3-gatsu no Lion 2nd Season

Now in his second year of high school, Rei Kiriyama continues pushing through his struggles in the professional shogi world as well as his personal life. Surrounded by vibrant personalities at the shogi hall, the school club, and in the local community, his solitary shell slowly begins to crack. Among them are the three Kawamoto sisters—Akari, Hinata, and Momo—who forge an affectionate and familial bond with Rei. Through these ties, he realizes that everyone is burdened by their own emotional hardships and begins learning how to rely on others while supporting them in return.

Nonetheless, the life of a professional is not easy. Between tournaments, championships, and title matches, the pressure mounts as Rei advances through the ranks and encounters incredibly skilled opponents. As he manages his relationships with those who have grown close to him, the shogi player continues to search for the reason he plays the game that defines his career.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kiriyama, Rei Main

Kawanishi, Kengo Japanese

Kawamoto, Hinata Main

Hanazawa, Kana Japanese

Kawamoto, Akari Main

Kayano, Ai Japanese

Kawamoto, Momo Main

Kuno, Misaki Japanese

Shimada, Kai Supporting

Miki, Shinichiro Japanese

Nikaidou, Harunobu Supporting

Okamoto, Nobuhiko Japanese

Hayashida, Takashi Supporting

Sakurai, Takahiro Japanese

Kouda, Kyouko Supporting

Inoue, Marina Japanese

Souya, Touji Supporting

Ishida, Akira Japanese

Yanagihara, Sakutarou Supporting

Ootsuka, Houchuu Japanese

Ooshima, Miku Producer

Yodo, Akiko Producer

Fukino, Fuminari Producer

Nojima, Masahiro Assistant Producer

Reviews

Mar 31, 2018

RoryBurrows

Recommended

A strong display of emotional resonance; the second season of 3-gatsu no Lion manages to go above and beyond expectations to provide something of overwhelming beauty.

It’s a show of many acts; the first season—while boasting many heavy themes—is an elegant watch, which reels the viewer in with a soft mood, realistic characters and delightful interactions, but never hits you with strong emotions. The second season—filled with melancholic tones, depressing themes and powerful messages—gives the show raw emotional power to invest the viewer at full force.


Shifting from the focus of Rei’s depression, this season brings more focus to the different mentalities of the supporting cast, both ... in the real world and the back-drop of shogi.

The season starts off with a focus on Hinata, and the daunting problem of bullying. Bringing forth an insight into the mass hysteria it brings and the draining effects on the victims, and those caught up in the drama. This arc is nothing short of impactful, and although it’s heavy, it never becomes painful to watch, something many other drama-oriented series fail to accomplish.

What makes this so powerful is down to the commonly relatable topic of bullying, the powerful visual presentation and the amazing characterisation found in the antagonist Megumi Takagi.

Megumi’s construct as a bully sets her apart from other archetypical antagonists—in the sense that, there are reasons to her actions—she clearly suffers problems in her mentality, leading her to torment others as a form of escapism, giving her somewhat an ability to be emphasised with for the wrong reason. It’s even easier to empathise with Hina, due to her characteristics, with her helping Rei with his struggles and inspiring him to escape his depression. Rei feels the same on the topic of helping her, creating a close bond between the two, something that plays importance throughout the rest of this season.

Although the first arc is definitely in the lime-light of this season, the series continues to impress in its focuses on different characters. The character study of Souya Touji is a breath-taking display of a mind disturbed solely by the life-style of shogi, with stunning direction to show his inability to hear those around him. The shogi match between Shimada and Yanagiharai uses profound visual imagery to show the determination of both characters and the weight Yanagihara carries. And the pleasant moments with Hina give the show a relaxing and charming escapism from the heavier themes.


I don’t consider the cast to be merely characters, they feel human. From Rei to Nikaidou to Yanagihara; each one has strong human characteristics that allow for relatability and empathy for these personalities as we see into their differing lives.
Even though Rei has less focus this season, his role as the lead character is as strong as ever as he seeks a way to help those around him. It’s inspiring to watch, as Rei’s empathy drives him to assist in fighting the varying problems that arise for everyone close to him. His outlook and narration provide a strong connection from the viewer as he continues to improve his life which was once locked in place by his haunting past. As the main character, his journey is an impeccable experience and he is character of relatability and complexity.

This season exposes elements of characters unbeknownst from the first season, such as the extent of Nikadou’s illness, the pressure Akari feels being unable to help Hina and the different psychological and emotional effects each character experiences in accordance to their surroundings. Each revelation is equally as tense and creates stronger connection to the characters once their situations are understood.


Studio SHAFT empowers storytelling through visual motifs and stunning presentation, bringing everything to life with powerful imagery to reflect the mood each scene portrays. Every visual element is a sight to behold, with gorgeous backgrounds, varying styles and ability to speak many words through its delivery that bring out many emotions from the viewer.

This mood is only enhanced by the stunning soundtrack composition. Melancholic tracks reflecting the depressing yet elegant mood can easily bring you to tears, acting as peaceful additions to the stunning composition of visuals and story.


For a while now I’ve been pondering over the topic of depression, this in turn has affected the way I view anime titles, and what I get out of said titles. While Cardcaptor Sakura healed me from having negative thoughts, End of Evangelion’s existential elements blew my mind away so much that the thought of depression was no longer on my mind. But, I think the best form of escapism from a feeling like depression is facing it head on, and that’s exactly what 3-gatsu gave me; giving me personal affection to its elements.

To me, 3-gatsu no Lion is the epitome of human emotion, an experience rivalled by none. A show that has brought me to tears almost every episode, and something I hope many others can appreciate in the same way.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Aug 11, 2019

YuiHirasawa-

Mixed Feelings

Ah, 3-gatsu no Lion. How I wanted to love you, and how disappointed I ultimately was. Most of the time I agree with the crowd when it comes to such things such as media review. If it’s well-received by critics, I tend to like it as well. If most people find shortcomings, most of the time I resonate with those as well. But considering I’m giving this anime a rating substantially lower than the stellar (above 9 at the time of writing) average on MAL, take this review with a grain of salt.

Sangatsu no Lion disappointed me not so much with what it was ... but with what it could have been. For a bit of context, I originally watched the first season as part of an anime club viewing (1 episode weekly) at my school. I remember never feeling that the show and I really properly got along. I was put off by the constant metaphors and imagery that seemed to be picked up in one episode and abandoned the next, the seeming lack of direction in the show’s pacing and plot, and the overall lack of true character development not only in the MC but also in those surrounding him. Some scenes, drawn and animated not beautifully but to a degree I could really appreciate, were strikingly offset by the garish “comedic” inserts that seemed to be inserted randomly and looked as if they were made right at the end of a weekly deadline. The music, while featuring some good tracks, was largely forgettable. It was one of the shows that I felt no connection toward and one that I rarely looked forward to seeing the next week. It existed, I watched it, and that was it.

But after so many episodes, the first season finally ended and I was left with a choice – give it up or go on to the next season? My brother told me the second season was better, and it looked like MAL agreed. I decided it was best not to leave it undone and began the second season in the summer of this year. And now the real review begins.

First, let’s talk about the animation. It’s good. I can’t fault Shaft for what they’ve done here. In particular, the openings tend to be very well drawn and make good use of color and lighting. But the second season still suffers from the bizarre comedic inserts that plagued my enjoyment of the first season. 3-gatsu is not designed as a comedic SoL, but for some reason the writers felt that their story would be better portrayed with numerous, brightly colored and loudly voiced insert scenes with 2-D caricatures of the main cast, often when expressing something intended to be funny or outrageous in nature. I found myself laughing at these scenes not because I found them truly funny (and I rarely did) but because they seemed so out of place in an anime that leaned so heavily on meaningful use of color, light, and sound to explain the story both within and outside of the cast’s heads. Furthermore, there was never a place during the anime where I paused and said to myself “what a beautiful scene,” something that I have found myself doing in the majority of shows I’ve scene (regardless of how well I like them). So in total, I found the animation and the art style good, but held back by some of the strange comedic inserts (though it is worth saying that there are less in the second season than the first).

Let’s move on to the music. The openings and closings, again, while being decent, are not memorable. I am a major believer in the idea that the opening of any anime play an absolutely critical role in setting the mood for the show, and those that do it well (looking at you, Spice and Wolf S1) are that much better for it. But very little about either of the openings (and closings too) use their positioning in the show to their advantage. I found myself skipping them more often than not. I only realized just how forgettable this show’s soundtrack really was until I realized that I could hum the next episode preview BGM more accurately than the actual opening – and that’s a bit of a shame.

Now for the meat – the characters. I sincerely believe that Sangatsu no Lion suffers from the curse of Evangelion. While this is more prevalent in the first season, 3-gatsu is mainly premised on the MC, Rei, and the thoughts that rage within his head. But unlike Eva and some of its excellent protégé, this show does not use the “internal battle” motif effectively, and I believe it is mainly due to a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to tell a story. Like so many others, 3-gatsu is designed to evoke a sense of commonality in its viewers. You are supposed to resonate with Rei’s internal struggles and see yourself in them. And this idea, at first glance, is executed well. A boy, feeling outcast by his peers, picks up a hobby and meets other people to find new meaning in his life. It’s a realistic concept, while exceptionally overused, but it isn’t the problem. The issue comes with the context. Rei is a child prodigy, a middle school marvel who turns professional in his sport of the mind, Shogi. His family, having died in a car crash, leave him absolutely alone, adopted by a family who simultaneously reverences and disdains his skill. We pick up on Rei’s story as he moves out of his adoptive house to his own apartment, living entirely off his own income from professional shogi tournaments. The realism of Rei’s basic condition – outcast, depressed, alone – is tempered by the sheer unrealism of his situation and character – a genius whose entire family has passed unexpectedly, in the most stereotypical of anime tropes. This would be one thing if the show was written such that it was self aware of this uneasy juxtaposition between realistic and unbelievable, but it isn’t. At all points are the viewers stuck in the limbo between “yes, I identify with this” and “this simply isn’t me.” There’s a bit of Rei in most of 3-gatsu’s intended viewers, but there’s very little of the viewership in Rei, and the anime acts as if this glaring issue simply doesn’t exist. Shaft portrays the MC as a normal young man, without agreeing to the fact that he is anything but.

In the interest of keeping this as spoiler-free as possible, I won’t dig too deep into Rei’s story, but very little of it helps the frustration I have with his characterization. As a slice of life, it follows his daily movements – to school, to Shogi Hall, to tournaments, and to the Kawamoto house. While the second season is notably better than the first in this regard, Shaft still suffers from the curse of pacing and focus. There are several sub-arcs in this season, lasting anywhere from one to several episodes long, but very few of them are properly followed-up on and brought to a satisfying conclusion. The writers introduce a character – normally one of Rei’s opponents but occasionally someone related to the rest of the cast – and draw out their character in great depth for a small while. You start to get excited: this is interesting. You become invested. But as soon as it starts, it’s over. The writers turn aside, never to bring the arc to its conclusion, and even some of the intimate insight we are given into the newly-developed character’s mind are cast to the wayside. Some of them reappear – too little and too late, unfortunately – later on in the series, but several are never heard from again. I suppose this may be Shaft’s way of pressing their overall thematic movement – that everyone is on the train of life together, and separating and joining is all part of the journey – but it’s overused and honestly frustrating by the time the season concludes.

By far the best arc in the story deals with bullying experienced by Hinata Kawamoto, one of the three sisters whom Rei befriends in the first season. It’s realistic. It’s brutally honest in many ways. It resonates with so many of the show’s viewers. And unlike so many of the other disappointing sub-arcs, it is the only one that is actually brought from start to a satisfying (though still realistic) conclusion at the end of the season. But why? Why do you need a boy genius, an orphaned shogi sensation, and all the rest of the show’s unrealistic characterization to talk about such a mundane but meaningful topic? It almost supports the argument that 3-gatsu is better off without it. And it almost seems that the show directors become almost aware of this by the time the last season concludes. Rei takes his wins and losses less seriously. Shogi exists mainly as a continued tool but the show’s passion for it dies away. The boy genius becomes less and less notably for his acuity, but Shaft trudges on with the theme almost out of necessity. Why? 3-gatsu is one of the few shows where the unique premise (come on, how many anime are based around professional board game players?) drags it down rather than making it memorable.

I have relatively little to say about the rest of the show’s cast and characterization, mainly because some of the most interesting characters have only a temporary turn in the spotlight just to be more or less used as distraction fodder for the remainder of the anime. Shimada and Nikaido – likely two most interesting and round (literally in the latter’s case) in the entire show, only appear as major story points in only a few episodes. While one could argue that Shaft is simply exercising reason with its balance of character development as to not overstep and overreach, these omissions are more frustrating than welcomed. You expect some deep development only to be played with a minor plot point or comedic insert.

To wrap up this review, let’s talk about what this anime could have been. The directing has a very solid grasp on conceit, and even does a decent job following through from arc-to-arc, season-to-season. The water analogy is used frequently and to good effect, not only for Rei but also for supporting cast members. The art, again, can be very appealing and used to good visual effect. Some of the characters – though perhaps not the main cast – are actually quite interesting and show some good, though limited development. But the off-putting insert comedy, the lack of ability to focus and finish on character development, and particularly the juxtaposition between a “realistic” and “unrealistic” MC ruined much of the show for me. 3-gatsu second season would almost have been more appealing for me had it focused on the life of a single, normal boy who experiences the realistic trials and struggles of himself and those whom he cares about without the shogi theme or the constant need to press the “prodigy” moniker.

3-gatsu is a superhero anime that masquerades as a realistic slice-of-life. As such, it fails at both without a shred of self-awareness of what it is trying to do. But I’m not mad I saw it – I think it really opened my eyes to what I appreciate in an anime, and made me respect just that much more how difficult adapting a source material into video can actually be. But perhaps unfortunately, finishing it has made me more excited than anything else to move on.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jul 2, 2018

Twilight96

Not Recommended

All fart no shit.

After finishing season 1 I was very excited to watch season 2 and after finishing it, I am more than a little disappointed. Writing one of the most negative reviews for this anime brings me no pleasure, but I really wanted to put into words why this left me feeling so disappointed.

The first season set up a lot of different interesting things that do not get pay off here. A big part of season 1 is Rei's foster sister Kyouko, who fell for a man the same age as her father because she felt that Rei replaced her, leaving her feeling ... sort of obsolete to her father. Also it is implied that Kyouko sexually assaulted Rei when they were younger. Nothing is done with this in season 2. Akari at 19 years old had watched her mother die, her dad leave, and she was then responsible for raising her younger sisters. Nothing is done with this in season 2.

It is incredibly frustrating to me how little development or new information there is in this season. I was really looking forward to seeing more of Rei and Kyouko's relationship, but it is as if she never even existed. If I was not supposed to care about her then why spend a few episodes in the first season making me care? I really do not understand this. I'm assuming this is addressed later in the manga, but Kyouko deserves more screen time. Ignoring her until she is maybe needed for some future episodes is not OK. Her story hasn't moved forward at all this season.

Then there is what the show did with Akari. Nothing. A 19 year old who is forced to raise 2 kids is not worth exploring apparently. A third season could explore her character more, but currently with 44 episodes out there just isn't enough to her character. She is a single parent who cares deeply about her family and is also working to support them financially. She never complains and is completely selfless. Her character is not believable. I need to know how she got to where she is, and what sacrifices she has made in her life, simply hinting towards it isn't enough for me. If she has accepted that she is a single parent and needs to dedicate a large part of her life to that, show her making that decision. She must have gone through a lot, and I want to see it. We know hardly anything about her. Also it is impossible for a single parent with a job to cook the meals Akari cooks and not be incredibly stressed and/or tired.

If you were to add up all the scenes of characters cooking or eating with nothing important to the overall plot happening, it would probably be over an hour of footage. Most of what the sisters seem to do is cook and eat food. If you do not enjoy watching people eat food then this anime will be boring for a lot of its runtime. After really enjoying season 1 I was fast forwarding through some scenes in this, which made me feel sad. And does anyone really want to watch two old men argue about some shit that is unimportant to anything else happening in the series? Far too many scenes with old men being boring.

Rei seems happier in this season than the previous, but it doesn't feel logical. Previous plot points that would require Rei to change as a person to resolve are simply ignored so Rei can move forward. He mentions he doesn't have the confidence to phone his sister, and then it is never mentioned again. There is no substance to anything. His relationships with people need to be in a different place at the end of a season than to the start otherwise what was the point? The only character he connects with in any meaningful way is Hina.

The main plot of this season revolved around bullying. A serious topic and the anime does treat it as serious, showing how it affects children's lives. This is easily the strongest part of this season. Hina is bullied and it mirrors Rei's time in school when he was bullied and all alone. The difference this time though is that Hina is not alone, because she has Rei to help her. He wants to save her from what he had to go through. His motivation is clear and his actions (mostly) make sense. The resolution of the bullying would have happened if Rei was not even there and he himself knows this. However the support he offered to Hina helped her get through it and is reason for him to be proud. It was frustrating then when he felt like he did nothing; this could have been a turning point for Rei where he gains confidence and has reason to like himself more, but the anime hurries onto the next thing. On the topic of Rei and Hina, he is 18, and she is 13. Rei's teacher thinks he's in love with her and encourages him. He is 18. She is 13. Bad teacher!

To conclude my thoughts on this season, I am quite upset to write that I disliked it. There were individual moments that were good, but the anime lacked focus. After the first season I was ready to recommend 3-gatsu to a friend, but now I am not going to (if a third season comes out and is as good as the first then this will change). I went through all the episodes in a short amount of time and honestly feel like it was a waste of time. It is possible that a third season could fix the problems I have with this show and focus more on interesting character development, and I really hope a third season does happen. A lot of people seem to love this series and me not enjoying it doesn't mean I want others to not enjoy it. I honestly tried to enjoy this, but I was left wanting a lot more.

Thank you for reading this review.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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