Story: 8/10
Much like season 1, every episode in the season is broken down into 3 or so chunks that tell their own individual story. Although I wouldn't really call each individual segment a story by itself, they're more like skits or short self-contained (mostly) stories. Occasionally the segments of each episode will combine to form an episode-long or multi-episode arc, but for the most part the story of Love is War is not really a long comprehensive ballad, but more like a collection of skits that all contain the same characters and have some threads connecting them. And this move actually works in favor of the series. Breaking episodes down into segments helps the comedy of the series as it prevents any joke or idea from getting too stale, and it helps the actual story as it allows a lot to happen in any one episode. Each segment also tends to include a different side character or set of side characters in rotation, and as such, it allows for nearly all of the five main characters to receive a decent amount of development.
The individual skits themselves, while mostly self contained, are very engaging and each one offers a unique and interesting situation. No one feels too similar to another one, and it is genuinely really fun to see which battle of wits our main characters will engage in each episode. But moving aside from the self-contained segments, the stories that are told through multiple segments and episodes are very engaging, especially compared to the individual segments. Each multi-episode arc really allows one to get a more deep and personal understanding and connection with the character(s) it focuses on, and it is through these arcs that most of the emotional and dramatic action takes place. Basically, if you enjoy a long story with a deep focus on character, you will really enjoy the multi-episode arcs, and if you enjoy comedy, then you will really enjoy the one-off skits/segments. But regardless of which one you prefer, you will probably end up really liking both types of stories.
Art: 8/10
The art of the show does a very good job of recreating the art-style of the original author, and in my opinion, the original author has a very pretty art-style. Aside from the art style of the show, the animation itself is good, there are no choppy movements and everything feels very smooth, but I wouldn't say it does anything exceptional. The animation does its job, and it does its job well. Every character, even including the side ones, has a very unique design to them and their design, while limited to the same school uniform, does a good job conveying information about/the overall tone and style of the character. Again, there really isn't anything to complain about, but there is not anything specific to write home about.
Although, I will say that the animation adds a lot to the comedy of the series. Adding notes of text to the side of the screen or drastically changing the art-style for certain frames can a lot to the jokes of the series when it is used, and this anime generally does a good job of using a variety of animation/art techniques to help create better jokes visually. But other than the semi-frequent use of clever animation/comedic techniques, the art of the series is overall very good, but there is nothing extra excellent or outstanding about it.
Sound: 10/10
The music, the voice acting, and even the ambient noises if you really care about those, all add together to give this season an absolutely outstanding sound. The opening song for this season, just like last season's, is phenomenal and at this point I'm convinced Masayuki Suzuki is a literal god among men who can do now harm. But aside from the opening, which as a piece of animation is also really good, the actual music they play in the show is very good. You tend to not really notice it as it is used very sparingly, but the other sound effects and especially the voice acting make up for it. But still, I cannot really come up with any major complaints about the sound effects and music of the series, and both do an amazing job of helping immerse you into the show.
But the voice acting is really the strong part of the sound in this anime. Every single voice actor does an amazing job at playing their character, and it is hard to really pick out a stand out performance because every voice actor could be considered a stand out performance. Well, maybe not every single voice actor, but you get my point that most of the voice actors in this show do an amazing job. In particular, the narrator does an amazing job and it is an absolute joy to hear him introduce (nearly) every segment. You can tell he's really having fun with the role, and he just brings so much energy into the show. The voice actor for Kaguya is also doing an amazing job at her role, as her voice acting elevates a lot of jokes from just being mildly funny to hilarious. Shirogane, Hayasaka, and basically everybody else from the main cast also do an amazing job with their voice work. Overall, the music and sound design of the show is great, but it is the voice acting that really makes the sound outstanding.
And as a little side note, the voice actors in the dub of the show also do an amazing job, particularly the narrator, so even if you choose to watch the dub, you'll still experience some great voice acting.
Character: 10/10
In my opinion, the greatest strength of this show is that all the characters, even the side and minor ones, are likeable (with some exceptions, although you are meant to dislike those characters). Every character has a very strong personality and has very good comedic and dramatic interactions with other characters they are paired with. For the main characters, our leads Shirogane and Kaguya are still as likeable as they are in the first season, while having more romantic development between them. And even when it is not romantic development, both characters have great chemistry together and any story revolving around them trying to outwit each other is as entertaining, if not more, than the first season.
For the other main characters (Fujiwara, Ishigami, and the new one, Iino), they also receive very strong characterization and most of them receive very strong development throughout the season. Overall, it's entertaining just to see each of our main characters interact with each other, and combined with the stories throughout the season, the characters end up being outstandingly complex and hilarious.
And as I said earlier, it's not just the main characters that are outstanding, but the side characters as well. While not getting a lot of actual development (they are side characters after all), every single side character ends up being extremely entertaining. Watching them interact with the main cast and each other makes for some of the best comedy in the season, and each one is so unique that it never feels as though any two are similar to each other. The characters are what carries the comedy and the drama of this series, and each character being so interesting and likeable is what helps elevate this season to greatness.
Enjoyment: 9/10
The story, art, acting, and characters all add up to make this show an absolute blast to watch. A majority of episodes capture this sort of chaotic and fast energy that makes it feel like you are just blasting through the entire season in half the time you actually spent watching it. It's fun to see how the battles between Kaguya and Shirogane play out, with this season taking them to even more extreme and ridiculous heights, it's fun to listen to the narrator and voice actors have fun while playing their characters, it's fun to watch diagrams and dream scenarios play out on screen as our two main characters outwit each other, and to avoid constantly repeat myself, let me just say that this show is really fun. And even when the show decides to become more serious and drop some comedic aspects, the drama is able to captivate you and, at least for me, manages to tug at your heartstrings a little bit. So, again, this show is an extremely enjoyable experience regardless of if you're watching for the comedy or the drama.
Overall: 9/10
TL;DR: If you need to read a review to determine whether or not you should continue watching this series, then there is probably something wrong with you. Great art, an outstanding soundtrack, and almost godlike voice performances combine with a great story with some of the best characters I have ever watched to create a show that manages to both be phenomenally entertaining and hilarious, while also capturing your attention and your heartstrings when it decides to focus on actual drama and romantic development.
