OH yeah, I've been enjoying more of Liar Game S2.
I've deduced the purpose of the SURPRISE new character, Ryou Katsuragi, whose existence is a wild deviation from the manga: she replaces Yokoya.
Now, I'm not sure why, but it would seem that, even though Yokoya WON the third round, along with everyone else, he's NOWHERE to be seen in rounds 4 and 5. Quite peculiar, since he's such an important character in the story. Now, I've come up with the theory that the actor that plays Yokoya simply couldn't be a part of S2 for whatever reason. Because they can't get him to participate in S2, the directors had to excise him from the story and add replacement genius Ryou Katsuragi, who not only inherits his role in the story, but all his lines, word for word. Not a big deal, but I love the coldblooded Yokoya, and I was looking forward to his further participation in the live action series.
Also, another weird change is that the pandemic game has been changed to the "Angels and Demons" game, which has the exact same rules, except now it has a angels and demons theme, obviously. Also, the pandemic game isn't a preliminary round, it's the semifinals. And instead of taking place in an abandoned warehouse, it takes place in a bowling alley (which is what the Downsizing Game was supposed to take place in). Also, Fukunaga is a part of the pandemic game with Nao and Shinichi, whereas in the manga, he wasn't.
Normally, I'd be pretty flustered at this particular flagrantly shameless change to the story, but I'm not. You want to know why?
That's all I have to say on the matter.
Also, I watched the Maze: The Megaburst Space OVA just recently. It was only a 2 episode long advertisement for the actual series, but it maintained the same high quality that the series had. Though, there is the significant difference that there is a lot.. A LOT more softcore nudity in the OVA than in the series. Actually, the series didn't have any nudity at all, so it's like the producers were trying to give it's target audience the wrong idea or something...
It just took me by surprise is all. Still entertaining.