The contrast between S1 and S2 of this series is quite big. S1 has stayed my favorite for a long time, but after rewatching S2 for what is probably the 4th time now, I've come to appreciate its presentation more, even if I don't find it as entertaining as S1's.
The reason why I have conflicting feelings between both seasons is because it feels like they are trying to do two almost completely different shows. All of the moral questions, social teachings and lessons that are discussed in S1 are presented in a more casual and slightly edgier way. Some people dislike that aspect of it, but that was what made it so special for me. Most emotional shows tend to rely a lot on visual and auditory means to send a message or make a scene more impactful. S1 was so unimpressive in that regard that it made it feel more realistic. The monotone interactions between Hachiman and the other characters had a certain vibe that I never got from other shows. E.g. when he talks with his sister at any point in S1, the slow and kind of silly dialogue they had made it feel more like how real siblings would communicate and it supported the atmosphere of the show that I liked so much. But the biggest change for me was Hachiman himself. I'm not talking from a character development POV, but rather from a presentation one. S2 Hachiman is (mostly) passive, quiet and more reserved with his thoughts. The cynical bastard from S1, which could literally insult someone on their face while other people were watching, is completely gone in the early episodes of S2, which makes the transition of his character between both seasons feel sort of fake. I haven't read the LN yet, but I doubt the change in personality feels as rash as in the anime. Not only Hachiman, but the anime as a whole transitioned to a more visually emotional vibe, which I thought was a downgrade from the unique atmosphere they achieved in S1 at the time.
As I said in the beginning however, S2 does have its merits. It is hard to imagine how impacting some of the scenes (such as Tobe's confession on episode 2) would have been if they sticked to S1's presentation. A lot of people preferred this art style for the show, cause it seemed more fitting. I can't disagree that it helped a lot of this season's scenes to be more impactful, but the atmosphere of S1 is completely lost. Some scenes feel overly-emotional at times, to the point where it makes me doubt a real human would react the way they do in this show. Example being the evening scene from the last episode, where the three main characters cry over what is hinted to be the fact that if one of the girls got together with Hachiman, the group would split. The crying and pauses between dialogue made it feel unnecessarily emotional for something that wasn't even being discussed directly. I don't quite know how to describe how I felt while watching it. Emotional scenes aside though, the change in presentation did bring a general upgrade to how the show looks, making it more smooth and appealing to the eye. It is also the reason why the OVA of S2 is so good and I can't deny that.
All-in-all I'd say that the change is more of a sidegrade. S1 will always be more iconic, enjoyable and thought-provoking for me in terms of story, characters and presentation, but S2 is a continuation that grew on me regardless.
Also I love Iroha đź‘Ť
