Gannibal season 2 was a crazy ride and a fitting sequel.

 

After thoroughly enjoying season 1 of Gannibal after binge watching it, it should come as no surprise that I followed it up by almost immediately binging season 2.

Season two immediately picked up where the events of the first season left off, minus the post-credits scene. That post-credits scene did get something of a payoff, but only much later than you might have expected. The action picked up with Daigo having discovered where the Goto family had been keeping the children, only to find them already gone. In no time at all, Daigo found himself attacked by That Man, the hulking living dead looking man. With season 2 being the final season, it wrapped up saving the children with the police actually getting involved in a larger scale, even engaging the Goto family in combat. The mysteries were unravelled, mostly by flashbacks of the past showcasing the actions of Gin Goto and Kinji Goto, the head of the family prior to her ascension.  

The incredible cinematography of the first season was thankfully matched in the sequel season. A major difference between the two is the fact that the second season had some gorgeous snowy backdrops for some of the flashback sequences that worked brilliantly well. I adored the seamless transitions between scenes, expertly done. 

I loved the heavier version of the theme. I thought that that was a neat touch that really suited the action-heavy nature of the season, especially when compared to the slower mystery of the first. As was the traditional style theme used for the flashback episodes such as 5 and 6. Could be wrong, but it felt like the gore was turned up in certain parts of the season. Especially at the latter stages with part of a character's brain being visible after being shot.

The action sequences were a mixed bag overall. I rather enjoyed the hand to hand sequences as they showcased the struggles of fighting for your life quite well. There was a nice payoff to a moment that happened in season 1 as Daigo was finally able to throw Iwao at a pivotal moment. 

The plot armour in season 2 was insane. From the very first episode, it became apparent that our awesome protagonist was simply built different. Okay, it was absolutely ridiculous how he managed to survive falling down what seemed to be a cliff, hitting hard against a tree on the way down, without at least breaking his ribs. The second and third episodes showcase a ridiculous amount of plot armour not just for Daigo, but also key members of the Goto family. There's a massive, bonkers shootout between the police and the Goto family and yet, most of the major characters somehow survive without a scratch. To the writers credit, it did provide an epic moment where after having a moment of clarity during a split second of reprieve, Daigo realises that in order to fight crazy, he has to get crazy. 

The flashbacks did a fantastic job at unravelling the mystery once and for all. At the same time, they illuminated just how far Gin Goto had fallen into madness all for the sake of revenge. A revenge that overtook her senses and took on too dark a path for her to bear. Her misguided actions took the lives of many innocent victims that had nothing to do with her own mistreatment. It was a wonderful dive into psychological horror and trauma, showcasing just how far one could slip into the depths of madness whilst at the start, thinking one's action were justified. That Man was also explained in a way that sort of humanised him at the very end, especially by his own actions in his final moments. Everyone turned out to be shades of grey instead of black and white. Whilst that was interesting and did indeed make me empathise with certain characters much more than I thought I might, it still didn't make me sympathise with them to the point of condoning the evil deeds that they committed. 

Yuya Yagira was fantastic once again in the role of Daigo Agawa. The much more action-heavy season 2 allowed him to showcase his ability to adapt to certain action sequences and he excelled in the fighting and shooting. I really didn't like when people went about blaming him for breaking the peace between the Goto family and the village because he saved the village from themselves and the Goto family. If it weren't for Agawa, the villager's children would be forever sacrificed. Shame on that superior in the police who dared claim that he was the type of person that was needed the least. Without him, nothing would have been done about the problem. 

Sho Kasamatsu was tremendous again as Keisuke Goto. With him as the head of the Goto family, the underlying tension and conflict beneath the surface of his character could be felt in key moments. I was very pleased with how his arc went and it felt incredibly fitting for him. He was a character that was somewhat endearing and likable, despite him being linked so closely to the antagonists. 

Mitsuo Yoshihara was one of the biggest highlights of the season and of the drama in general when I looked back at it as a whole. Iwao Goto was an absolute menace during the events of season 2. He had an air of mystery about him in the first season and that gets unravelled within the second. Of all the antagonists aside from That Man, Iwao was the biggest physical threat due to just how difficult he was t actually kill. Season 1 had a moment that showcased his combat capability with Daigo being completely unable to throw him and being completely outmatched, but season 2 Iwao was something else. Besides from being extremely difficult to fully kill, the character went on quite the journey emotionally and Mitsuo Yoshihara did a splendid job at conveying it through emotive acting.

Another highlight was the excellent performance of Yuri Tsunematsu in the role of Gin Goto in her youth. Her arc of being the beautiful woman abused for simply being an attractive woman and the daughter of another accused of being promiscuous in turn sacrificed in the name of a God before committing a brutal revenge was a sight to behold. Yuri Tsunematsu had an uncanny ability to switch from the sympathetic victim to the cunning, manipulative schemer that would go to great lengths for revenge. The combination of Tsunematsu and Mitsuko Baisho to portray the same character in two different eras before combining them as haunting hallucinations in Keisuke's mind worked wonders.  

Overall, I thought that Gannibal was a fantastic drama as a whole. It was a fascinating delve into psychological horror, complete with mysteries, suspense and what trauma could do to human beings pushed too far. It was one of those dramas that I could not wait to watch it through to the end and so, ended up binging it all in two sittings. Highly recommend it to those whose are into psychological horror with a dash of mystery, particularly one that is built up slowly. The second season basically concluded the setup of the first season whilst also solving all of the mystery. I enjoyed the ride.