ibeatty - 2016-08-19 20:52:48

Loved Utawrerumono, but the continuation lacks a little bit plot wise. The main character in this series is much more dynamic than Hakuroro, but the story itself is poor. The first 12 episodes are simply about introducing characters and building exposition. The second half is much more interesting, but just as the story has been truly developed and there is a real conflict going on, it ends. There will be a continuation at some point, but I would only suggest this show if you are looking to kill time, or are a fan and want to see what happens. 

lacy49 - 2016-01-06 12:20:44

                                        REVIEW FOR BOTH SERIES.Utawarerumono & Itsuwari no kamen review : Utawarerumono at first glance seems like nothing special, or at all. But for a game and what it is, it most definitely is. I like to regard this title as the LoGH of visual novels (for having a semi-similar way of execution.) But that is not to say both series are flawless. Much like LoGH it shares some of the more dull reasonings : guy does something to opposing faction makes them hate him, and wages a war until some other guy comes in the story and becomes an emporer/leader of a country and widespreading its populace amongst every near by country, showing its might. HOWEVER... Considering this medieval japanese fantasy series, the lack of more cunning tactics are a big dismay, has more slice of life elements and some characters you simply cannot take serious because they're kids taking a part in a war goofing around when no one is fighting, of course. If it were only that. Since it's a VN adaptation the storytelling is pretty average and the pacing is rushed cutting out most of the character dialogue while leaving the more hit-or-miss segments in there along with that vn feel where the background is more looked up at than seeing proper character reactions. Due to this rush the characters are inconsistent, some get developed (eventually) others just appear and get their screen time for a quarter of an arc, some mini arcs are skipped and overall they feel like there is something missing, like they are mystery of a sort. 
You cannot understand half of what they are doing, and has a rule-of-cool type of feeling more than anything. Animation wise for 2009 its okay, it's not something bad neither wowing either, but it stays consistent compared to most, and surprisingly enough its considered the studio's best seller. Production values for it aren't something special either, the design looks exactly like the original vn from 2002 with no improvement on them whatsoever so it's pretty average in that aspect. I barely enjoyed the anime compared to the VN, I couldn't get into the characters as much as I did with the VN. The ideas are all over the place and without the FE style of gameplay some battles felt they were taken out of a seinen manga. 

And now for its sequel : Itsuwari no Kamen
13 years later they make a sequel to a game that's ending felt fullfilling in general, why bother with it? Well here's why. Not only is the game more like a modernized version of a tile clicker but the characters are blatant copies of previous characters, just this time they're teenage moe girls than grown adults
Karura => girl with spear (atui)
Eruruw => Kuon (I wonder WHY?)
Dorii & guraa => Pink haired archer (Nosuri) & blond shota (Kiuru)
Benawi => Samurai that looks like the father of the GARO MC Leon (Ukon)
Yeah, some of the original cast return, but they don't feel the same anymore. They are more chill or more stupid with no actual memrable reactions except when they hear the name of the new MC. Who by the way, is loosely named after the MC of the first game, but unlike him, he's twice as dull, twice as retarded, and has no sense of orientation however he manages to be the 'perfect" guy everyone likes... HE CAN'T EVEN READ BASIC LETTERS FOR CHRIST SAKE! Kuon isn't much better as she is just a blatant tsundere/yanderefied version of eruruw from the first game, story and pacing here is atrocious, the story is more of the same but retold a bit differently, the pacing is beyond Legend of the Pacing Heroes. 12 episodes SoL and nothing happening just introducing the cast through unreal comedy relief so they can be easily intrigued? No, hell no! The character's don't even feel the slight memrable nor do they have the cool RoC personality the first cast had in the first game, the writing is like a bad comedy story that tries to be more than what it is but fails miserably at it. There is too much comedy and slice of life to have characters say "man this guy saved a princess!" Yeah even that was as dumb as possible. Episode 13 they finally get to the point of what the series is about. War with some little Slice ofLife to lighten the mood whenever needed. But from what I've seen so far it isn't EVEN close to be remotely enjoyable. Animation wise it's amazing as expected from White Fox. Too bad they didn't do anything else on the matter! The flashy battles look like something taken out of bleach but with much better budget. Special effects with bad character designs that look like a bones show.
The production values are even more miserable than the first one, they wasted more budget on colorful imagery and animation than actually wasting it on a better director/script writer. 
I couldn't find myself enjoy this at all, even if the first one had pacing up the hole atleast it felt like an action show, this does not. It's boring, not interesting for the most part. And by the time you get to the good part you won't even care about it anymore.

Utawarerumono Itsuwari no Kamen :
This yet again proves that if something sells, milk it to high heavens so you can earn more than you should get. A pointless cashgrab for fanboys.