Hello, anime fans! Another week, and another episode of Onyx Equinox has debuted. Episode 2 is titled “Jaws of the Jaguar” and not only introduces us to some new characters, but also unveils the opening of the anime. I was a bit worried after hearing the sort of slow, and not very grabbing ending theme, but the opening delivers. Any time some solid guitar riffs are sprinkled in, I’m hooked. But anyways, if you have yet to check out Onyx Equinox, be sure to check it out on Crunchyroll before reading this review as there will be some spoilers for Episode 1.

RELATED – Crunchyroll Original ‘Onyx Equinox’ Episode 1 Review (Spoiler-Free)

To recap, Onyx Equinox is a story about a boy named Izel who is tasked with closing the five gates of the Underworld. In the first episode of the series, an entire town was wiped out by these seemingly evil gods. We got a glimpse at some of their evil plans that they have for the human world. We were also introduced to our main protagonist, Izel, who loses his sister as she offered as a tribute to the gods. Dealing with the grief of his sister’s death, he plunges himself down the same pit his sister was thrown into, and now finds himself introduced to a jaguar named Yaotl.

Synopsis

Jaguar emissary Yaotl informs Izel of his task to close the five gates to the Underworld. Izel refuses — until an unexpected foe forces him to confront his destiny.

Review

First off, Yaotl is definitely the most vibrant character introduced yet. And it has nothing to do with the fact that he is a Jaguar. This episode does some more world-building that I felt is needed after the fast-paced premiere episode. The gods are once again seen to only appear in temporary, Human forms, which may explain their need for emissaries like Yaotl. Or maybe their powers need to be restored, possibly explain the total wipeout of the village in episode 1. Either way, Yaotl is one of the ways that this episode stepped things up a bit from the first episode. 

The action is also another step up from the first episode. Without revealing too much, Izel finds himself in a situation where he needs to act. It is often in these moments of action where we see characters really come to life. I expect more battles going forward, as these are proving to be the most visually stunning and attention-grabbing parts of the show.

With such a small cast and the quest not clearly defined yet, there is not much vibrancy to the show yet. But, given the characters we see in the opening, that fact will likely change. As I have said, it is hard to review a show with little to go on. This episode definitely opens the world up with the introduction of Yaotl and Izel’s mission.

Final Thoughts

I’m looking forward to this show really embracing its uniqueness as it progresses. My only criticism so far is the pacing of the story. The pacing is a bit awkward handling, and partially in part due to the dialogue. Some of the dialogue does not seem to move the story forward or give us much on the characters. However, this is something I have often seen as shows are beginning to find their rhythm. As the voice actors understand their characters better, I expect this will improve as the show goes on. Overall, I am ready for the story to dive deeper into Izel’s journey with Episode 3.

What did you guys think of Episode 2? What other anime are you currently watching? Continue the discussion with us in the comments below!

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