I usually don't like fanservice in shows with serious plots, but I had no problem with it here. I honestly felt that the fanservice in this episode was largely seamless. Wearing skin-tight futuristic bodysuits to pilot mechas is hardly out of the ordinary for anime, and the camera angles in this episode didn't strike me as overly pervy. I mean, I found certain shots of Kallen in
Code Geass to be much more obtrusive than this. At least when we focus on a character's butt in this anime, it's because it's actually being used.
This anime, at least so far, is like the anime equivalent to an action-packed Summer Blockbuster Hollywood movie, as others have wrote. What that means is that it's aiming for an high-octane adrenaline rush rising from a combination of magnificent visuals, exquisitely explosive exciting action scenes, 'Rule of Cool' moments, scenes that are sexy both literally and figuratively, and (often) clear dividing lines between protagonists and antagonists to heighten emotional catharsis when the protagonists win (as was the case for me in this episode, I must admit).
Particularly within that context, I don't see why having totally evil antagonists is necessarily a problem. In this second episode, we get a sneering insanely snobbish bastard, and thus it's rewarding to watch him get used like he was in this episode.
I will say, though, that the possibility of Guilty Crown having much of value to say in the way of serious geopolitical commentary has lowered considerably, and in
that sense, the 'black and white' conflicts in this anime is disappointing. The idea that Guilty Crown is trying to convey some sort of intricate message or theme, or is advancing some sort of sophisticated view on international politics from a Japanese perspective, seems increasingly unlikely now.
But then, an anime show doesn't necessarily need an overarching theme in order to be a great show with a lot of good, simple fun in it. This show has such good simple fun in flying colors, as though viewed through a kaleidiscope, appropriately enough.
For pure enjoyment level, it's the best anime I've watched in a very long time.
Now, even within the context of "action-packed Summer blockbuster", it does have at least one flaw it truly needs to fix, and Reckoner did allude to it.
Shu's character is, yes, getting hung out to dry a bit. He probably had fewer lines in this episode than the male lead of Persona 4 had in Persona 4's first episode, and that is saying something.
This episode provides plenty of great food for thought for Shu. We should get a real sense that he is grappling with all of the moral issues at play here - Do I want to side with people known as terrorists? Do I want to be involved in brutal, bloody warfare, even if it will benefit my nation? Am I willing to kill another human being? Is it nobler in Shu's mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or should he take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them? To be or not to be, Shu, that is the question.
And Guilty Crown is avoiding it too much for my liking. Shu's character isn't grounded enough, we don't get a good enough sense of what exactly he thinks of all of this. Even within the context of an action-packed Summer blockbuster, we should know the motivations for the male lead, and right now, I'm not sure what they are for Shu. It's not a question of GAR vs. wimpy, or charismatic vs. plain, but a more basic question of "Why is the male lead doing what he's doing"?
Episode 3 really needs to start asking that question more forcefully, and concretely answering it. Two cours or not, quickly establishing a solid characterization (and hence motivation) for the lead protagonist is pretty essential for any anime, in my view.
And that is why I take off one point for Episode 2.
9/10 overall for this episode, imo.
As for the OP, it's not something I'd watch over and over again on YouTube, but it serves the purposes of an OP (pumping you up to watch an anime episode) very well, imo. I found the ED nicely melodic and relaxing, a nice way to unwind after watching an action-packed anime episode.
I'm definitely looking forward to Episode 3, but Guilty Crown truly needs to flesh out its male lead more, and make him seem less detached from the rest of the cast.