The second season of Chuunibyou is, by itself, not as bad as some people may claim it to be. In fact, had the first season not existed, then it may have received a higher score. Nevertheless, there are two main problems with the sequel that make it inferior to its prequel.
The first of the two problems is the development between Rikka and Yuuta, or lack thereof. KyoAni tries to appeal to certain viewers with the premise that the sequel will delve into the lives of an actual couple, much like Golden Time. However, the premise is all there is — despite having been lovers for quite some time, Rikka and Yuuta refuse to engage in any activity that leads to progress.
Viewers are given multiple scenes in which further love development seems imminent before the show decides to cop-out on itself just for the sake of cheaply teasing its viewers to watch more.
The best way to describe it is that Rikka and Yuuta may just as well not be dating at all. That would lead to less frustration and greater satisfaction by the final episode.
The second problem is the lack of innovation. The creators of the show failed to come up with any original material to further advance the plot. The audience is merely treated to a vague repetition of the same melodrama present in the first season, which is exactly what makes the series so unfulfilling.
The first season did a good job depicting the difficulty of growing up and how people often resort to illogical tendencies as a coping mechanism to certain problems that they face. It also delved into how we shouldn't try to cast away our pasts, for the same past constitutes our own, unique identities (and the secret fact that within all of us resides the desire to be something greater than what we are today and escape societal conventions).
Although the first season accomplished this and more in a mere twelve episodes (the final two of which were, in my opinion, rushed), the second season did nothing more than to reiterate the same themes of its predecessor.
Not only so, but there were many episodes that were unnecessary and rushed. In an attempt to develop the supporting cast more, the series dedicated more or less an episode to characters such as Kumin and Nibutani. Although this is an admirable effort, the episodic development of each character is given a context so outlandish that none of it could possibly be taken seriously.
The animation, again, is lacking in comparison to the first season. The fight sequences in the prequel were longer and fully animated; however, the successor to the original series contain partially animated sequences that are constantly interrupted by some point in the plot, which irks me as these are some of the high points of the show. Although the general quality of animation increased, the (lack of the) much anticipated over-the-top action failed to live up to its expectations.
The sound is not much different from the first, but while the original opening was quite addictive, I feel that the new one is just a step above it. The (admittedly moe) images flashing from left to right pale in comparison to the active, epic, and coherent animation of the second opening.
CONCLUSION:
All in all, the second season of Chuunibyou is a continuation of the first — nothing more, nothing less. Although time continues to move forward, the plot and our characters do not do so in any profound or innovative manner; the animation, while an improvement, lacks any single action sequence that is satisfying.
Again, don't get me wrong, the series isn't terrible, or even bad. Some people (such as I) are hesitant to even dip their toes into the second season due to the significant drop in score, but it's not as bad as some people claim it to be (and it's definitely NOT as bad as Oreimo).
Watch it at your own discretion, but do so with the knowledge that the series makes little progress since the end of the first season. The best way to enjoy the sequel to Chuunibyou is to dive in with little expectations and to avoid continuously comparing it to the original twelve episodes; that's exactly why I found this to be more enjoyable than most people.
STORY (30%) — 6.2/10
CHARACTERS (30%) — 6.0/10
ANIMATION (10%) — 8.1/10
SOUND (5%) — 7.1/10
ENJOYMENT (25%) — 7.2/10
OVERALL (100%) — 6.6/10
P.S. The percentages represent how significant I considered each aspect to be in my overall score of the show.
P.P.S. This is my first review, so...please be gentle senpai (but seriously, I would love to hear what I can improve upon).
