Having spent Christmas camping with her new friends, Rin Shima embarks on a solo-camping trip to see
the New Year sunrise by the sea. All goes according to plan until unforeseen weather blocks the roads
back home, making a return trip impossible. Rin, who is now stranded for a few days, is invited by
Nadeshiko Kagamihara to stay at her grandmother's house.
What is supposed to be a two-day trip becomes an extended period of sightseeing and new experiences
for Rin, and she encounters some new and old faces along the way.
(Source: MAL Rewrite)
I love watching anime. I have a deep passion for watching, discussing and critiquing anime. Nuancing my opinions, sharing love for shows and discovering new experiences is what keeps me continuing to watch anime. It is a passion that is hard to really express to people who don’t watch anime, but I sure try to share that deep-rooted passion with others who are willing to listen. I can see this sort of passion in Yuru Camp. Yuru Camp is a show that means a lot to me. Back in 2018 Yuru Camp was one of the first anime that I watched and I loved every second of it. I listened to the soundtrack on repeat, I tried to let my friends watch it, you could almost say I was obsessed with it. But as the years went by and I watched more and more anime, I started to forget that love that I had for YuruCamp. Now that Yuru Camp season 2 is done, I did not only relive that feeling of love for the anime that I forgot for a time, but also have that love amplified by a thousand. I fucking love Yuru Camp, and there are so many reasons why. Firstly, the anime is just genuinely great. It is Iyashikei at its best. With a simple premise as “Girls go camping”, the anime really gets a lot out of it. It not only shows multiple ways how to camp, but also shows the dangers that come with it and the extra work you have to do for certain trips. The creators of these anime definitely know what camping takes and you see that back in the anime. The characters are great too. Rin and Nadeshiko are the definite highlights of the cast. Both have amazing designs and personalities that work well off each other. Rin, the cold but sweet camping fanatic, interacting with Nadeshiko, a bowl of marshmallows and hot chocolate, are some of the best moments of the show. The rest of the character cast is not as strong but still really enjoyable. Aoi is a nice onee-san type that loves to tease others. Ena might not have much as a personality but she compliments Rin well and her dog is adorable. Chiaki is probably the weakest character with how she is often a comedic relief and her comedy tends to have lots of hits & misses, but she still has some great moments. The rest of the characters are mostly made up of chill adults. What makes this character cast work so well is that these friendships feel real. They joke with each other, but also look out for each other and help each other when needed too. They don’t suddenly fall in love, they don’t have exaggerated manners, they don’t go through significant emotional arcs, they are all friends/family that bond over love for camping. What really sells this anime for me and loads of other people are the production values. The art of this anime is gorgeous. The animation may not be impressive, but the character designs are great and the backgrounds are jaw dropping. Some of the composition also enhances the experience a ton. One of the best things about this anime is the OST. This OST makes me melt into my chair of comfort. It is quiet and meaningful when it needs to, jolly and upbeat when the scene is funny and during down times the relaxing sounds of string instruments make you feel at ease. Even if you decide to not watch the anime after reading this review, please just listen to the OST on Youtube. It is amazing. Those aspects are already great, but after watching all 25 episodes of this anime, I finally realised why this anime means a lot to me: the way it conveys its passion for camping. I am not a camper and the times I have camped have all been a mixed experience, but I can still feel what joys camping can bring in this anime. Without any lazy running gags, without any distracting drama, without any sort of moe yuri-bait, this anime shows that camping is about enjoying the quiet beautiful nature. Reading a book while eating self-made dinner in the cold is a healing experience that is hard to get anywhere else, but camping isn’t just solo. You can share this experience with multiple people. With that, even if you screw up, you screw up together and fix things together. Watching the sunset go down or staring at the night sky full of stars becomes an experience you can share with the ones you camp, an unique experience you then only have with those ones. I mentioned that I have a deep-rooted passion for watching anime, but it is a hard passion to really share with others. While not really that equivalent, camping is also not a hobby that is easy for people to really get, but this anime knows how to let people get what camping is all about by combining all these amazing elements I mentioned previously in a passion-filled 24 minutes 25 episodes total. Watching people that I love doing things that they love in a fashion that doesn’t challenge me and just wants me to have a good time is an amazing healing experience. This experience especially hits hard after going through an exhausting 2020 which brought me enormous distress and loss of motivation, so the comfort of an anime about people doing what they love brought genuine tears to my eyes with the first episode of season 2. Also, regarding how season 2 compares to season 1, from my perspective, I think it improves enough on things to make it a great second season. With how in season 1 introduced the characters and the setting, this second season now puts its focus on the girls going camping instead of learning and preparing for it. You also see some genuine progression in the series: In season 1 most of the girls were really amateur and had to discover a lot of things, and now in season 2 they already are more experienced and you see that by seeing them enjoy camping more instead of having to deal with the difficulties of it (but don’t worry, there is still a good amount of problem solving in season 2). It is also nice to see the relationships between characters thicken: They get more comfortable with each other and can comment more on each other's personalities. I fucking love Yuru Camp. It is an anime that I can recommend with all my soul, especially after how heavy 2020 was. So yeah, watch Yuru Camp you dingus.
Yuru Camp Season 2 isn't just a good successor of what the first season was, it's better in every possible way. Although the Yuru Camp Season 1 is what I would call the perfect representation of what Cute Girls Doing Cute Things animes should be, this season breaks every standard the previous season established. Let's start talking about the most important aspect of it. Yuru Camp's characters are perfect, flawless representation of what a good group of friends would look like, being none of them just an stereotype of each character a common CGDCT would have. Nadeshiko, being the center of the group and acting as the main girl of the anime isn't your usual airhead that leads every CGDCT group, she shows signs of being responsible and a capable person who just ends up loving camping. Rin is the other main girl, who instead of just being a counterpart of Nadeshiko, being the one of the group that likes being alone is my personal favourite. She isn't a Tsundere that instantly refuses to every invitation from Nadeshiko, Rin just have a lot of fun camping alone. A lot of time in the anime is spent showing Rin travelling alone across Japan, which is by itself enough to gain a 10/10 from me. We have the other girls in the group: Aoi, Ena, and Chiaki. All of them have their traits that makes them different from everyone in their group, one thing I liked a lot is that they gave them a solo camping arc so they could shine and not be eclipsed by Nadeshiko and Rin. The jokes made in every episode were always funny and refreshing, without any recurrent joke that ended up being annoying by how many times it was repeated. Each episode had new jokes and funny situations to laugh at. The girls' synergy is just amazing, being both grupal campings the best of each season. Another important thing is that the jokes came from every member of the group, so all the comedic pressure wasn't in just one character, needing the latter to be in every scene so there isn't any boring parts. The plot is simple and doesn't have any mind blowing plot twist. It's just them camping, gaining money to go camping, preparing to go camping, and more camping. Yuru Camp achieves in making every trip unique, being all of them different in some way to the other. What I love from it is that it gives time to all relevant characters such as Nadeshiko's sister or Rin's grandpa. Although, I do think Toba-sensei deserved more screen time, as she deserved a trip centered around her. Now we can move to one of the other selling points of the anime. Its production. Yuru Camp's animation isn't the best thing of the world and won't be the next Kimetsu no Yaiba, but its characters designs are amazing and more importantly, its landscapes are astonishing, showcasing the beauty of Japan's nature. Every single place they visit is awesome, asking for you to come visit Japan and go through every location they went. Now we have the OST, which is by far, my personal favorite of every other anime. The music is perfect for every moment, being the instruments used in every song fitting to the general atmosphere of the anime. Both opening and ending were solid and at the same level of the first two. I used to think Seize the Day was far worse than Shiny Days, but the more I heard it, the more I loved it, to the point where I consider it as one of my favourite openings ever. I usually have difficulties explaining my thoughts of an anime but I really wanted to make a review about Yuru Camp, as I haven't enjoyed watching an anime every week as much as I did with this one. In general I believe Yuru Camp S2 is the most perfect CGDCT I have ever seen and set the standard really high for future animes of the genre. Every element of it is perfect and well executed, having literally 0 things I could complain about besides having only 13 chapters. TLDR: THIS SHIT IS FLAWLESS, THE PEAK OF CGDCT ANIMES.
The art of creating a ‘comforting’ anime is one that seems easy. Just have ‘cute girls’ doing ‘cute things’, and voila, you have an anime. Seems easy, doesn’t it? It might seem easy compared to other anime, but the art of making a Cute Girls Doing Cute Things (CGDCT) anime that has staying power is much more difficult. Even if YOU liked it, how many CGDCT anime that you’ve seen been forgotten to time. That CGDCT anime that you liked when it aired eight years ago is now only known for a blackface scene. Another one you watched five years ago hasn’t been mentioned on your timeline in three years. You get my point. In a niche genre that’s easy to emulate, average CGDCT anime are a dime-a-dozen. It’s rare though that you get one that’s good enough to be remembered for not just being a ‘good CGDCT anime’, but a ‘good anime’ in general. This season of _Yuru Camp_, like its predecessor, manages to achieve this. img1000(https://i.imgur.com/jH8kVwI.png) ~~~_Flashback of Rin on her first time solo-camping_~~~ This season changes little from season one, which is good since there’s no need to overcomplicate an anime like _Yuru Camp_. We do get to meet new characters, like Ayano, who’s Nadeshiko’s childhood friend, and we get to see more of reoccurring characters, like Rin’s cool grandfather. Other than the episodes purely focused on camping trips, we get to see a flashback to Rin’s first-time solo-camping, the girls working at their part-time jobs throughout winter, and them all planning future trips. This season shows them at school less, and them on camping trips more (one camping trip in particular takes up four episodes). While the first season focused on them camping in the Yamanashi prefecture, this season has them exploring the coast, and other ‘geosites’ of the Shizuoka prefecture. These prefectures are near the middle of Japan, and aren’t usually featured in anime. Various people (usually on image-boards) have tongue-in-cheek criticized _Yuru Camp_ for being ‘propaganda by the Japanese tourism industry’. All I can say is that it’s pretty damn good propaganda then. While nature shots can end up looking the same (by nature of it being nature), _Yuru Camp_ does a great job of differentiating every spot and giving it a reason for being shown. These spots are the same in real life, which leads to having the anime tell why THIS place, in particular, is so important that the girls have to visit it. Along with them visiting geosites, the girls also go to various restaurants, onsens, campsites, and even a capybara sanctuary. As I said earlier, _Yuru Camp_ is a pretty good advertisement for this part of Japan, which is rarely seen in anime. img1000(https://i.imgur.com/DJfZDKj.png) ~~~_Nadeshiko spreading Secret Society Blanket propaganda_~~~ Is there anything better about this season? Not in particular. We do get to see some exciting arcs, such as Nadeshiko planning out and going on a solo-camp, and some of the other girls camping in sub-freezing weather. This season adds little new to the table, but at the same time detracts little as well. My biggest complaint is about how jarring some of the scenes of Rin riding her moped are. I forget if they did this in the first season as well, but her moped contrasts heavily with the beautiful landscapes, and are laughable to see. I get why they decided to go with 3D animation instead of drawing each frame, but still, it doesn’t look good. That’s the most of my complaints—about all of the other complaints I’ve seen have been on image-boards. Complaints about the decline in the quality of the animation and whatever. Although a Google Maps watermark [being left in a landscape shot](https://i.imgur.com/OvDV9GB.jpg) is hilarious, it doesn’t detract that much from the anime. I have a feeling that nine out of ten of the complainers from said image-boards are just trying to rile up _Yuru Camp_ fans. Needless to say, there’s no fatal flaw to _Yuru Camp_. I don’t care, and I’m guessing most watchers don’t care, if the studio uses techniques to turn Google Maps photospheres into anime landscapes. It’s funny to see a watermark that was accidentally left in, but it isn’t episode-ruining. img1000(https://i.imgur.com/blqg9jv.png) ~~~_The girls crossing a tombolo in Izu_~~~ If you’re someone who watched and enjoyed the first season of _Yuru Camp_, and haven’t watched this season yet, you should watch it as soon as possible. If you haven’t watched the first season yet, watch it before watching this. C-Station (the studio) knows what they’re doing. _Yuru Camp_ is a ‘healing anime’, or an anime that is relaxing to watch. While not all scenarios this season are relaxing to see, _Yuru Camp_ still maintains to be a ‘brain massager’, as one of my friends calls the show. To put it simply, _Yuru Camp_ just ‘gets it’. There’s no need to force unnecessary drama between the characters. There’s no need to show fanservice of the girls for the sake of sales. There’s no need to make what’s ultimately a simple anime complex for the sake of complexity. The only reason why anyone would become upset watching an episode is that it might cost thousands of dollars for them to camp at the same places the girls do. _Yuru Camp_ might not be the most thought-provoking anime, but it still has the opportunity to change your life. There’re probably thousands of people who watched _Yuru Camp_ that decided to camp at least once due to the anime. _Yuru Camp_ hasn’t convinced me to go camping, but it has inspired me to do a day trip to state parks with friends. Other than the beautiful waterfalls, the delicious ice cream at a gift shop near the state park, and the exhausting walk down and up the trail, I learned several things about [Tallulah Gorge State Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallulah_Gorge_State_Park)—like how several scenes from the classic movie _Deliverance_ (often considered one of the best thriller movies ever, and could be considered the antithetical to _Yuru Camp_) were filmed there. If you’re American, there’s more than likely at least one state or national park close to you that you haven’t ever been to. Visiting it with friends, family, or by yourself, can be a great way to spend a day when you don’t have anything to do. If you aren’t American, I hope you have a thing similar to the National Park Service, so you can also enjoy your countries natural beauty, preserved and protected from those whose only goal is to extract resources. Beyond the veneer of ‘cute girls doing cute things’, _Yuru Camp_ reminds us that fun can still be had outdoors. The tranquility and serenity of ‘the great outdoors’ is something that even the biggest basement dweller needs to experience once in a while. ----
__Introduction: __ Long awaited Yuru Camp has come back with a bigger dose of cute girls, beautiful views and most importantly: one of the most comfy experiences that one can get! Take a hot drink, make yourself comfortable and let your mind wander away to the campsites together with the girls, and... img(https://i.imgur.com/yIiuAgh.gif) ____ __Characters & Story:__ It's a continuation which focuses a bit less on group camping than its predecessor, but the main purpose of this season is still perfectly well constructed. As the first season took its time to introduce characters and completely acquaint us with the world of the anime, the second seasons job is the character development which was a bit lacking before. We are introduced to the childhood days of Rin and the reason she began solo camping, not forgetting about her grandfather who is responsible for this. Going further, Nadeshiko shocks us again by revealing her new, interesting quirks. The rest of characters are also getting their considerable screen time, nay, more so, we even get to meet someone’s old friend. Character development does not stop only on the backstory, interesting facts and cute parts. The girls along with their new camping trips gain in experiences, trying new things and also develop emotionally. The feeling of loneliness and satisfaction comes after a good get-together with friends in real life, as well as in this title, which makes characters more relatable. The story itself is as solid as it was in the first season. It develops all threads perfectly, without prolonging them as it also doesn’t leave any time for the viewers to get bored. Even though this title has one theme that is very specific, the author's brilliant ideas beautify every and each outgoing also making them memorable in their own way. The narrative remained the same. In the same time that we get to enjoy beautifully drawn views, the narrator comments on what happened a while ago or tells us interesting facts as well as tips about camping and generally staying in the field. img(https://i.imgur.com/oQF1qBk.jpg) ____ __Music & Graphics:__ To be honest I have to admit that I’ve had a bit of a concern about this season's music quality, but it was unnecessary. As much as I thought this masterpiece OST cannot be surpassed by season two, I got very much shocked. Tateyama Akiyuki had done more than a solid job in creating an unforgettable, chilling and nostalgic soundtrack which fits perfectly with the camping atmosphere. Graphics have not changed too much, they’re still impressing, though the color palette seems more lively than before. The backgrounds still remain as the biggest positive of this title. I can't count how many times I’ve been impressed by a masterfully drawn background of mountains and other views. Characters are cute and we can see a wide range of expressions on their faces. Not only are the graphics well done, but the attention to detail amazes me even more. It doesn't matter if you look at less important buildings or tasty food which immediately makes you hungry, the diminishing of quality doesn’t exist. Overall I can't imagine any single thing that perform better in these areas, but nonetheless it does surpass itself. img(https://i.imgur.com/OiV2sW7.png) youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNNwudhgvEY) youtube(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P21JsPIM12A) ____ __Summary:__ This season is a continuation without a single flaw. Everything is just at the same level of quality or even betters the previous season. The anime develops the story greatly and gives off a feeling that this is not only just a camping anime. If you still haven't seen the first season, please do yourself a favor and watch it as soon as possible. Yuru Camp is something that can't be ignored, especially for Slice of Life/Iyashikei fans. img(https://i.imgur.com/NphVi4m.png) ____ Written by: @Scr33n Revised by: @Junkm4n
Yuru Camp or Laid-Back Camp is a show that offers much more than girls camping. Yuru camp delivers on all of the goals it sets & then some to form one of the most relaxing, comforting, & beautiful anime ever. __Animation:__ The animation is incredible. I specifically remember a scene of a girl named, Ayano Toki, talking with her hand holding her jaw, & instead of just drawing her mouth moving when she spoke, the animator(s) actually drew her whole face bobbing up and down along with her speech due to her hand holding her jaw in place. The animators did not have to add such details for the scene to work, but they did & it's great to look at. There are many full-body animations of the characters, usually walking around the camp grounds. __Style:__ Speaking of which, the backgrounds of when they go outside are drawn with extreme attention to detail. Many times I would pause & rewind to more closely examine the intricate details of the scene. Yuru Camp is set during a cold Winter & the lighting reflects that like no other anime series I have seen before. You can tell the season is Winter just by inspecting the lighting/colour choice on the faces of the characters. Furthermore, Yuru Camp has lots of style in it's general presentation. Never do the gags or small segments feel out of place. They all work together to form the most relaxing & comforting environment possible, Yuru Camp delivers. The characters' designs are perfectly modest & appropriate for the subject of this show. They dress like normal girls, albeit maybe slightly more stylish than average girls (i.e. Aoi Inuyama). There is nothing that the girls wear that is odd or flashy or out of place. Keep in mind the cold setting. __Characters:__ All of them are likeable, all. I cannot think of a __single __character in this series I dislike. Yuru Camp sets out to make this show feel like hanging out with your friends & it delivers __every single episode__. __Sound:__ OP & ED suit the anime very well. However, the little melody thrown in at the very end of each episode at the end title card adds the optimal amount of comfort at the end of each episode. The OST overall achieves the comforting environment with splendour. __Narrative:__ The overarching story is fine, it satisfies as much as it needs to. The girls like to hang out & camp, that's pretty much it. The subject matter of the show is understood & it never tries to be more than what it is. __Overall:__ This is one the very few anime I have re-watched. This is mostly due to the animation & style, there's so much to miss especially when looking down to read the subtitles. I know personally this show really helps me out when I am feeling down. Absolutely unforgettable. If you like slice of life, camping, cute girls, iyashkei, or amazing animation I think you will like Yuru Camp. *In the OP the pictures on Shima Rin's phone change each episode based on the events of the previous episode. I watch the OP every episode, but I didn't notice the first two times I watched it until someone pointed it out to me. Dear Reader, don't miss out.*
~~~img220(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qgh8QxXmHRg/YGPam4ojBTI/AAAAAAAAKL4/qcN8dd0k3socxM-kFzFtwad4aL5fw8nlwCPcBGAsYHg/s16000/dbf.png)~~~ Para aquellos y aquellas que no hayan visto la obra previamente, el concepto es simple: la historia nos pone tras los pasos de Nadeshiko, una chica bastante alegre y activa que, tras mudarse a una nueva casa y salir de paseo, queda desprotegida de la noche y recibe la ayuda de Rin, una campista de la misma edad quien se encontraba acampando cerca del lugar. Y es gracias a este evento que la buena de Nadeshiko comenzará a tener el deseo de ir a acampar y que mejor que hacerlo acompañada ¿cierto? Y para ello se unirá a Chiaki y Aoi, las integrantes del club de actividades al aire libre de la escuela; y a ellas se sumarán la propia Rin y su compañera de clases Ena, conformando así un grupo de amigas que vivirán todo tipo de situaciones y recuerdos durante los campamentos que hagan. ~~~__La experiencia de acampar...__~~~ Es así como en esta nueva temporada siguen las aventuras del grupo de chicas, manteniendo el eje centrado en sus viajes a acampar aunque agregando mucha más variedad de momentos alrededor de esto. Y es que si durante la primera temporada nos encandilaron fue gracias a los pequeños momentos y detalles que la serie ofrecía alrededor de la experiencia de acampar en sí, siendo que nos daban consejos, algunos datos interesantes y una que otra secuencia de muestra. Bueno pues afortunadamente eso sigue intacto y ahora han agregado elementos previos: ya no solo se trata de ir y acampar, ahora cada chica muestra cómo se prepara y lo que implica el ir de campamento: el trabajar para conseguir dinero, el ir de compras o adquirir equipo especial, el comenzar a experimentar a través de los distintos viajes y el ir descubriendo que lugares o tips son útiles; cosas que en la primer temporada quedaban un poco relegadas ante la propia inexperiencia de las protagonistas. Y esto no hace sino enriquecer la serie y hacer que se vuelva algo todavía más cercano y orgánico pues prácticamente todos hemos hecho lo mismo para acampar aunque sea una vez. ~~~img220(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzL0n7KSQ5o/YGTNWp0sn1I/AAAAAAAAKP0/Cx_QcNRW6YY-58tt7MaAZkt9Z-_3A4yZACPcBGAsYHg/w320-h179/Et_L2UgWQAEHhnv.jpg)~~~ Pero eso no es todo y esta temporada también sube el grado de comedia, manteniendo momentos y tiempos para cada personaje, dotándolas además de un perfil más definido, lo cual ayuda a entender el papel de cada una tanto a nivel individual como de grupo. ~~~__Life is Wonder!__~~~ Y precisamente en este aspecto, el de la convivencia, es que se enfoca el mensaje (no tan) oculto de Yuru Camp: Vive el momento. Tan simple como puede parecer, esto es lo que se nos plantea a través de distintos caminos, pues ahora cada una de las chicas toma la idea de acampar y la lleva a un terreno particular, siendo que Nadeshiko por ejemplo, comienza a probar el acampar sola al igual que Rin, o que Ena da un paso adelante y se entusiasma más con la idea de hacerlo en grupo. Incluso Aoi junto a Chiaki y la propia Ena tienen el espacio para irse de acampada ellas solas y así probar otra perspectiva de la convivencia. Y eso podrá parecer sin sentido, pero como en la vida, de esa forma ellas aprenden cosas que quizá todas juntas no hubieran aprendido, disfrutan de la soledad, asimilan la experiencia y, como dice Nadeshiko, entienden porque las demás hacen lo que hacen. Experiencias y aprendizajes que al final se ven reforzados y potencian el segmento final cuando acampan todas juntas y se dan cuenta lo mucho que han cambiado y que, como escuchamos nada más empezar el OP: La vida es maravillosa... ~~~img220(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZazliWf9Rk/YGPYzdUS1-I/AAAAAAAAKLk/DI0CgwrYCFwz93aPCvEj9uqSc_KoEnXKwCPcBGAsYHg/w280-h400/Dise%25C3%25B1o%2Bsin%2Bt%25C3%25ADtulo%2B%252812%2529.gif)~~~ Pese a todo, estoy seguro de que podrá haber gente a quien no le guste la serie debido a su ritmo, a la "poca" acción que propone y a lo simplón de sus personajes. Bueno, déjenme decirles que Yuru Camp jamás se propone ser más que un divertido Slice of Life así que mejor acéptenlo tal cual es y disfruten por favor. Si lo que buscan es acción, esta no es su serie pero si lo que buscan es relajarse, Yuru Camp será una grata sorpresa para ustedes. Pasando a otra cosa, es necesario decir que la serie también brilla a nivel visual. Teniendo un trabajo cortesía de Mutsume Sasaki en el diseño de personajes, estamos ante el mismo estilo de la temporada 1, añadiendo eso sí, más variedad a las expresiones de cada personaje, pasando desde el perfil normal hasta caras "chubby", ojos saltones, caras de espanto y expresiones de sorpresa a diestra y siniestra lo cual no hace sino potenciar la comedia de cada secuencia. Especial mención a los momentos de Nadeshiko y de Rin pues siendo las "principales" han tenido la atención necesaria para sorprender y transmitir todo tipo de emociones. Lo mejor sin embargo, viene al hablar del trabajo de fondos que ha hecho el staff, y es que cada escena, cada paisaje que nos muestran está perfectamente recreado al detalle, pareciendo por momentos fotografías de los lugares reales: Templos, ríos, montes y sobre todo lagos, todos bellamente tratados a través del juego de luces y la brillante paleta de colores, tanto para las secuencias de día como para las nocturnas. Y aquí me gustaría destacar 2 en específico: la puesta de sol que presencia Rin en año nuevo, en el que la armonía y equilibrio de tonos es simplemente sobrecogedor y el amanecer en el campamento de Chiaki, Aoi y Ena, realmente quede atrapado por el grado de detalle al lago congelado...El CGI también funciona y es algo que considero marca de la serie, sobresaliendo los vehículos y la motoneta de Rin. ~~~img220(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QTKhhgn4H3c/YGPW_ETbuII/AAAAAAAAKLQ/8Mq_RcuYIjAC4jBXlt-3VhEMczdNLO09ACPcBGAsYHg/s1500/3%2B%25282%2529.png)~~~ En lo que respecta al apartado sonoro, esta temporada sigue los pasos de la anterior, repitiendo varios de los temas cortesía de Akiyuki Tateyama y sumándole uno que otro nuevo, todos eso sí con la característica alegría de la serie, teniendo piezas "de campamento" que se sustentan en una sorpresiva (y genial) variedad de instrumentos: pianos, flautas, algunas guitarras e incluso un banjo por aquí y por allá; muchos son los sonidos escondidos tras esa "simpleza" de tonadas que nos otorga la serie a cada secuencia, funcionando como un estupendo soporte a la atmosfera creada pero sin acaparar en ningún momento un papel mayor a la animación. Las piezas principales por otro lado también repiten parte de la esencia anterior, teniendo el OP "Seize the day" interpretado por Asaka como primera muestra de lo que está por venir, acompañado de un alegre ritmo y de un genial visual; el ED por otra parte es "Haru no Tonari" cortesía de Eri Sasaki, un tema que cierra perfecto cada episodio, evocando esa sensación de calma y añoranza que busca transmitir la serie. ___Yuru Camp S2 no solo sigue la estela de su predecesora, también impulsa a sus personajes logrando así una serie más pulida y refinada en las cosas que propone, haciendo que cada secuencia este llena de una alegría y positivismo bastante contagiosos. Con un elenco divertido como de costumbre, una dirección que permite "respirar" el ambiente que se crea y un trabajo técnico muy bueno, Yuru Camp S2 es una sencilla pero genial propuesta para pasar el rato... simplemente la dosis necesaria para el apreciar las pequeñas grandes cosas...~~~~~~~~~~~~___ >__Si te gustó esta reseña, puedes encontrar muchas más en mi blog: https://13fotogramas.blogspot.com/__
Yuru Camp is something that has genuinely touched me on a personal level. Beyond the beautiful visuals that act as actual candy for the eyes and the comforting music that makes my ears euphoric lies a sweet character-driven and episodic yet developing narrative that acts as a reminder. There's a certain category of things I've gotten kind of tired of. Heavy drama-driven shows that try to portray meaningful experiences that make us connect to the characters. Yuru Camp does this without the drama It's something that helped me relax every time I turned on an episode of Yuru Camp. img(https://files.catbox.moe/4uv0h4.png) I have genuinely never gone camping before and I barely knew anything about it. Yet, watching the experience of a few girls going out camping and each discovering their own personal connection to nature helped me reach a certain state of realization in a period of time I needed it the most. Yuru Camp's characters are life-like. Nadeshiko's bubbly optimistic nature makes every scene she appears in extremely endearing while creating a very stark contrast to Rin's more reserved, yet positive energy as a person is again complemented by the other members of the camping group. Aoi, Chiaki, and the others have bright distinct human personalities that are all equally as charming. What Yuru Camp gets right is the feeling of a trip. The small conversations that spark the idea, the following confirmation, the anxious waiting and preparation period, the day of the trip as a multitude of possibilities lay bare before you, and the slight overwhelming feeling of loneliness as you return back. img(https://files.catbox.moe/hw8bch.jpeg) The start of Yuru Camp shows Rin as an introverted person who enjoys the calming loneliness of solo camping. Nadeshiko who's the complete opposite of her in terms of nature helps her learn to appreciate the fun in a group. It's not something I haven't seen before but never have I seen this done in such a relaxing manner while making it personally connect to me. Elaborating a bit, Rin really connected to me as a character. The quiet introvert enjoys the subtle sense of lone time and appreciates it but she eventually learns to grow out of that shell and love the fun that comes along with having a genuine group of people to travel with. People you can connect to. img(https://files.catbox.moe/1urxwv.jpg) This growth starts when she met Nadeko as they slowly become a part of each other's activities. You could see Nadeko learn from Rin and appreciate the time that you get for contemplating and a subtle gentle loneliness that feels good when you go solo camping. It's this gentle character growth that makes me love Yuru Camp so much. Yuru Camp does a brilliant job at showcasing the attractiveness of forging new bonds with new people but does an even more amazing job at... appreciating the beauty of the opposite of this and at the very heart of this display is Rin. Rin enjoys the things that come with solo camping. It allows you to unwind while forgetting everything that's a source for eliciting stress in your life. In one particular scene where she was having a conversation with Nadeshiko, she states the beauty of this activity. "The things you see, the things you eat and you get to spend time contemplating at things. I think solo camping is a way to appreciate loneliness." These are simple things that we experience in our everyday life yet the calm, therapeutic nature of solo camping enhances these feelings onto a very different level. img(https://files.catbox.moe/5yfc75.png) This is something that personally resonated with me. Watching Rin appreciate the time she spends by herself as she contemplates and finds joy in the little things that we forget to appreciate in our everyday life. It made me want to seek out these very things for myself. img(https://files.catbox.moe/chghq6.jpg) Yuru Camp really wanted to make me try out camping for myself. I found myself absorbed in the beauty very world that it portrays. Yuru Camp's production is a marvel of care and you can see the amount of detail put and the time spent in producing this to the best of its capability and it shows brilliantly. Whether it be the beautiful background arts such as the roads, Mount Fuji, or the numerous other places that the characters visit in the show, they're all beautifully displayed with fitting OST that pulls you in the gentle atmosphere that it magnificently creates. The life-like. character expressions whether it be them happy when they're having fun, worry at the breaking of a simple tent or forgetting to bring an important tool, or how they contemplate when they bathe in the calming atmosphere of the nature that surrounds them which makes you really fall in love with all the characters. They all feel really human and people you could relate to and connect to. img(https://files.catbox.moe/1a9mw0.jpg) Yuru Camp helped me realize a lot of things. Life sometimes burdens you with stress that makes you forget the simple happiness we all could grasp Watching these characters bask away in the happiness and fun they have made me realize that I could and want to do these things myself. It illustrates beautifully that all you need to go past these little struggles is positive energy, people, and surroundings. A simple little time of self-reflection outside somewhere alone or a fun time with a group of positive friends could help immensely. Sure it might not fix everything and that's normal but sometimes a little bit of positive help is all we need. Yuru Camp is at its core, heartfelt warm fluff but its positivity towards nature and life, in general, is what makes it so charming. img1000(https://files.catbox.moe/2sd1m6.gif)
I started watching this series after seeing it recommended by one of my favourite anime tiktok accounts. She said it was great for healing and calming your mental health. I didn't think much of that at the time, I just thought 'Eh, okay I'll give it a go then', but after watching just one episode I was blown away. The art style is absolutely stunning and I think that alone is a huge reason for my enjoyment of the series. The picturesque scenes of the mountains and the city lights along with a plethora of other beautiful scenes created the perfect ambience in my bedroom to relax. Every night before bed I would make it a ritual to watch Yuru Camp before sleeping, since I was able to fully relax when watching the show. Yuru Camp isn't necessarily an anime that you feel like you can't stop watching, neither is it a show that is massively exciting, however it __is__ a series that will make you feel so much at once. Nostalgia, joy, awe, and laughter, I've never felt such an intense emotional connection with a show before this one. I understand that animes having plots that contain huge dilemmas and uncertainties can be essential for some viewers, but when you have anxiety, it is so __refreshing__ to watch a series where nothing is uncertain; you're simply watching a group of friends grow closer in their mutual love for camping. When it comes to what makes the show so amazing, I think that while the art style plays a massive part, the friendship and the individual characters also largely add to it. Rin and Nadeshiko's characters especially! When it come's to Rin, I believe that a lot of introverts like myself can empathise with her love for solo camping and spending time enjoying the scenery with her own company. To be able to watch as Rin slowly comes out of her shell and connects with others more while still maintaining her love for being alone is truly heart-warming. And her particular closeness with Nadeshiko is insanely adorable. Speaking of Nadeshiko, I 100% think that she is the best character in the whole show; which says alot when the comedic genius Aki exists! But Nadeshiko has so much charm to her, and not just any charm, a really unique one where she isn't just the bubbly, smiley character, but she's also one who wants to learn more about the world, wants to improve her own self and is respectful and understanding of other people's different ways of life. When she really wanted Rin to camp with her and her new friends, she didn't force her to, or pressure her in any way. She simply told her that if she wanted to do a group camp, that would always be an option. And I feel like that's such a small yet rare and beautiful gesture. In a lot of comedy animes, introverted characters are made fun of and jokes are made about them like it's no big deal, but this one treats every topic with so much care and gentleness, while still maintaining comedic aspects elsewhere. The intricate way of building character development and friendship in the series is nothing short of remarkable. There's thousands of reason's I've rated this anime a score of 100 but I'll shorten them down to one: it's a perfect series. Of course it may not be everyone's taste, and that's okay, but I would personally feel like I've done a disservice if I rated it anything less when I got more out of this anime than I have from any other. I usually find it very difficult to rate an anime or any show perfectly as I am a perfectionist through and through, however I literally cannot fault this one. The only fault I have is the fact that a season 3 isn't out yet, because I need another season asap!
__Pros:__ - Characters are better fleshed out here and more equal - Music is exceptional - Visuals are one of the best in TV anime - Makes camping fun. __Neutral:__ - Not much of a plot (Your enjoyment will hinge on how much you like the main characters. If you don't like them, you're not going to enjoy this.) - Pace change near the end __Cons:__ - The 3D parts has been improved from last season but still looks mediocre. __Long version:__ What can I say about this. It's just as good as the last season more or less. You get more camping, more Rin-Chan and the Outdoor Activities Circle + Ena-Chan. Though there are some specifics changed between seasons. This season, they placed a few more campgrounds in display at Yamanashi Prefecture and some at Shizuoka Prefecture, particularly near the end. Also there is more emphasis in the characters at the cost of the actual camping. Whether or not this is a good or bad change depends if you like the characters. For me, it didn't bother me too much. Probably improving my opinion on the show. The character development, a little nitpick I put out in the first season (particularly Toba-Sensei) is improved here. They treated the main characters here more equally. There are a few episodes where Rin-Chan and/or Nadeshiko-Chan didn't factor in the story too much. It also helps that the characters here are very funny at the right moments. There are a lot of humor here. Most if not all of them land. If you expect the camping here, you are going to be a little disappointed. If we talk story here, there's not much here. This genre isn't really the best place for plot. There are no antagonists, no problems, no struggles (well, not really) here. The closest to a problem is when ~!the Outdoor Activities Circle went to Lake Yamanashi in winter, without camping gear suited for that.!~ The plot is some camping and some character interactions except in the last 4 episodes which is somewhat of a tour of the place with very little camping. Pacing is slower there compared to the rest of the season. Thankfully, this anime did not come out as a trainwreck at the finish line. I'm looking at you Cloverworks. Like last season, the story will not be everyone's cup of tea, even with this season's changes. The visuals again, they are one of the best in the TV anime space. There are a ton of breathtaking views especially when looking into overlook views. They nailed the execution of this mostly. The only complaint here is the 3D parts. It looks to be improved but still kinda sticks out. Japan still has some catching up to do in terms of 3DCG (though I'm pretty sure there are studios that already nail that style already). Finally, the music, it's pretty awesome. Whether or not you like either seasons' OST is a matter of preference. Maybe it's because of the motif resembling the older songs (1970s-1980s) is probably why I love the OP/ED so much. This is definitely a great follow up to a great show. With more or less the same qualities you'd expect in this anime. Laid Back Camp S2 is a joy to watch. With exceptional visuals, great music, great characters and comedy, this anime is my bet for best of 2021 so far. Not everyone will rate this high to be honest. I could see it rated as low as a 7 because of the focus change. Aside from that, I hope they'd keep this quality up in the movie that is slated for 2022. I'm looking forward to that.
Following up on success can be difficult, so much so that in America we have a saying to describe it: “sophomore slump”. Whether its an athlete coming off an incredible rookie season, a band following up on a fantastic debut album, or, as the phrase alludes to, a rising sophomore in school, it’s fairly common for a second attempt to flounder a bit. Part of it may be complacency setting in, part of it may simply be that it’s hard to be successful every time, but I’ve always felt that it’s primarily optics. Nobody expects a rookie to play well or an unknown band’s debut album to blow them away, so if those things do happen that level of quality becomes the expectation for future work. This tends to happen with television shows as well. In 2018 *Yuru Camp*, an adaptation of a fairly niche manga done by C-Station, a relatively unknown studio, surprised a lot of people with its quality. The animation and original soundtrack were gorgeous, the characters were fun and had great chemistry, and the atmosphere of the show was nothing but relaxing and lovable. Because of the success of season one, expectations for many (myself included) were sky-high going into this second season, and I can confidently say that *Yuru Camp* not only avoided slumping entirely, but may even have improved from its first season. It’s impossible for sequels to avoid comparisons to what came before, which is why one important, yet challenging, aspect of them is building off of the previously laid foundations. The goal should be keeping the “core” parts that provided the original success, while at the same time making enough changes so that the material doesn’t feel repetitive. *Yuru Camp* manages to balance those two things very well. Like the first season, the story remains pretty simple, and can still be summed up as “high school girls go camping”. What’s happening around the periphery, however, and what the plots explore differ significantly. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/NFFqcqy.jpg)~~~ Season two is not simply about going camping and forming bonds – despite both still being major parts of the show – but instead is about the characters exploring and establishing what they like as individuals. That’s not to say there are no group activities, as there is still a progressive build up to the finale, which is a larger camping trip for the entire cast. We just aren’t seeing interpersonal bonds and a love of camping being established, as we’ve already seen that. What’s different is now, when Rin goes solo camping at the start of the season, she can’t help thinking about her friends and about camping in groups. She still loves the atmosphere of camping alone, but she’s also using that experience to try and figure out what exactly she enjoyed about group camping. A later on Nadeshiko, the textbook definition of a bubbly extrovert, tries solo camping, for basically the inverse reason as Rin. She knows she loves group camping, but wants to try going it alone, just to see the difference. Even Aoi, Chiaki and Ena, wanting to keep up with Rin and Nadeshiko, go on their own excursion. For them the drive to go camping was primarily about doing something fun with friends, and while they nearly freeze (because planning is hard), they also do stumble upon other reasons to love the activity. It’s honestly just refreshing to have a story that supports characters being individuals, doing different things, while at the same time still supporting their underlying friendship. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/0YoPsIO.jpg)~~~ ~~~*Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!*~~~ Generally speaking, slice of life shows live or die based off of the cast’s chemistry, which is something Yuru Camp’s cast has in spades. While the characters may be more separated physically than they were previously, the influence they have on one another is palpable, and is really what carries this season. Rin and Nadeshiko were, without a doubt, my favorite characters in the first season, and that’s still definitely the case; watching the two hang out and seeing all of the ways they’ve rubbed off on each other is just a delight. Rin is so much more emotive and willing to jump in for group activities now, and Nadeshiko has quite a few moments where she’s more subdued and quiet. But I think, more so than last season, talking about the rest of the cast is also very warranted. Aoi and Chiaki may have founded the outclub but until Nadeshiko came along they had yet to go camping, and Ena honestly just wanted to lie in bed with her dog all day. Those three deciding, as previously mentioned, to go camping on their own was a major step forward for them as individual characters, but was also a result of Rin and Nadeshiko’s love of camping rubbing off on them. Each character is trying things their friends love and thinking about one another, staying in contact constantly, sending texts and pictures to a group chat – I honestly just love it. People intrinsically know this kind of thing happens with friend groups, but despite it being such a core part of growing up we never really think about it, much less put it to words. With *Yuru Camp* we, as the audience, get to see the impact of friendships on how individuals act, and it’s something I can’t help but smile at while watching. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/h0xyUCI.jpg)~~~ ~~~*This season was really a team effort*~~~ The great characters might have gone to waste if not for the breathtaking visuals and soundtrack, however. Normally I don’t consider these aspects to be *as* important to a show’s success, but *Yuru Camp* is an exception. When dealing with a subject like camping, where a lot of the enjoyment derives from intangible factors, immersion is vital. You need to create a show that triggers memories and feelings from veteran campers, while at the same time finding a way to elicit the same feelings for people who have never been before – no easy feat. But, like the first season, that feat is accomplished here, seemingly with ease. I’m lucky enough to live in a place with a high density of government protected parks – I can basically drive an hour or two in any direction and stumble across some gorgeous area. What never changes from place to place, however, is the way light works. While that does sound… obvious, watching the sun rise from behind a mountain or reflect off a lake in the early morning is pretty much a constant when camping. C-Station nailed not only this, but so much more. Whether it’s breathtaking background art or minute aspects like how grass moves with the wind, every single element of the visuals contributes to the atmosphere of the show. When I see the girl’s wake up from their tents in the morning, I can tell right away what the temperature is like, how windy it is, and what time it is. The art manages to instantly bring up memories that I have of camping, in many ways making me feel like I’m there. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/tOezRME.jpg)~~~ ~~~*Few things are more breathtaking than waking up to this*~~~ The OST is also just superb. Asaka returns to do the opening song, this time with “Seize the Day”, and again manages to perfectly capture what it feels like to gear up and head out. Its lighthearted, fun and poppy, with great visuals behind it as well. Eri Sasaki also reprises her role doing the ending, “Haru no Tonari”. Bordering on a lullaby, this is a soft, acoustic song that sounds like the end of a long, absolutely packed day. And again, each campsite has a piece of music dedicated to it, a variation on a theme that serves to differentiate them all and make them more unique. These mini pieces help to just soothe the viewer, and honestly made me want to curl up in a sleeping bag and relax. That’s really one of the largest reasons *Yuru Camp* has atmosphere it does, in my opinion – it’s impossible to feel tension when listening to nothing but the most warm and mellow music out there. ~~~img440(https://i.imgur.com/ijh1xuc.jpg)~~~ ~~~*Nadeshiko may be sneaking out at night, but it is for a wholesome cause*~~~ *Yuru Camp* is pretty commonly just described as “Comfy: The Anime”. While that’s definitely not a bad way to describe it, it doesn’t quite tell the full picture. After all, there is a reason expectations for the second season were as high as they were. At twelve episodes the first season was the perfect length – could such a straightforward premise really support another thirteen episodes without overstaying its welcome? And if C-Station were to change some things to avoid repetition, how would they maintain the same lovable atmosphere and characters? These were the two questions at the forefront of my mind going into this season, and both needed to be addressed to avoid becoming another example of “sophomore slump”. And this season addressed both. Yes, *Yuru Camp* could support another thirteen episodes, and yes, the formula could be tweaked without losing its identity. The characters, art, OST and atmosphere all left me wanting even more, to the point where I have no reservations about calling this one of the best slice of life shows out there today.
So, let's talk about Season 2 of Laid-Back Camp. One thing that stood out to me immediately was that it was much more focused than the first season, but at the same time, there was a shift on what it emphasized on. What was scaled back were the majority of the camping basics, as these had already been explored through Nadeshiko previously. Instead, the focus was primarily on more graphically portraying and characterizing the characters and environments. Thus, this season wasn't just about camping, but also about traveling in general. In particular, the group dynamics between the individual protagonists, who were previously somewhat more separate from each other narratively, were further developed, with the Christmas camp at the end of the last season serving as the genesis for this development. However, the focus was once again on Rin and Nadeshiko, who built upon their experiences from the previous season. Let's start with Rin. Whereas last season worked towards her recognising the value of community and shared experiences like Nadeshiko, this time around the experience is seen as enriching for her without negatively connoting her old way of life. She goes on solo camping trips again, with the different sights and her reactions to them becoming more pronounced this time. But she also goes hiking with Nadeshiko and the big group again - she appreciates both forms of travelling, without one replacing the other. The same goes for Nadeshiko, who is once again passively influenced by Rin. While we saw her develop a general interest in camping as a result of Rin during the previous season, this time she is also inspired to hike alone and experience the feeling one gains from exploring peacefully and quietly. Although Nadeshiko is more of a people person, she learns to appreciate the benefits of solitude, just as Rin learns the benefits of shared activities. The way the two characters shape each other and become increasingly important to each other makes their friendship so authentic, leading to the heartwarming moment when Rin is the first to look for Nadeshiko at night because she is worried about her not checking in with her phone, and later Nadeshiko doing the same for Rin. But even the supporting characters were much more integrated into the plot this time, especially in the Izu Camp segment at the end, where everyone went on their first extended trip together. The Izu Camp arc in particular showcases the strength of the series quite well. On the one hand, the progression of the seasons, which is also reflected in the travelling destinations, makes the world dynamic and lively. On the other hand, there is also a clearer focus on Japan's natural world. Camping, as I mentioned earlier, is only partially at the centre of the narrative. Instead, the narrative focuses on the unspoilt Japanese nature and on traditional Japanese culture which is also honoured through visits of historic buildings. The entire season feels like a love letter to classical, pre-industrial Shinto Japan, where people lived in harmony with nature, and this romantic theme has been brought to life even more vividly this time around. That's why I personally like this season a bit more than the last one. Even though the characters undergo slightly less development, the series has become much more focused on its strengths without neglecting the dynamics of the characters. In fact, I would say that most of the characters are as realistic and believable as I have rarely seen them. This is especially evident in small details such as Nadeshiko asking Rin to let her know once she's home; Rin's grandpa picking her up in his car when she's stranded; Rin falling asleep exhausted after her long motorcycle ride while the other girls continue with a movie night; the girls taking on a part-time job to afford camping equipment, and many more small details that I may have overlooked. The series truly creates a cozy and warm feeling, and although it could have stuck with the romantic themes alone, remarkably, is still manages to bring in a good cast of characters. The only thing I'm currently undecided about is how they intend to continue the series. It seems that most of the developments have already been experienced, both in terms of the individual characters and their relationships with each other. We'll see how things will continue. In any case, I can absolutely recommend giving this a try, especially now during the cold season we're currently having in the North.