ray release. If not, I'd settle for a subbed blu-ray release. Whatever works. Although the infamous scene (you'll know when you see it) from episode nine of the first season might ruffle a few feathers. The parts with the students getting massacred by ARUS soldiers in season two will likely have a similar effect. Folks in the States can be such pussies.
But we'll see. Either way this show gets a two thumbs up from me.
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