Here we are. The next installment of Aim for the Ace! after a delightful series and movie adaptation. We step into a new and maturing Oka Hiromi now focused entirely on her tennis after graduating and becoming a junior champion with her teammates. Oka has achieved it all, she’s a tennis star, has a great coach, and amazing friends/teammates. Until she doesn’t. For fans of the previous installments, the style shift and VA changes might be quite jarring. As we turn away from the softer palette and character designs (a bit more similar to black jacks ‘93 OVA), Fortunately this does not distract too muchfrom the beloved tennis and personal drama. We also step away from unorthodox framing and shots to a more direct scene by scene. Sound quality is for sure a step up from the rest of the series as well. Aim for the Ace! 2 offers a look into the more personal trials and tribulations of our favorite characters as they go through loss, grief, and struggle. A more serious take on a sports anime, but absolutely worth it.