NOTE: This review is a continuation from my first review of the first volume of this series. If you have not seen the first volume or read my review, please be warned of possible spoilers ahead.

The Intro

Volume Two of Princess Nine takes us up to eight members of this inaugural baseball team from Kisaragi Women's Senior High School. Four more episodes are here for our enjoyment revealing not only three more members of the team but more character development, past stories, plot twists and new relationships than I thought was previously possible!

The Story

Four more episodes are shared with us in this volume. In the first episode, two more members are added to the team. Unfortunately, neither one of them have even touched a baseball in their life. In wake of the realization that no one on the team is strong enough to be a catcher for Ryo, Nene the manager does some scouting and finds the perfect catcher. A very large, yet very timid member of the high school's judo team, Mao Daidoji.

The second new member of the team will no doubt quickly become the biggest annoyance of the series but I also predict that she will become the one that causes the most tears to be shed by the time the last episode is watched. Yoko Tokashisk is a beautiful blonde girl who has never once been interested in baseball. What she wants most of all is to be an idol. An actress or a singer or a dancer, something that will make her famous. After not passing her latest audition, she sees the calling for female baseball players in the paper she goes to try out and fails miserably in the eyes of everyone except for the coach who lets her join despite the fact that she is afraid of the ball ever touching her 'valuable' face.

The second episode brings us our star shortstop, Kanako Mita, the daughter of the school's Principal who has been one of the biggest enemies of the baseball team ever since the idea was first brought up by the chairman. But the addition of this member is not where our main story lies in this episode. Volume one introduced us to Hiroki Takasugi, star baseball player of the Kisaragi High School's sister men's school and best friend of Ryo's rival and star athlete of Kisaragi Girl's High School Izumi Himuro. Rumors have flown for a long time about the two star athletes and the general consensus seems to be that the two are a couple.

In this episode, we learn once and for all that he is very single and considers Izumi nothing more than a best friend even though he's too blind to see the signs she's sending him. The relationship between Takasugi and Ryo grows more and more as they both start to realize how they feel for each other even if Ryo thinks she has no chance what so ever with him.

It ends on a cliff hanger though which isn't really a cliff hanger at all. The team is now at a solid eight players but with their first practice game looming on the horizon, the pressure is on to find that last piece of the puzzle... a ninth girl who can play third base and Izumi is that girl. Ryo gathers up her guts and extends the offer to Izumi.

The third and fourth episodes of this disc are easily the best of this volume. The third episode of this disc is titled 'The Future On The Line'. One night, Izumi discovers a locket that her mother always wears around her neck. Inside that locket is a picture of a man that she's never seen before. Enraged, she demands answers and finally after finding out on accident from Ryo that he is her father, she demands answers from her mother and she doesn't like what she hears.

This leads to a challenge and a bet. The bet is simple, in a day and a half Izumi will step up to the plate facing off against the team. If she can make it to first base, she will join the team and become the ninth member... if she can make it to first though, she will get her wish and the baseball team will be dissolved and Ryo will quit the school.

The challenge commences in the fourth episode and the battle is fierce. Both combatants have been training night and day since the bet was laid out. Ryo's arm is tired and worn out and Izumi is covered in bruises from her head to her toes and her hands are practically bleeding. They face off and the pitches are thrown. I will not reveal anything more past this point though because I don't want to spoil it for you but let me just tell you right now that it doesn't end the way you think it does!

The Good and the Bad

This volume has plenty of good points to it and the bad points from the first volume have been almost completely wiped away. Let's start with the music..... all the music in this series is performed by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and is simply spellbinding to listen to. While the only real conspicuous music that has been played so far would be the opening and closing themes, they are wonderful to listen to with incredibly beautiful and inspiring lyrics. The opening theme is really upbeat and gets you ready for the series that follows. The closing theme is titled 'Passionate Days' and just as the opening theme gets you ready to watch the series, the closing theme gets you excited to see the next episode. Slightly more mellow than the opening theme, it still packs a powerful punch behind it.

Next up to talk about is of course the story and characters. In my review of the last volume , my biggest complaints were that the story moved too slowly and the characters didn't feel developed enough....... well, obviously someone felt the same way because that is definitely not the case in this volume! The story moves at a wonderful pace. It's not too slow but it keeps itself from moving too fast so you don't get confused by anything.

All of the characters have their quirks and own personalities which make them endearing in their own ways. Ryo Hawakawa is the star player who is dealing with all the new experiences in her life and also the pressures of achieving her own dreams. Mao Daidoji is timid and sweet, all she wants is to fit in and find something she is good at. Nine different girls, nine different stories and nine different dreams are what makes up this team. It's the perfect combination.

The story line of this series has remained the same but as I said before, this is very much a relationship driven plot line. The relationships between the main and supporting characters really drive this series along. Not only the love interests but also the wonderful relationships between the girls and their parents. Ryo's undying wish to help her mother and Izumi's deep wish to be closer to her mother really bring you in and make you feel for the characters on a much more personal level. I found myself caring for these characters on a much more personal level and I'm cheering them on not only on the baseball diamond...... but off as well.

Overall

I was convinced that this anime, while wonderful, was going to be filled with predictability but I was so incredibly wrong as this volume showed me. The writers went through great pains to make sure that enough of the story took place off the field and that they didn't use incredibly predictable plot hooks to keep you guessing and interested. The one thing that I kept thinking when I watched it was that if you liked the movie 'A League Of Their Own' then you'll love this series. It's a wonderful series about girls trying to prove themselves and achieve their dreams by doing something they love in a way that has never been done before.

Related Websites
http://www.advfilms.com/favorites/princessnine

Related Reviews:
Princess Nine Vol. 1: First Inning
Princess Nine Vol. 3: Triple Play
Princess Nine Vol. 4: Strike Zone
Princess Nine Vol. 5: Bases Loaded
Princess Nine Vol. 6: Grand Slam
Princess Nine Complete Collection

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12