I gotta say, I was reeeal skeptical about this at first.... but with this news...
http://www.siliconera.com/2012/10/21/disgaea-dimension-2-picks-up-after-disgaea-1-limited-edition-announced/I am a bit more enticed....
I really expected them to try some off the wall genre-hopping to some degree (yes I AM looking in your direction, Prinnies...)..... And to learn that it is in fact a DIRECT sequel and strategy game in the same spirit as the other primary titles in the Disgaea franchise, has got me completely stoked!
Additionally it's not like there will be a character-story to be had either. Laharl's already developed to his maximum as Japan will allow. He's a tsundere who spent the whole first game learning to accept his dere side. Flonne's pretty much been undeveloped since day one and if later installations in the series hold up she's pretty much turned into the closest thing Disgaea can have to a Mary Sue (she always gets what she wants, everyone but the villain comes to love her, hell she's pretty much the Archangel now despite being a fallen angel). Etna already hit her character development cap too, which really wasn't so much development as much as exposition about her past to garner some sympathy.
Don't get that critique wrong, I love the first game but the way the writing style in Disgaea works they can't modify those archetypes any further without the characters ceasing to be 'what' they are and what the audience expects (and if there's anything Japan constantly does in their entertainment media it's milk a loved cow into evaporation with the mantra 'Keep things relatively the same'). Any issues the characters have to overcome personally will pretty much be superficial and irrelevant. More than likely they'll just be tag-alongs for some new character to work out their issues.
As big of a fan as I am.... I have to completely agree with that...
I don't however think that negates the possibility of an entertaining script and narrative. One look back at how many stellar RPG's lacked any relevant character development in regard to the MC's proves, while helpful, it isn't the end-all of an engrossing tale. In Disgaea's case its the humor, ass-nine plot and character interactions that really drive the stories entertainment home..... That can really be accomplished without Laharl "growing" in any sense....
Now given the trend of the writing within the titles that followed Disgaea 1 do I really believe they are gonna pull that off....? Well that is a different question entirely...... I am still skeptical in that regard....
The long and the short of it.... this has enough potential to excite me.