City Hunter 2: Series Review (1987)
Animation Production: Sunrise
Released by: ADV Films
Episodes: 63 [52-114]
By Kage

Songs

OP1: Angel Night~tenshi no irubasho~ (PSY-S) [Eps. 52-77]
ED1: Super Girl (Yasayuki Okamura) [Eps. 52-88]
OP2: Sara (Fence of Defense) [Eps. 78-114]
ED2: Still Love Her (TM NETWORK) [Eps. 89-114]
IN: Footsteps (Momoko Kitadai) [Ryo's Theme]
IN: Want Your Love (Momoko Kitadai) [Song still plays often]
IN: Lonely Lulluby (Akira Kamiya)
IN: Without You (Jennifer Cihi)

Introduction

Back when I decided to buy the entire first year of City Hunter, I also put the gamble out to pick up the second year. After loving the first series, I figured that City Hunter 2 would just be more of the same old stuff. Man was I wrong... While I expected most of the elements to be there, I never expected this to be the emotional playground that it is. And I love it!

ippatsu!

City Hunter 2 is merely a continuation of City Hunter. This time around the series focuses alot more on 2-part stories (and ultimately a three part finale). The primary focus of this series seems to be the relationship between Ryo and Kaori, which was really only hinted at during the first City Hunter. Here we really see how much they really love each other through various situations. An example would be when Kaori gets amnesia and while Ryo reverts to his playboy ways, he truly does miss having Kaori as his partner-at the same time he uses this to his advantage and moves all of her belongings out of his house. He did this because it was his fault that Kaori got hurt and lost her memory and he didn't want that to happen anymore. Another example was when Kaori became a terrorist named Sara...well...i'm not gonna spoil that awesome little subplot.

The writing in this story is alot funnier and all around more enjoyable than the previous City Hunter. In one episode when Ryo was helping an ill girl find a man who helped, he runs into a reoccuring pretty boy character who shouts "Him! That man interrupted my plans in episodes 43 and 65!" and runs away from Ryo. It's the kind of comedy that keeps this show funny and original. Again, there is generally one or two good laughs in each episode (even the more serious of episodes). While the show is still funny and very interesting, it seems some characters were left behind. Umibouzu does have some development to his character, while Saeko is just...there. Which is completely understandable seeing as the story focuses on Ryo and Kaori, but it would've been nice if they had a little more screentime (with maybe some good reasoning behind it).

Though the end of the series ends with something you don't quite realize until it's pointed out...we hardly know who Ryo Saeba is. Sure he is a "sweeper" and the notorious "mokkori otoko", but we find out there is much we don't about his past and that nobody really knows much about how he lived before he arrived back in Japan. He doesn't even know his birthday or full name!

DVD Set Up

Like the previous City Hunter series, this was released in two boxed sets with five DVDs per box. Each disc contains six or seven episodes since this series contains twelve more than the previous. The quality is overall the same as the previous series. With very little bumps and audio blemishes, it is on the same level as the previous set. The only little gripe I have is the lack of extras. I would've been happier if we atleast would've been given the clean opening and ending videos like they had included in the previous series. But I do understand...this series has more episodes and they managed to shove more episodes into the same package.

City Hunter 2 Collection 1
-32 Episodes
-Menu featuring the first OP song, "Angel Night~tenshi no irubasho"
-Trailers to the City Hunter Movies, Specials, and OVAs
-ADV Trailers
-Japanese Audio with removable English Subtitles
-MONO sound mix

City Hunter 2 Collection 2
-31 Episodes
-Menu featuring the first OP song, "Angel Night~tenshi no irubasho"
-Trailers for City Hunter 1, 2 and 3.
-ADV Trailers
-Japanese Audio with removable English Subtitles
-MONO sound mix

Final Thoughts

Bigger and better. City Hunter 2 made my fascination with the franchise grow higher and better. This is most definitely the greater of both the first full series (should City Hunter 3 and '91 count as full series? They only have 13 episodes each!). I know that this is in the same close-mindedness that prevented me from seeing City Hunter all these years, but if there is a better series than City Hunter...I don't want to know about it! :)

Kage