Kaleido Star: New Wings True Star Collection

The world of Kaliedo Star continues to turn in NEW WINGS the latest series set under anime's favorite big-top! The circus drama continues with more jealous divas temperamental artists and dangerous stunts! System Requirements:Running Time: 650 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ANIMATION/ADULT SWIM Rating: UNRATED UPC: 702727152122 Manufacturer No: DKS/BX3 Product Description

Decent & Fun; But Disappointing compared to first season

Kaleido Star returns from season one as Sora truly learns what it takes to become a true Kaleido Star in "Kaleido Star: New Wings." As Kaleido Star begins to suffer from the loss of Layla Hamilton, famous circus performer Leon Oswald is hired to perform to try to attract more audiences. Sora also receives a new rival, May Wong, who claims that she is the next true Kaleido Star and competes with Sora for main roles and Leon's attention. Does Sora really have what it takes? In this season two box set, you get all 25 episodes of season 2 plus a bonus episode on the last disc. But is it really worth your time and money?

This next season presents itself with stunning animation, exciting acrobatic maneuvers, and excellent acting that surpass the first season. The English dub is also very good if you're a dub watcher. There is very good character development and lots of action that will keep you into watching the season all the way through. With lots of suspense and action, it really keeps you going. By the end, however, if you compare it to the first season, you may be slightly disappointed. The general plot is really weak. It starts off good with the introduction to May and Leon, and in the first 13 episodes is really about Sora struggling to make it big with May landing the lead roles and Leon refusing to acknowledge her as a performer. It's really good. At one point, Sora questions her ability as a performer and is confused about what her dream truly is at Kaleido Stage. However, the next last 12 episodes focuses on constantly suffering to try to perfect the Angel Maneuver, the maneuver that will make you acknowledged as a true star. (Which wasn't isn't as appealing as the Legendary great maneuver, which makes you wonder if her constant suffering was really worth it) All she does is suffer and train for the Great Angel Maneuver which takes her several episodes to accomplish the next step in her "special training" to be able to perform the move. Then as soon as she suffers like heck through one step the next task just comes up shortly after to make her suffer even more again for another period of episodes. Nothing happens but training.

Interesting bits about Leon's past and mentioned, which answers a lot of unanswered questions about why Leon has a problem with Sora and May deals with the issue of trying to become a better performer like Sora and learn from her "what she is missing in her performance", which make it more entertaining. However, the show also doesn't focus around any of the other characters but Sora, May, and Leon. Mia, Anna, Sarah, Ken, and the rest are now unimportant to the story, unlike before, and they basically are just there to buy time until the episode ends. Nothing really happens in the show except Sora chasing and training for her dream. If you are really into this Show, you might like the way it unfolds and how it turns out at the end, but I don't think it's as good. Unlike the first season, where several obstacles got in the way such as her trying to perfect a role (Or the Legendary Great Manuver), receiving several challenges by the cast (not just one big one), and Kaleido Stage being shut down by Yuri. There were episodes involving all other characters and the combination of this and everything else all seemed to come together that made one amazing first season of Kaleido Stage. That's the main thing missing here: a plot. How is constantly focusing about one situation a plot when nothing else happens? The show is just missing something that the first season had that made it enjoyable.

Overall, I'd give this a C+. It's a decent watch with some drawbacks. Not the best and not the worst. Unless you are a true Kaleido Star fan you shouldn't buy it. RENT BEFORE YOU BUY. I TOTALLY recommend the first season of Kaleido Star much more. It's really amazing and MUCH better than this turned out to be. Totally worth your money.

August 13, 2008

A memorable, moving and highly moral series. Definitely worthwhile.

The first season of Kaleido Star was probably the third anime series I ever watched. My wife and I both enjoyed it, but it was by no means one of our favorite. Season two changed that. With the addition of New Wings, the whole Kaleido Star story has hands down become one of my favorite shoujo series.

The friends who originally introduced us to anime couldn't wait to show us this second season, and having just finished it, I can see why. It takes an already good storyline and makes it great.

The animation and english dubs were very good in my opinion (despite its raspiness, I think
Cynthia Martinez does a great job with Sora), but I tend to value storyline more and so that's what I'll focus on. Let me summarize what I think makes this story not just noteworthy, but a worthwhile.

First, I love this series because it does an incredible job of recreating the mixture of thrill, adrenaline and sheer terror that assaults a performer before a performance. I have a very competetive background in performing arts, and I also enjoy one-on-one athletics. Watching Sora prepare to go on stage was like reliving those same feelings I experienced before a solo performance. I identified perfectly with the tension and animosity that can exist between rivals. I felt Sora's desire desire to win and understood the personal doubt that one must invariably overcome in order to truly succeed. I loved the ability this series had to draw me in until my heart was pounding and my hands gripped the sides of the sofa.

Second, Sora is a wonderful heroine. If there were such a thing, she'd be my nominee for the Tohru Honda of the Year award. I think Sora is like a super spunky, slightly less clueless Torru; a heart of gold, determined, a little vulnerable and naive on the outside but with an inner strength and moral fiber that rivals Ghandi. And yet, she's very believable, because she suffers, she falters and even gives up for a while.

Which leads me to my third point: this story is probably the most moral anime I've come across so far.

One thing I love about anime (and tend to find fault with in American animation and movies) is that Anime isn't afraid to tackle the hard topics. Loss, regret and suffering are frequently dealt with head-on, where as we largely bypass this in American cartoons, and even most movies. We like to see the end product and tend to short-change the journey. Or we simply present the ridiculous idea that "wishing on a star" and "defeating the evil villain" is somehow all that stands in the way of our dreams.

Not so with Kaleido Star: New Wings. Sora is the real thing. She struggles to identify what her dream is.

And when she finds her dream, she bleeds for it.

Sweat, tears, discouragement...and above all, hard work. There is a price to pay for every dream, and no one will pay it for you. But in the end, the reward for achieving your dreams far outweighs the sacrifice.

Not only does Sora pay the price for her dream, she inspires others to do the same, and because of the strength she finds through the love of her friends and the desire to bring others together, everyone is lifted to a higher level.

Here's what else I love - Sora had to adapt her dream so that it accommodated reality. I myself had a hard time really believing in Sora's dream. A stage without competition seemed like a silly, impossible, and even impractical ideal. I almost lost faith in the series entirely because I thought it was going to have some lame-o, "everyone loves each other" ending. I was thrilled to see that there wasn't purely a "storybook ending". Yes, Sora achieved her dream...but at the same time, she also grew up and learned to accept the reality of competition and the place it has in driving people to achieve.

I've gone on long enough with the philosophical rantings. Let's just say, I wouldn't hesitate to buy both seasons. I plan on having this around not only for it's great entertainment value, but to help teach my kids what it means to work for your dreams.

Enjoy! June 4, 2008

A fabulous 2nd season of Kaleido Star

OK, so it's a bit cheesy. At times a little bit too after school special (minues the drugs, teen pregnancy or any "bad kids"). But, man! Do I love this series! The music is great; poppy and catchy. The animation style is one of my favorites; gorgeous characters, but not too gorgeous. More like real people, only prettier.

This series and Angelic Layer...for some reason, these stories touch my heart and keep me rooting for the main character. For anyone looking for an easy to watch, easy to put down (when needed) and then later pick back up series that makes you smile...pick up Kaleido Star. May 15, 2008

A huge dissapointment.........

I will be the first to say that the first season of Kaliedo Star was absolutely amazing. It was a wonderful story and beautiful animation to go along with it. I was thrilled when I heard another season was coming and that she would have a rival. So I am quite sad to say that the second season was a huge let down for me. The animation, acrobatic maneuvers, and voice acting was awesome even better than the first I would say. But the story however made me cringe. The first half of this season is pretty good with the rivalry between Sora and May Wong, a new recruit who earned the highest scores in the exams. But after the Circus Festival the story just went to, for lack of a better word, s***. More than anything what really turned me off is Sora lack of will to fight even to defend herself from May's bullying. I guess I feel that such a weak willed character shouldn't be the star of this show and during the second half I almost wished that they have made May the main character. Seeing how she is more strong willed than Sora. And once again just like the first series most of the roles Sora receives are simply handed to her without any sort of real competition, save for the role of Mina Murray which she lost to May. I would watch this series simply for the aesthetic feel to it. But the story has lost its luster and even the final act, The Angel's Maneuver was a bit disappointing and not nearly as magical as the Legendary Great Maneuver. Just looked like a lot of jumping and really feels like all Sora suffered for (to learn this act) was wasted. It just jumping really high. It's pretty but after watching the second half of the season I found it not to be worth my suffering of watching Sora fail and suffer repeatedly. This series is nice to borrow or watch but I wouldn't waste your money purchasing it. But that's just my opinion. March 7, 2008

A successful continuation

Kaleido Star: New Wings is a great combination of favorite old characters, intriguing new characters, and a fresh plot. The beginning of the series can be a bit trudging, because Sora has a hopeless attitude, Leon's character is quite flat, and May Wong will annoy you to death. Don't let this put you off though, because all these things will flip by the end of the season in a way that is uplifting and inspirational. You wont regret this purchase, but make sure to watch Kaleido Star (the first season) before New Wings. February 9, 2008

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