Ah! My Goddess—Flights of Fancy: Everyone Has Wings, Vol. 1

This initial volume of the second season of Ah! My Goddess picks up right where the first left off. Keiichi lives in a temple with three Goddesses: Urd, Skuld, and his love Belldandy. In the opening season, after freshman Keiichi was selected by Yggdrasil (Heaven's computer system) to be granted a wish, he asked for Belldandy to remain with him forever. The first episode here deals with fallout from the previous season, as a technical problem with Keiichi's wish leads to a date between Keiichi and Belldandy since they believe their time together may shortly be coming to an end. The next three episodes serve up amiable romantic comedy that requires no backstory to enjoy (fans of the characters, however, will feel a little déjà vu in episode three as Keiichi takes on multiple part-time jobs to pay for a ring for Belldandy's Christmas gift). Although the artwork is uneven (more time is obviously spent drawing some characters than others), this lighthearted series is a staple for anime fans. Presenting the first four episodes on a dual-language disc (the first of six volumes), rated TV-PG, Ah! My Goddess successfully continues a franchise that has spanned a long-running manga, a movie, and an OVA called Oh! My Goddess. DVD extras include audio commentary and production artwork. Recommended. [Note: Ah! My Goddess—Flights of Fancy, Vol. 2 is slated for release on July 10.] Aud: P. (K. Fletcher-Spear)