REVIEW: ‘Fire Force,’ Season 2 Episodes 1-2

Fire Force Season 2 is a shonen anime produced by David Production. After surviving their battle in the Nether the members of Fire Station 8 are taking a moment to catch their breath with a well earned day off. Unfortunately, spontaneous human combustion knows no holidays. Time for the Fire Force to get back to work. The first season of Fire Force was possibly my favorite anime experience of last year. The awesome characters, strong plot, and loads of humor drove its first season to anime excellence. With the release of the first two episodes here in America I’m thrilled to get to continue the adventure with Shinra and the rest of the team. So far, it’s off to a great start.

Episode one of Fire Force Season 2 starts off with Shinra, Tamaki, Sister Iris, and Maki enjoying a day off with some shopping. Character dynamics are instantly put into play, as all the corny antics between these characters are fully embraced. This light-hearted sequence wonderfully reestablishes the humor I expect from Fire Force Season 2.

Their shopping excursion is cut short when a huge explosion heralds the arrival of a colossal infernal. The rest of Fire Force Station 8 swiftly arrives and the team leaps into action. What the opening sequence was for the show’s humor, this sequence does equally well for its action. I especially appreciated that in their eagerness to get to the action they didn’t overlook the heroes’ emphasis on protecting lives. As the first order of business is clearing out the civilians from the danger zone.

Once the public is secure we are treated to an awesome battle sequence that takes the time to allow each character a chance to shine. Every member gets their moment. From Arthur wielding his trademark blue bladed Excalibur to Maki channeling her raw power onto the opponent, everybody gets to do their part. With the immediate threat defeated, episode two of Fire Force Season 2 gives our heroes a chance to continue their search to find The Evangelist. This leads Shinra back to the academy he was trained at to speak with the head instructor there.

While at the academy, we are introduced to a number of new characters, including the previously teased member of Fire Force Ogun. Several of these new characters have their own history with Shinra. It’s nice seeing his character be expanded beyond what we already know. Shinra doesn’t get to spend much time at the academy before a new threat emerges that derails the proceedings. I won’t spoil it, but it’s a unique threat from those the Fire Force has faced before. I really enjoyed this sequence. Particularly as it gave my favorite character a great chance to shine.

Ever since early in season one Arthur has been the highlight of the show for me. Getting to see a shonen rival that is just as likable and good as the primary protagonist is a treat. This episode really when for it with its highlighting of how important Arthur is, while also giving us a bit of his back story. I hope this is the first sampling of further great moments for the Knight King.

Just as Fire Force Season 2’s story gets off to a great start, so too does the animation. Everything that was great about Fire Force’s debut season’s look is back in full effect. From its outstanding combat moments, overflowing with fiery visuals, to its trademark visual humor, it all lands with a perfect finish.

To wrap things up we have to discuss the new intro and outro for Fire Force Season 2. The original Fire Force intro was sublime. While the second one introduced for the back half of season one was a little weaker, this new intro reclaims the energy and punch of the original. I won’t be skipping it once as the season goes on.

The outro for this season was a surprise, to say the least. Along with a sharp piece of music, it features Shinra and Arthur in a 16-bit side-scrolling brawler sort of aesthetic. Having to defeat enemies, along with allies occasionally stopping by to toss power-ups, this ending was a surprising treat to cap each episode with. To sum it up simply, Fire Force Season 2 is off to a blazing start. With all the action, humor, and great character interactions that made the first season shine I have little doubt that season two will continue to meet the high bar established by its predecessor. Látom.

Fire Force Season 2  episodes 1-2 are streaming now on Crunchyroll and Funimation.