FAIRY TAIL Series 2 Episode #1 -- Special Review

Spring is
upon us again! Watch this space as we view new pilots from this season, and
determine where they fit on the highly-scientific Rock-or-Suck Scale…

This episode’s packed with wizards, fairies, dragons and (a surprising
number of) talking cats, but… it’s the episode number that strikes me most.
Long, ongoing serials are always pulled between two interests when it comes to this
stuff. How do you make the diehard mainstays feel validated while still
keepings things accessible to newbies. ‘ONE
PIECE Episode #636’ simply sounds a lot less inviting than ‘FAIRY TAIL Series 2
Episode #1” - - especially if you’re somebody like me, who’s only caught intermittent
episodes, so far. I’d like to pick this series up without needing to do the
homework.

== TEASER ==

I don’t know if this is really much of a jumping-on point, though. A little added research reveals that it’s
actually Episode #176, and was labeled as such in Japan, so I’ll presume the ‘Series
2’ business was a local branding choice. If that’s the case, the localization
really should’ve been taken a step further. A little editing, and this could’ve worked
like the ‘first’ episode of DRAGON BALL Z. A ‘modular’ pilot.

As is, the cast has ballooned so far outward that it’s just
impossible to tell which witch is which (or wizard, or whatever the term in
this universe is). And the lore’s reached that stage where the character
might as well be speaking a different language for all its invocations. To be
clear, though, I’m not wagging my finger at the show itself. It’d be boring
series if the canvas kept getting erased over five seasons and there was nothing actually
built up by episode #164. I just question what the use was in the ‘rebrand.’

Would any of you more seasoned FAIRY TAIL fanatics care to clear this
up for me?

Watch "King
of the Dragons" and decide for yourself.

About the Author

Tom Pinchuk’s a writer and personality with a large number of comics, videos and features like this to his credit. Visit his website - - tompinchuk.com - - and follow his Twitter: @tompinchuk