Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai / First Impressions / Series Introduction

OP Sequence

OP: 「VOICE」 by ZAQ

「復活の…邪王真眼」 (Fukkatsu no … Jyaoo Shingan)
“Revival of the… Wicked Eye”

Oh hey, isn’t Chu2Koi Ren another sequel this season? I must be the resident slice-of-life and sequel writer! Jokes aside, Chu2Koi Ren is a show that needs no introduction — unless you haven’t watched the first season. Which if you haven’t, go do it. Right now.

They’re officially a couple!

Unless I’m remembering the story incorrectly (which is totally possible), I could have sworn that the relationship between Yuuta and Rikka was still fuzzy at best — with the two stuck in the “I dunno exactly what we are, but I actually do” situation with everyone on the sidelines trying to help. That and I clearly remember the un-aired 13th episode or OVA left us in an awkward spot but that was probably because Chu2Koi Ren was already announced and on the way. But I guess that really doesn’t matter since the beginning of this episode put the two in the most “romantic” situation any high school kid could image — living together with no watching!

Anyways, I for one am glad that everyone seems to acknowledge and accept that the two are an official couple. Hopefully, gone are the days where extremely awkward situations arise between misunderstandings which lead to that crappy feeling of extreme depression when something between Rikka and Yuuta should be disgustingly romantic but ends up fizzing out or misinterpreted. At the same time, I’m super excited to see just how the two handle their new obligation to each other. Because after the first season went out of its way to show that “Chuunibyou” isn’t really a problem anymore, I’m hoping that we get some lovey-dovey and/or heartbreaking moments as the two try to discover what the word “romance” and possibly “love” really mean.

A cast of side characters that are good enough to be Main Characters.

You can’t forget about the amazing cast of side characters that help drive both the antics and romance of our aforementioned couple. While I don’t have much to say about Isshiki who seems to still be life’s punching bag, I do have a couple things to say about the other three.

Starting in order of appearance, you really have to wonder what’s going on in Nibutani’s head. While I can’t understand her choice in fashion with that hair color and skirt length, it seems like she’s taking “avoid the whole chuunibyou thing” to a whole new level. I suppose only time will tell how long it’ll last for! For Kumin-senpai, she seems to still be the complete air-head who we all know and love. Still taking her trademark naps whenever the opportunity shows itself, she seems to have found a new passion in using awfully punny jokes that only a foreigner like myself would appreciate.

Which leaves Dekomori, the side character I’ve been dying to see more of. Since after the OVA clearly explained just how rich and classy she could be, I was dying for more of the girl with the huge forehead. But what I really want to see, even more than her ability to change personas on a whim, is a Dekomori that’s in full blown chuunibyou mode. Because as much as I would love for romance to take the wheel, I can’t deny that I love it whenever Dekomori and Nibutani get into those fight of theirs. And with Dekomori finally graduating from middle school, there’s one less place for Nibutani to hide. Death!

Kyoto Animation, continue to amaze me. Please.

While I don’t consider myself an expert in anime studios, you can bet that I know a thing or two about one of the powerhouses in the field. With a track record of amazing adaptations ranging from the plot heavy Key visual novels to the amazing and at the time super trolly Haruhi anime and movie, you’d think that a studio like KyoAni could do no wrong. But within the past year and the release of let downs like Tamako Market and more recently Kyokai no Kanata, you’d question how such beautiful looking shows could have such glaring flaws!

So I don’t think you can blame me when I came into Chu2Koi Ren with some reservations — you can only get let down so many times before you give up! While it’s still a little too early to tell just how good this sequel will be, there are two big things going for it. The first is that KyoAni knows how to hit that nostalgia bone and used this re-introduction episode to really get you back into the pace of things (dat chuunibyou scene!). Second, everything looks absolutely stunning. From the character designs to the animation during the epic battle scene, should everything end up becoming complete crap (which probably won’t happen) I think I could continue watching just because of how nice everything looks.

VAN!SHMENT TH!S WORLD!!

From the way things are going, I have no problems in saying that Chu2Koi Ren looks like it’ll be spectacular. From its beautiful opening and ending sequences to the great story KyoAni has been weaving since the first season, there are so many good things going for this show that it’ll take a gigantic mistake to screw things up (something like Endless Eight comes to mind…).

Random Thoughts:

  • Rika seems three times as cute as she was back during the first season. Also, her ahoge must hurt, a lot.
  • WHY IN THE WORLD WAS KUMIN THE ONE WHO GOT SMACKED WITH THE LADLE? SHE’S SUCH A NICE PERSON!

 

ED Sequence

ED: 「Van!shment Th!s World」by Black Raison d’être

99 Comments

      1. The mecha scenes from the Depth of Field shorts seemed to have visual depth as well.

        The black and white scene with the marker and ahoge grab was kind of cheating, rotating the point of view back and forth quickly.

        Longhaul
        Reply

    2. Wasn’t the opening of the previous season stereoscopic too? It had that part where it would flash on one side of the screen and the other. Maybe I’m crazy. I figure the 3d stuff was playing off how wearing an eyepatch messes with depth perception.

      Mekem
      Reply

  3. Chu2koi time at last! Superb re-introductory episode for my most anticipated show of the season! Will be looking forward to your weekly blogging Takaii. See you in Chu2koi land!

    Tassadar
    Reply

      2. Man, back when I was little (like Elementary School up to Middle School) I remember playing all kinds of stuff with friends.

        We’d waste tons of construction paper to make big-ass swords like Cloud’s.
        We’d pretend to use magic and sometimes restrict ourselves to some RPG turn based system.
        We’d hurt ourselves in the most random ways — like falling off of walls and stuff.

        Those were the days.

        Takaii
        Reply

      3. Actually it probably never ends…. it continues when we’re older, just that the methods (and finances) have gotten an upgrade…

        For example… I upgraded from making swords out of paper to buying actual replicas :P. I do have exact replicas of Kenshin’s “Sakabatou” as well as Kirito’s “Elucidator” and Asuna’s “Lambent Light” as part of my mini armoury collection…. I even seriously considered getting Squall’s “Gunblade” at one point but held back only because I ran out of space to mount it XD.

        Euzio
        Reply

      4. That is so true…..

        I still have that streak of chuunibyou-ness in me and it manifests in the form of my plastic models.

        Lately I’ve been making my own creations that never exister and created stories and world lines in my head for them

        c2710
        Reply

    4. What does DFM in the Commie/Deadfish subs mean? I could read the kanji, so I got the joke as it was in Japanese. The English, though, didn’t work for me. Someone explain please?

      MochaCookies
      Reply

    5. The military nut in me couldn’t help but chuckle at some of the names of Yuuta’s ecchi magazines…

      – Hot Load
      – Cannon
      – Nitro Express
      – +P+
      – Deringer [sic] (It’s supposed to be “derringer,” but you know, Engrish.)

      All the terms listed above (usually) have something to do with guns and/or ammunition. Using such terms for double entendre… Nicely played, KyoAni.

      Incognito
      Reply

      1. Fun fact: actually Deringer with single “r” is the original name of gunsmith who built very popular small pistol. So popular it was, that it was copied in millions and somewhere along the line his name become misspelled and then the word changed meaning from specific to generic term. So it might not be engrish, but historical reference.

        puppygod
        Reply

  6. i’m not sure what my issues is. usually Nibutani is my type of girl, but for some reason I find myself hard pressed to like Nibutani when she’s overshadowed by the overwhelming elegance and chuunibyou of Dekomori.

    That said, Dekomori for president.

    RuriNeko (TheNewHorde)
    Reply

  9. Well it looks like KyoAni hasn’t wasted any experience with their last few shows. Animation was top notch (use of 3D was especially good) and there was no lack of character chemistry. Except for the stereotypical “parents all moved out we are on our own let the shenanigans begin” plot it’s looking like this will meet all expectations.

    Definitely looking forward to more hair strand wiggling and tugging along with Dekomori desu; I don’t care what anyone says, I much prefer Dekomori desu over Suiseiseki desu, she says it with such a sinister edge it brings a giggle or 6 out of me. Keep it coming KyoAni, you might just make a romcom fan out of me yet.

    Pancakes
    Reply

  10. You have to wonder how far the chuun2byou is spreading. Apparently even the priestess is getting a bit into it. Or at least that’s what I got when she finished off Rikka and Yuuta by roasting them with a “spell”.

    bearzerger
    Reply

  13. Oh kyo ani….you are one of the few studios left in the anime business that actually animate and cut as few corners as possible when it comes to your series. Even something as simple as a romcom like chuu2koi gets a respectable budget thrown at it. Regardless of how i feel about quality of some of kyo ani’s works, I gotta give to them for continuing to actually animate and do it beautifully.

    On a side note, nice mention of the haruhi movie; Kyo ani’s best work since Kanon 2006 in my opinion.

    sonicsenryaku
    Reply

    1. Well Dogakobo has been rising up in my lists as one of the few studios that deliver constant animation. Haven’t seen the full ep of Mikakunin yet but the OP and PV have been pretty good.

      On a side note. Some people may have mistaken that the scenes in the OP where CG. It’s actually not. If they used the same technique for K-ON!!’s first OP it probably had some aid with CG models but aside from that the characters were purely hand drawn.

      megalith
      Reply

      1. Hmmmm that’s interesting that viewers are making that mistake. I tend to have an eye for these things so i was aware of the animation techniques being used in the OP.

        sonicsenryaku
        Reply

  16. Mori Summer, what happened?! (Funny how even Kumin-sempai has now gone used to calling her that)

    Could that kiss with Dekomori awoken some sort of yuri spirit within her? >.O

    If you put this “ojou-sama” Nibutani next to Dekomori with her hair down, they would look like a couple straight out one of those classic yuri mangas. lol

    That said, this is probably a temporary fad by Nibutani and she’ll probably tire of it soon. Not that I dislike her new look. As both the OP and ED feature her in her regular look.

    echykr
    Reply

      3. Someone knocked up Mori Sama in the Spring break? Noooo! Preparing for fan- rage in 3…2…1…

        Or Dekomori could be the culprit in which case I’m totally OK with this so long as it’s featured in a OVA

        celebrinen
        Reply

    1. Honestly, i really dont see any difference between the two shows and their action scenes. I think what makes viewers feel that the action scenes are more well done in chuu2koi has to do with the charisma behind the characters in the action sequences and the fact that there arent any stakes behind these battles. They’re just suppose to be fun and quirky, giving the viewer the affordance of just taking them in stride and having fun. Kyokai no Kanata was a different type of series that didnt have the luxury of being a romcom or having the elbow space to have silly characters, so everyone had different expectations for the battles (and considering it was suppose to be a dark fantasy, the battles needed to be more visceral and have consequences behind them, which they didnt). I can almost guarantee that had the battle sequences in KnK been used in chuu2koi, no one would have had any complaints.

      sonicsenryaku
      Reply

  22. Well, we’re back with the full stupid fun of the 1st half of S1, and while it’s a good thing, the fact that we’re almost ignoring S1’s latter half just scream “you fail, KyoAni”. My only issue is if KyoAni will go the idiotic way again for the latter part of the series, which at that point, it will be dropped harder tan Valvrave.

    SeedStriker
    Reply

  23. Regarding Yuuta and Rikka’s relationship, I think they firmly established they were a couple in the first season – they hooked up around episode 10. The problem showcased in the OVA had more to do with them having problems getting intimate, as they hadn’t even kissed yet. Which is understandable, because this is the first relationship they’ve both ever had.

    Anyway, I had my reservations going into this sequel, as the first season ended rather conclusively (which is actually pretty rare in anime-land) and Kyoani doesn’t exactly have the best track record this past year (to put it lightly). Luckily I found that this first episode layed a lot of my worries to rest. They show is still just as funny and the characters still have a lot of chemistry, and they haven’t cut corners with the animation either. And I’m very thankful they’ve avoided the first pitfall already – a damn reset button when it comes to relationships, which I’ve seen pop up before in some shows. The two main characters are still a couple and the rivalry between Dekomori and Shinka is still at its height (as Shinka has come to enjoy it, considering her antics at the introduction) and you can feel a year’s passed.

    So it’s off to a good start, in any case. Now to see how that new girl is going to play in all this…

    Dvalinn
    Reply

  24. “What. Beautiful. OP. And. ED.”

    The OP & ED sure gave me hope that Nibutani may get her previous hair back. <3 But I do not hate her new hair, it's just that her old one's better~

    Kumin-senpai no kawaii~~~

    Red HeartGold ZX
    Reply

  25. simply put, that was great.
    truth be told, the opening episode of S2 meet my expectations. and I had a little high expectations since it’s S2 so one should expect more. plus, I really love Chuuni I think it’s one of best of KyoAni LN projects which lately didn’t intrigue me much as I wanted (like KyoKan and Free).

    romance between Rika and Yuta is somehow solid THO not exactly romance by essence but I love the way they handle this. it gives good feeling of something that little by little is progressing. not quickly, after all Chuuni isn’t pure and only romance anime. but we can see it’s dynamic and changing a little, and not something totally static. I hope it’ll developed a little more this season.

    I love the other characters in the group – Dekomori, Nibutani, Issac, Kumin and the priestess (what’s her name?). and it seems that this time we’ll see some more significant development with some of these characters, and I really look forward to that, especially Nibutani that is still repressing her self.

    animation always look great in KyoAni, but seriously, seeing Chuunibyou so colorful and the style of KyoAni in the right touch..reminded me how much good they are. the whole fantasy stuff, which isn’t truly a fantasy, but let it be, was so great and detailed more than ever. Chuunibyou syndrome never seemed so much fun as it is now.

    all in all, great to have Chuuni back. it’s looking good and has everything of what made me love it back there. I am glad that KyoAni back to that, demonstrating what they know to do so well in both anime and comedy, something that didn’t go so well in last project.
    I am really looking forward next episodes!

    p.s
    so…it wasn’t one-time “stealing” and blogging in Stilts format ha?loved it 😛

    thedarktower
    Reply

  26. i wish kyoukai no kanata could have epic battle scenes such as that, because plotwise kyoukai no kanata had so many potential to be epic which left me wondering how it ends up being a disapopointment

    danes256
    Reply

  27. At first I thought I was just tripping but after comparing the screenshots here to the screenshots of the S1 episodes I can see that KyoAni is really using a different color palette this time around.

    It’s not bad but IMO it’s sort of a downgrade from the previous palette.

    MartianMage
    Reply

    1. It’s not really a different color palette. Their lighting effects this season has actually improved from the last one, giving a lot of the scenes a bit more gloss. Not to mention they’ve slightly tweaked their lights and shadows and there’s a bit more sharpness to the drawings. Plus with some scenes playing around with stereoscopic view, everything this eo screams slight improvement from the first season.

      sonicsenryaku
      Reply

      1. I’d have to disagree with that. The old colors they used were more vibrant. You can compare the screenshots themselves right here on RC just check the S1 posts to see for yourself. Just looking at the screens on this article it just gives me the impression that this show is… well… dated. It really looks like an older anime TBH.

        MartianMage
        Reply

      2. Well actually upon checking other blogs I’ve noticed there are disparities in the screenshots… only thing I can think of is that there are sources where the video quality makes it look old… the one’s here on RC matches the one I’ve watched…

        MartianMage
        Reply

    2. I know what you mean and i can definitely see where you’re coming from but watch an ep of season 1 in HD (preferly ep 1 of season 1 for comparison sake) and watch this latest ep in HD as well and compare the differences there. It makes easier to see the slight bump in animation that way. Sometimes screenshots really dont do it justice, you just have to see it moving on a screen to judge it better. I kinda watched a bit of the first season as a refresher so that also helped me better tell the difference.

      sonicsenryaku
      Reply

  30. Ah, I wish I could redo my life and have a terminal mentally-ill highschool days like these kids.

    I mean really: these kids has happier lives than what I had.

    But I’d probably be the most embarrassing thing ever and I’ll have my face plastered all over Youtube and facebook. Which isn’t cool.

    Like it’s S1, it’s a keeper. Can’t wait for next week.

    TheMoondoggie
    Reply

  33. Am I the only one who liked Tamako Market? I thought that show was really cute. It was always so fun and upbeat, and never got bogged down with melodrama, unlike most of KyoAni’s other shows …

    AJ
    Reply

  35. Tamako Market and Kyoukai no Kanata sure as hell wasn’t a letdown for me. They were more like stopgaps that would hold us over until Chu2koi came back and it did.

    So much Nostalgia packed in one episode. My fanboy senses are tingling and set to extreme.

    Only the Dark Flame Master can awaken the sleeping Dark Beauty.

    The jealousy from Nibutani at that ceremony was hilarious. Dekamori won that fight by doing what she does best, death

    Dat Chuunibyou fight and Kumin getting dat ladle to the head XD. I like the new OP and ED.

    We got the mom, the imoutos, Touka won’t be staying in Italy for long, the counselor, and even Isshiki bro is back.

    Magoiichi
    Reply

  36. So no wants to comment the fact that Rikka can now hang out with other classmates and actually hold a somewhat normal conversation with Yuuta when they were looking for apartments? It’s a pretty subtle gesture that Rikka is getting better and yet doesn’t really need to grow up just yet.

    Of course most of the comedic bulk comes from the Dekomori/Nibutani dynamic. I’ve always loved the rival fights they get into, because its clear that these two don’t despise each as much as they care to admit. Especially, since the OVA, Dekomori herself admitted (while drunk) that she starts these fight mostly to get Nibutani’s attention.

    And really Yuuta still has his magazine stash? That’s pathetic, nobody does that anymore. Real men are smart enough to digitize their stash in a hard drive with a password lock. It’s the 2010’s already Yuuta, save yourself the embarrassment of it getting discovered.

    fragb85
    Reply

    1. The classmate interaction was great in that even as Rika is still Rika, her friends just went with it. That’s some good acceptance compared to how everyone just threw Yuuta at her last season. I like it.

      And Yuuta was up against Touka. He wasn’t going to win no matter how he hid the goods. If he digitized, she would have just adapted.

      Aex
      Reply

  37. “I know Deko gave up her chunibyo because she realized she had to grow up in the first season but…… people remember her for that! So let’s bring that back again by a flimsy excuse even though it totally steamrolls the lesson she had to learn! PROFIT!”

    Also, I think this season came out after the events of the film, which was released between these 2 seasons. And because that film isn’t on disc yet, that may be why you may be confused as to why Rikka and Yuta are now a couple.

    starss
    Reply

    1. About the couple thing,

      Does the film actually bring in any new information? From what I remember, its supposed to be a retelling of the first season from Rikka’s perspective(?)

      Anyways, I still appreciate that Yuuta is still trying to figure out just what to do with his feelings. That whole moment where he states he’s never had a girlfriend before and asks how do you transition from chunibyou to romance really resonated with me.

      But as we all know, there really isn’t any transition between liking someone and dating. You just keep doing the things you love to do together~

      Takaii
      Reply

    2. You may want to rewatch episode 12 of season 1, starss. Dekomori had relapsed before the first season even ended. Certainly by the time of the OVA (which happened after the first season) she was fully chuuni again.

      As for them being a couple, again in the OVA it was acknowledged by… well… everyone that they were dating.

      Wanderer
      Reply

  38. I have no intention of watching this show, but couldn’t help but stop in after seeing some of those screenshots. Something about them just makes it seem like movie-esque quality, from the resplendent level of detail to the warm and inviting coloring. It’s almost enough to make me want to watch it, but unfortunately the subject matter has no appeal for me.

    Monks
    Reply

  39. Chu2Koi is back! Already got right back into the story, so excited to see this back!

    So apparently Rikka now has a love rival this season? I suspect the rival is the one who moved into Rikka’s old apartment. I bet Rikka also found the old note/love letter addressed to Yuuta’s old crush. Note, I have not read the novels, I’m just speculating based on the second season synopsis and foreshadowing.

    Aoihoshikage
    Reply

    1. Supposedly Ishihara is not doing the whole love triangle shtick (I think it was a comment read regarding the announcement of season 2 so i dont know if its true but if it is thank god for that). It’s apparent Yuuta and Rikka love each other so id like to see another way for them to explore getting romantic instead using the typical love rival troupe.

      sonicsenryaku
      Reply

  40. One thing I was a little disappointed about is that from last season and the OVA they all seemed to be close and friends, even if no one would out-and-out say such. Otherwise it will be interesting to see how things play out here. Probably my most anticipated show of the season.

    GoukaRyuu
    Reply

    1. Nibutanit and Dekomori definitely have a big sis/little sis relationship going on. They fight like cats and dogs, but I still tear up when I think of how Nibutanti “mothered” Dekomori when she was heartbroken last season. Nibutani definitely cares for her “little sister” even if she drives her crazy.

      Bear
      Reply

  41. Lol when Dekomori appeared at the scene to save everyone from Toka, I was dissapointed the animators had apparently forgot about how Nibutani was supposed to draw something on her face…

    And then I realized the geniousness of that scene XDD

    Other than that, glad to see the (almost) full cast back! (I’ll miss you, Togashi-mama and Toka’s wai- I mean Yuuta’s little sister!)

    Anonymosity
    Reply

  42. Gokigenyou! Nibutani in the long skirt and walking around saying that just made me think Marimite. Need fan art of her in the Lillian school uniform, with a Dekomori little sister.

    Luck Box
    Reply

  45. Finally, the hilariously adorable madness can begin anew! Nibutani’s new look threw me off, though. This upbeat show’s second season may be the only best thing to get me through the depressing winter, yet.

    Mechnician
    Reply

  47. Anyone care to explain why Dekomori started freaking out after reading that “idiot” writing on her hand right before the Touka fight?
    Call me stupid but I didn’t get what Nibutani’s writing had to do with it.

    boingman
    Reply

    1. Nibutani wrote that to get back at Dekomori’s alteration of her drama club costume while Deko was still napping at the chuu2 school base.

      Evidently, Dekomori didn’t notice it and when she was doing her poses and challenging Touka, she had inadvertently posed in such a way that from Touka’s perspective, it was as if Dekomori was calling Touka an “idiot”. Thus the freak out.

      RifuloftheWest
      Reply

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