Sep 17, 2021
When you come to watch a harem series, you know basically what to expect: A dense MC, a cast full of characters that will love the MC, gags, troupes with reactions and phrases equal to their stereoype. Also, some of these shows can still make the viewer reflect, relate, root for a character to win because you developed symphathy by it, its not only pure entertaiment.
Hamefura S2 overuses the first part and completely ignore the last one.
The show ultimately lost it interesting premise of S1, the touching moments like in the irl side of the MC in S1, back there she had a purpose for
...
her actions, she affected the other characters in a more meaningful way. Actions actually matters back then and the MC was committed, it had a purpose.
Now Hamefura S2 is unimaginative. It got worse. Every single comedy gag is a copy pasta of what we got in S1. Hell, we even got an episode that was the same in S1, but in a different setting. Katarina says the most frivolous things that she barely gave much thought about it and other characters buys it right away fixing the "problem". They even advance physically in order to provoke her, but the show insists to take that effort and put it in the trash.
The tropes are multiplied by 100, specially Katarina's dense mechanism. It is so over the top that render any moves a character do to improve anything with their relationship status with her pointless. It's so aggravating that a guy on top of her in bed kissing her neck is considered by her "that was just a mosquito bite". When kissed she even tried to distort reality and thought it was a dream, even when the kisser do it again right after, she negates, blush or whatever and that stituation never actually makes her reflect, care or debate in her head what she gotta do, how to react, what's going to happen with their relationship the other day. Interactions have no continuity.
This is beyond a comedy formula, you ruin the most potential move a character can do with her (a kiss) in other to spice the harem, and you just ignore character development or any character progression whatsoever. It's insane. It's not funny anymore when you just realize any interaction with the MC will be disposable 10s later and never brought back again. This is my biggest criticism as any action a character do is not meaningful. You don't do this with your story ever, even if you prioritize the comedy aspect (that's subpar) you just ruined the romance part.
The problems are just solved so easily, sometimes painful to get involved when things are so simple, effortless. I think the episode I have the most fun wasn't a comedic one, but when they developed Nicol's struggles with the introduction of a new character that was a breath of fresh air. It's hard to say, but when things are supposed to have Katarina as the center of attention, the anime becomes so predictable and bland that the outcome isn't rewarding. It were indeed a few instances where I could laugh because it wasn't a gag used in S1.
The designs are fine, but the animation is pretty poor, with a static model of the character in place and just the mouth moving, if you're attentive this may hurt your experience.
Overall disappointed with S2. I thought they could be at least funnier and creative with the many situations presented. That the characters that got development and realized their feelings and decided to take action torwards the MC could be at least rewarded. This show is stagnated, it is in an endless spiral of overused trope lines, repetitive gags and mired relationship - with every character in the same spot as S1, because kisses are irrelevant, confessions doesn't affect the MC for more than one episode. Life is just this convenient and bland in the world of Hamefura S2.
Reviewer’s Rating: 3
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all