Ai Yori Aoshi: Enishi

Oh em gee. I didn't think it was possible! A sequel that is BETTER than the original series! Well I guess there's a first for everything.

Story:
The story picks up 2 years after the ending of Ai Yori Aoshi. Kaoru, Aoi, Tina, Taeko, Miyabi, and Chika still live together and Mayu is still the daily guest. Everybody's a little older but pretty much the same. There really is no time in this sequel for the story to drag as the series itself is so short, so the story moves along at a nice pace. Every character gets a "love-episode" with Kaoru, and each episode was very ... enjoyable to watch.

Art:
Beautiful! Beautiful colors, beautiful animation. Just outstanding. There isn't as much ecchi in this season, but there still is some, but not as over-done and badly portraid as in the original. The eyecatches (the things that split the episode at where the commercial goes) run long though.

Sound:
The opening theme, "Takaramono" is just lovely. If you liked "Towa no Hana" then you will like this. "Towa no Hana" is played once during the course of the series though ;) The ending theme, "I Do!" isn't as enjoyable. The special ending theme, "Presence", is also decent but not my favorite. The original soundtrack is pretty much used with a few new tracks.

Character:
Every character is developed further, particularly the character of Tina Foster. There's really no new characters except for Chika's friends.

Enjoyment:
Completely enjoyed. Enjoyed it a heck of a lot more than I enjoyed the first season.

Overall:
If you have seen the first season, then don't hesitate for a moment to watch this. It is better than the original, and the story is moving. Just know that you might wanna buy a tissue box =]]

Ever have a romance anime end right when the lovers finally confess their love after a long agonizing courting period? Ever wish to see how the lovers spend time together after their declaration of love? That is the purpose of this uneventful anime, pure slice of life anime. It still manages to make every episode enjoyable...kinda. The ending of the last episode is incredibly open, true to the nature of the series. Truly, this anime is nothing but a slice of life - a view into the everyday lives of the characters, with no unusual problems.

Although this is a sequel, expect the pacing to ... be even slower than the first Ai Yori Aoshi. In fact, even less happens here than the first time, so even though you've seen the first installment of Ai Yori Aoshi I'd say this sequel probably won't add much to it. It's not bad, but definitely not as good as the original series. Not much happens other than the introduction of two new characters not seen in the original. Expect an almost complete lack of plot. This is a mellow series - even mellower than most slice-of-life - so obviously avoid if you're looking for action, intensity, and other stuff you won't find in any slice-of-life anyway.

Characters are as likable as they were the first time around, so you'll like them again this time around the same way.

Major points off however, since there's a lack of resolution at the end, which seemed to be something the series was hinting at the entire time at the very least.

Generous, considering the disappointment

Enishi is the follow-up to Ai Yori Aoshi, and unfortunately, it's a sequel that not only fails to progress the central romance but actively undermines what made the original series compelling. What could have been a thoughtful continuation of Kaoru and Aoi’s relationship ends up diluted into a loosely connected collection of slice-of-life episodes, marked by lazy comedy, tonal confusion, and some deeply questionable fanservice.

Story – 3/10
The main problem with Enishi is its complete abandonment of plot. Despite a time skip of two years and the implication that Kaoru and Aoi are living together in a quasi-engaged state, no meaningful development occurs. ... The story goes nowhere. Their relationship, which should have been at the heart of the season, is relegated to the background—so much so that even their marriage remains vague and unresolved. The excuse, offered late in the season, that “their families haven’t approved it yet” rings hollow and reeks of stalling tactics.

Episodes drift aimlessly. One has Tina teaching Chika’s school friends to swim (with the usual breast jokes), another features a haunted house misunderstanding, and others revolve around minor character antics. None of it truly matters. Worse yet, the final two episodes center not on the main couple, but on Tina Foster and her short-lived departure to America. The tone turns melancholic as she tearfully leaves and then, anticlimactically, returns. There's no emotional payoff, just the faint sense of missed opportunity.

Characters – 4/10
Kaoru and Aoi feel frozen in time. Kaoru continues to be a gentle, self-effacing lead. Aoi is back to her one-note role as the perfect domestic goddess—forever kind, forever modest, forever cooking. Their emotional intimacy is all but ignored.

Surprisingly, Enishi tries to reposition Tina as the emotional center. A few scenes showcase her more vulnerable side—she longs for love and fears abandonment—but her development feels shoehorned and inconsistent. Meanwhile, side characters like Chika are thrust into the spotlight for episodes that veer into uncomfortable territory, especially given her age and the repeated use of sexualized humor.

Mayu’s solo episode is a rare highlight. Her nervous first date with Kaoru, her self-consciousness, and her quiet confession by the lake form one of the only moments in Enishi with any emotional weight. If the show had taken more cues from that, it could have been something.

Art & Sound – 6/10
The visuals are standard early-2000s fare—soft, warm colors with occasionally clumsy animation. Backgrounds remain pleasant but unremarkable. The music carries a similar tone to the first season: gentle, inoffensive, and ultimately forgettable.

Enjoyment – 4/10
There are a handful of chuckles and a few genuinely endearing moments—like Mayu’s date or the light-hearted tennis match—but the slow pacing, shallow writing, and often awkward comedy drag everything down. Many episodes feel like filler for a romance that never progresses, and the repeated reliance on breast jokes or accidental nudity (especially involving underage characters) is not only stale but sometimes uncomfortable.

Overall – 4/10
If Ai Yori Aoshi was a flawed but sincere romantic drama, Enishi is its hollow echo. There’s no destination, no growth, no emotional payoff—just a series of half-hearted sketches where the characters pretend nothing has changed. It’s disappointing not because it’s actively terrible, but because it’s so clearly the ghost of something that could have been lovely. Watch it only if you absolutely must see more of the cast—but temper your expectations and prepare for letdown.