We Never Learn: BOKUBEN Season 2

Bokuben season 2 succeeds in building upon the foundations laid by season 1 very well. To save you time, if you liked Bokuben from the start, you will love season 2. If you didn't, you probably won't like this either. Bokuben is really simple in its premise and doesn't try to be something that it's not. It is a Harem Rom-Com. It's not trying to be really profound or thought provoking, it's meant to be an Otaku self escapism mechanism. Simple. However, that doesn't mean there's no story to be found here, and that's where in my opinion, season 2 makes significant improvements over the firstseason. Season 1 of Bokuben was more of a flavour of the week type of excursion with Nairyuki being shipped with one of the girls each week with little in the way of actual overarching plot development or advancement. Season 2 improves on that with a very clear and obvious advancement of the plot each week. Each episode does build upon something and lead into the others. In fact, we get a character arc for each of the girls this season that really ads some much needed development for a few like Senpai and Takemoto. Other more established ships like Fumino and Sensei get their screen time as well, but it's with clear purpose. To give an example, there's a Fumino arc which really gives you important background information about her and her family and in my opinion, serves as the highlight of the season. Overall, Bokuben 2 is confident in what it is, doesn't try to be something it's not, builds upon the foundation we got in season 1 and is everything you've come to love or not love from the series. The characters are cute, funny, silly, nervous and most importantly, they can't learn. Bokuben season 2 gets a 10/10 from me.

We Never Learn: BokuBen is undoubtedly one of the trashiest school rom-com harem shows of recent years, but love it or hate it, it's unexpectedly become one of the best shows that we've come to know of this year, having 2 full seasons within the span of 9 months, and knowing the author Taishi Tsutsui, his hard work have definitely paid off knowing that people are always in for the usual clickbait tropes and cliches that the harem genre is all but infamously known for, so much that even series like Negi Haruba's Gotoubun no Hanayome (which aired earlier in Winter and Season 2 nextWinter) are endeared in the highest regard (the anime adaptations are OK, but the respective mangas still are infinitely better). If you're a fan of the typical high school rom-com genre, this should come as no surprise that the "Waifu Wars" that pretty much expanded in recent years is becoming a trend, and in the world of BokuBen, this hasn't changed with the titular MC Yuiga Nariyuki, and his ways of tutelage of the "best girl" race of Season 1, between the shy classmate Rizu Ogata, the school idol Fumino Furuhashi, and the childhood friend Uruka Takemoto. BUT NOW with Season 2, even the clumsy teacher Mafuyu Kirisu and the teasing Senpai Asumi Kominami wants in too, because "Why not add unsuspecting characters that could potentially be "Best Girls" in the running aside from all those clichés and tropes from earlier"! If you haven't watched Season 1, SHAME ON YOU, go watch that first and truly experience the wholesome "trash" that is the MC tutor being affectionately unconsciously "flirting" on every girl, so that they'd have a running for his "indirect kiss" first and foremost. Now with Season 2, the stakes get higher as the trio of girls and Nariyuki are dead set on making their place in university, something that from the foreshadow of Season 1, Ogata, Fumino and Uruka still has a ways to go if they wanna achieve progress to university in their own right (oh, and claim the title of "waifu material" status too)! Along with Kirisu-sensei and the senior that is Kominami, they're sure NOT making Yuiga's life any better, for good or for worse, but rather getting him constantly into hot water "thinking of ecchi" moments. I mean, come on, we're already being "degenerate" weebs for watching this anime before in the first place, and holy cow, Season 2 ups the ante by a long shot, coming into question the gradual character development of why the trio of girls want to achieve what they wanna be at the beginning of Season 1 (and the manga), not to mention the calling of their lives once university sets in the harsh truth (and the most possible situation, being separate from Nariyuki). This "red thread of fate" of the group of 5 Waifus and 1 pure, naïve of a boy won't last forever...but Yuiga being Yuiga, his role is like the Buddhist saying: "In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.” It's truly a godsend message down from Heaven how Nariyuki shapes everyone's lives without knowing his impact of simple help and kindness that extends the range of his heartfelt desires to push people further and accomplish the best of them. How can you not afford to love the hell out of this MC? While nothing has changed in terms of visuals and animation, Silver and Arvo Animation did use Season 2 to improve and refine the mistakes of Season 1, which are always a welcome when it's literally the same artstyles and good fluid animation spliced in comedic gag moments which still manages to pace its timings well. The biggest change would always come from the musical side of things with the entirely new OST. While Season 1's OST is helmed by the female lead VAs, the same here can be said for the OP which is still quality, except Halca's ED, which is quite decent and OK (though honestly I'd love to listen to another ED by them as well). My only minor gripe with Season 2 is that with Season 1's pacing of the first 40 chapters (which are a great introduction), the latter season just went haywire on its own with choosing which chapters and mini arcs to adapt this time. To someone who is tracking both the anime and manga at the same time, it nerves me to say that while the episodic theme is pretty much what the anime adaptation is gunning for, and the mini arcs are quite the welcome when it comes to people wanting to know what materials are adapted (coz it's a genuine thing now). To end this series on a high note, this quote sums it all well from Henry David Thoreau: "If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment." And that's what I can say about We Never Learn: BokuBen as a whole: It's a mindless, trashy, all-knowing harem, but with never-ending delicacies on the wayside that you cannot afford to ignore that's all good. Recommendation: watch both seasons and have yourself a very good time.

Wow, least than 3 months of the release of the first season, here we go again. And I’m going to be honest, I really liked the first season, I thought that the development of the story and the genre was great, the characters were funny and entertaining, the ridiculous scenes did not felt forced or annoying they felt fresh and comic, but the best part is my opinion were the production and the animation. And those are elements that I never touched when I watched and reviewed an anime. But in this case they connect perfectly with the funny and romantic moments. Also, even I wasnot a fan of the opening, the background music in every single episode was perfect, because fit in the comic animation and the ridiculous situations so well. The voices were great too, the seiyus add more personality to every character. So yeah I really liked the first season, so going into this new season I was expecting the next phase of the anime, maybe maturity in the characters, a little change in the premise, or at least more funny and memorable moments. And what does this new season leave us? In general, I really enjoy this season too, for almost all the reasons I liked the first season, especially the first part of the anime (episode 1 to 5), in a moment I thought that I was watching some extra material of the first season, but then present us the maturity of some characters taking their future seriously and the last leg is when they make what they want it to do. It’s a good body of work and they presented different emotions through the anime, many of them meet their goal, but other ones, not really; I’m going to explain why thought his review, but let’s start with: Story: The introduction in the first episode reflects that the order of the things remains completely the same: A poor guy of high school who needs to teach three girls of his same high school the subjects they need to study to go to the college and achieve their goal. And they show us a little summary of how the girls improved in the subjects that they found difficult; and after that the story continues without further interruption. Development of the story: I really liked the little and quick summary of the main theme of the anime, because they weren’t redundant and boring explaining every single detail of the first season. And after that, they show through this first leg of the anime the same qualities of the first season: The ridiculous but funny situations, the charismatic and entertaining characters, the exaggerated but hilarious reactions and animations of every comic or romantic moments and the humorous background music of the situations, and that’s why I thought for a moment that his season would be the rest of the first season; like I if I was watching the episode 14 to 26, but I wasn’t upset or disappointed about it. All the elements that I already mentioned were enough to had a funny or good moment in the anime. Some scenes were so ridiculous and funny that I couldn't stop seeing them and laughing about it, at least they were completing their goal of entertaining. But in the middle (episode 6) the things start to get serious because we found that the characters start to took serious their future. This part of the anime is really interesting because we found the difficult decisions that the characters need to do to realize their dreams and what they want to do with their life (Specially in Nariyuki). I found the story of Fumino and her relationship with her father the best moment in the anime, the drama is good well done, the performances feel real and hard and the romantic and comic touches complement very well. But unfortunately, we found some boring and uninteresting moments, and this is because the redundancy of some of the goals or romantic moments of the girls (Ogata and Uruka) and the uninteresting parts of the development of their future, particularly in Uruka. And the last leg of this, is kind of cliché and predictable, but at least is funny how all the things are randomly ejected. But I was really surprised at the finale of the anime, it was little hurried and confusing like why they made it look like it was the final goodbye I don’t know. Maybe they are planning something more about the anime, but who knows. I’m not going to deny that watched the grown versions of the characters were great. In general, although some forgettable things and boring moments, the development is enjoyable and funny enough to have a good time laughing at some of the ridiculous things presented or the comic reactions and performances of every character. Characters: They were okay, I don’t have many complaints about them, maybe a few. Almost the same qualities and personality that they presented in the first season it’s showed in this season too. Nariyuki Yuiga, the main role, is one of the best in my opinion. As always, is the guy who has the typical misunderstandings with the girls, but almost all of them are so dumb that are entertaining, for example in the first episode. But I really liked how the story focuses on him and his future, how he has a difficult time finding what he wants to do. Also it remains his worrying of the future of the girls, but also how he helps to solve their life problems. His maturity is the best part of him in this season, his role is nice and complete, but is not the best of all. In my opinion Fumino Furuhashi is the best character. Not only she remains her comic, funny, lovely and cute personality, but we see more in depth in her childhood, how hard is the relationship with her father, and how her decision of study Astronomy complicate the things more. Her comic reactions in my opinion are the best, because how exaggeratedly laughable are, is the reason why the episode 5 is one of the best. Her relationship with Yuiga is cute and funny, their moments together are the best romantic moments of all the season. So yeah, Fumino is not only the best of the three girls, in my opinion is the best of the entire season. Ogata Rizu has her funny moments too, and sincerely, is the most mature character of all, how she transforms of a serious, angry and graciously expressionless to a funnier, cute, lovely, and especially expressive girl. In the episodes 1, 4 and 5 it looks clearer this. But not all her moments are like this, because what slow Rizu for been one of the best is that her dramatic moments are fulfilled of the redundancy of what she wants to study, also it feels a little boring and predictable, the best example of this in the episode 7. But at least I can say she is not that boring as Uruka Takemoto, which is in my opinion, the least interesting character. She remains her energetic, cute and shy personality, and through the anime has her funny moments (especially in the episode 5), but her romantic moments with Yuiga are forgettable, predictable and a little lackluster, the moments where they talked about her future feel boring and easy to ignore and sometimes her attitude feels overreacted. So yeah, I wasn’t a fan of her in this season. I really enjoyed the participation of Sawako Sekijo, the moments where she is in the spotlight feels fresh and interesting, I liked how her relationship with Ogata has grown a little bit and the moments where she wants to connect Rizu and Yuiga are funny and well done, also her story is nice too; I really liked his secondary role. With the sensei Mafuyu Kirisu, when she helps and advice Yuiga of his future and she mentions his qualities, I loved that, because she plays perfectly the role of what she is: a teacher. But the rest of her moments they felt a little repetitive and uninteresting, especially the comic moments; I enjoyed more his role in the first season than this. I don’t have complaints about Asumi, she acts normally like in the first season, and it’s funny and hilarious when she has the spotlight in the series. And I don’t have much to say about the rest, they just feel normal: The Furuhashi friends that wants to Fumino and Yuiga had romance moments, the Uruka friends that push Uruka to have moments with Nariyuki and the Nariyuki’s sister, Mizuki: She has her funny moments, I don’t have any complaint about her. Development of the genre: As the first season, the comedy moments complement very well with the situations that are presented, and yeah, maybe some of these moments are cliché but the way that the animation and production works in them, just fits perfectly. Many of the romantic moments feels cute and entertaining, as I said before the moments where Fumino and Nariyuki are together are the best, but in general at least they tried to maintain the same vibes of the first season. The drama moments are great too, how they associate with the future or goals of the characters, even if sometimes feels a little boring but I’ll take it. The ecchi moments, like the first season, feel fresh, comical and laughable. The development here convinces in general. Music: I wasn’t a fan of the opening of the first season, but now with this new opening, this is probably one of the best openings I heard this year: The funny, happy and sunny instrumentation is perfect, the chorus is addictively good, every vocalist of the group Study is great and the moments where they sing together are amazing under this sweet melody. I loved this. I like the ending too, it has a more comical vibe, but the instrumentation and that funny chorus complement well. But been honest I prefer the ending of the first season. But the background music, as the first season, is amazing, complements very well with every situation presented, there are sweet and sunny melodies in the romantic moments and there are funny and laughable melodies in the comedy moments. I really liked the music in this season, maybe one of the strongest points in the series. And I don’t want to go without give it a shout to the amazing animation, production and the seiyuus of this season, especially when they use little heads most of the time in the comedy moments and when the expressions are exuberantly hilarious as the anime goes. And the voices fit perfect with the attitude of every character, when they shout (especially Nariyuki) or talk in a funny tone are just wonderful. Overall: Despite the moments where the situations feel repetitive and some attitudes of the characters feel a little boring, in general, Bokutachi II is a funny, fresh and entertaining follow-up of the first season and where the animation, production, music and the seiyuus stole the show. And we can’t forget about the good performances of the characters, at least every one had one funny and memorable moment that I’m going to remember maybe for the rest of my life. I’m sure that this wasn’t the final of the anime, they just can’t finish this good piece of work in this way; and apparently an OVA is on the way, so we just need to wait what this anime offer us in the future. I give this an 8 out of 10. I have high hopes for this anime, for me this season was another win and I just hope the better for this story and their characters in a closer upcoming.