Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season

Disclaimer: Kinda sorta spoilers, but not really.

Before you skip over this because of the low score, do me the courtesy of reading through the review, first.

I came into the second season immediately after watching the first. It might be a good idea to read my review of the first season, to give you some context.
Even if you don't, the short story is that I really, really liked the first season. I was this close to giving it a 9, which for me is an amazing grade.
The point is, I came into the second season with very, very high hopes and expectations.

They were not met. ... In fact, they were crushed.

Let me get some good points out of the way. The animation is still very good, with some very powerful moments here and there.

The music, surprisingly, fit in a bit better and actually left an impression at times rather than being nonexistent like in the first season. The closing song sounded better this time, too.

Now, on to the plot:
Disappointing first few episodes. In fact, the first 7 episodes were a total disaster. Cheap drama created by characters thinking but not actually saying what would fix an otherwise simple situation.

Total reboot of the relationship, invalidating the last several episodes of the first season and cheapening the plot overall for pointless drama.

A lot of the things that I hate about drama anime surface on the second season, while they were absent the first. Namely, it's the retarded misunderstandings. The sort of situations that arise only because a character took something someone said completely the wrong way, or didn't say something simple yet vital. These sort of things are easy, cheap drama generators and would never happen in real life because in real life people are not that stupid.

Similarly, Sawako seems to have taken the same steep dive the show itself has. There is no sign of the backbone that she had in the first season. She's turned into the depressed, passive and utterly stupid classic anime chick who believes whoever's mouth is moving at the time. What the hell? Sawako in season1 spoke her mind and, even though she was afraid, always tried her best for what she wanted to achieve and wasn't afraid to contradict other people. What happened to that? For f-'s sake, even Kurumi admitted that she didn't expect Sawako to be such a mindless sheep.

Similarly, Kazehaya seems to have realized he's starring in an anime and started doing all the retarded shit anime characters sometimes do, even though he'd made it a point to contradict those expectations in season 1. Things like being led around by the nose by everyone who speaks to him, having no personal conviction, and not respecting other people's right to a decision, like he demanded in season 1 for himself. The latter episodes kind of fix this, but the damage is done by then.

I mean, what the actual f-? Did they seriously make more than one episode's worth of drama based on the misunderstanding that both think the other meant a different definition of 'like'? How can that elicit any emotion other than bafflement from the viewer? How are we supposed to empathize with the characters when their only problems consist of having exactly 0 communication skills?

When the answer 'Does your anime's conflict get solved if the characters say a single reasonable sentence to each other?' is 'Yes' then you're doing something wrong, goddammit.

I wanted to drop it on the first 4 episodes. I really wanted to drop it on episode 5. I should have dropped it on episode 6. I kept going because I'm the kind of guy who can't look away from a train wreck, and because after watching the first season I at least wanted to see how the second one concluded.

The episodes after 6-7 seem to merely be trying to reel back in the shit parade. They're not bad. In fact, they're fine. However, that doesn't erase the fact that none of this should have happened. Much as I enjoyed the episodes from 8 onwards, the fact remains. The last few episodes are spent resolving situations that arose out of pure and unadulterated stupidity that are definitely not the kind of thing I was expecting coming into this.

The last episode is appropriately heartwarming, I'll give the series that. However, imagine the last two episodes being, in fact, the FIRST two, and then the rest of the season being the two of them exploring their new relationship. There was no need for the pointless and outright silly drama of the first 7 episodes.

The fact that the last few episodes were good kind of softened me up by the time I finished it, but it doesn't change the fact that more than half of the season was garbage. I want to rate it high because of the last two episodes, and I want to rate it very, very low because of the first few.

I guess I didn't do myself any favors by having high expectations.

As it is, I'll just sigh and give it a 5/10.

When I first heard that there would be a continuation of Kimi ni Todoke I was overjoyed but also filled with great trepidation. The original had a less than stellar ending, so the prospect of getting a worthy finale to the series was an exciting opportunity. But at the same time I know the track record when it comes to sequels in anything, and considering how much I loved the original I feared it would be impossible for it to live up the expectations I had for it. In the end both came true in a way, being at the same time ... better and worse than the first season.

What really attracted me originally to Kimi ni Todoke was the way it broke the typical shoujo stereotypes and mostly stayed away from them. Instead standing many of them on their heads and having fun with them. It stayed away from love triangles, misunderstandings, and the other typical cockblocks that plague romance anime. This begins to change somewhat from episode one when we are introduced to a new character Kento Miura. A character that could only have one purpose and a type that anyone familiar with the genre could recognize from the start. While in retrospect I probably shouldn't have been surprised that a rival might make an appearance, I also think that it’s a bit out of character for the series as well. Sawako is just too innocent and simple of a personality to have her heart swayed by the appearance of additional bishies. Though his character doesn't really pan out the way I feared he would, I am still left wondering if it was even necessary to include him at all.

As much as Kento's arrival initially annoyed me, the main problem overall with this anime is the frustratingly slow pace. This started to bother me in the first season towards the end but most of the time you just found yourself tapping your cheeks and exclaiming, "Aw, they're so cute!" However now I found myself more often pounding on the arm of my chair screaming, "Get on with it already!" The constant string of misunderstandings and hand-wringing gets old really fast. There is a limit to how clueless, how bashful, and socially awkward two people can be. And this is the source of most of my frustration with the plot.

However, as much chagrin and annoyance as most of the series' pacing caused me it’s almost completely offset by how it ends up. All of my expectations were fulfilled as we are treated to a wonderful culmination of their struggles to reach each other’s hearts. We are even treated to something that we rarely get to see in romance stories, the after the confession story.

Another rewarding aspect of this season is the continued growth of Sawako's character as a normal well adjusted person. As much annoyance as certain characteristics of her personality caused me at times by the end you see a girl who changed quite a bit from the shy and gloomy person at the start of the first season. Even Kazehaya is changed, though it is not as noticeable with his outgoing personality as a shell to cover up his own insecurities.

The rest of the cast remains pretty much unchanged with one notable exception; Kurumi. Her role in this season is greatly diminished but all of her appearances are quite impactful. Each one displays an element of her character, from jealousy and vindictiveness to vulnerability and honesty. Over the course of the series she manages to both stand in Sawako's way and to help her get around her. Though you could say they are technically not "friends", this kind of tough love probably changed Sawako in more ways than any of her other friends managed to. I think that everyone can relate to Kurumi's feelings and her unrequited love. It's hard to not feel a little sorry for her, but while she's still not over Kazehaya by the end its clear she is going to be ok. Unlike most rejected romance characters, it’s hard to imagine Kurumi pining for Kazehaya for the rest of her life.

Artistically there is really no change from this season to the past one. It remains the most beautiful shoujo romance probably ever made. If there is any fault to be had it is with the overuse of Sawako's chibi form. While I myself happen to love chibi style animation, I felt they were used inappropriately at times. Particularly in some of the more impactful scenes which ended up taking away from them. The music and voice acting remains top notch, MAY's "Kimi ni Todoke" ED song I think is the best one of the entire series. Mamiko Noto's performance is also quite memorable. I really believe this is a defining role for her, almost as if the character had been created specifically for her. I cant imagine any other seiyuu voicing Sawako.

Overall the 2nd Season of Kimi ni Todoke is an excellent conclusion to the series. Though even with its excellent ending it never feels like it equals the quality of the first one. Combined with the frustratingly slow pace and an implausible string of misunderstandings, makes the experience as a whole uneven. Despite these warts if you loved the first season your still going to like and perhaps love this as well.

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

Story: 10/10 Beautifully continued from the first season, Kimi Ni Todoke Season 2 kept me hungry for more with the developing relationship between Shouta and Sawako growing.

Art: 10/10 I fell in love with the stunning artwork when I was introduced to it in the first season. The characters are drawn more realistically than most Japanese Anime and the scenery (cherry blossoms) are amazing.

Sound: 10/10 I love the music. My favorites are the romantic tunes when Shouta and Sawako look at eachother.

Character: 9/10 I love Shouta's character. He's this cute, outgoing athlete who becomes this cutely shy guy when it comes to ... Sawako. Sawako is this introverted girl who becomes extremely shy when it comes to Shouta. The only problem I have with this is that for many episodes throughout Kimi Ni Todoke (in general, but more in the 2nd season) there are times where I think they are too shy. It even becomes quite unbearable at one point in the 2nd season; I almost wanted to stop watching the anime. However, I understand that Sawako was very unsocial to begin with and Shouta is just shy around her because he likes her. I needed to cut her a little slack.. but Shouta couldn't tell that she liked him. It took him a while before he started to get it. I hate it when anime characters are DENSE.

Enjoyment: 9/10 Besides the middle of the 2nd season of Kimi Ni Todoke where I wanted to rip out my hair because I was so frustrated that Sawako wasn't getting it, I love this anime. :) I really enjoyed this anime more as it went towards the end of the season (Episode 10 to be exact). That one episode is amazing.

Overall: 10/10 I love this anime. Despite the shyness, I thought that everything was well done. I recommend this anime to people who love a cute love story, but have the patience to sit through it. It took a while but in the end, I felt happy. In fact, if they didn't drag on the developing relationship, then there would be no strong meaning to the title.

I can't wait to see the last 2 episodes. I'm sad that there are only 2 though..:(

-MsCHOCOHOLICishere

This review is for both Season 1 and 2

Rating - 10

Sorry for giving it a 10. I know it's probably because I am a sucker for a rom-com genre but hear me out. Rarely does an anime give me the urge to have an all-nighter once I started watching one. Kimi ni Todoke did not make me sleep at all. I have watched the 2nd season, specifically episodes 9 - 12 a couple of time for it to sink in. It was a joy to watch Kazehaya and Kuronuma finally get together in the end. The plot may be slow but it was definitely worth ... the wait. Although I feel like there should be more, I am contented on how the story went and ended. I love the characters especially Kazehaya because despite of being the person who can have the woman he wanted, he pursued someone who he thought is unreachable. I just love the plot so much.

Give it a try folks! It's worth the wait, I swear!

I have to give this anime the highest score you can possibly give. For a while, I've heard of this anime and how amazingly adorable it was. I watched it for the first time in January and immediately got hooked.

The story is of a shy, misunderstood girl name Sawako (known to others by Sadako) and a bright, "refreshing" young man named Kazehaya (Shouta). This story bases mostly on friendship and romance, which I think is awesome :)

In the first season, Kazehaya helps Sawako gain more confidence and she is able to speak out better. She also found new friends (who are the BEST ... by the way). In the first season, Sawako realizes her love for Kazehaya and wants more. Therefore moving on to the second season. :D The last season was amazing. I recommend you watch it first. A happy ending in almost all the episodes ( wait, maybe all of them).

In the second season, it's more focused on love. Kazehaya and Sawako will probably take their relationship to the next level, but more misunderstandings before that. The story is outstanding. The plot is not going too fast, or too slow. The art makes you understand the mood and the story better. And the settings are beautiful. The sound always has a great help in the atmosphere and a lot of the times are nostalgic sounding. The characters are the most ingenious. Especially the mains. Sawako's cuteness and naturally creepiness is the main reason I'm still here. Also, Kazehaya is not too unrealistically sweet and can get mad and impatient. Which makes him the dream boy for most girls (including me). The best friends, Yano and Chizu are total polar opposites, which makes it funny to watch. Also, the teacher Pin and Chizu's childhood friend are just hilarious and funny to see :D

I just LOOOVE this anime and I hope you do too~

So here we are, already at season 2. It seems like just yesterday, I was reading chapter 0 of the manga.
Anyways, just me sounding like an old grandma.
So if you didn't watch the first season, I would because A) it's awesone and B) if you try to watch the second season without the first one, you're going to be seriously confused. But if you didn't watch the first season, it's basically an amazingly cute romantic-school comedy. Yes, it doesn't sound very compelling at first, but it really does become addictive.

Story: 9
For those that don't know, Kimi Ni Todoke is about the story of the budding ... relationship between a shy, scary-looking girl (Sawako) who everyone is afraid of and the super popular but super nice boy in her class (Kazehaya). I'll admit, at first I was kinda skeptical on the story because it sounded like it was going to be like every other romantic school comedy but I was pleasantly surprised. The story is (for lack of a better term) refreshing and absolutely adorable.

Art: 7
I'm not a huge fan of the art style for the eyes in the anime but everything else is great. The animation is very precise and detailed and backrounds are intricate. The coloring is also good and evokes a kind of nostagic feeling.

Sound: 9
Just looking at the list of voice actors in Kimi Ni Todoke will make any anime fan excited (Daisuke Namakawa, anyone?!?). And as they should, they do a great job expressing the characters' feelings. As for music, the OP and ED are fittingly adorable (I'm literally counting down the days until they are released) and the insert music is fitting and nice sounding.

Character: 8
One of the really great parts about Kimi Ni Todoke is the characters. Sawako is as cute as a fluffy puppy with rainbow sparkles, Kazehaya is the ideal boy (at least to me) and Chizu and Ayane (Sawako's other friends for those people who missed out on the first season) are the perfect friends. They make me laugh, cry and go "AWWWWWWWW" really loudly. Realistic? Not really. But hey, its anime.

Final Score: 9
So what have we learned? Kimi Ni Todoke 2nd Season is the continuation of the totally amazing first season and can be summed up in two words, "absolutely adorable". The story and characters, while not realistic, are absolutely charming. The sound and art, are both great although the art was a bit lacking in the faces. But all in all? A solid anime that is (I'll say it once again), absolutely adorable.

THE TURTLE RACE ENTERS STAGE 2!!! Thats gotta be the best way I can describe how I felt when I sat down to watch this 2nd season of kimi ni todoke. As is the case with many/most of you, I watched the first season and was rather annoyed(or simply straight-up pissed) by the extremely slow approach they took; so just to let you all know, its gonna be more of the same here.

The story: This continues right where the first season left off with sawako and kazehaya each secretly loving each other from afar(or as far as one can get in the same class) and ... feeling that their affections are one-sided.
If season one could be described as a turtle race, the first half of this could be described as "an uphill leg of the tour de france, between two guys with no legs" As you have hopefully gained from this clever analogy, not only is this slow paced, but at the begining it actually goes backwards briefly. This is resolved eventually, and the show couldve been over at least three times by episode six, but why would they do that when they could drag it out for another six episodes.

The art: Same as ever, kinda seems to be done in a joking manner but it works well; sawako can look super pretty, or fool me into thinking the zombie appocalypse just started.

The characters: All the same as last season, with the addidtion of some flamboyant blonde guy who seems interested in sawako but I dont know that we ever know what he's after.

Enjoyment: I was happy when it was over, I mean this is two ways. Firstly, I felt like I had spent too much time on it and was happy that it was finally done with. Secondly, I liked the ending, it was one of those "bout f-ing time" things, and while some of you may consider this to be a spoiler, think about it, why would they make a second season for any other reason?

Overall this was really a sweet little story, but it took forever. I thought that it was kinda generic with the expection of sawakos role which was actually quite refreshing. Honestly I dont know if I would recomend this to anyone, but on the flip side, I also wouldnt tell anyone not to watch this. This is kinda just up to you, in hindsight, im glad to have watched this.

Kimi ni Todoke has stunned me. To sum the first season up for me; well it was fun but the pacing really got to me, and by the end I felt discontent for something that ran for half a year. If that is what made me give the first season a 7, it is what is giving this a 9. Of course scores are arbitrary, some people won't give less than a 6, but there is one thing that this season does: Makes all this time worth it.

Retaining the humor, if not funnier when appropriate, this show put a smile to my face. With all ... the build up from last season, it only allows those characters to interact better with each other on a more complex relationship. Of course there are those others that are enjoyable because to be honest, who can't help but enjoy a joke from Pin or that annoying Joe? If anything, the show takes all that anticipation I had last season and quenches it - The progress undergone by Sawako and Chizuru and of course Kazehaya and Ryuu is really great.

Unfortunately, not everything is flowers and sunshine for this shoujo piece. The thing that bugged me the most was a misunderstanding forms that really shouldn't have happened. I know that sometimes that characters are incredibly dense, but the significance of it really made me think I was watching some shounen harem. It just felt out of place to me in a show that is very serious and logical when it should be. A new face also shows up, which acts as an instigator as a jealous Kazehaya can no longer sit around and twiddle his thumbs.

Thankfully, the character in our new love triangle is really awesome for somebody who you should be thinking "#$%@ you dude, leave the damn couple alone." This character truly has Sawako's wellbeing at heart, and never 'really' makes an ass of himself.

However at heart Kimi ni Todoke remains its original self, full of internal monologues, a lot of new(?) sadako jokes, and couching of our introverted female lead. As a male viewer who previously thought this was just a run of a mill shoujo the second season made me think twice, pick up the manga, and write a review. Although it might be somewhat predictable at times there is no doubt this show will be able to reach you whether it be your funny bone, fangirl/boy-ism, or your heart.

Konnichiwa =) this is my first time writing a review (please be kind and don spam the "not helpful" button, i am a really sensitive person).. i wanted to do one for an anime that hasn't being done by many yet and since KnT season 2 has only just being released, i thought this is the best opportunity for me =]

When i first watched the first and second season of KnT, i thought it was quite good at how realistic and practical this anime is compared to others where you can literally predict what is going to happen as well as the way the ... characters are going to be developed. But in this anime, they give you the main character Kuronoma Sawako, a misunderstood but kind girl who is shunned by the people around her because of her eerie looks and unnatural tone she takes on when speaking to strangers. However, another character, Kazehaya sees her for who she really is and befriends her.

As the story progresses into season 2, both of them develop distinct feelings towards each other and they get into all kinds of epic situation due to the fact that they are both EXTREMELY dense. I mean seriously....there is a limit to how dense a person can be, right??? But this anime develops the characters in such an amazing way so that they have a perfectly logical reason to be dense. For kuronoma, she is a girl who never had a friend before and doesn't know how to handle awkward or misunderstanding situations thus misreading Kazehaya feelings towards her. For Kazehaya, he is a super popular guy and many girls have already confessed to him, thus he unconsciously assumes that everyone, including kuronoma is the same, meaning normal (being alone without having any friends for 14 years is definitely NOT normal) and therefore misunderstands her words and actions.

Sorry for rattling on but anyway lets go into the marking rubrics =)
Story: 10/10
Personally, i feel that the main reason some people mark down on this sector is because of there is hardly any progress at all in the relationship between the two. But, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and i find that the epic denseness of them both is actually the main factor keeping my eyes glued to the series. Believe me, restraining myself from yelling stupidly at the screen is no small feat. Sometimes you just feel that you want to go in there and slap some sense into them. And then you realised,,, Its just an anime show. Its. Not. Real. See what it had done to you? Not many other shoujo have the ability to this to you. Thats what make KnT so special.

Art: 10/10
The animation is quite remarkable. I really liked the parts where they show koronoma smiling. Some people may find it.... scary? But i think it requires great skill to be able to draw out something that inspires such emotions within you. Be it, scary or warmth.

Sound: 8/10
The voice actors are kinda good.. i mean.. it must be tough.. to take on such a low, scary tone kuronoma is supposed to have. And i really really really like the ending song for this season =)

Character: 9/10
The character development, (unlike the romance, thankfully) moves at a reasonably pleasant pace revealing several surprising and interesting details about each character. And each of them, be it in denseness or kindness have their own strengths and weaknesses whether they realised it or not. (most of the times they don't, which is what makes it so interesting)

Enjoyment:10/10
Overall: 10/10
I have talked enough about these areas in my starting commentary.. and frankly, i think its a miracle if you even read until this part.. And so this concludes the end of my first review =) "phew" *breathes air of relief* its hard work writing a review, and that shows how much i like this series. Give it a try, you might like it too... ;)

(This has been adapted from my reddit thread)

When it comes to most forms of media, sequels are a tricky business. Many people argue that the first iteration is the best due to nostalgia. Others argue that what comes after is able to build upon what came before so it is clearly better. For some shows, their sequels are phenomenal, such as Monogatari: Second Season or Chihayafuru Season Two. However, and sadly, when it comes to Kimi ni Todoke Season Two, they severely dropped the ball.

STORY

KnT2 begins shortly after KnT1 left off, with our characters returning back to school for their sophomore year.

Initially, I found the ... pacing of the show to be pretty much off. Part of the problem comes from the season only having 12 episodes to work with. When watching, each episode has about a one-month time skip when going from one to the next. Meaning, there is a great amount of back-story that is either ignored or at the minimum must be fantasized about in the viewers mind. Perhaps they felt that there was nothing to be told during these month-long spans, but it felt awkward that the characters would interact on one day and seemingly nothing happens between any of them for an entire month.

Beyond the pacing, what I found incredibly frustrating was the level of misunderstanding that the show imposed. Kazehaya and Sawako experience some of the worst miscommunication between potential lovers I have ever seen (probably the only worst offender would be from School Days). Personally, I don't mind this trope in romance, as long as it isn't extremely prevalent. However, Sawako being unable to deal with her feelings and subsequently being unable to speak in crucial situations caused the plot to focus on her and Kazehaya's inability to talk with one another as opposed to focusing on their relationship.

Furthermore, there were numerous times when certain events would be interrupted by side characters. This only compounded the frustration I had with the characters' interactions. It really doesn't help when progress is attempting to be made and it is constantly being thwarted by outside forces.

ANIMATION

Short section, but Season Two maintains the quality it had from Season One. They still employ the "rounder" animation styling for comedic effect (and it still made me laugh when it was used). Again, many face shots and sparkles are to be had, so actual animation is kept to a minimum. But this doesn't deter from the overall pleasant look of the show.

CHARACTERS

While many of the characters return once again for Season Two, I found their development this time to be severely lacking. This is mainly due in part to my ranting above; that is, the miscommunication doesn't generate growth in the characters. Rather, it halts it.

This season focuses more on Kazehaya and Sawako than anyone else, which I felt was a good move. However I think that the show should have attempted to do a better job on focusing on their relationship, much like Season One did between its characters. Instead, what it does is try to explore their feelings for one another, but due to the overall aloofness, it is poorly executed.

Season Two also introduces a new character, Kento, who acts as a catalyst in ruining Kazehaya's and Sawako's relationship while simultaneously making Sawako "more popular". I put "more popular" in quotes because this trait seemed to mirror what Kazehaya had already been doing. That is, he was the one that had given Sawako the confidence to enter into the social gatherings and be generally more open to those around her. Plus, he just adds further to the already massive amount of misunderstandings. Besides these traits, I didn't really much care for his character.

Lastly, I still feel that Kurumi's character, like Season One, was underutilized. She was greatly fleshed out and explored in Season One, dropped, then brought back briefly in the beginning and end of Season Two. But these small occurrences were some of the best parts of the show. At this point, I just think it was a poor decision on Production I.G.'s part to ignore her character throughout the second half of Season One and all of Season Two since she is arguably the most complex member of the cast.

SOUND

This time around, I wasn't a big fan of both the OP and the ED. The OP gives a sense of urgency that doesn't really complement the show well. The ED, on the other hand, is very orchestral and leaves you feeling hopeful.
The soundtrack is mostly the same with newer pieces added. These newer pieces were more "uppity" than those from Season One and did not really fit the show's themes and overall tone to my liking.

The voice acting is good once again, with Sawako, as always, doing a good job switching between her incredibly sweet side to her confused, nasal-y voice.

ENJOYMENT

When going into Season Two, I was hoping that Kazehaya and Sawako's relationship would take off from where Season One ended. They set it up nicely to have them come together so the show could finally focus on a relationship that was based on true love. However, each episode only makes you more mad than the last due to how inept the characters are at handling the situations.

To be honest, I was quite disappointed. Season One was very good in its focus and overall narrative. But to me, the majority of the show was unappealing. Only the final two episodes were any good, and what happens in them should have been the focus for this season from the start.

The show still has the same sense of humor, so if you laughed a lot during Season One, you will do so here as well. The romance elements are here, but again they are not truly explored until the end but by that point it is already too late. I really wanted to enjoy this season as much as the first one, but I just couldn't get over how badly the characters responded to one another, the loss of focus on relationship building, and the constant misunderstandings.

SUMMARY

Story: Bad, the misunderstanding level is incredibly frustrating to watch

Animation: Good, about the same as Season One

Characters: Fine, new character is pretty bad and character exploration seems rather repetitive, but good returning cast regardless

Sound: Fine, OP and ED are no good, newer soundtrack pieces are okay

Enjoyment: Fine, I love romance but it just didn't feel quite right

Final Score: 5/10

Honestly, I was already bored near the end of season 1 but, it was tolerable so it's okay. However, this season was the complete opposite, it was so frustrating from the beginning till the end.

Story: 2/10
I was frowning the whole time while watching this anime. It became very annoying, boring and super cliche. After everything that happened in season 1, you will think that something different or something interesting is going to happen in this season but, nothing really changed - not the characters, not their relationship or anything- nothing change at all - they just keep on doing the same things they did in ... season 1: worry about petty things, misunderstandings and all.

Art: 7/10
Nothing much has change from how it was in season 1.

Sound: 5/10
I only listen to the opening and ending song once...they are not really that interesting.

Characters: 1/10
Sawako's character is understandable and tolerable during the first season and I liked how she tried so hard to change herself and make her classmates change her impression of her and be friends with them. But that "will" was completely forgotten. She became so weak and easily manipulated - constantly worrying and crying for almost every little thing, so her friends always need to help her, in the end she's one of those characters who always need to depend on people.

Kazehaya: I had a little crush on him during the first season. He was handsome and interesting character - at first - but as the series goes on, he became boring.

Overall: 2/10
I was utterly disappointed, it could've been better. The whole season ended up with nothing but same old things, same old petty problems over and over again.

"Slow and steady wins the race". Although there is huge criticism on the pacing of this story, the actual message and genre that this show follows is true to its values. Following the events of the first season, the second season does a great job picking up where it left off. The second season focuses more on romance but still being true to the SoL and Drama genres. Here are my reasons why I gave this anime a perfect score:

Story 10/10:
Although the story does drag on and you sometimes feel like what's the point on going on and on about the same issue that the ... characters are facing, you need to remember that the anime is an adaptation of the manga. Maybe the studio did try to drag it on for the purpose of allowing the manga to catch up, or maybe because they needed a couple of extra episodes to be able to do the 12 episodes that were allocated for this season, but every episode served its purpose on developing each character. There are certain times where I can agree with comments about how "childish", "immature" or "slow" the characters are, but you need to remind yourself that 1) Sawako has never had this type of human interaction before, 2) the pace of the anime is kind of realistic because personally in real life, some misunderstandings and issues don't get solved in a matter of days, even less, a 20 minute episode. This just reminds us that everything in life takes time, and once you are able to figure it out, the time spent going over it was worth it in the end.

Art 10/10
The anime's art is unique. Even though it was made in 2011, its art is and style is very different from contemporary anime. It kind of reminds of me Japanese styled paintings you see in scrolls. You even have glances of Van Gogh art-styled backgrounds, which gives it a nice touch in my opinion. The art also favors the anime and helps set the mood for the characters.

Sound 10/10
I really enjoyed the opening and ending themes of the anime. I usually skip them when I watch anime but I didn't do it for this one. The music is also slow tempo overall which give this "slow" effect to the anime, but as I mentioned before, stays true to the slow drama and slice of life that this anime deserves to be.

Character 10/10
Each character gets their development. There are no lose ends in the story. All main characters are given some type of closure at the end which, although longing for a third season, makes this season have a truly worthy ending. Given that its a romance, slice of life and drama anime, the interactions between characters all have a purpose that develop and move the story further. The characters are true to themselves which made it easy for me to relate to them. If I miss this anime, I would say it would be because of the characters rather than the story.

Enjoyment 10/10
This anime is a roller coaster ride of emotions. It moves you, makes you disappointed, makes you cry, makes you smile, but overall, it made me happy - enough for me to write this review.

Overall 10/10
If you really have enough time, and really want to watch an anime true to its genre I recommend this anime for you. Even though as I said, I agree with some comments with the pacing of the story, but in the end, it was really worth my time watching. If you want to dwell into an anime with human emotions, relationships and touch, this is a great anime for you.

I would like to thank everyone who took their time to read this review as it is my first review in MAL. Hope you enjoyed it and hope it was useful to you.

'Kimi ni Todoke', vaguely translating to '(Let My Feelings) Reach You', tells the story of a gloomy girl falling for a handsome classmate. We saw in the first season that the protagonist Sawako used to be so creepy that her nickname is "Sadako" (reference to the antagonist from the 'Ringu' trilogy). One day she meets Kazehaya, a refreshing prince-like guy who didn't seem to care about her appearance or reputation, and Sawako sets out to change her own introverted personality in order to be accepted by him and other classmates. Series title is far more appropriate for the second season, as Sawako and Kazehaya both ... struggle to get their feelings across.

The premise in 'KimiTodo' was eerily similar to 2005 hit TV dorama 'Nobuta. wo Produce'. The only difference was that the prince sets out to produce/makeover "Nobuta" in dorama, whereas Sawako produces herself with help of friends. The appearance of Kento in the second season effectively cements 'KimiTodo' as a knockoff by completing Shuuji + Akira love triangle with the protagonist. It is especially disturbing that all three characters having identical personalities, and even same roles as the dorama counterparts. Both protagonists had a gloomy personality and appearance that scares classmates, both have unique nicknames derived from their names (Nobuko - Nobuta (Wild Pig), Sawako - Sadako (Ringu Character)), and both characters slowly gained confidence in themselves and earned the acceptance of classmates by the end. Kazehaya plays the role of the prince as Shuuji did in dorama, both of them are popular, cheerful archetype princes who casually interacted with respective protagonists at first, but slowly realizes their feelings and eventually confess their love. Finally, we have Kento. Unlike Akira in 'Nobuta', he appeared half way, but both characters have that carefree gaudy playboy persona and falls for the protagonist after the prince, to complicate the situation. Both characters try to steal the girl, both eventually fail, but remain supportive in the end. In addition, protagonists in both series had a rival fighting for the prince, again with identical persona. The two major events in the second season: Valentine's Day and School Festival (with protagonist as centerpiece) also happens to be the major turnaround events in 'Nobuta'. It's impossible to deny by this point that 'KimiTodo' is essentially a knockoff of 'Nobuta'.

'KimiTodo' depicts the development of unconditional friendship, joy of school life, difficulty of confession, and awkward and blushing first love. All of which staple themes of seishun (coming of age romance) genre, which begs the question: "Why anime?" I was puzzled at first, because live-action TV dorama offers far larger audience than that of anime, and as Japanese networks have been shifting from housewives to fangirls as main dorama targets in recent years, seishun has become the perfect dorama genre. So why does the author and producers decide to waste money drawing something they could've easily filmed live-action to reach fewer, less relevant audience for a seishun manga series? It became clear to me by the end of second season that there were two main reasons. First, it is apparent by the end of second season that 'KimiTodo' is a mediocre knockoff of 'Nobuta'... it would never be appreciated by the 'Nobuta' audience, thus cannot be aired in prime time. Second, pacing. While there are plenty of slow paced dorama around, 'KimiTodo' appears to drag on forever with endless shoujo monologues. This series would have been completely unwatchable without the chibi-forms used to constantly provide comedic relief.

Backgrounds were done really well for this series with spray effect that left a dreamy impressionist feel to most scenes. This is certainly a nice change to the standard digital fill or gradient effect in most series airing now. Unfortunately, characters often appear to be deformed because there were too little detail for the realistic design of their faces. The chibi-forms were also less than impressive compared to most comedy series. My biggest concern was the prevalence of frozen frames where little if any movement was present on the screen. This further contributes to the slow pacing that makes 'KimiTodo' a difficult watch.

BGM sounded appropriate for most scenes, but lacks variety, with same tracks being recycled over and over. Sawako's voice acting was very tiring to listen to because of constant high-pitched whispering. On the other hand, supporting cast's voice, especially Ayane, Chizuru, and Kento were very distinct and fitting. OP has nothing much to talk about, but the ED song was absolutely wonderful. 'Kimi ni Todoke...' by MAY'S has the same poignant feel of 2005 hit song 'Story' by Japanese R&B singer AI, that same emotional, all-out tone accompanied by amazingly touching lyric that was perfect for this series. It did not enjoy the level of commercial success as 'Story', but this song probably ranks in top 10 heart moving theme songs across all forms of Japanese media content I've come across.

'KimiTodo' is incredibly unoriginal and cliché, but there were some dramatic buildups and touching moments. My biggest complaint with the first season was that Sawako faced too few obstacles and overcame those too easily. The second season does offer more conflicts. However, it was ultimately a bland series that played too safe, and had nothing particularly remarkable or memorable about. I would definitely recommend 'Nobuta. wo Produce' live action dorama if you're into this type of premise.

I personally think that there shouldn't be a 2nd season to this series. A pity it turned out to be such a disappointment since I enjoyed the 1st season quite a lot. Meh...

Story: 3
Contrary to the 1st season, the story was centered upon Sawako and Shouta TOO much: how they were too shy to confess to each other and how all those misunderstandings interfered to make things even more difficult without reason. It was annoying and it made me lose my patience. It's the kind of story that if it was not a sequel, I wouldn't watch it even if I was paid to do ... so.

Art: 9
Nothing to add here. It was of the same quality as season 1. Quite bright and refreshing.

Sound: 7
Well, OT and ET didn't amaze me, but they fit nicely with the story. Voice acting is nice too (Noto Mamiko is my favorite). They really know how to throw the punchlines. Generally, nothing was out of place.

Character: 4
Characters such as Ayane and Chizu were totally given no significance other than the role of the matchmakers. It was really a waste because they were really interesting and contributing a great deal with their humor and backstories as well. The new character, Kento, was just helping new misunderstandings to show up. Sawako and Shouta were useless on expressing their feelings. The only character I liked was Kurumi, at least she showed consistency and bravery at times.

Enjoyment: 4
I just watched it to shoothe myself after a gore anime. And because I had to complete it - call it OCD or whatever.

Overall: 4
It really changed my opinion about sequels. Previously I thought that I should watch sequels in order to see what happens in the end, but they don't always add something to the story. I would be happy with just the first season, nothing really happened in the second worthy of watching...

A very brief review, Kimi Ni Todoke 2 will probably be a very entertaining anime for the ones who've watched the 1st season. Me personally, I didn't enjoy the 1st one very much so it was probable that I am not very happy with the 2nd season.

Story: 7, the 2nd season obviously focuses more on Sawako's love life and her want to deliver her feelings to Kazehaya. Development is seen in characters just like in the 1st season and Sawako is much more easily been able to fit in with the class. In the 1st season, there was a dramatic development in friendship and in ... the 2nd season Sawako continues to make friends but the bulk is about her love for Kazehaya.

Art: 10, I feel like the art is better than the 1st season and as seen in the 1st season the art was already very good. The colors set the feeling of the anime and make it look beautiful.

Character: 7, if I were to focus on Sawako, this is the reason why the 2nd season frustrates me very much. Sawako is ridiculously weak with conveying her feelings and feel like she's way too nervous and overthinking everything. She's too easily influenced by other outsiders and even if she has more courage this season its very frustrating to see how she deals things with Kazehaya. Kazehaya on the other hand can be seen very straightforward with his feelings for Sawako.

Overall my enjoyment for this anime is 5 because its ridiculous how this anime frustrates me so much. There is a ridiculous amount of misunderstandings in this anime that can be solved by a simple clearing. If the characters were able to say like 1 more sentence or so, there would not be as many misunderstandings to this point of episodes. I personally think Sawako is so stupid to not see through all these misunderstandings and surprised of how blind she is.

Kimi ni Todoke 2 is a continuation of the 1st season with Sawako(aka Sadako) and her friends graduating to their second year of high school. To those who had loved/liked the 1st and rated it highly will find the 2nd season no different as the pacing, comedy and teenage romantic angst which made up the 1st, still present in KnT2.

For those who had rated it poorly, well there's not much I can say except not to have too high an expectation as not much has changed or will change(apart from the art). The misunderstandings which some had found to be irritating in the 1st season, ... have now doubled as the 2nd heavily focuses on the new found romantic feelings of an introverted girl who can't seem to open up regardless of how much help she gets from those around her.

Then again, who watches a sequel of something they don't like?

So what makes this series worth watching? Closure. It's all about closure in Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season. The open ending which viewers received in the last episode of season 1 finally feels like a chapter is over this season, which should give them a sense of relief that the doors for the KnT anime has finally closed. Whilst the manga is still ongoing, I believe where season 2 ends is enough for a happy and fulfilling ending without giving too much of a spoiler. You could say I'm a fan of happy endings and unfortunately while season 1 did end on a happy note, it still left us with a question or two unanswered.

Now it usually takes me a while to get comfortable watching romantic shoujo series without cringing to some of the casts lovey-dovey behavior(and I'm still getting used to it), but with the help of my wife renting a fair few of them especially when she has her girlfriends over, I've started to appreciate the genre and hence why I've really gotten to like this series as a whole.

One major change as I mentioned earlier would have to be the art for KnT2, which I was very amazed with as it had only been a year since the 1st season had aired early 2010. Backgrounds seem to be finer in texture, and the shoujo-esque character designs from 1st season seemed to have been better detailed. Of course we're not talking dramatic changes here and for those who loved the 'chibi-type' characters well known in season 1 for its comedy routine can rest assure as it still influences a major part of KnT2.

Having just finished watching the 1st season for the second time(prior to writing this review), the sound for KnT2 took some time to get used to, but once I did I found it fitting to season 2's mood and pacing. The OP 'Sawakaze'(Refreshing Breeze in English) performed by J-pop artist Tomofumi Tanizawa felt so appropriate for the series and the ED which also shares the title 'Kimi ni Todoke' performed by MAY'S, is set in a slow ballad's tempo which really sets the mood for the overall series.

In KnT2, we see the full cast return from 1st season(with their matching voice actors) including Kurumi who I now see in a new light(although still bitchy as ever), and we also see a new character by the name of Kento Muira who plays catalyst for the would-be couple. The main cast are still the same as the last season with the female lead Sawako still introverted as ever(even more so this season) and the school she goes to still puts her love interest Kazehaya on a high pedestal(to a point that I'm starting to think some of the guys are gay for Shota). Well I guess that's one shoujo-esque trait I will never get used to.

For those who felt frustrated with the misunderstandings which played a major role of season 1, may not like where season 2 is heading as it now plays as the series core setting. There's enough hair-pulling tension to be seen in season 2 that it's enough to make one go bald. Well I guess that's teenage shoujo for you.

So in a nutshell:

Story - 8
Art - 9
Sound - 9
Character - 8
Enjoyment - 8
Overall - 8

THE GOOD - The Art, the Animation and Closure. Specially closure which is a really big plus for me with the whole Sawako x Kazehaya romance. What the first season had lacked, is now the main focus for the second.

THE BAD - The slow pacing and the embellished misunderstandings. It takes 3 episodes to get over 1 misunderstanding!! If you haven't seen season 1, then there will be some things you won't understand in KnT2 as the series does not serve as a standalone. Apart from Kurumi's special recap at the beginning of the series, not much is explained to the how's and when's that take place in season 2.

If you are a fan of the first, Kimi ni Todoke 2nd Season will be like icing on your cake. Of course if you haven't seen season 1, I strongly suggest watching it before even making the endeavor to start season 2(and who in their right mind starts something mid-ways anyways?)

✵WARNING THIS REVIEW IS KINDA SPOILERISH SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK✵
✵YOU'VE BEEN WARNED✵

I can't express how much this second season let me down, I was really looking forward to it but all that it was, was the first season shortened and allot more boring. I swear, in every episode I was like ¨When is this gonna end?¨ and the anime was like ¨Never! I will haunt you forever!¨

Story 5: Why a 5? Because this season was almost like the 1st one, I don't even know why they called it a second season, they could happily shorten it a ... bit and make it part of the 1st one. In the second season Kazehaya is still in love with Sawako -surprise- but doesn't know how to tell her his feelings for her, the same goes for Sawako that discovered in the end of the 1st season she ACTUALLY loved Kazehaya -no shit- but is too shy to go and tell him that. So that's why all the second season revolves about them trying but failing miserably to tell the other how they feel, there were actually three confessions; The first 2 being epic fails making them grow apart and feeling awkward and insecure around each other, and the third one-FINALLY- being successful which leads them to start dating. But it's incredible because every little confusion and tear could have been avoided if Sawako wasn't that dumb for godamn sake, she herself starts overthinking evrey little word and expression that leads her to believe he can't stand her or he finds her annoying-even after all the time they spent together she actually believed that- or he likes someone else-wow! How unique! Didn't see that coming, did ya?. But the last thing is what I want to talk about next, because she didn't thought that up herself, she had actual help...OF A GUY!

Let's talk about this guy for a sec, his name is Kento Miura, and holy mother of god if he isn't hot. Kento -Ken for short- was a new classmate of Sawako, because as they passed to 2nd year all the classes were mixed -but surprise, surprise,Sawako stayed with all her friends, even Joe was there- so she ended up with him sitting next to her in class. Well, long story short, he came to like, in the romantic way, and that, of course, made Kazehaya jelous. And gee if that wasn't new, I mean, didn't something similar happened with Ryuu in the 1st season? Is like all the producers of the anime got together and said ¨Let's think of all the things that happened in season 1 change it a little and put it in season 2! I mean, kids this days are so stupid they won't even notice!¨Well, I noticed, I noticed!!

And now you are wondering what happened with that guy...Nothing. He just became a friend. That's it. After making Sawako believe the guy she loved liked someone else, he just said ¨Ha, YOLO¨and became her friend. NO! NO NO NO! I WANTED TO SEE SOME CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT! NOT SOME THING THEY DECIDED TO PUT IN THERE FOR THE SEASON TO BE LONGER! ARGH!
This precious second season, that I was looking forward with all my heart, was just some giant, disappointing, ball of shit. Oh, but in the end everything turns out well, and Sawako and Kazehaya end together like a happy couple, but by the time you get there you already smashed your computer screen with a hammer 3 times.

So that's all I wanted to say, that if the producers intended for them to end happily ever after, they could just make 3 episodes, put it in the 1st season and VOILA, perfect ending, me smiling, and computer screen not crushed to a million pieces. Ahhh,feels good to take all of that out of my chest. Well's that's all, I guess.

Second season of this mid ass melodrama proved to be tenfold worse than the slow ass first season. How come 12 episodes were more excruciating to sit through than the first seasons 25?? Jesus christ man. This is worse than any soap opera ive ever seen. Main female has profound mental retardation. She takes over 8 episodes to realize ‘if i use my words to communicate then people will know what im thinking and feeling’. Well thanks for coming to this conclusion which most people make as toddlers.

Main couple has no chemistry. By the end of the series I was rooting for Kurumi to ... seduce Kazehaya magically. But that would mean Kazehaya fails his only objective in this show - have feelings for Sawako. Kazehaya has no personality trait except popular guy who likes Sawako. He has no dreams, no hobbies of significance, no meaningful dialogue. Just piss and moan over Sawako. Meanwhile Sawakos job is to cry and blush and stutter over every interaction.

90% of the conflict in this season is caused by some insignificant blonde retard they introduced just so they can have a second season. Dude is jobless and friendless so he runs around spreading misinformation to Kazehaya and Sawako for some extremely lame drama just to drag runtime. As such, we get no conclusion to the side couple - Ryu and Chizu. That was this whole reason I even watched this shitty season. Needless to say I’m pissed at this waste of time. My advice? Just skip this crap. My blood pressure was rising from the amount of bullshit spewed this season. And im NEVER watching shojo again. Truly only children can like this junk. No one whos ever been in a real relationship or has functioning brain cells can watch this shit and enjoy it

I honestly don't even know what to say. I really enjoyed S1, but S2 was legitimately infuriating. I had to stop watching multiple times to get through it.

Miscommunications happen sometimes, but it just felt so contrived and artificial and AVOIDABLE between Shouta and Sawako. Like, if they had just just worded things clearly and expressed their feelings without beating around the bush, the events of the first nine episodes could have been squeezed into two.

Overall, this season felt like a poorly written, shallow attempt to draw out the time that Shouta and Sawako spent sorting things out before becoming a couple. The characters I enjoyed ... watching in S1 just irritated me this time around due to their unwillingness to be upfront with their feelings; Sawako's ignorance to Shouta's feelings just made her seem stupid, so I came away from this season actively disliking her. In S1 I thought she was precious, not so much anymore.

I've lost hours of my life to this mediocre season and I'm honestly a little bitter. My advice? Don't bother with the first nine episodes of this season, seriously. Just skip to episode ten and enjoy the last three episodes for what they are.

This is the continuation from the first season of Kimi ni Todoke and as slow paced as ever! This hadn't been much of a bother in the first season, but had became an annoyance. Every time I finished an episode i wanted to break my face in with my keyboard.

I had originally loved the ending of the first season and expected just as much. I wanted to feel that happiness for them and the satisfaction I need... Was I asking to much? Of course the ending was great, but it didn't even feel like an ending. This was only confirmed by checking the manga, after ... learning that the series had stopped at Chapter 46.
The manga itself is still on going. This leaves the question, will they will continue to adapt it?

Story 8: The story leaves straight off from the first season. Both Sawako and Kazehaya relationship was starting to deepen and problems were creeping in.
Loving one another from far away wasn't just enough anymore. Feelings of one-sided affection was now a problem.
As slow as ever, it seemed to drag on for to long and was very aggravating. All the avoidance and sadness took far to much of this season. The happiness and hope had seemed long gone and was starting to turn into a show I didn't like. Hopefully, Kimi ni Todoke saved itself.

Art 7: I dont think i every seen such a bipolar change in art. At times the show amazed me in awe of how beautiful the characters were (especially Sawako's smiles). It has an almost light and soft art style that is enjoyable.
The shear amount of chibi in each episode makes me sometimes wonder, what was the need of that? I'd say it ruined the beauty it had going for it.

characters 8 : Let' start with Sawako, a very fulfilling character. She started off as a awkward shy girl with almost no emotions in the first season...Due to her friends she now know what it is to feel happy and how to talk to others. Her dense head can make her quite hilarious to, but can make trouble. Sawako's character almost shines with innocence.
Making her one of my favorite characters.

Kazehaya: A popular and kind boy, but at times is selfish and rash. You won't notice it though. Kazehaya is very social to cover up what his insecurities are. Other than that he is a great guy that treat everyone equal.

Enjoyment 6: All I can say is the middle of the season almost made me stop watching and break the tv screen... It will get better.

Overall, the 2nd season ended well and cleaned up all the hate I felt for it, but I cant help to think of how much better the first season was. Kimi ni Todoke is in fact one of the better shoujo's out their. Give it a try and you might be surprised.