If we were to ignore the original series, let alone forget that there is even a light novel that precedes it, then you could probably score OreImo a 9/10 and be done with it. There's delightful animation, hilarious romantic comedy, in depth characters, an insight into otaku culture, and an unique exploration of the once-taboo theme of incest. The problem is, this anime is a direct sequel to something far greater in almost every way.
Story: 5/10
Much to the disappointment of fans from season one, there are very few redeeming factors about the story of the second season. Gone is the eccentric plot revolving around the life advice sessions, with almost no sign of a story to replace it. There is next to no mention of Kirino's success with producing her own anime; Kirino's modelling and racing career is also sidelined but no replacement can be found. The only reliable plot that occurs involves Kyousuke and his new love interest in Kuroneko, which is probably one of the only bricks holding the fort together. It is relieving to know then that Kuroneko and Kyousuke's miniature plot-arc is possibly the best in the season. However, the rest of the series tries too hard to juggle the numerous characters in the harem without much in the way of linking them together. Overall, it would be wise to abandon hopes of a thrilling plot, as you will be better off focusing on the characters and comedy that will blow you away further than the story even travels.
Art: 9/10
There is no mistaking the beautiful art that OreImo manages to tease our eyes with. Rich, vibrant colours and a wide variety of settings provide eye candy that many other animation studios envy. The character animation is superb and the attention to detail is impressive, to say the least. It doesn't quite have a masterpiece touch to make it a 10/10, but it's not far off. In general, high performance once again from a high-quality studio - cute girls have rarely been cuter.
Sound: 8/10
Personally I have always found the soundtrack to this series entertaining in its own right, and whilst I slightly preferred the music from the first season, the quality is definitely the same across both. OP and ED are worth listening to in their own right, and you may find yourself occasionally humming a tune or two whilst doing the dishes. The voice acting is as per season one spot on, with believable accentuations and real emotion - particularly from the voice actor of Kuroneko (Hanazawa, Kana). As a whole, there is good reason to praise the sound artists, who are often undervalued for the factor they play in creating the atmosphere.
Characters: 6/10
This was undeniably a tough decision to make, because as far as a harem goes the two deciding factors for its worth are usually how funny it is and how good the characters and relationships are. Sadly, there are too many failures in OreImo for them to go unnoticed. Without wanting to spoil anything, my entire point can be summed up in one character: Asuna. Everything you knew about her has rapidly and inexplicably changed. It's no use arguing that "it's explained in the light novels" because the anime was designed to be watched alone and not to accompany its source. The script writers simply did a bad job of introducing the changes to her character. For reference, imagine taking Simon from Gurren Lagann in episode one, and then suddenly transition next episode to the Simon from the final episode. There is no impossibru face strong enough to describe how atrocious that would be, and yet the story decides it's appropriate with what used to be the anime's only grounded character. That being said, a few characters do escape the butcher's knife - the best being (luckily) the protagonists and Kuroneko. Kirino retains her enraging bitchiness whilst still managing to make you sympathetic towards her because of how (relatively) real she remains. Kyousuke actually feels more like the harem king this time around, as he becomes legitimately involved in the eroge games and shows his feelings about the other girls more acutely. A personal favourite of mine (and indeed of many) is Kuroneko, who cute factor aside, becomes possibly the deepest of all the characters explored in the entire anime. Her feelings are not an obsessive fad, or a confused bundle of emotions, but true and honest love. If you haven't yet seen the series, expect a treat amongst the waves of deplorably ignorant relationships. In conclusion, the characters probably won't meet your expectations - the controversy killing off many a fan - but there's probably a silver lining in there somewhere. You just need to look at it really hard.
Enjoyment: 8/10
Whilst there are many pitfalls and dangerous waters (especially ship lovers - I won't even begin to mention the OVAs), OreImo does contain a multitude of comedic moments, of which at least some will have you laughing. It might not be crying-tears-of-laughter hilarious, but you might wake up your next door neighbour with an untimely fit of giggles, on at least one occasion. Making up for where the show lacks in story and plugging a few of the character void-holes has helped to make season 2 more than bearable. Even when characters do something completely out of character, it's more than likely that two seconds later Kyousuke will mess up or act silly in such a way that you can't help but smile. And whilst this should probably go in the character or story section, the sheer enjoyment from the Saori backstory plot is enough to carry three or four episodes alone. To summise, be prepared for anything. No seriously, anything.
Overall: 7/10
There are too many problems with OreImo season 2 for me to completely wash over them with the entertainment banner, but that being said it is not a bad anime either. As I initially said, most of the disappointment comes from this being a sequel to a contender for greatest harem of all time. The verdict? If you have seen the first season and the first set of OVAs, then season 2 is still worth watching, just don't expect to end on the exact same note as before. If not, then why are you watching this when you could be watching the first season? What you should really be worrying about is preparing to replace your monitor; because if you don't punch a hole through it after watching the second season OVAs, you truly are a master of control.
