The second season of Oreimo, based off the light novel series, is 13 episodes long plus three net episodes. This season continues after the four net animations of the first season and assumes you area already acquainted with the new characters and its events. Kosaka Kyousuke is a high school student with his younger sister, Kirino, seemingly expressing disdain at him at every chance. Despite her popularity and appearances, Kirino is a hardcore otaku, especially loving eroge and moe anime. The first season has Kyousuke helping Kirino to get everyone else to accept her hobbies.
While the relationship between Kyousuke and Kirino is still very much a focus, it ebbs and flows in this second season. Understandable given that everyone now accepts Kirino's hobby to a degree or another. Instead, we see a lot more of their friends, from the otaku pair of Saori and Kuroneko, to Kirino's "normal" friend Ayase. Of course, we also get to see Kyousuke's childhood friend Manami. Ayase, and Kirino to a degree, sees Kyousuke as a massive pervert. In the first season this was unwarranted but now, Kyousuke deserves it all. He pulls creepy faces and acts disturbingly at times that it feels out of character as if the anime just wanted to pull some cheap laughs. It gets progressively worse as the season goes on, to the point where it feels like it is a completely different character to the one from the first season.
This season takes the view of the romantic feelings between Kyousuke and Kirino (aka incest) much further. Whole episodes are dedicated to the pair feeling jealous against other characters. It is such a shame as you feel Kirino can be extremely unreasonable although while Kyousuke isn't too much better at certain points, you tend to emphasize with him more. You end up feeling bad for Manami and Kuroneko considering that they are both nicer choices for Kyousuke than Kirino is.
While Kirino remains somewhat annoying with her selfish demeanor, this season has injected plenty of humor. There are gags and situational humor that works really well, usually to the detriment of Kyousuke. In particular, Kirino's reactions when playing eroge are hilarious every single time. Since this season was produced a few years after the first, the references and technology used by the characters are updated. Unfortunately, there are a few episodes where it devolves into the same tired cliches which makes it stale. Thanks to giving more screen time to the supporting characters, the backstories of them are fleshed out after being hinted at again and again in the first season. A few new characters are introduced to round out the cast and the anime becomes a whole lot of fun.
During the midpoint though, Oreimo feels like a typical teen love drama. While it has its sweet points, at the same time, it feels like it has nothing that makes it stand out. There comes a point where it became sad as you can feel how painful it must have been for Kyousuke to pick between his sister and the person he loves. When that conflict is finally resolved, it felt like a cheap and melodramatic way out, making it feel what came before more like a joke. Further frustrating ensues when you know that the relationship between Kyousuke and Kirino is impossible.
Towards the end of the season, it becomes ever more apparent that the narrative is trying to push Kyousuke and Kirino into romantic territory. Effectively all the female characters have feelings for Kyousuke and in their own selfless way, they somehow support and adapt to Kyousuke and Kirino's relationship. It's really weird and you are not sure if it works. There are more than a few bittersweet moments where it simply feels unfair that that particular pair cannot work out. Everything that happens in the season leads into the events of the net episodes. It resolves Kyousuke's various relationships, and he might not be with the one you want him to. It gets even crazier with the confessions and just how absurd the situation has become. A lot of the dialogue that Kyousuke spits out was already very cringey, but it is up to eleven here. It feels like the writer progressively gave up more and more as the season went on and wanted to just finish it.
Unfortunately, as if to rub salt into the wound, various characters have their personalities change and pretty much severe all ties with Kyousuke. For everything that Kyousuke gained, he has lost everything else and it makes for a horrendous and illogical ending. When the final credits finish, you're left thinking what was the point of all of that? Everyone loses. It feels half-baked; if you are going to commit to an ending with one particular character, than go all out. You do NOT backpedal right at the last moment and undo everything.
Overall, the second season of Oreimo is average with a tinge of bitterness. Granted, you might like the direction the story went towards but it feels like the author gave up on the series. Kyousuke's decisions feel irrational (as well as the character being a lot more of your typical teenage anime pervert protagonist), the series devolved into tired old cliches, and the ending is just disappointing in how the relationships between all the characters end up. The slick animation and genuine humor at times can't save it from failing to fulfill its potential.
----------------------------------------------
For other anime reviews, have a look at this page.
