3D Kanojo: Real Girl 2nd Season

Please note this review is intended to be read by those that have finished watching 3D Kanojo Girl’s second season and while care has been taken to minimize story related spoilers there may still be spoilers within character analysis. You have been warned. Based off a popular manga of the same name 3D Kanojo girl which is better known by its English title Real Girl is a romantic comedy anime that gives us the opportunity to see what will happen if a high school boy who had long since been ridiculed by his fellows for being an otaku were to not just encounter but alsoend up dating a beautiful but ill-reputed girl and start a romance that neither expected to form. Though both were hesitant due to the many personal struggles that defined their past both decided to take their first steps as they gradually learned about each other and realized that their feelings for each other were genuine. It is now several weeks after the events of the first season and though Hikari and Iroha’s relationship have finally after many trials entered a stable period their time at school rapidly begins to decrease as the seasons past and they enter the final stretch of their high school life as their finals approach and lives beyond the school begins to beckon. For Hikari and Iroha too their final trial also starts to make its presence felt. The first season of 3D Kanojo girl I felt was an excellent anime that featured not just an excellent story but also a well thought out premise that made effective use of one of the most common themes within high schools and combining that with its own unique twist in the form of Hikari and Iroha’s romance. Seeing the kind of struggles that both went through during the first season really made me invest in their relationship and as such I was overjoyed to hear that a second season would be made that would continue the pair's journey. The first episode of the second season I felt did well in not just reuniting us with the main cast but also show how much they too have changed as a result of not just forging friendships together but also at seeing how close Iroha and Hikari have become as a result of the struggles that they had to get through in the first season. As Hikari and Iroha enter the last few months of the final years of high school and as finals and college entrance exams starts to make their presence felt both gradually start to realize that while their relationship has indeed started to stabilize they still have much to learn about each other and how to make their relationship a success. But even as they do Hikari and Iroha also begin to discover that their determined attempts to understand each other and their determined attempts to ignite the spark that will initiate their relationship back in the first season have also had an effect on the many friends that they have formed over the months and now they too after seeing the bravery and determination of Hikari and Iroha would also awaken a desire to make their own hidden feelings known to the ones they love. But even as love feels the air and Hikari and Iroha start to forge stronger links with each other the time limit that Iroha warned Hikari about at the start of their relationship soon starts making its presence felt. As their final trial approaches would Hikari be able to convince Iroha that the feelings that they have managed to form between them are genuine and that no matter what happens in the future he will always be there to support her when she needs it. Hikari Hikari Tsutsui portrayed by new voice actor Teppei Uenishi is one of the main characters of the series and is the main protagonist of the series. A 3rd-year student and an anime and game otaku Hikari is a quiet, cynical and blunt person by nature that while intelligent and responsible can be seen to be rather awkward around people of his age and can get nervous rather easily. Originally Hikari due to his nervous personality and the pressure that he faced from his peers was someone that can be seen to be anti-social by nature that was not only overly negative but was also one that shied away from interaction with his fellow classmates with his only friend being his fellow otaku Itou. Due to this Hikari while a kind and considerate person that was shown to be loyal to his friends was shown to have a distinct hatred of real-life relationships and real girls seemingly preferring the animated ones that he sees in anime and manga rather than the real-life counterparts. Largely due to this Hikari in the beginning can be seen to be someone that was not overly concerned about his future path in life instead being seemingly focused on taking on each day as it comes. As a result of the bonds and friendships that he had formed with his new-found friends and with his girlfriend Iroha back in the first season Hikari’s personality gradually began to change due to the many new experiences that he has experienced as a result. While still quiet to a degree Hikari in this season is shown to have become much better at communicating with others within his year group and willing to help others when given the chance. Unlike how he was in the first season Hikari was also shown to have developed a degree of responsibility as well as shown when he decided to repaint the culture festival banner that he had wrecked despite the fact that the rest of the class saying otherwise. While for the most part still largely passive Hikari was also shown to have developed a backbone of sorts being both willing to talk to others more openly and at the same time being brave enough to go to others for advice about difficult subjects that he’s dealing with rather than try and solve them by himself as he would have done in the past. In the first season largely due to his desire to remain apart from others Hikari was noted to have a rather thin grasp on how to deal with the feelings of others which often caused much misunderstandings between him and Iroha. Due to this and also due to Hikari’s desire to make the relationship that he has established with Iroha work it can be seen that in this season Hikari actively tries hard to both understand the feelings and problems that his friends are experiencing and at the same time try his best to provide the best advice that he can to them which is a far cry of how he would have acted in the past. While Hikari as already noted was shown to have developed a backbone of sorts that served well to enhance his ability to communicate with others his age it can be seen that the effects that this had on Hikari is not merely physical as mentally Hikari is also shown to have changed as well. While Hikari understands very well and accepts that in this world there are many people that are better than him whether in terms of grades or in sports rather than let these feelings of despair affect him and push him back into the shadows as it did in first season Hikari would instead work at trying to close the gap by trying to improve his own shortcomings. This aspect of not falling back into the shadows that acted as Hikari’s safety net as in the first season I felt was an excellent development of his character and a direct result of the life lessons that he had gained from the first season. Due in part to Hikari’s desire to stay apart from both society and his fellow students Hikari prior to this season was seen to be someone that didn’t place much hope on his future paths and unlike most seniors of his year group did not seem to have any clear goals in mind. However as a result of both the new friendships and bonds that he had managed to forge with his new friends and with his girlfriend Iroha and also as a result of seeing just how well planned out their futures were this began to change and Hikari began to realize that his time at high school fun as it has been would eventually end and before that time Hikari should start planning on the kind of future that he wants for his life. Apart from strong bonds with his friends that he is seen to value immensely Hikari’s other primary concern was without a doubt his relationship with Iroha. Due largely to the fact that their relationship had grown to be much more stable than before which in turn allowed them to develop a deeper insight into the unique circumstances of each other Hikari was shown to place this relationship at a relatively high place within both his life and his heart which is shown in Hikari’s constant attempts to find ways to improve their relationship while at the same time trying hard to learn more about her as a person. However, this expansion in their relationship while certainly sweet to see also served to be an excellent foundation for Hikari and Iroha’s final trial when used in conjunction with both the impending end of high school and of course of Iroha’s time limit. While certainly proving to be a formidable trial for the two it can be said that this trial also served well to show not just how deep Hikari’s love for Iroha was but also the lengths that he will go to ensure that both he and her will make as many happy memories of their high school days before the end. Iroha Iroha Igarashi portrayed by veteran seiyuu singer Yu Serizawa of Twin Stars Exorcist and How Not to Summon a demon lord fame is one of the main characters of the series and is one of Hikari’s closest allies and friends being his girlfriend. A 3rd-year student that attends the same high school as Hikari Iroha like Hikari Is seen in a similar light to Him in that both are seen as social outcasts that ensures that they have few if any friends and that whispers, and rumors follow them wherever they go. This aspect however was seen to have a much profound impact on Iroha as she was seen and labeled by many with many insensitive names that served to create a much higher wall for any that is willing to get to know her. As a result of this environment in which was, she was forced to operate in Iroha while a kind, quiet and polite person by nature that tries to help others when she can is someone that prefers to stay away from others due to a desire to stay out of trouble. However, as a result of her kind and caring nature and due to her own personal experience Iroha was also someone that was seen to treat others fairly even if she knew of the rumors that were circulating behind one’s back preferring to make her own judgments on someone rather than rely on the hearsay of others. As a result of this while Iroha certainly found Hikari to be somewhat of a unique character she unlike the others did not treat him with disdain but instead treated him with both kindness and consideration which while allowing them to eventually form a romantic relationship also contributed significantly to building the foundation that would serve to change both her and Hikari’s personalities as their bonds with each other improve. As a result of the many struggles that Iroha and Hikari went through in the previous season that eventually made them realize the depths of the feelings that they had for each other and embark on a romantic relationship that neither expected to form Iroha’s personality gradually began to change. While still remaining quiet and standoffish to a degree Iroha as a result of both meeting Hikari and meeting and making many new friendships back in the previous season is shown to have become much more understanding and considerate of both the feelings and the unique circumstances of others. This is shown in the fact that while she cares deeply about the feelings and unique circumstances of her friends she is willing to both listen to their own feelings and wishes and give the best advice that she can while letting them make their own decisions even if said decision presents a large risk to their relationship. This particular aspect is shown well within the family crisis arc which served as one of the seasons first arcs. While clearly shown to be conscious of the threat to their relationship both in terms of the mental strain and the difference that would come from having such a long distance relationship it can be seen that rather be forceful and stubborn about forcing Hikari to choose a path Iroha instead chose to do the opposite which was to make her own opinions clear to him while letting him make that decision while remaining hopeful. While doing well in showing her considerate nature this act also served well to show not just how much trust she has in Hikari but also show a more emotional side of her character that’s seldom seen within the series. A move that I felt was a well-played one as it served to give a physical representation of just how much Iroha has learned to trust Hikari both as a person and her other half. Despite the increased bond and the many friendships that she has managed to forge however it can be seen that Iroha still views the school in which they all go to with some amount of disdain which considering the emotional pain that she often suffered when within its walls is certainly understandable. However despite the pain that will come from seeing the same people that in the past had gave her unflattening nicknames and started rumours that served to tarnish Iroha’s reputation it can be seen rather poetically that Iroha as a result of the strength that she had gained from forging the strong bonds with her friends had managed to gain the motivation that she needed to not just stand up to them but also do it cunningly by giving sarcastic answers to their comments something that was shown well within the culture festival arc at the beginning of the series and which was pretty satisfying to see. As the series goes on it can be seen that unlike high school girls of similar age Iroha’s relationship with her family can be said to be a complicated one. While the first season already established that Iroha has a brother that cares deeply about her it can be seen that despite this the bond that exists between the two while certainly possessing a degree of family love possesses none of the family warmth and consideration that would be expected of it. This fact is shown well in the reactions that she exhibits when she was introduced to Hikari’s family and got to see first hand the kind of family warmth and care that was present within the interactions between their individual family members. While it was certainly interesting seeing Iroha get to see first hand how proper family members interact with each other and in the process establishing strong bonds with Hikari’s family it also served to indicate that Iroha and her family do not have the same level of warmth that would have existed in conventional families. Ayado Ayado Sumie portrayed by veteran seiyuu Reina Ueda of ReLife and Kakuriyo fame is one of the main supporting characters of the series and is one of Hikari’s valued circle of friends. A first-year student that attends the same school as Hikari and Iroha Ayado on first appearance is seen to be a quiet but kind, caring and understanding person by nature that shows great pride in her skills as a gardener. Similar to Hikari Ayado in the past was a closeted otaku that as a result not only had few if any friends but also had to deal with the many unpleasantness that came from her schoolmates as a result. Due to this shared sense of both origin and interests, Ayado not only managed to befriend Hikari but also strike up a strong bond with him that contributed in improving the personalities of both parties. Similar to Hikari and Iroha Ayado’s personality was shown to have developed many great changes as a result of the strong bonds of friendship that had been formed between them and the many friends that they had met in school. While still nervous and timid to a degree Ayado was shown to have become not just more hardworking but also more positive and willing to make decisions by herself unlike her largely indecisive nature back in the first season. Largely due to how she came about becoming an otaku from the onset it can be seen that Ayado was someone that had great trouble in forming relationships with others and indeed in the first season was seen to value her plants more than any of her fellow classmates. As a result of this while her fascination with manga and plants ensured that she was happy it can be said that this also caused her to have a distinct lack of knowledge of how relationships between humans worked as she not only had no real concept of how to have fun with friends but also of the fact that friends are also there to be relied upon in their moment of need. This however soon began to change as a result of the fortunate meeting between her and Hikari which not only allowed her to meet someone that had similar interests and experiences as her but also allow her to finally see just how much she had been missing by not having friends that she can count on. As a result of this revelation, Ayado not only learned to embrace the act of friendship that had been extended to her by Hikari and Iroha but also began to learn just how much light it actually brings to one’s life and tries hard to maintain them. However, while intending to do so with good intentions this act of trying to maintain the special bond of friendship that links Ayado with her friends also began to have an unintentional effect on her friendship with Ito due to the latter’s increasing feelings of affection towards her and creating a strain that soon caused both great emotional pain upon her realization of what she had done. While Ayado’s relationship with Ito at the beginning of the series was a cordial one at best as the series goes on this gradually began to change. Largely due to their shared origins and personalities Ayado’s relationship and bond with Ito gradually began to improve as the series went on with the two finding common ground in a myriad of subjects that range from films, animes and popular culture which is shown well in how determined she was in teaching him how to be an effective maid on account of her experience as one. While certainly amusing to see the normally quiet Ayado shout orders around this act of teaching Ito served well as a foundation for their rapidly developing relationship. While their relationship was rocky at first due to both the reluctance and inexperience of both sides this gradually began to vanish due to the realization of both that if you let go of this chance after meeting someone that matched you both in terms of interests and temperament then you will end up creating not just a bad memory for not just them but also for you but also create a painful one that could have an effect on their psyche. The relationship between the two while certainly filled with some interesting moments due to the unique nature of their personalities also served well to showcase that while trying to maintain a balance between friends is important its also important to realize that while you may be reluctant or even scared of pursuing a romantic relationship the same can also be said of the opposite party as well. While love may at first seem complex and relationships may be an enigma learning how it works and taking the time to show care and consideration towards each other by understanding and complementing each other’s strength and weaknesses can go a long way in ensuring that your first time will be a success. AMV In terms of animation while the series itself did not introduce any major characters it did however change the season for which the series took part in via the use of the winter uniforms and the brighter weather effects which I felt made great use of this season’s main theme of time both in terms of the countdown that lies in the relationship between Iroha and Hikari and in the fact that their school year is about to end. In terms of locations that were featured within the series I felt that each of the locations that were featured matched well with not just the pairs themselves in terms of location relevance but also in showing the gradual development in their relationships with notable examples being Hikari’s family home that showed the family warmth that existed within his family, Takanashi’s home that showed how much he took care of his house and sister and the beach that Hikari and Iroha visited during the formers struggle to find the right path forward for their relationship. In terms of music, the series made use of one opening and ending theme respectively which was Futari nara by Bish and Hagan which was performed by Fujifabric. The former I felt was while a catchy song also one that reflected well on the unique struggles that each character goes through as their school year approaches the end. The latter song however while being more grand and strong both in terms of vocals and the accompanying soundtrack also did well to reflect on the results of the many struggles that each character had to overcome to be together through the use of its visuals. I felt that this song served well to show that this series is the last season that will conclude on the tale of Hikari and Iroha’s romance. Voice acting wise I felt that the voice cast for the series did an excellent job at portraying their assigned characters whether main or support ones. In particular, I feel that Yu Serizawa, Reina Ueda and Shouta Aoi all did an excellent job at portraying the characters of Iroha, Ayado and Ito respectively. Overall conclusion In overall I felt that the second season of 3D Kanojo girl was an excellent series that made great use of both the characters, settings and bonds that were introduced in the previous season and expanding upon them to give each pair not just the opportunity to confess the feelings that they have for their crushes before they run out of time but also in a way that’s more suited to the high school setting in which the series is set in. I feel that the second season’s greatest strength was its strong story, its use of complex themes such as time in both character and relationship development, excellent OST and opening and ending themes and excellent voice acting. The overall story for 3D Kanojo Girl’s second season is without a doubt one of the main strong points of the series. While the first season of the series focused on not only introducing the main and supporting characters of the cast and showing their early days as they learned to not only forge friendships with one another and forge bonds of trust with each other over their beliefs it also served to create a firm foundation from which to expand upon the different relationships that have been forged between the cast. While the first season did an excellent job at showing the many trials that Hikari and Iroha had to go through as they sought to both understand the feelings that both had developed for each other and at the same time overcome their reluctance to make that change this season sought to show what had happened after that trial as they both enter a stable point in their relationship. With this, I felt that this seasons change in pace to reflect this new stage of their relationship was a welcome one as it allowed us to not just see just how much work both Hikari and Iroha put in to both maintain the relationship and at the same time advance it to the next step. While the main focus of the series still remains the relationship between Hikari and Iroha this season also took great care to not just expand upon each of the support characters and the unique struggles that each had to wrestle with but also tie them in with the one that they value the most. This pairing of the expansion of each of the support casts personalities via their unique struggles with the gradual forging of relationships with their fated pairs I felt was an interesting approach and even more so when it’s used in conjunction with the different locations that were introduced in this season as this last aspect served to reveal the unique circumstances that are unknown to outsiders. while I felt that each of the relationships that defined each of the couples within the series was well done I felt that Kaoru and Anzu’s relationship was by far the weakest one due largely to the lack of screen time and on-screen chemistry that existed between the two. As a final score, I would say that 3D Kanojo Girl’s second season deserves a final score of 10/10.

Honestly, the sequel season of 3D Kanojo is SOOO much better as compared to when it first started, and it finally managed to finish showcasing its manga source material right down to its (close) exact end. Which brings up the first point: If you have watched Season 1 and got burned by it at the very end, I can assure you that Season 2 right here will be more of the same, but with the difference being great reward being persistent in favor to see the (true) ending. In this sequel season, we continue on with the lives of the 3 (friends turned) couples: Iroha andTsutsui, Ayado and Itou, and finally Ishino and Takahashi. Starting off with the irregular pair that is Iroha and Tsutsui, what we've come to learn from Season 1, isn't exactly what these 2 seemingly mismatched people are truly about. As both Iroha and Tsutsui (finally) really prepare for adulthood, a lot of things are of concern, mainly how Tsutsui manages his love life with maturity, and from the coming out of his otaku personality, to learning how to seal himself as a confident person in front of his friends. This a major plus in character development for Tsutsui, and I dare say it's a hell of a job well done. Likewise for Iroha, as she detracts from Tsutsui more and more as each day passes, it's typical to see her from being the assertive girlfriend to being of one that unfortunately with her circumstances, begin to act very irrationally. It is at this point where Tsutsui's development really shines in the relationship, and helps Iroha get back up on her feet, and I can live with that. With more maturity and a sound mind, this relationship (to me) has finally become a full circle, even when Iroha has but only a short time to live, with Tsutsui taking full responsibility for her growth. Oh, and a special mention and props goes to Tsutsui's parents, as both Mom and Dad (his mum, most of the time) helped him out in making rational choices that would not only help him re-examine the relationship but also solve the small grudges behind it. Continuing on, the weirdness relationship that is Itou and Ayado. Unfortunately, Season 1 really didn't spare enough time and plot to let the (another) mismatched friendship develop, and this season right here picks up where it is left off abruptly, albeit really giving this couple a chance to showcase their chunkfulness of weirdo vibes, that with such circumstances, it is still warrant of a relationship. I'd never thought that I will see the light of day with Itou being one step ahead of Tsutsui (granted that was foreshadowed and did happen in the manga), with more of his shyful feelings becoming more of a scenario of a growing teenager to a young adult. Same goes to Ayado as well, as the even more shy lady get more character development in the form of being bold about her feelings and not passing any opportunities up. From strength to strength, this couple still irks me, but it's fine as now finally, they can stand above their adversaries. The (unexpected) friendship-to-relationship that is both Ishino and Takahashi. For the longest time ever since the happenings in Season 1, both Ishino and Takahashi were wingmans in the name of...(sorry *ahem*), love. Ishino, as far as I know her, has been steadily on the rise ever since her disregard for the main couple (that is Tsutsun and Iroha), but eventually came to terms with that and even developed herself as a girlfriend model to Takahashi (of course which he jokingly and with wit disapproves, but finally agrees). Takahashi on the other hand, he was a jerk throughout most of the journey here, but due to the complicated issue of sibling relationship (where his sister is in a relationship with Tsutsui's younger brother), this is where he saw Tsutsui as a threat, but even the midst of such a trivial matter, even he learned how to see relationships as not just a burden, but as an essential way to help fare his emotions with Ishino as well. So, with decent to great character development, the sequel here does its explanation and narratives justice, that has been kept up from Season 1, and make up for majority of the settings portrayed here. A job well done, I'd say. And also, a BIG shout-out and thank you, Hoods Entertainment, for listening to our worries about Season 1's obscene quality, and the time that your staff spent in flourishing the sequel here finally gives us some form of justice to the series. And honestly, it's a deal breaker to finally now see the comparisons between the former (last year) and the latter (this season), and majority (?) can agree that everything the studio has reworked on, sends the message that "To you, the fans of 3D Kanojo, we're adamantly sorry, we'll try to fix this problem and deliver better." really showcases some of the best quality that it has to offer. With even better art and consistent animation, they can really try to their best abilities, and the 6 months worth of time in-between seasons finally nails the (good) coffin was not for naught. The OST here takes what's good about Season 1, and makes it better. Sure, the BGM sounds the same, but this time, we get another OST that still looks and sounds good. Granted, I still prefer Season 1's choice of music, but what's here doesn't detract from the experience, and as a whole, still is a treat to listen to. With that, 3D Kanojo the series (with the manga source counterpart) is fully adapted from start to finish. Factoring in Season 1, it isn't really the best of startups but as time passes, the enjoyment outweighs the frustrations as both characters and animation really bring out the accommodating and noteworthy features. And...I hate to say this, but if you're intending to watch this, obviously go for the subpar premiere season first, then come back to the much-improved sequel. It will be slow as compared to many romance stories out there, so be patient with it.

That was beautiful (sign), as the anime ends it now gives us a clean ending about the romance to two opposites (sign). I'd say that this was the best 12 episode I've ever watch and it was quite disappointing to why somebody who rated this a 4 would get allota helpful hits. As I write this review I'd been listening to allota Sheena Easton's 80's hit's " telephone" so if any of ya Millennials don't have any idea about it then go to "YouTube" so enough of that, the story plot is basically the continuation of the 1st season aired last year andquite frankly it still doesn't disappoint us ( except maybe for those who gives this a 4 or lower), it still focuses on the relationship between Tsutsun and Iroha, but as the anime goes on we also see a couple to relationships forming all over from Igarashi X Takanashi , Ito X Ayado , Anzu (Takanashi's imouto) X Kaoru (Tsutsun's kid outoto) and there some Tsutsun's family matters that nearly destroyed the Tsutsun X iroha relationship.....and it gets better when we see Tsutsun's parent's backstory and seeing Iroha's onichan who wasn't an obsess onichan with siscon , but an honest step brother who is really considerate about his stepsister's happiness and the best part was when the formation of relationships become compete as we see Igarashi becomes the wife of Takanashi , Ito finally being reunited with Ayado who just came from a divorce to the Pièce De Résistance Tsutsun finally being reunited with Iroha...so without any further adieu, my ratings: Story- Very Good 8: For the continuation of the romance between 2 opposites and the formation of other relationships and for the good ending. Art- Decent 4: Don't expect any NTR nor any fanservices around here. Sound-fair 6: No comment here, cu'a I don't give a shit as who did who. Character- Good 7: That's for all the characters who formed relationship, but kind of disappointing for the Ito X Ayado's "ship" if you know want I mean, since they didn't end up with each other cu'z Ayado married someone else, but got divorced and her being reunited with Ito is in the grey area. Enjoyment- Very good 8: As I watched the ending, it has brought me to cloud 9. Overall- Very Good 8: And that's all folks so BOOM! ( Mic drop )

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