[Marion]

Finished up the raw.

Spoiler for Review, episode 2-1 spoilers of course:

General:
-Pacing: Pacing was a bit quick for the first half, but once they got to Shannon and Beatrice meeting by the portrait it slowed down a bit. Not nearly as good as last episode's pacing, but not bad like episode 1 or 2's pacing.
-Music: NO TSURUPETTAN RAAAAAAAGE Good amount of BGMs were used. A bit sad that they didn't use pass, but it was all good.
-Voices: Loved Ohara (Beato) and Kobayashi (Kanon) in this episode. Kugimiya (Shannon) sounded a little high-pitched at times, mostly during the talk by the portrait, but her "Beatoriche-sama" scream was good (although I thought it sounded better in the drama cd, but whatever)

Pros:
-I can count the things they cut on one hand. That's a good sign. For those curious they cut:
*Jessica having dinner with her parents, which happened before talking with Kanon at the arbor.
*Kanon disturbing Shannon's tea party with Beatrice by the beach (not that the following scene didn't serve the purpose of what happened anyway)
*Shannon and George going to the beach during their date.
*Kanon seeing Kinzo in the garden, ranting about love and magic.
There were more reduced time scenes than cut scenes, so all good.
-Beatrice's face looked normal and not so spread apart.
-Jessica's little outburst about wanting a boyfriend was hilarious and they added in her asthma. Her faces were just amazing too and the beating up on her classmates~
-Not nearly as much fanservice as usual. Thank god.
-TOMITAKE FLASSSH <3

Cons:
-NO TSURUPETTAN RAAAAAAAGE. Not that the other song wasn't good or anything but still ;_____;! I loved Tsuprettan cause of it's ironnyy (Jessica singing about flat-chest when she's a D-cup lol whut)
-Eva's scene with telling off Shannon made her come off more evil than conniving. Originally she came in all happy-go lucky and was even joking with the girls about Hideyoshi. The way she came off to Shannon this time made her seem more like "Oh I know you like George, but no way in hell you gettin him" rather than "I know how you look at my son, but don't but in because you're a lousy servant." The fact that Eva even wore a sweet smile when she said that to Shannon, which made Jessica think it was probably a love story secret, made her more shrewd. I just feel like the impact was lost.
-Jessica came out to be more of a jerk with her half-hearted apology to Shannon when they bumped into each other like that :/

Overall:
Good episode. It has some faults, but it's good nonetheless. I also like how they changed the portrait for the opening, to signal a new arc. Very clever.

I give it an 8/10.

Now excuse me while I go to my emo corner to rage about no Tsurupettan....

DAMMIT.

I hate you Kanon.