Kiddy Grade’s depth and breadth expand quite dramatically around Episode 8. My previous review was prior to the release of these later episodes. My viewing of the series is currently at episode 19 of 26 total, with episode 20 downloading as I type this.

As I stated previously, the beginning of the series is largely comprised of some shallow science-fiction action drama with some pretty-girl fanservice and minimal character development. Having seen 19 episodes now, I can see that these first episodes were intended to introduce us to the naive Eclair and her partner Lumiere, as well as glimpses at the galactic economic and political situations.

It all comes to a head in episode 9, when we see that Eclair seems to have a multiple personality/previous life issue (the nature of which is revealed later, but this is a review, not a spoiler). After this, the real plot arc starts up in earnest. It is in some ways and improvement, in other ways not.

In the plus column, the change in tone and the presence of an overall plot arc gives me a reason to say I like this show other than Eclair’s obvious assets and some pretty darned high quality animation (I’ve been watching a lot of made-for-TV stuff that has lost a lot to airtime deadlines).

In the minus column, the resulting plot is overly melodramatic and rather predictable. If I was looking for a poor-me angst-fest filled with mysterious pasts and hidden agendas, I’d pop Evangelion back in my VCR and watch this. Kiddy Grade started as something whimsical and cute. With the addition of Eclair and Lumiere’s past, this show loses an awful lot.

The lighthearted fanservice-fest of episodes 1-8 were high quality for that genre. The drama of episodes 9-19 thus far as been low-end heavy-handed drama. As we learn from the Hagakure: It is bad when one thing becomes two. Perhaps if they had started out with the drama instead of the farce, I wouldn’t have this mild, but nagging disappointment in this series.

Meanwhile, I’m rooting for Armhurst to rule the galaxy by Episode 26.