I finally finished the OVA and got my answer: Julian doesn't get any better.
No offense to his fans. He is a sweet kid, and I don't hate him, >!but I simply think he is too boring for the protagonist role. !<
That said, I still think it's a great series. It honestly would've been perfect if season 4 didn't exist.
>!Maybe it's because of Yang. I'm not entirely sure. I can't quite put my finger on it,but season 4 felt like a chore to get through. I went from enjoying every episode to forcing myself to watch.!<
>!A big part of it is that both Yang and Reinhard are largely absent in the way that made the earlier seasons so engaging. Yang is gone, and Reinhard spends most of the season sick, so it often feels like he's barely there. That definitely contributes to why season 4 feels weaker to me.!<
>!Oberstein was easily the highlight of the season and ended up becoming my favorite character. On the other hand, it's a shame that Hilda, who was once such a witty and smart character —the one who helped the Empire win the Battle of Vermillion—ended up being reduced to a blushing, long-haired love interest.!<
In short:
* Seasons 1–3 were peak.
* Season 4 wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly good either.
Now I'm just hoping I won't get called another racial slur over this opinion. The last time I made an innocent comment here, someone responded with a racial slur.