Blazblue: Continuum Shift II

Blazblue: Continuum Shift II is a 2021 animated film. It is the sequel to the first Blazblue: Continuum Shift. The film is directed by Andrew Stanton, who also directed the first one.

## Plot

A few days after Noel, Ragna, Taokaka and Jin defeat Hazama, they soon discover that Hazama cheated death and he comes back as Yuki Terumi and he gives people helmets that make him turn most of Kagutsuchi into an apocalypse. Now it's up to the last 2 remaining people such as Noel Vermillion and Platinum The Trinity to seek help from the Clover Family Circus to take back their land.

## Why It Rocks

1. It's a very impressive follow up as it manages to keep some of the elements kept on most of the characters.
2. The score in this film, while having scores borrowed from different movies is very amazing and has some songs that are heartwarming.
3. The film also tends to have some very funny moments such as when Bimbo and Jimbo mention that one of Yuki Terumi's beasts came from Final Fantasy and everyone (even Noel), stares at them in a confused manner.
4. Most of the voice actors from the first film do a good job at reprising their roles. Not to mention it has an all star cast including Linda Cardellini, Ben Schwartz, Patrick Warburton, Isabela Moner, Bradley Cooper, Scarlet Johansson, Zoe Saldana, Will Arnett, Brad Garrett, Jason Sudeikis, Cherami Leigh, Thomas Mann and others.
5. Very emotional moments, such as when Noel looks at a portrait of her friend Ragna and sheds a tear but then heads back to sleep. There's also a scene where Noel has a flashback on how she was actually brought to life.
6. The animation is still impressive as the first movie.
7. The new characters created for the movie are great additions to the Blazblue series, such as Bimbo And Jimbo The Clowns, Carl Clover, who is a reasonable person helps Noel, Platinum and the others on their journey, and Yuki, an intimidating clone of Hazama who wants to kill Noel and Platinum before they can make Kagutsuchi go back to normal.
8. This very trustful quote from Relius, "Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
9. There are some Easter eggs to some of Arc System's other works, Most notably Guilty Gear, such as the scene where Noel and Platinum begin escaping from Yuki's slaves, you can see a poster featuring I-No. Especially a billboard advertising Dragon Ball FighterZ.
10. Likable characters such as Noel Vermillion, Carl Clover, Bimbo & Jimbo, Relius Clover, Platinum The Trinity, and Makoto Nanaya.
11. Similar to Persona: A Day In The Life of Ann Takamaki, It can help people and especially younger viewers (Mainly because the film is rated PG) understand more about the Blazblue game series depending on your view.
12. Yuki Terumi is a malevolent and cold-blooded antagonist.
13. While already mentioned, the original score (Despite having songs from other movies) composed by Alan Menken, Hans Zimmer and Paul Thomson is marvelous.
14. The ending scene where Noel Vermillion becomes hero of Kagutsuchi is absolutely beautiful. Even the song Remember from the 2019 Lion King movie makes it more better. And the scene where Ragna shows a picture of Nine The Phantom to Noel and then she says "Well, looks like I'll accept your mission." is a great teaser for the third movie.

## Bad Qualities

1. **Misleading Title:** While Continuum Shift is in the title, there are some characters that did not appear in Continuum Shift including Yuki for example, plus the original Continuum Shift II game is basically the first Continuum Shift but as a portable game.
2. Like the first film, it doesn't tend to stay faithful to the original storyline of the game.
3. The emotional moments that occur throughout the film is enough to make someone cry or get on someone's nerves.
4. The other 3 protagonists like Ragna, Jin and Taokaka don't do that much in the film due to them turning into slaves in the movie.

## Box Office

As of March 11, 2022, Blazblue: Continuum Shift II grossed $246.8 million in the United States & Canada and $448.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $695.3 million.

In the United States & Canada, the film was released alongside The Suicide Squad and Allcroft: Ditch Please, and was projected to gross $25 million in it's opening weekend. After earning $20.4 million on it's first day (Including $2.8 million from Thursday night previews), estimates were raised to $40 million. It went on to finish above expectations and debuted to $65.2 million, finishing first and dethroning Jungle Cruise at the box office.