My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Too! is the second season, coming at 13 episodes again. The anime follows a trio of high schoolers: Hikigaya, Yukino, and Yui. Hikigaya is the protagonist, and due to poor experiences in middle school, he is a loner and prefers it this way. He doesn’t want to get hurt again, and has a bleak outlook in life. Yukino has problems with her family, and being clever, smart and pretty has ironically led her to also be shunned by others due to how jealous they are of her abilities. Yui on the other hand is a lot more positive and energetic, having a healthy social life and pretty much having the model student life.
The trio are part of a school club where other students will come with their problems and they will do what they can to help resolve them. They have a good success rate too. however, Hikigaya has a self-destructive streak. Yui does not approve of his methods. Yui usually tries to find an amicable resolution, where Hikigaya goes for an effective resolution, at a heavy cost. That cost is usually worsening others already bad perception of him.
Their relationships were already strained by the end of last season’s finale, and it immediately comes to a head-on clash this season. The animation studios had changed for this season, and it is obvious with the change in aesthetics. It may take a little bit to get used to in the beginning but it is a better quality animation and with that animation is better writing and pacing. The first two episodes alone, where the club was dealing with their first problem, you can tangibly feel the pain of the characters when Hikigaya charges on ahead and uses his cruel methods.
Hikigaya has a strong self-destructive streak. You can tell, as does the characters, that he actually cares about others but he just cannot think up of any way other than one that hurts himself. Whereas he may view himself as self-sacrificing, it can also be an annoying and selfish trait. The characters are right to be annoyed at him, and this bad trait of his, as well as his deteriorating attitude towards everyone and society in general, can make him a more and more unlikeable character.
A big chunk of the season is dedicated to the second arc, and it is a tough one. With the aftermath of Hikigaya’s decision in the previous arc still lingering, it can be a tough event to watch, not helped by its long length and other issues that arises. This season serves to show off the weaknesses of every character, even the supporting ones. As such, it can drag on given that it can be so oppressive in its tone and atmosphere. The main trio are at odds with each other, with each one dealing with it the only way they know how. This means that Hikigaya goes at it alone, Yui acts as if nothing is wrong and struggles to hold the group together, while Yukino retreats into a defensive shell.
It can be painful to watch Hikigaya struggle to keep things together and making one mistake after another. It’s hard to fault him, given his past experiences. The other characters don’t help too much either, and for a time, there is little of that lighthearted easygoing banter from the first season. This is also where the writing bogs the season down too much with its drama. Coupled with the one-off jabs at Hikigaya again and again, which while funny, you’ll still feel for the guy.
Every single character is also hiding their true feelings. It’s somewhat annoying when they hide behind their carefully created mask. From the new character Isshiki, who manipulates while pretending to be a clumsy cutie, to the perfect Hayama who is selfish at wanting to preserve the status quo of his group, to even Hikigaya who shies away from his own true thoughts in a bid of self-preservation. You just feel that the world is filled with cunning people behind their nice outer personalities that you cannot trust at all.
It builds up to its peak with the season finale, still with that awkwardness in the main trio. It focuses on Yukino and her relationship with her family. After all this time, the secrecy behind Yukino is finally being lifted piece by piece. It’s not much but you feel like you start to understand the character a bit more. Unfortunately, the season ends in a very poor place, right in the middle of all the drama. The OVA on the other hand is more like what a typical romantic comedy would be, with a date between Hikigaya and Isshiki, with some hilarious moments and sweet moments.
Overall, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Too! is slightly better than the first season. The animation changed in aesthetics and in general an uplift in quality, and the writing is slightly better. The season is bogged down by a massive dramatic arc though that can feel never-ending, starting something that continues up to the very end. That said, the pacing flows much better and the characters are engaging.
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