Kobayashi-san Chi no Maidragon S

AnimeDweeb

~~~ #Was I praying for a second season of *Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid* ? Nah. webm(https://i.imgur.com/32NOavC.mp4) ~~~ Look. Before you break out the pitchforks, please believe that this is coming from a fan who adored S1. For all the wholesome happiness *Dragon Maid* (DM for short) doled out back in 2017, I wasn't exactly clamoring for a sequel. Unlike countless one-season wonders that are crying for an anime follow-up to this day, DM didn't strike my skeptic self as the type of show that would either benefit from a continuation or significantly build upon the status quo. Oh, how wrong I was. Having completed this series' spectacular sophomore outing, I'm pleased to report that it's a worthy instalment for the franchise. S2 came not only with the realization of just how much I've missed DM, but also with surprising improvements. This sequel is one for both the skeptics and those dearly in need for some fun this anime season. The following review is **spoiler-free**, with a **Tl;Dr** if you'd like to go in blind. With that out of the way, let's come together and discover what "maid" this season so dang special. *** ~~~ #The dragon gang's all here, as if they'd never left. img100%(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/858107709009428490/862457875880476712/Maid-Dragon-S-9.gif) ~~~ The series premiere sets us right on-track with one of the funniest meta sketches yet, as everyone's favorite maid^ Lady Tohru finds herself taking her services to a Japanese maid café! The familiar fun doesn't stop there, with the rest of the cast in full swing. Kanna continues to redefine cuteness with her many playful childhood adventures, often accompanied by a lovestruck Saikawa. Meanwhile in the working world, Elma the sweet-tooth learns more and more about the worklife crunch of a middle class office worker. Takiya helps with her taxing load as a reliable colleague by day, before grinding out MMORPGs as a full-blown otaku by night, alongside the sullen NEET Fafnir. And lest we forget, our flirtatious Lucoa is still doing all sorts of unspeakable things to her beloved Shouta-kun, an eager mage-in-training. Finally, at the beating heart of this lovable community is Miss Kobayashi, a kindhearted dragon ambassador with an achy back and a knack for reaching out to her friends in need. Her affinity for booze is only matched by that of sharing thoughtful advice as a mentor for our scaly pals. ~~~ #Things seemed the same as they have ever been. img100%(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/861520129192099860/872636536687067196/unknown.png?width=1315&height=740) ~~~ S2 simply maintaining the series' trademarks of great comedy and wholesome joy would already have been cause for celebration. If S2's episodes were just Tohru trying to feed Kobayashi her tail for 20 minutes, you can bet that I'd still be happy to laugh along each week. The lively, likable goofballs of DM had won me over long ago, so just watching their daily lives play out would have been enough to satisfy my SoL cravings. But to my surprise, S2 seemed intent on taking its entertaining formula to new heights. Take, for example, the introduction of a brand new cast member: the fiery Chaos Dragon Ilulu. Her backstory is sobering stuff, and her arrival draws some parallels to how Tohru's second life on earth got off the ground. The developments didn't stop there, as DM continued to spread its wings in new directions. I found myself taken aback by how much of S2 built upon the simple gags and sketches I'd grown accustomed to. S2 offers a great deal of thoughtful character maturity hand-in-hand with hilarious childlike shenanigans. In order to explain where DM's growth comes from, we need to go back to the roots of this series' simple success. ~~~ #DM celebrates the fun of discovery and unity. webm(https://i.imgur.com/yKvbFsr.mp4) ~~~ S1 achieves this goal through the charming interactions between dragons and humans. For eons, these ditzy dragons have observed our human world from a distance. Now that they're finally able to experience our lives firsthand, the dragons embrace our mundane day-to-day activities with excitement and curiosity. Most of S1 is dedicated to these dysfunctional dragons settling into their new lives. The comedy and cuteness that ensues from our dragons' hijinks stems from them setting aside their differences. Getting together in harmony can be a wonderful exchange, allowing all from different walks of life to learn new things and foster new bonds. DM's many *moe* elements and comfy vibes further demonstrate how fun and rewarding this cultural experience can be. This solid, sweet foundation can still be seen and enjoyed throughout S2. However, this sequel doesn't shy away from broadening its horizons in unexpected ways. ~~~ #S2 shifts focus from the dragons' pleasant present experiences to their lives in the past. img100%(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/861520129192099860/872518741974462505/vlcsnap-2021-08-04-23h36m45s969.png?width=1315&height=740) ~~~ Shocking truths and revelatory origins of our friends come to light, through various flashbacks that deviate from DM's typical tone and fluff. From these glimpses into the distant past, we're introduced to unfamiliar versions of our fire-breathing friends. Viewers will get a glimpse of what it's like to be a dragon, and where their selfish way of life differs from ours. At the same time, these origin stories tell us that maybe Tohru and the gang haven't changed that much at all. Perhaps they've always sought to see the world in a new light - to be kind, to be happy, to be loved. Perhaps the human world was a gateway to finally meeting those desires. ~~~ #Here on Earth, a second shot at life presents our dragons with opportunities not possible in their previous realm. webm(https://i.imgur.com/Zz1h5vp.mp4) ~~~ Before, these mythical creatures were content with isolation and chose to avoid the trivial activities of lesser beings. Now, having kept their horns hidden, our friends can fully explore what it means to be a part of a community, with shared struggles and relationships. Finally, these age-old beings can embrace simple innocence, and find all kinds of fun with friends and loved ones. For the first time, our dragons get to learn the meaning of selflessness, and how to act for the wellbeing of others. And let's not forget Kobayashi's end of things as well, as she muses over her own new life as a role model (and love interest) for our dragons. S2 portrays these brief arcs brilliantly, in ways that are both hilarious and heartwarming. Viewers get to live vicariously through the wholesome antics of the dragons, in large part thanks to Kyoto Animation's immaculate attention to detail. Seriously, they've outdone themselves once more with this one. There's no reason why a Slice-of-Life show should wind up being a legitimate contender for prettiest anime of the year, let alone contain stunning action cuts that put proper shounen seasonals to shame in the visual department^^. This season is sensational; probably the only downside I can propose is that of sequels in general. DM is still going to have moments that fall into "*moe* -blob" territory, and risqué jokes featuring Saikawa and Lucoa are still bound to raise a few eyebrows. This sequel is a sizable step-up over what came before, but shouldn't be expected to change the minds of those who dislike the first season. But as for the rest of us existing DM enjoyers, we can rest easy in knowing that S2 has deepened its already-enriching experience, on both a thematic and emotional level. Truly, a must-see sequel. *** ~~~ #**Tl;Dr**: webm(https://i.imgur.com/rH5JZ0W.mp4) ~~~ *Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid* has always been about experiencing new things, and it's only fitting that S2 follows suit. In its absence the show we know and love has become bolder, tackling familiar SoL topics with a measure of character growth that's sure to resonate with viewers. S2 isn't afraid to stray from its sketch show formula, introducing flashbacks which showcase how much our dragons have grown. Of course, the series' trademark comedy makes a welcome return, embracing innocence and community with a leisurely atmosphere. Hilarious and wholesome in equal measure, *Dragon Maid* is back, and better than ever. **8/10**~ *** ~~~ #STRAY RAMBLINGS (**SPOILERS**): ~~~ - ^Sorry, Georgie. You *did* scare the shit out of me when you started showing up at several places at once. - ^^The fantastic animation quality is made way more impressive given that [many key staff members were youngsters](https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2021/07/18/kyoto-animations-changing-studio-dynamics-miss-kobayashis-dragon-maid-s-production-notes-02/). Due to recent events, KyoAni being shortstaffed on talent was a serious possibility. Putting their trust in youngsters for some truly phenomenal cuts and visual choices just makes me love this awesome studio that much more. This production model bodes really well, and I'm gonna keep my eyes peeled for the kind of *sakuga* talent that'll bloom from this youth development in the years to come. - THE. KANNA. EPISODE. IN. NYC. GAVE. ME. DIABETES. - I think Elma's workplace story in Ep 9 doesn't get enough credit. I'm really surprised at how the sketch played out, given how unassuming Kobayashi's office culture must have been to a local audience. The things Elma were stressing over are practically non-issues over in Japan. Work culture is known to prioritise the company over the individual, to the point where workers *feel bad* about using mandatory annual leave. Plus, Elma's "lobbying" for workplace reform marks the rare occasion where the dragons challenge the human way of doing things. It was a pretty profound statement really, all while being a lighthearted watch at the expense of Elma's tremendous efforts. - S1's OP & ED are the better of the franchise's pair IMO, but I'm not complaining about what we got here. [fhána](https://anilist.co/staff/118915/fhna)'s hook is **unstoppable**. SING ALONG, PAPARAPAPA... - **BEST GIRL**: Strictly in a waifu sense, Lucoa can get it. But how can I not shoutout Kanna for being so damn adorable from start to finish? AHHHHH~ img100%(https://cdn.epicstream.com/assets/uploads/ckeditor/images/1631214972_mkdms-e10-1.jpg) *** ~~~ img25%(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/766670782494408744/890246573924175932/static-assets-upload8406836846158696503.gif) ~~~ Thanks for joining me on this quick read! Now if you'll excuse me, watching Elma eat candies has got me craving for dessert. As if this show wasn't sweet enough as is! If you happen to like my verbose rants, feel free to check out my other [reviews](https://anilist.co/user/AnimeDweeb/reviews) for seasons past and present. I also frequently post writeups under my list updates, so definitely take a peek if you'd like to see me mald over anime as they hit the airwaves. Peace~

Magenta

#~~~___This review contains no spoilers___~~~ My main opinion of the first season of Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid was that it was good, and possibly great even, but it didn’t show true mastery over what it did. I still stand by that opinion firmly. It has all of the elements of a great slice of life all the way through, but I felt that a lot of what it did was done better at least somewhere else. That is not to mention that all ecchi parts were a bit of a mixed bag. Still, though it was good fun that was especially aided by the Kyoto Animation’s golden touch. However, the wait for the sequel turned from more of a sense of hype to one of general emotion. Even though the tragic events of the arson attack on KyoAni’s Studio 1 building happened over two years ago at this point, it still somewhat feels like a surreal event. It sticks to my mind to this day due to how even in the current year, and probably will when it fades from the general consciousness of most of the anime community. Even though Dragon Maid wasn’t my favorite KyoAni property, it now meant something truly larger. A lot of the wait became more of a wait of an old friend finally coming home. Something familiar to all of us on our television or computer screens that once brought us joy was finally coming back. Even if Dragon Maid S was just okay or even sub-par, we would all probably still forgive it just on the fact that it just represented KyoAni’s return to TV. It didn’t have to be in the upper echelons of their catalog for it to mean something. However, even although it would’ve been well-received either way, the team at Kyoto Animation managed to pull off something truly beautiful. You know when I said that Dragon Maid didn’t have proper mastery of everything it tried to do? Well, this second season was about to flip my narrative of the show completely on its head. ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/BHkRw47.png)~~~ From the get-go, Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid’s two main characters, Kobayashi and Tohru are like a match made in heaven. Even with the introductions of their personalities in the first episode, the two of them make for an incredible comedic duo. They foil each other in a remarkable sense. The idea of “opposites attracting” comes into full swing here. Seeing an eccentric mythical being head over heels for an ordinary office worker is just plain fun a lot of the time. The two’s chemistry with each other allows the show to be more reliably funny, as a lot of the comedy is centered around the characters rather than the situations. Since the bulk of the series follows these two, it allows nearly every segment primarily featuring the two of them to flourish. While this combination of personalities leads to incredible comedic potential, it also leads to incredible dramatic potential. Even if it isn’t at the forefront of the series a lot of the time, it is as integral to what makes Dragon Maid work as its comedy. While the obvious differences between Kobayashi and Tohru are in their personalities, the direction that their character arcs go in is completely different. Kobayashi lived a mundane life, but the introduction of Tohru brought excitement and wonder to her lifestyle. On the contrary, Tohru lived a chaotic life, but the introduction of Kobayashi in her life brought new peace and tranquility. While the directions that these two characters go in are completely different, they each end in the same place. In many ways, they complete each other. Like yin and yang, Kobayashi and Tohru are the two halves that make the whole of Dragon Maid. This is the main formula that makes Dragon Maid work, and the first and most of the second season have more or less the same approach to frame this relationship in the story. In the first season, the dramatic elements are nearly all used for heartwarming moments at the end of a segment. This is a common hallmark of slice of life series of this nature since their premises are so down to earth that heartwarming moments are one of the only ways to squeeze dramatic value out of the series. Most of the second season has the same approach, and it still works very well here. There is a common theme around slice of life shows of this nature. Since the characters grow on the audience throughout the series, the second season is usually better than the first just on the fact that the viewer is usually far more attached to the characters and is way more invested in their antics. This applies to the second season as well, but Dragon Maid S takes it an extra step. There are many segments where the comedy takes a backseat, and character development is the primary focus. In a comedy/slice of life series like this one, the changes to the writing don’t feel jarring due to the serious segments just building off of what the comedic parts built up in the background. To even further compliment these moments, there are also moments of very interesting philosophy explored through these moments. Part of the reason why Dragon Maid S works so much better than its predecessors is owed to the presence of moments that lack comedy. While the main duo was always what made Dragon Maid as special as it was, things start to get a bit more mixed when transitioning over to the side characters. Kanna is probably the character that gets the most screen time besides Kobayashi and Tohru. While not as deep as the two of them, Kanna’s ventures to figure out the human world around her are very entertaining. She exemplifies childhood wonder in a way that is very hard to replicate. The new side character, Illulu, is probably my favorite side character in this show. Her arc near the beginning of the series perfectly fits in with the general themes that the relationship of Kobayashi and Tohru set up. For the few episodes where she is the focus, she manages to be a perfect counterpart for both Kobayashi and Tohru. Illulu’s place in the story is completely natural in the grander arcs of Kobayashi and Tohru. This is the same with Elma, being instrumental to the growth of Tohru while just being an entertaining goofball in her own right. I don’t particularly find myself that attached to Fafnir and Takiya, even though I do still enjoy them when they are on screen. However, the two side characters that are the biggest stains on this otherwise beautiful picture are Saikawa, Lucoa, and Shouta. Saikawa is a singular joke on a broken record. She marvels at how Kanna is cute with the same face all the time, and it got completely old after the second time. The subplot with Lucoa and Shouta… is problematic. I don’t really want to mull on it since it makes me uncomfortable to think about, but the people who know what it is about these two know what I am talking about. This is the first season of Dragon Maid’s largest problem, and Season 2 more so leaves the bad side characters in the background rather than fixing anything about them. This was probably my biggest disappointment with Season 2, since leaving it in the background doesn’t exactly solve anything. Still, though the bulk of the side characters are entertaining but not as good as characters as Kobayashi or Tohru. ~~~img(https://www.ledr.com/colours/white.jpg)~~~ _~~~this image shows this problems that i had with lucoa and shouta’s plot line, but i censored everything that makes me uncomfortable~~~_ In terms of my biggest surprise, this series actually has some of the best action scenes all year. Kyoto Animation was never a shounen studio. They specialize in slice of life, and they are pretty good at bringing them to life. The first season did have action scenes, but they weren’t prominent enough to be memorable. With the action scenes in the second season on the other hand, what the fuck. To be honest, I am not exactly the biggest fan of battle shounen, take one look at my anime list to figure that out, but the action scenes and their animation of Dragon Maid blow my mind. Unlike with story or characters, I really can’t put into words why the animation of the second season is good, but I don’t really think it takes any analysis to see why it hits it out of the park. Kyoto Animation is just flexing their muscles at a time when they would be forgiven for not doing so. However, Dragon Maid’s action scenes go even further than just good animation. Since most of the series focuses on slice of life shenanigans, the few action scenes that are there are placed very purposefully. They either progress character development or the story when there are no better methods to do so. With the moments of action so sparse, it makes it far more rewarding when one comes up compared to a battle shounen with fights nearly every episode. If you told me a few months ago that Dragon Maid S would be the best action series of 2021, I wouldn’t believe you, but now I think it blows everything else out of the water. webm(https://i.imgur.com/U6InTyk.mp4) _~~~AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~~~_ Out of any anime studio that exists, Kyoto Animation has a stranglehold on most of our hearts like no other. Dragon Maid S is a perfect encapsulation of why they are so special. It is a fun slice of life series with sprinkles of action with a lot of deep philosophy under the hood. It is as fun as it is deep. For a return of a studio after such tragic events unfolded, their return didn’t need to be a kick in the door like this. It didn’t have to have amazing animation. It didn’t have to break new ground. It didn’t even really have to be good just because we would be thankful that KyoAni is back. However, Dragon Maid S manages to rank as one of the studio’s best in circumstances that truly boggle the mind. Because of the effort put in by the ones behind the scenes, Dragon Maid S managed to be one of the bright spots of this year for me. And to be frank, I wouldn’t have it any other way. ___ _Thank you for reading to the end of the review if you did. If you have any criticisms of how this review was made, you are free to message me or reply to[ this activity](https://anilist.co/activity/287936465) to critique what I had to say._ _Also, please don’t like or dislike the review without reading it._ _And most importantly, rest in peace to all at KyoAni that had their lives cut short. Thank you for the work that touched me and many others in their lives. You will forever be missed._

Sirion

# ~~~__A FANTASTIC SLICE OF LIFE OF FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE, EVEN MORE HEART-WARMING THAN THE FIRST SEASON__~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~___MINOR SPOILERS___~~~ It certainly cannot be said that this year's summer season has reserved for us particular works, or at least not like the 2 previous seasons but if there is an anime that I believe has really risen in this sea of ​​normality, that is Miss. Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, the latest work by Kyoto Animation and the first after the fire that hit the studio some time ago. ______________ __PLOT__ Being a slice of life, the plot has no real objective other than to tell the daily life events of Kobayashi, Tohru, Kanna and friends. From the point of view of the basic concept, the anime does not seem to deviate that much from the first season. I actually noticed a much more particular type of storytelling and much more emotionally focused than the previous season, that was more focused on comedy. From this point of view there has been an enormous growth of the work in the use of the characters. In fact, these 12 episodes are sorted perfectly on all the "secondary" characters of the series, from Lucoa (and Shouta) to Fafnir (and Takiya), from Elma (authentic star of this part) to the new characters Ilulu and Take. All this without obviously forgetting the events concerning the protagonists. ~~~~~~ ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/p80h3G4.png)~~~ _________________ __CHARACTERS__ So I take advantage of this speech to deepen the question of the characters, who, as already mentioned, have been much better valued. I start immediately with the hot topics, by congratulating on how the relationship between Kobayashi and Tohru has been made even more exciting. There was actually a risk that we could fall into repetition after the first season but I'm very happy that it didn't. Also really positive is the plus that has been given to Kanna and Saikawa, who continue in their mission to bring tons of tenderness to any of their scenes. ~~~~~~ ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/8UtVrEf.png)~~~ ~~~~~~ Closed the (short) paragraph on the protagonists, the scene this time the secondary characters took it out, while Lucoa and Fafnir were given that extra screentime so that they could be characterized even better, obviously both in relation to their human counterparts, I believe that the real star of this season was the one who has no human counterpart, or at least not one dedicated only to herself. Of course, I'm talking about Elma, Tohru's eternal friend/enemy. Friend/enemy because we had the pleasure of witnessing all the past regarding her and Tohru, what relationship they were in and how that relationship has evolved over time until reaching a situation of hatred in the present. Hatred that actually hides a magnificent friendship between the 2 as episode 9 (the best of the season) was able to tell us with that fight in the episode finale. In addition to the screentime dedicated to her friendship with Tohru, we also have other moments of Elma more focused on herself and her relationship with Kobayashi, which instead tell very well the evolution of her relationship with human beings in general. In closing, a note of merit should also be made to the new entry Ilulu (and her partner Take) who managed to bring further plot ideas, such as her past (which particularly moved me) and her acclimatization in the human world. ~~~~~~ ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/GA86Hrg.png)~~~ ________________ __ART/ANIMATIONS__ Praise to Kyoto Animation, absolute king of animations and undisputed lord of special effects. Praise aside, KyoAni's work does nothing but raise an already beautiful work of its own to the nth degree, that with this level of graphics makes the whole story even more exciting and cheerful. Stunning character designs, top-level boards and a fighting quality that is the envy of 99% of battle shonen do nothing but confirm the level that the studio has reached in recent years, despite a terrible fire that has hit the headquarters and which prevented the world from witnessing their other works for a time that seemed infinite. ~~~~~~ ~~~webm(https://imgur.com/IsCjGdt.mp4)~~~ _______________ __MUSIC__ Opening and Ending very catchy like those of the first season, if not better. OST always on the piece even without leading to any particular masterpiece. ___________________ __CONCLUSION__ In conclusion, I underline how Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid was (at least from my point of view) clearly the best anime of the season and one of the best of the year, with her great ability to be able to excite with this ease in a story that shouldn't be anything but a slice of life and instead always leads to something deeper. ~~~~~~ ~~~img1000(https://imgur.com/SQqJEHT.png)~~~ ~~~_Thank You Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Thank You Kyoto Animation_~~~ EDIT: Sorry for the mistake about the KyoAni incident, I apologize for the wrong information that I previously provided :(

TheAnimeBingeWatcher

I don’t think any of us expected to be here. Let’s be honest, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is not a show designed to bear the weight of expectations. It’s a bawdy fanservice comedy mixed with a sweet, found-family focused slice-of-life, purposefully bright and breezy even in the rare moments it tips into more dramatic territory. And don’t get me wrong, I loved the first season as much as everybody. But amidst the weighty drama of Kyoto Animation’s current output- A Silent Voice, Violet Evergarden, Hibike Euphonium, Liz and the Blue Bird- Dragon Maid definitely stands out as a far lighter, less consequential affair. It’s the palate cleanser for when the rest of KyoAni’s work starts getting a little too heavy, a spoonful of sugar to cleanse your pores and leave you smiling ear to ear (and give you a little indigestion with its more uncomfortable elements). It was never meant to feel like a grand, meaningful statement. This goofy, wholesome, sometimes problematic fantasy rom-com was never meant to be Important with a capital I. But then, in 2019, Kyoto Animation was targeted by a horrific arson attack. Countless incredible artists were injured and killed. Everyone was left reeling from the collective trauma. And as we’ve just recently found out, even Naoko Yamada herself left the studio in the aftermath. This wasn’t just a tragedy, this was a foul black scar across the face of the greatest anime studio on the face of the earth. I still remember experiencing the attack in real time over social media, checking my Twitter feed every few minutes in a state of numb shock, watching the death toll rise bit by bit, praying helplessly that it wouldn’t get any worse only for reality to prove me wrong over and over again. I don’t think I can ever properly describe the cold, nauseating despair I felt watching it unfold, how deeply it shook me in ways I still haven’t fully processed. And judging by everyone’s reactions, I’m not the only one who felt that way. The entire anime community, western and eastern alike, grieved for Kyoto Animation. As gauche as this comparison may be, I wonder if this is how people felt on 9/11 watching the twin towers come down. Not just the collective shock and horror, but the sensation that something representing the best of us had been violently ripped away. And suddenly, the upcoming season 2 of Dragon Maid couldn’t just be another season of Dragon Maid. It was Kyoto Animation’s return to TV animation after almost three years. It was this incredible studio bouncing back after the horrors they’d endured, a statement of purpose that the KyoAni magic would never surrender to darkness. It was the return of sense to a world that had lost all semblance of reason. It had to be, _needed_ to be, perfect. So we’ve found ourselves in a position where all this importance, all this symbolic weight, has been placed on the shoulders of a show where oversized titties bouncing in the face of an eight-year-old boy is a regular recurring gag. Suddenly, this adaptation of a skeevy ecchi manga has to be The Most Meaningful Thing Ever or we’ll feel like the terrorists won. And on top of all that, it has to carry that weight without the help of season 1 director Yasuhiro Takemoto, who died in the attack. KyoAni had to live up to all those expectations while _also_ carrying on a dead man’s vision as respectfully as possible. Would _you_ want to be in that position? Cause I sure as hell wouldn’t. If it seems like I’m spending more time talking about the context of this show’s existence than the show itself, well, you’re not wrong. The fact is, the circumstances into which Dragon Maid S has released color it in ways that go beyond any notion of objective quality. We were so starved for Kyoto Animation’s return that whatever show they first released after the attack was going to be a phenomenon whether it was designed to be or not. They could’ve released the second season of fucking Phantom World and we’d just be grateful that they were back at all. Who would have the heart to criticize, however well-deserved such criticism might be, when we should just be happy for the return of the one and only KyoAni? Still pumping out high-quality animation that puts everyone else to shame, with genuinely great working conditions that foster healthy business practice and artistic brilliance alike? The shining representative of anime at its absolute best, shaking off the impossible tragedy it’s endured and proving that it’s still here to deliver on that promise for many years to come? Under those circumstances, I don’t think _any_ show would be given proper scrutiny. You’d feel like an asshole for doing so. Well, I’m gonna be that asshole. Because as fucking amazing as it is to see KyoAni back on their feet, there are two glaring problems that keep Dragon Maid’s second season from being as good as its first. The first problem is a bit more intangible, which makes it harder to describe. Simply put, though, it feels like Dragon Maid S is leaning harder on the slapstick comedy than it should. The first season struck an extremely careful balance between goofy antics and more subdued, contemplative slice-of-life moments. Its best moments came not from the absurd fight scenes and jiggling gazongas, but from the sense of family and comfort instilled by Kobayashi and Tohru’s extended community of humans and dragons. It took time to show the realities of mundane life, the quiet moments of connection between people that made you care about them. The second season, in contrast, feels like it’s trying too hard to be Nichijou at points. The gags are almost _too_ fast, the pacing _too_ abrupt, the absurdity _too_ ramped up at the expense of those quiet moments. Yeah, the sheer spectacle of this season’s battles is second to none (seriously, KyoAni, do another action show already), but none of these crazy sakuga-fests hold a candle to ten straight minutes of Kobayashi and Kanna just walking down the streets and seeing what surprises lie around the corner. _That’s_ where Dragon Maid’s heart lies, and it feels like those moments are fewer and farther between than they should be. The second problem is Ilulu. Here’s the thing: as a show, Dragon Maid has always struggled to escape its origins as a fetish manga. There is no escaping that fact. Lucoa and Shota’s scenes, all the uncomfortable fanservice, they were as much a part of Dragon Maid’s first season as the working-adult lesbians finding comfort with each other. And much like with K-On, everything that makes this show great is a result of KyoAni fighting as hard as possible to escape its source material’s worst instincts. So Ilulu existing isn’t some unexpected descent into trash. This has always been a part of this show’s DNA, as much as I wish it weren’t. But Ilulu is by far the most blatant and unavoidable example of Dragon Maid’s pervier side yet. Even putting aside the fact she looks like someone superglued two watermelons onto the chest of a ten-year-old, the show can’t decide whether it wants her to be an innocent child in need of guidance or a sexually mature adults who wants to bang Kobayashi. It tries to split the difference by casting her as a disaffected teenager caught between both worlds, but it’s pretty obvious that’s only an excuse. She’s a big-tittied loli who’s simultaneously sexualized and infantilized, and while her character does eventually settle into a comfortable groove as the season goes on, it’s rough going getting there. And then there’s that one joke. If you’ve seen this season already, you know which joke I’m talking about. The moment in episode two where Ilulu curses Kobayashi and makes her grow a dick. This is, without question, the single most repulsive sequence in the entire show. Not because “ew dicks are nasty,” but because in the space of six minutes, this extended gag implies: 1) Men are biologically inclined to lust after women and must keep their hormones in check to avoid assaulting them, 2) Women with penises are actually men, and 3) Having a penis makes you sexually attracted to little girls. This scene lasts for less than half an episode. It’s never brought up again after it’s over, and it has no bearing on any future character beats or jokes. You could potentially watch this season and completely skip over this bit, that’s how little impact it has. But its mere presence is such a cancer that it casts a pall over everything else. It’s impossible to think of this season and not think about this one singular, awful moment, and everything it says about the author’s priorities. A better adaptation would have exorcised it entirely and created a version of the story that didn’t feel tainted with its presence. KyoAni has never been afraid to make extreme adaptational changes in order to make a story better; they absolutely could have done so here. But they didn’t, and now we have to live in a world where the definitive version of Dragon Maid contains one of the worst scenes I’ve seen in an otherwise good anime in a very long time. I couldn’t blame anyone for dropping this show based on this one scene alone. And that’s a tragedy, because it means this one scene could keep people from experiencing what’s still one of the loveliest anime out there. Yes, when all is said and done, for all the complaints I could make, I still _loved_ Dragon Maid S. Even if it wasn’t as good, even if I had to put up with more bullshit than usual, this is still the same show I fell in love with. It’s still a fascinating portrayal of domestic life between two very different people. It’s still a beautiful expression of community and found family, even among the most unlikely bedfellows. It’s still got some of the brightest, most expressive animation ever, exploding with color and life and lush, lived-in beauty. It’s still so overwhelmingly gay it might just stop my heart. And honestly, that alone makes me happy people are cheering its return. Right now, the most celebrated show in the anime community, the show that has everyone has been overwhelmed with joy to see come back, is a show about women who love other women, navigating all the complexities that come from sharing your life with someone else and grappling with extended metaphors for conservative ignorance and hatred. _This_ is the show being heralded as the return of the king, and it’s returned with all the polish, bombast, and effort you could ever wish for. So in the end, I don’t think we have to be blind to something’s faults to celebrate its existence. We can still critique and complain and push for something to be better, even as we celebrate having it at all. Seeing the faults doesn’t take away from how overjoyed I am to see my favorite anime studio back on top, shooting for the stars all over again. The fact that Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is something that so many people care about so much, from the audience to the people making it, makes me happy. This show _existing_ makes me happy. And I’ll continue to celebrate its existence with the rest of you, even if I have to keep eating around the bad spots to enjoy it.

SgtBateMan

Kyoto Animation. What does that mean to you? Personally, I think that name is in association with a studio that has freedom in their work, or in particular, originality and creativity, even within adaptations that aren’t their own materials. The treatment The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya received is one of the reasons I favour it. Their identity in Hyouka rather gave me mixed receptions, and that’s one amongst the evidences that Kyoto Animation isn’t perfect. However, it’s genuine to say that I’m still in favour of their unoriginal works, and why shouldn't I? Returning to Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon, the first season was such a phenomenom. With just a little adjustment in comparison to the source, they had done wonder. The animation was fun to watch, quite lovely, and above all else, the anime clearly had progression. With such mindset from the prequel, I had expected its successor to maintain that flow for a while, and let the introduction of a new character be the twist leading to the end, though we wouldn’t have to make drastic changes. It would be just temporarily taking Iruru out of the equation, letting others develop their own relationships beforehand, and setting the latter half as the stage for the newbie to shine. In reality, the adaptation was just more or less the same as its parental content, and if I had to describe the progress in this season, it would be sitting on a rollercoaster that has a long and winding ascending, whose fall isn’t exactly equivalent to the ride it took. More visually, Phineas and Ferb’s rollercoaster at a fair. Iruru made her debut, but within that plentiful of the crew, her blending in wasn’t highlighted, either. The others, they had their moments, but their growth was just a bunch of scattered pieces, particularly the ship of Tohru x Elma. Oh well, as an entertainer, it sold, and in term of adapting, Kyoto Animation took all the right moves, so that is just my nonsensical opinion about their creative department, not to mention the available set of cards was certainly harder to align, and Kyoto Animation was not Yugi Mutou, either. Sounding and artistry are always the impression of the studio, since we got plenty of plots, and the characters and animation were lively as hell. The soundtrack, nevertheless, is not catchy as that of the predecessor. I found this particular season amusing, but I also don’t prefer how things were going. Along with the big disappointment of Violet Evergarden The Movie, I believe the creative team has yet recovered from that disastrous incident, and the loss of Naoko Yamada and Yasuhiro Takemoto. Hope they will do better in the future, as Kyoto Animation is always one of my favorite.

YourMangaSucks

___Introduction___ Yesterday the final episode of _Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S_ aired and put an end to the main source of joy for me during the summer 2021 anime season. Back in June, with nothing else managing to grab my attention from the new batch of shows, I played it safe with a sequel to an anime I've already seen and after getting to its conclusion I cannot be any more satisfied. Kyoto Animation is back and with full force! ~~~img350(https://static.zerochan.net/Kobayashi-san.Chi.no.Maid.Dragon.S.full.3367249.jpg)~~~ ___What made me love this season?:___ - The sheer level of care that the staff put into the production of the show is nothing short of remarkable. From the very first episode the quality of the animation was unbelievable. This stays true not only for the laid-back type of situations that _Miss Kobayashi_ is mostly known for, but also for the gorgeous action scenes, of which there is plenty. Right from the get-go we are shown that KyoAni is not planning on doing anything half-assed as the encounter between Tohru and Ilulu exceeds all expectations. One may think that this is a one-time stunt to lure an audience and then drop the quality, however this proves not to be the case. Each of the following episodes is handled with more than enough attention with no corners cut. Even disregarding the main visual attractions, the backgrounds and crowds throughout the season at times surpass the key visuals in other modern shows. All in all a visual delight. ~~~img420(https://otakukart.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Screenshot-2021-09-09-103053.jpg)~~~ - The main element that separates _Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid_ from the typical slice of life is, of course, the dragons. Behind the easygoing nature of the show lies a deep layer of lore that mostly remained berried in the first season. This one however, excavates it and puts it on a pedestal right next to the fun and cute mundane stuff. A lot is explained to us as viewers throughout the season's run and it all came at the right amount (no unnatural info dumps) and with a purpose - providing layers to the relationships of the characters (most significantly Tohru and Elma's). The best part was that, every week one could only wonder whether the upcoming episode would show Kanna and her classmates looking for ghosts and having fun or the backstory of how there came to be different factions in the world of dragons. ~~~img450(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C4_pDgdxS-k/YQxgyvJD9dI/AAAAAAACOxo/B2zcPmESAPw1UAMCq9Tz0SjZ_4VrovlowCPcBGAsYHg/s0/Miss%2BKobayashi%25E2%2580%2599s%2BDragon%2BMaid%2BS%2B-%2BEpisode%2B5%2B-%2BElma%2BTohru%2BStill%2BButting%2BHeads.gif)~~~ - Lastly I cannot help but address the biggest highlight for me, being the approach to characterization. In season one we got a pretty good grasp of how the human-dragon duos (and Elma) function to the point that after half of it there was not much to add, especially to our main duo. Therefore adding new characters (Ilulu and Take) and deciding to mostly focus on the secondary cast was the perfect decision. By meticulously switching from Elma working in the office to Kanna and friends, then to Fafnir being an epic gamer and to Kanna being cute, none of the cast members feel left-out or underdeveloped. And as for Ilulu, her addition was handled extremely well as she did not simply join the party but rather went through a great character arc that bore fruit in her current position. With all this in mind, the show is still about Kobayashi and Tohru. To my surprise, their relationship was not stale but rather grew in all the right directions. ~~~img420(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IuAeQvzx1H4/maxresdefault.jpg)~~~ ___Conclusion___ Though it may be (is) blatantly obvious from what I've said, _Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S_ improved on the already very enjoyable first season in practically every way. The final episode left me both wanting more and fully content with this surprisingly pleasant watch filled with laughter, awe and excitement. Unquestionably a new favorite of mine. Goodbye, _Miss Kobayashi_, hope we meet again!

Iero

Dopo 2 anni dalla terribile strage in Giappone nello Studio 1 della Kyoto Animation, una delle più grandi dalla fine della Seconda Guerra Mondiale, la casa di produzione è finalmente tornata con il suo primo progetto interamente realizzato postumo alla tragedia. La KyoAni, che ancora conserva con sè le ferite fisiche e psicologiche che hanno portato alla morte e all'abbandono di moltissimi talenti senza pari nel suo staff, ha deciso di ripartire con un sequel di uno dei suoi titoli di punta, nonchè uno dei più amati dai fan, e dimostare al mondo come lo studio di Kyoto, da anni ormai sinonimo di impareggiabile qualità, sia pronto a ripartire. Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S (il perchè della S al posto del 2 è un mistero che mi attanaglia ormai da mesi) si è mostrato in tutta la sua magnificenza, ed è ora di tirare le somme sul seguito delle quotidiane faccende della più famosa, non che sola, cameriera drago di sempre. ~~~img(https://wegotthiscovered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Miss-Kobayashis-Dragon-Maid-S-EP-2.jpg)~~~ La storia segue nuovamente le vicende dell'improbabile cameriera Tohru e la stacanovista e pacata Kobayashi, con tutto il variopinto cast di draghi al seguito, dalla sensuale Quetzalcoatl allo spaventoso Fafnir, con l'aggiunta di nuovi personaggi ed interessanti approfondimenti su quelli che già conoscevamo e le relazioni tra questi ultimi. Insomma, questa nuova stagione si dimostra interessata a mantenere la formula per lei vincente della commedia Slice of Life con punte di romanticismo ed una dolcezza, visiva e tematica, difficile da non apprezzare. I personaggi restano ben diversificati tra loro e integrati nel loro ruolo all'interno della storia, senza stonare o risultare ridondanti o eccessivamente forzati nelle varie sotto trame di ogni episodio; i piccoli eventi che si susseguono danno così l'idea di essere un puzzle unico e coerente, in cui ognuno può muoversi per sfoggiare al meglio il proprio carattere. Tutto ciò è reso possibile anche soprattutto da una sceneggiatura più movimentata della prima stagione, con diversi combattimenti mozzafiato e un dinamismo generale, dai movimenti più piccoli a quelli più grandi, che si riflette direttamente sui personaggi. In altre parole, Kanna non è mai stata più adorabile di così, e gli episodi non annoiano mai, sia che si tratti di lente passeggiate per la città o combattimenti incredibilmente scenici, ogni momento si fa guardare con estremo piacere. Sfortunatamente non tutti riescono a splendere come altri, ed inevitabilmente nel corso della serie alcuni personaggi lasciano il passo in favore dei protagonisti principali, spesso con brevi, seppur apprezzate, scene a loro dedicate. Data la complessiva leggerezza che permea l'opera è difficile trovare dei difetti per quanto concerne sceneggiatura e personaggi, che mi sento di dire risultano assolutamente impeccabili per il tipo di narrazione che l'opera cerca di portare avanti, in questa stagione più che mai. ~~~img(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cTzT40jXVaI/maxresdefault.jpg)~~~ Veniamo dunque al pezzo forte: il comparto tecnico. Questa seconda stagione conferma ancora una volta, non solo come la Kyoto Animation sia tra i più grandi professionisti del settore dell'animazione nipponico, ma anche come un buon anime sia dato tanto dalla sua capacità di intrattenere, quanto dalla sua sensibilità artistica. Mai mi sarei aspettato, in un'opera dai toni così leggeri e rilassati, scontri tanto fluidi e dettagliati, con un'attenzione ai movimenti di camera, ai particellari e agli effetti visivi capaci di fare invidia a qualsiasi battle anime che si rispetti. Merito soprattutto del color design tanto variopinto e nitido che si sposa perfettamente con le musiche allegre e ritmate ed il charater design tondeggiante ma ricco di particolari. Insomma, si tratta di un lavoro di alto livello senza dubbio, che riprende ciò che funzionava della prima serie per riproporlo potenziato in tutti quegli elementi che avevano catturato l'affetto dei fan. Indubbiamente lo stile moe potrebbe risultare stucchevole alla lunga, ma Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S riesce a trovare un buon equilibrio, alternando a volte, durante i momenti più intensi, dei cambi visivi netti e impattanti che riportano l'attenzione più in alto che mai. La verità, mio malgrado, è che per quanto mi sia sforzato di trovare qualche pecca o errore per cercare di sembrare meno di parte in questa recensione, non ci sono riuscito, il lavoro della KyoAni è stato semplicemente impeccabile. ~~~img(https://thecinemaholic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/koba.jpg)~~~ I 12 episodi della serie scorrono davvero in fretta, anche soprattutto grazie ad una preziosa varietà di situazioni e personaggi che questa non manca di creare, tendendo tuttavia a volte a risultare a tratti ripetitiva. L'assenza di un filo conduttore che smuova gli eventi e faccia muovere i personaggi nell'universo narrativo è il più grande punto debole, e allo stesso tempo caratterizzante, degli Slice of Life e probabilmente un motivo per coloro che non amano particolarmente il genere per tenersene a distanza. Proprio per tale ragione, però, la serie, come già anticipavo prima, cerca di alternare alle a tratti monotone avventure domestiche dell'improbabile cameriera un netto ed improvviso stacco a scene action magnificamente realizzate. Non che le prime siano meno interessanti, sia chiaro. Le molteplici gag con Saikawa, Shouta e Fafnir si sprecano e tengono saldamente in piedi la serie da sole, soprattutto se si ama quel genere di comicità. In generale non vi è molto da dire, si tratta di un sequel solido dalle atmosfere demenziali quanto in certi momenti diabetiche e commoventi. Avrai sicuramente apprezzato un ulteriore avanzamento nella storia, ma siccome non sembra essere al momento il focus principale, toccherà aspettare per una eventuale (mai dire mai) terza stagione. ~~~img(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1-d-wkpa0G4/maxresdefault.jpg)~~~ Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S è a tutti gli effetti un grande ritorno, sia per una delle serie Slice of Life di miglior fattura degli ultimi anni, sia per uno dei più importanti studi di animazione come la KyoAni. Tecnicamente impeccabile sotto qualsiasi punto di vista, divertente ed energico, tende a volte ad essere stucchevole o perdersi in ridondanti siparietti, ma migliora tutti quegli elementi che già funzionavano precedentemente e li integra meglio tra loro. Nonostante non si tratti di un must watch senza se e senza ma, rimane comunque un lavoro notevole e rincuorante per il veterano studio di Kyoto, che dimostra così di essere sulla strada per riprendersi completamente dalle ferite del suo passato.

ImmoralOrel

__A Spoiler Free Gush Fest__ UGHHHHHHHHHH!! I still remember how I binged the first season. Cup of tea, pitch black and on my bed. Comfy, just like this show. The opening is seared into my hippocampus. A vaguely overweight, balding man, spinning, the perfect T-pose. Breathtaking. Dragon Maid is back with S to try to con me into thinking “slice of life” is a genre I even vaguely fuck with. This mix of the mundane, filtered through the fantastical sheen of all-powerful dragons is ridiculously potent. I imagine it’s similar to the way parents feel re-experiencing the world through their children. What was once barely noticed due to the over-exposure of daily living becomes hyper charged with mystery and charm. KyoAni just demonstrates time and time again that everything is about execution. This is A N I M E. The aesthetics and character designs are highly memorable. Hitting all the correct visual feel for a show of this type. The animation putting the majority of other TV anime to shame. Jokes are always given that extra little layer to surprise. Hands on hands. Too many hands to count! In terms of overall structure and presentation of the plot, season 2 is basically a home run. While presenting strong episodic concepts and fully exploring them, there is also a gradual reveal of backstory and lore from the fantasy world all our dragon compatriots originate from. It manages emotional punches, to go along with the physical ones. No longer is the finale a dowdy, misplaced piece of drama. It’s a recapitulation of all that is most endearing about the series, set in this hyper-stereotype of Japanese ecology. This all leads to my greater, more meta-perspective on Dragon Maid. Both seasons are a celebration of anime as a medium. A steelman of classic anime tropes. It’s quite common for anime fans to take an increasingly pessimistic view on common tropes of the medium as the number of titles added to their belts increase. Ecchi and harem as genre are for horny teenage boys. They aren’t for those of us with galaxy brains! But Dragon Maid comes along and shows why, or at least how, some of the oldest tropes in anime can be entertaining. Illulu having huge knockers may be titillating for teenage boys but it’s because of some quirk of dragon physiology okay!! Huge boobs and random groping via perfectly timed falls may not do anything for me, but it’s Anime damn it, and I love anime. _If you have any thoughts please send me a comment : ) No I will not apologise for being a stan. My only reservation is that Faf and Makoto don't get more screen time :'( This season is likely to increase to a 10 on re-watch (which is the precondition I place on myself for giving the illustrious "10"). _

LookAtThisDude

This is my review on Kobayashi san-chi no dragon maid season 2. This review contains spoilers as because i really found the need to tag some events from the episodes to enhance my review. People say "show that will be wholesome will definitely be better than most shows which focus on a particular theme". Well this anime proves them right. Till the day i started watching it, I thought that shounen s are always rated high and they are more enjoyable because a little likeable characters with dope animations and fights can win the heart of all people, but this anime changed my way of thinking. This is an anime which can cure a crying human's heart, who has just been betrayed in a relationship, make a human laugh, who does not know the meaning of happiness, entertain a human just like some shounens do, make a laughing human cry and can make them re evaluate their life. A perfect combination of every spice needed in an anime. After the season 1 it it ended quite in a simple, funny and easy-going way. But this season took its potential to next level. This season really featured some more characters and carried the whole show like a roller-coaster ride. Besides Character developments, understanding of inner-conscience, this anime will make you promise yourself to enjoy your remaining life. That is why they say "Life is short. Do not make it shorter". Accompanied with boombasting comedy, it has some sudden emotional hits which enrich this show with a pure and innocent touch of wholesomeness. You will never regret rewatching this show. At time when the plot gets too intense with some sad or gloomy weather, it hits that situation with some sudden comical plot which is a really nice move right there, to prevent it from getting one-way. There are so many characters in this show and the fact that it has been able to develop their characters episode by episode , giving screen time to every characters featuring their lifestyles and personality is really worth to be praised. This show also depicts the importance of having friend and to love your close ones. Life is just a roller coaster of events that will fill you with an ocean of emotions. Yes that's how someone's character develops. Despite having so many characters, at the end of the day all of them continue with their life , often somehow connected to each other, and enjoying it. People often complain about the LGBT representation in this anime. But according to me , the fact that this show has been able to represent it despite having a slice of life, funny, fantasy(family-friendly) genres, should really be appreciated. Well unlike the first season this season doesn't show us that many half naked or lewd scenes, but rather some cute love and friendship moments between kanna and saikawa and the affection that tohru grew for kobayashi and her confessing in the last episode, the sense of first love between take and ilulu, moments when lucoa teased shota(this name has been assigned to the boy for making the situation relatable), the bromance of fafnir and takiya, the tagging along of elma. These are not lewd. These are cute and heart warming to watch. Finally, I would like to say that, slice of life anime are decreasing more and more each season and getting replaced with some fantasy isekai which may or may not be good. Slice of life genre is one of the best genres of anime as this is the theme which makes an anime different from cartoons, which are mostly filled with fights and stuffs. Enough my keyboard keys will pop out now... good bye !!and stay safe

Ramzy308

Yeah, I pretty much dropped this season on episode 5. Now you may be asking, "But why!" So here is my review. Despite my opinions on the season you can like it if you want, of course. This is sort of ranty. Be warned if you hate stuff like that. No/minimal spoiler warning. Before I write this review here's a review on Season One: Season One was pretty great! I found it through some reactor and it was just, chefs kiss. The parts that bugged me were the parts with Kanna, especially with her and Saikawa. The one scene where they almost did the bad thing before they walked in was weird. I think we shouldn't be sexualizing kindergarten age children (I know she's like years older but she's still a child in dragon age.) Also Shouta and Big Boob lady... fuck that bro. Otherwise great show and funny comedy! | Story | The story in this season is still good, although I do think it is a bit of a downgrade from what we got from season 1. It feels like something is missing, yet I can't put my finger on what. It's not too bad though, and I'd say it's actually alright I just really don't know why I don't like it as much. RATING: 7/10 | Art | The art in this season is as amazing and beautiful as ever, including the animation, by gosh I could totally gush about it all day! But, the character design. Oh boy. Ilulu's design definitely turned me off of the season when I first saw it I'm not for the character design. It's laughably fanservicey. I may sound like a 'Twitter SJW' or whatever but I find her design to be... off. She's got big badonkers while the reast of her face and body is similar to that of a child character, in which she WAS paired up with Kanna! And the fact she's 16 in her apperance is a bit sus if I may add. Otherwise, I say the art is good! RATING: 9/10 | Sound | I have no complaints, I did not watch the sub for the first season. But the sub has amazing sound and voice quality, including the theme. I have no complaints. RATING: 10/10 | Characters | This being a slice of life anime means you've gotta have good characters, otherwise it'll just fail. And well... the characters are meh. The characters I had enjoyed and were my favorites from Season 1 are still great! Fafnir, Takiya, and Elma were a joy. But the rest weren't that good. They somehow made Tohru more annoying than in season one! Which is way harder to do. Ilulu was boring, annoying, and I just hated her. The rest felt either botched or tiring in some way. RATING: 4/10 | Enjoyment | It's not like I enjoyed all of Dragon Maid, hell no. But the slice of life elements and the soft scenes between the 'couples'/friends (fafiya & kobaharu). This season, the slice of life was all there, every element of the enjoyment I had from the first season was supposed to be there, and yet, I just didn't enjoy it at all! RATING: 3/10 Overall - 5/10 I don't have much more to say. I guess it's just that I think Season One was pretty great! And Season two was pretty not! Fafnir is best boy, Kobayashi is best girl, and Saikawa and Ilulu should never have existed, I hate them so much. That's all folks.

Calxylian

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Season 2, produced by Kyoto Animation, acts as a direct sequel to the original in 2017. Directed by Tatsuya Ishihara, he is best known for directing various Kyoto Animation anime such as Clannad. Season one director Yasuhiro Takemoto also shared the bill for the director after his untimely death due to the tragedy of the studio arson. In addition, season two of Dragon Maid also marks Kyoto Animation's return to anime production after the disaster in 2019.

The second season of Dragon Maid has an uphill task in following up on the surprises that occurred at the end of the first season. It does not discuss any of the events that happened at the end of the first season but moves on to better, more important things. Typically, the story is a slice of life anime like the series is one of two types. It doesn't share any visible connection, is primarily a stand-alone entity, and the storyline connects all the episodes. The second season combines elements of such a storytelling style as many new characters have to be introduced. Also, the second season has the benefit of inheriting a beloved world that has become a functioning entity again. Functionally, that means the second season can't go wrong in the plot even if it tries because all the prerequisites for a fantastic piece of life are already established.

The series is very mixed, not in the wrong way. In one case example, the episode is less interesting than the other. In particular, episodes such as the adventures of Kanna and Comiket feel less important. They need more attention because they are episodes dedicated to side characters only related to the main storyline. That means that season two's definite sinusoidal in episode quality is still no bad episodes. Every episode is at least good, but not great. In various highlights, the confrontation between Elma and Tooru becomes one of the main threads of parameters in the series. However, all such threads are not of the same quality. Overall, the second season's plot is perfect, with bright but dull spots spread evenly. However, each episode is at least worth watching and more than any audience can tell about most anime in general.

In season two, it's no different when it comes to highlights. Every character has at least some time to shine, except Fafnir. Kobayashi and Tooru handle their relationship with each other. Of course, they make one of the best couples ever for an anime. A lot has to be said about the only new character introduced in the season, namely Ilulu. Ilulu became one of the critical factors why most people dropped the series for specific reasons. She massively grows in the audience as the story progresses. Kyoto Animation also introduces more intricacies of her characters. However, her appearance only seems to have happened because Kanna was too young for her original character, a dragon who never really lived a child's life.

The secondary characters like Shouta are all shown in the same surprising amount of time. It's incredible when considering his popularity as a character but understandable once the audience assumes that he's a kid who won't have much time for adventure. What the audience saw in these characters was great. Elma also gets a lot of development with Tooru as their backstory is revealed. The dynamics shared between the two became one of the twists for the second season. Overall, the season of the series got it right by most of the characters and was a bright spot from start to finish.

If not the best, Kyoto Animation is one of the best anime studios ever; even if most people are ready to give them a break after the tragedy, they are swinging back with the series. Almost better than the previous studies have done when it comes to every frame of the second season, which is crafted in meticulous detail. Being a statement that resonates throughout the narrative, the episode, in particular, deserves a lot of credit as the studio worked hard to animate it and make it the masterpiece of their comeback. The studios outdid themselves with that one. Despite not being as consistent as the first season, the second season of Dragon Maid has better highs. Overall, it's just as good as the first series.