First Impressions / Series Introduction / Snapshots / Yuruyuri

OP Sequence

OP: 「いぇす！ゆゆゆ☆ゆるゆり♪♪」 (Yes! Yuyuyu☆Yuruyuri♪♪) by 七森中☆ごらく部 (三上枝織, 大坪由佳, 津田美波, 大久保瑠美) (Nanamori Chuu Goraku-bu (Mikami Shiori, Ootsubo Yuka, Tsuda Minami, Ookubo Rumi)
Watch the OP!: Streaming ▼

「帰ってきた主人公」 (Kaette kita Shujinkou)
“The Protagonist Returns”

It wouldn’t feel right for the new season of Yuruyuri to commence without returning full circle and putting Akari back into the spotlight. Akari’s (Mikami Shiori) lack of presence has become something of a fad even outside the anime itself, ranging from repeated edits to the series’ Wikipedia page, to transparent PVC figures and the distinct lack of figures attached to name tags at events. That’s why it’s even more entertaining to see her in the spotlight once again for the first half of the episode. The complete reversal of the gag – turning her from an invisible entity to a celebrated and immensely popular individual – makes for a nice spin on the original joke, breathing a little more life into it without allowing it to get too stale. It also feels extremely surreal after all she was subjected to last season. Of course, it was all a dream – I’m sure everyone saw that one coming!

What was it that made the first season of Yuruyuri enjoyable in the first place exactly? In a way, it’s hard to pinpoint – humour is a very personal thing. Some people like one thing, others like another. I like to consider myself open minded when it comes to comedy – I can enjoy anything from British black comedy to the brand of humour that’s so unique to Japanese works. For me, Yuruyuri was entertaining not just for its comedy elements, but also for the interjection of slice of life segments and… of course… the yuri. Gag comedies such as this can often grow tiresome very quickly, but I never found that to be so with Yuruyuri. It always seemed to use its jokes perfectly for the duration of their lifespan, putting them aside just in time to avoid stagnation. Slice of life comedies are not exactly easy to write well either – taking the mundane and drawing out an element of humour takes skill, much as with the precarious tea in this episode.

But that’s not to say Yuruyuri is the only anime that’s done this well – there’s a plethora of slice of life comedies out there such as A-Channel and, more recently, Acchi Kocchi. Each of these have their own merits and I’d be hard pressed to find reasons why any one would be better than the other. But what actually sets Yuruyuri aside from these other, equally entertaining series? Why is it worth watching when there are so many others just like it out there? I see the answers as pretty simple. Firstly is the obvious yuri element which is handled arguably pretty well. If you happen to like yuri (and why wouldn’t you?!), there’s boundless entertainment to be found in those scenes alone. Whether it’s watching Chinatsu (Ookubo Rumi) lick cream from Akari’s face or seeing Ayano (Fujita Saki) blush beet red over Kyouko (Ootsubo Yuka), there will always be scenes to satisfy.

On top of this, I also find a unique charm in its characters and the dynamic of their relationships. It took watching this episode to make me realise how much I’d missed Yui’s (Tsuda Minami) adorable subtle lisp and more reserved manner, Chitose’s (Toyosaki Aki) daydreams, and the variety of different quirks shown by each and every character. Watching them fight over various minor things is also a joy because it highlights their close relationship while simultaneously providing comedic relief.

Even the episode of Mirakurun that features within the anime has merit in its own right. While overuse of tropes in a ‘serious’ anime can often lead to its downfall and ridicule, when they’re blatantly used for comedic effect (sometimes not intentionally) the result is the opposite. There’s very little deviation from tropes in most mainstream Magical Girl anime – even Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica held on to several. This short skit is no different, but instead chooses to parody the tropes in a way that I felt was pretty successful in the grand scheme of things. The two close friends (who are actually enemies in their Magical Girl guises), the mascot characters, and even the skull-crushing (ouch) hammer (correct me if I’m wrong but I’m pretty sure that’s a reference to Vita from Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha A’s) all reek heavily of overuse, but in a good way!

All in all, I expect the series to deliver just as well as the original did. If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to watch, don’t be – I’m sure you were drawn in by pretty pictures of yuri and/or hilarious reaction faces in the excerpt. Watch it! It will not disappoint on either count! Since I’m sure many people will ask, I would love to keep blogging this for the rest of the series (and I know Stilts would too), but time constraints aside, the choice not to keep it up really comes down to the challenge of blogging gag comedies episodically. At the end of the day, each episode boils down simply to ‘Was it funny?’ and since humour is a personal thing, that’s a judgement based entirely on the individual.

Random thoughts:

  • It took me a moment to realise that ‘Toshino Kyooookooooo!’ became ‘Akaza Akariii!’ during that first segment. A nice touch. Also, Ayano is adorable. But you already knew that right?
  • Chinatsu’s hair was probably one of my highlights for this episode. I was only expecting the balls to get lodged in there, not eaten!
  • Still on the subject of Chinatsu… kinda funny how she looks so much more like Mirakurun than Kurumi does!
  • I kind of miss ‘Yuri yura-ra-ra-ra yuruyuri!’ The new OP isn’t bad either, but nowhere near as spectacular (or as catchy!).

Full-length images: 02, 06, 09, 11, 12, 14, 20, 21, 24, 26, 27, 28, 31, 35.

 

ED Sequence

ED: 「100%ちゅ～学生」 (100% Chu～Gakusei) by 七森中☆ごらく部 (三上枝織, 大坪由佳, 津田美波, 大久保瑠美) (Nanamori Chuu Goraku-bu (Mikami Shiori, Ootsubo Yuka, Tsuda Minami, Ookubo Rumi)
Watch the ED!: Streaming ▼

Preview

52 Comments

  1. To be honest I thought the first half rather dragged on a bit too much, especially beings everyone knew what the punch line was going to be.

    Having said that the ping-pong match with the miraculous ball eating hair was sureally good.

    Kayjay
    Reply

  3. Super popular yuri harem master Akari is a lie! A LIE!!

    Good write up Moomba : ) Agreed, I too would love to blog this through, but it’s rough blogging a gag comedy episodically. Plus, Horizon-tan and Madoka-sama have my hearts this season… *swoons*

    Stilts
    Reply

      1. Well it was still nice to see her getting some yuri love even if it was her dream. Poor Akarin.

        At least there is someone who likes her a lot (which is an understatement): her own older sister Akane. We only saw her once in Akarin’s dream and we did not get to see her face too. I want to see more of her.

        John Hayabusa
        Reply

    1. Depends on what you’re expecting. It’s a comedy with light yuri elements. There are girls with clear crushes on other girls, but there are no romances at this point and there probably never will be. It’s cute, friendly, and funny with cute girls crushing on other cute girls. It’s a good show for relaxing and not having to worry about heavy drama or anything (everyone can use a show like that once in a while).

      Wanderer
      Reply

  7. Ah, I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who misses the old OP. Like you said, there’s nothing wrong with the new one, but it just lacks… something the first one had. And also doesn’t get caught in my head anywhere near as easily.

    Looking forward to more of the tsundere couple, and more Ayano.

    Wanderer
    Reply

  8. the only words to say on it Ay caramba!

    yea who would thought what her name aka akarin finally everyone loves her i was almost cue ONORE DECADE but it was all a dream.

    oh well at everything in world yuru yuri is normal as usual give chinatsu’s hair ping pong balls to what her name as usual & etc.

    ok then what else to expect (give we still waiting to see what her name’s sister face).

    what her name aka akarin
    Reply

  11. Poor Akarin, she got her five minutes of fake fame for the season and now all that awaits her is a season full of misery, loneliness, abuse, and abandonment. All for our sick little amusement.

    The Green One
    Reply

  14. Welcome back Yuruyuri! I still prefer the first season opening and ending songs, but wow the girls dancing (especially Kyoko) in the opening was just so fun to watch. Best highlight of the episode for me was Akari hitting Kyoko in the face with the ping-pong paddle because I didn’t expect it. Looking forward to seeing Akari’s big sister too.

    Zhinvu
    Reply

  15. Ah Yuruyuri how I missed you with all of your random gags. That ball devouring hair made me go xD and D: at the same time not to mention the first half…I was so used to Akarin’s lack of presence that the dream felt awkward to me xD. And it looks like Akari’s sister is gonna make an appearance this season! Oh yeah!

    gawrshness
    Reply

  16. Also, Ayano is adorable. But you already knew that right?

    Where in the world did you get this totally absurd information? That girl was the definition of shit.

    hoMeRunDaiSuKi
    Reply

      1. Don’t worry, I get the better taste than you XP And it’s not like she’s the only one who’s shitty. There’s Sakurako and Kyoko as well. Really, if it wasn’t for there other halves namely Himawari and Yui, they’re a lot more awful than Ayano’s shit.

        hoMeRunDaiSuKi
        Reply

  17. I think the skull-crushing is a reference to 2×2=Shinobuden! episode ‘Oonsokumaru goes to Hell!’ (ep 5 i think?) (yeah, 8 years old anime). Oonsokumaru gets his skull crushed twice (once by a falling pan, the 2nd by Enma’s hammer).

    Anon
    Reply

  19. I kind of miss ‘Yuri yura-ra-ra-ra yuruyuri!’ too but the new OP ain’t too bad
    Chinatsu’s ball eating hair was comedic gold, pure genius, I tell you XD

    Seishun Otoko
    Reply

  23. Is Akari a new character or something? I don’t remember her at all in the first season.

    Overdone jokes aside, I’ve only recently watched the first season, and I’m glad that I can now watch this along with all of you guys. Especially since it’s Moomba who’s covering the series now. I don’t have anything against Divine’s style, but I don’t feel like I gained anything from his coverage of the first season. Though it may easily be the genre’s fault – how much can you gain from reading about a slice of life yuri, anyways?

    SingerOfW
    Reply

  24. GAH!? Moomba? You wrote this XD?. I thought it was Stilts! X3;. Sorry!. Indeed, coverage or not, I think anyone who enjoyed the first season will find plenty of that same humor here in the second.

    The ping-pong ball-eating hair was great, esp when it let them all go in the bath XD;. … 14 ping-pong balls <<;;;. Ravenous, Chinatsu's hair was <<;.

    kumakaori
    Reply

  27. I’ve been lurking for ages but will now finally post something

    and that is THANK YOU. Thank you thank you for covering this. I had a dread feeling when I saw it grayed out in the schedule and after seeing that first episode which was 11/10 in my opinion, I was even more disappointed by no coverage. But then I come on and see this and my smile got as big as it was when I was watching throughout the whole episode. So keep up the great work and thank you.

    anohito
    Reply

  32. Finally got a chance to see it. Only one thing and is coming from the 1st season: TOMATO!!!

    let the nose bleeds begin!!!!

    Yes the 1st season OP is still in my playlist.

    Yes!@
    Reply

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