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I only watched Oregairu S1 long after the series had aired, on recommendation from a friend. He told me that he admired Hachiman's character. However, the gaps between my finishing ep 1 and the final episode of S1 were long. Thus, my memories of S1 were foggy. Either way, I finished S1 right before the season started.

It would appear that I was in for a rather different sort of ride.

There was a reviewer on MAL who spoke about the difference between S1 and S2; one I totally agree with. It went along the lines of: They obviously belong to the same series, but the atmosphere between S1 and S2 is so incredibly different. For me, S1 was about establishing Hachiman's philosophy, whereas S2 was more about the change in that philosophy, and how it ended up being as such.

My friend told me about how various other message boards and forums had ongoing discussions about Oregairu, and that some had likened Oregairu to "The Catcher in the Rye," or 'Serious Literature.' I'm likely to study literature, but just what 'serious literature' is I cannot answer. Imo it is all about the viewpoint. There is however, no doubt that Oregairu beholds far more than the average anime, especially in the context it presents to us: 'Normal, typical highschoolers.'

I believe that I led a pretty normal highschool life. There was some drama and whatnot here and there, but I dealt with it. I have reason to believe that it is the same for most other people, if not more boring, or just a little more exciting. Such is the ingenuity of Oregairu's setting. The very concept of a Volunteer's Club in my school would be nothing like what we are given here. I liken the Volunteer's Club to a 'Feels Yorozuya,' and in the OP of the last episode of S2, our brilliant fansubber did so much as to put a sort of batman-like mask on Hachiman with an '8' sign on the forehead. Absolute genius. With the notion of the Volunteer's club comes the notion of problems. when someone goes to you with a problem, they ultimately have to divulge as much as they need help for, and that brings them to a certain degree of closeness with you. More importantly though, is the solution that is resultant from that.

Here is where Oregairu develops. It is only natural that when one seeks advice or solutions, they go to an expert in the field. Here is where we are presented with a problem, or rather Hachiman himself is the problem. As someone who has developed a philosophy that is quite unlike that of the society around him, one could certainly expect him to present a solution that originates from a different perspective. In his case, the solutions tackle the problem head on. The main issue is that whenever it does, it neglects many other considerations which give rise to other more complicated problems later. The requester, being blinded by the problem, cannot see this, and Hachiman, more inclined to giving the best short-term solution, cannot possibly have considered this either. His inability to factor in these possibilities results in his decisions being shunned, especially if they are of an insensitive nature. Could we expect a man whose sentiments have become so negative to think ahead to such a degree? I wouldn't.

And that is the backbone of S2: all the problems that come by. As far as I can recall, the episodes surrounding Hayama's group are the ones that start the ball rolling for the rest of the season. Hachiman has to solve several of these problems at a time, and when he cannot find a good solution that appeases to everybody, he is shunned, even by Yui and Yukino. With the introduction or Iroha come another whole host of problems, until he is finally left to see that the situation with his own friends is worse than he thought.

And this is the beauty of Oregairu: that the characters change with events, and they happen in subtle ways, like how they would in reality. That is precisely what makes this adaptation an excellent one. While the LN conveys much of these in words (not that I've read it), the anime conveys many of these in silent gestures: glistening eyes; eyes veering off elsewhere; the movements of hands; the blushes of cheeks; the curves of lips. Where words cannot express those feelings, these little gestures do. And the messages they convey are about as vague as the feelings that support them. Is that not how we express ourselves too?

For being at such an age, I think it is difficult to understand oneself. I have not lived very long either, and I can almost certainly say that I don't know myself fully. Let alone for those younger, faced with all these situations. There would be times when we ask ourselves, "Who am I?; what do I want?; how do I want to establish my relationships with those around me?" and each time we would be sitting a different exam paper, and still the question would come up. Our answers may be the same - they would most likely be phrased differently, but very often they are not. Here in Oregairu we are shown one time when the characters are faced with this question and how they deal with it. More often than not, the situations that surround that question force people themselves to change, and the members of the Volunteer's Club are a prime example.

I'd like to speak briefly on the rather interesting 'progression' that develops throughout S2. At the centre of it all is Hachiman, yet everything happens in a web where one person's changes and decisions reverberate throughout the entire system until Hachiman feels it himself. The most notable comparison would be between Hayama's group and Hachiman's friends. Both are delicate systems built on rather fragile relationships. Neither of them wish for change, but they are forced to accept it. Would this be the obstinacy of youth? I don't think so. I rather believe that when something is precious and dear, anything detrimental to it would not be taken, even if it is the better course of action. That is precisely what all the characters are wrestling with. They would rather try and keep the good things going even when they know that not all is as good as it seems; and that is a natural human tendency.

Before long, Hachiman also sees that Yui and Yukino are changing, that neither of them are quite like he thought they were, especially Yukino. Soon the outer layers that we saw in S1 begin unraveling, and we see just how insecure and uncertain she is about everything. Haruno plays the villain for this, and Hachiman has to see for himself that she is confused - and he is too. They all are. Anyone trapped in such drama would be. He comes to the conclusion that he cannot keep being who he was if he wants to feel what he is most inclined towards.

The romance of the show is always underplayed, but it is hidden beneath all of the tensions, and adds to it as well. For mixed with all the feelings and the drama, romance is difficult. Yet it spices everything up. Speculation was rife with certain images that showed up on the anime through social media, and I could see why: are they allowed to have a happy ending like that? Not so easily in this anime.

Oregairu is without a doubt, an exceedingly complex anime. But that is part of what makes it brilliant. For all the sentiments and changes that are conveyed are as vague as they are in real life. Some viewers may cringe and think, "God, can't they give a better explanation for all this?" I'd rather take the following stance, "Life is vague. If we find ourselves vague in mind and spirit, how much worse would it be when it comes to other people, even if we believe we know them and are incredibly close to them?" Indeed, the drama is an exaggeration of reality, but it is not implausible. For it shows real feelings and sentiments that we come across in our lives. Maybe we often don't look at these things; I mean, I've definitely felt once or twice that someone was more phoney than they should be, but in Oregairu, everyone hangs on delicate little strings attached to each other, all fearful, all shuddering in the uncertainties about the next stage of life that awaits them. In a way, it is this looming stage that overshadows everything: will they be prepared for it, what with all the surrounding drama?

I'm highly anticipating a third season. There is much more that needs to be said and done in this anime, but it has done incredibly so far. Each turn and development of the plot and characters really invites one to rack the brains and consider how those actions came about, and the implications of them; after all, everyone feels these implications. Such are the relationships between humans. I am almost certainly going to be re-watching the entire series soon enough - hopefully that will bring me to a much greater understanding of the entire series. And then I shall write another similar impressions series, hopefully one more insightful and detailed than what I have to offer here - because all of that above simply is not worthy of a realist-highschoolromance masterpiece such as this.