Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai / First Impressions / Series Introduction

OP Sequence

OP: 「Be My Friend」by 隣人部（三日月夜空〈井上麻里奈〉、柏崎星奈〈伊藤かな恵〉、楠幸村〈山本希望〉、志熊理科〈福圓美里〉、羽瀬川小鳩〈花澤香菜〉、高山マリア〈井口裕香〉）(The Neighbor’s Club (Mikazuki Yozora, Kashiwazaki Sena, Kusunoki Yukimura, Shiguma Rika, Hasegawa Kobato, Takayama Maria))

「やはり俺の青春はまちがっている」 (Yahari Ore no Seishun wa Machigatteiru)
“I Think Something Is Wrong with My Youth”

After one whole year, Haganai makes its triumphant second season debut. And honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy another season of this quirky show. Luckily, this first episode completely blew past my expectations by wasting no time and jumping straight into the gist of things. However, what really made it stand apart was how AIC Build went above and beyond and even touched on a few points that I really wanted to see last season. All of which had me on the edge of my seat wanting more.

For starters, I really loved how AIC Build decided to handle this first episode. Instead of giving us a boring run of the mill introduction episode that attempts to lay the foundation for an entire season, I was loving how spontaneous everything seemed. It was almost as if the studio forgot that it’s been nearly a year since the first season ended and completely blew off the fact that viewers may not remember key points. The thing is, I think it worked really well. Especially in a case when you have a show that essentially works off of how characters interactions bounce off one another. And in retrospect, what’s a better way to jog our memories then watching characters do what they do best? Sure, I may not have remembered how air-headed Sena could be or just how devilish both Yozora and Rika could be — but watching them double team against Sena in an all out attempt to give her the worst hairstyle possible was an extremely fun way to jog my memory.

At the same time, I really enjoyed how the second half of the episode started to change things up as it shifted toward a more somber and serious mood. Well, I mean as serious as a show like Haganai can get. Sure it may have been downright creepy to view just how dedicated Sena was at focusing on her grudge toward Yozora — but wouldn’t you love to see your face plastered on someone’s ceiling? Sarcasm aside, the latter half of the episode brought up an interesting point (at least for me) — the whole love triangle between Sena, Yozora, and Kodaka. Even though I could have sworn that Yozora was the one who came out on top in the battle for Kodaka’s heart, this episode did a wonder on messing up my memories. Between watching Kodaka accept a condom and having Sena’s father tell him that he entrusts him with his daughter, I can’t help but feel that the whole love aspect is going to have a triumphant return later in the season. And if it’s anywhere near as awkward as discussing friendship was during the first season, you can bet I’m excited to see where this leads.

If I had to give one word to describe this first episode I would say that it was stellar. After helping me remember just why I loved watching this show and then enticing me with a Nun with boobs as big as Sena’s, there’s almost nothing I can complain about. Throw in a spectacular opening and ending sequence that I can’t stop listening to and hints that the romantic side of things might get touched on a bit more and you have me at the edge of my seat thinking about the endless possibilities of what could happen in a show like this. And don’t get me started on how emotional the show could get when the topic of what “friendship” really is comes back around! And in the worst case, it seems like AIC Build is ready to provide all the fanservice one could for.

Check Out Images 14 and 30 For Full Sized Goodness!

 

ED Sequence

ED: 「僕らの翼」 (Bokura no Tsubasa) by 隣人部（三日月夜空〈井上麻里奈〉、柏崎星奈〈伊藤かな恵〉、楠幸村〈山本希望〉、志熊理科〈福圓美里〉、羽瀬川小鳩〈花澤香菜〉、高山マリア〈井口裕香〉）(The Neighbor’s Club (Mikazuki Yozora, Kashiwazaki Sena, Kusunoki Yukimura, Shiguma Rika, Hasegawa Kobato, Takayama Maria))

Preview

End Card

92 Comments

      1. It’s unavoidable that people are going to downvote whether there’s a valid reason behind it or not. I don’t particularly give it much attention as there’s simply never been need or reason to. There will always be people who dislike what you say but if they’ve nothing to offer but a thumbs down then frankly it isn’t worth a second thought. That’s their right to disagree. If people happen to like my sentiments though and agree with them, regardless of whether a negative thumb outweighs a positive one, I’m glad for that and appreciate it.

        Yasuri
        Reply

  4. Of all the shows this season I didn’t expect Haganai would be the one to break my Yuri Radar. If they’re trying to convince me that there’s a shipping war for Kodaka its not working. Sena’s relationship with Yozora is now borderline hatesex for crying out loud. SenaxYozora is now my OTP!

    fragb85
    Reply

  6. Welcome back, MEAT Thursdays! Haganai, Vividred, Psycho-Pass and Sasami-san Thursdays are currently the best Thursdays.

    Can’t wait to see more of the light novels animated. Wondering if they’ll hit the dramatic part this season…

    R
    Reply

  7. It was hilarious seeing Sena describe what she does with Yozora’s pictures and wig at night but watching her actually do it at the end made me seriously laugh…..then a bit confused. That face she made in the end didn’t seem like someone with a grudge (Kodaka calling her a perverted stalker seems about right lol). Is this gonna turn into a different kind of love triangle or did I just accidentally put on my yuri goggles?

    Watt
    Reply

    1. My impression is that the yuri flags are fanservice, but in reality Sena just really wants a female friend. That’s the reason she plays galge. She wants to do friend-like things with Yozora, but under the guise of an awkward one-sided rivalry so that Yozora won’t reject her. And thinking about Yozora just makes her really happy because she’s such a pure person, hence the stupid face she made at the end there which doesn’t at all resemble arousal. That’s my interpretation.

      Player
      Reply

  9. For anyone of a serious persuasion who got through season 1, watched ep1 of NEXT, and is unsure whether they want to continue:

    Keep watching. It’s all worth it later, and if you’ve gotten this far, then there’s good material ahead. Now, as of this episode, we’re about halfway through volume 4. Getting through volume 7 is totally possible, and it’ll make a fantastic end-of-season moment.

    Leaving that aside, speculating on future series length… Everything ending at volume 9 is possible but unlikely. A couple more books means three seasons. Realistically, though, I guess it could be animated through volume 4 and OVAs for the rest.

    Ein
    Reply

  15. Oh man! What a great start to the anime!

    I can’t wait until the maid chapter kicks in, it’s one of my favorite chapters. Made me like Rika a lot more, and Sena… Nuff said!

    Thursday is my favorite day of the week now!

    Waffles
    Reply

  20. I nearly spat the water I was drinking when Stella handed this to Kodaka. LOL
    https://randomc.net/image/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai%20NEXT%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2028.jpg

    LOL Speaking of which, there seems to be a Haganai doujinshi out there with the exact same plot, though being a doujinshi, the outcome is clearly different. *Nudge nudge wink wink*

    AIC Build had replaced the character designer for this second season, and thus the characters now look even cuter than their first season counterparts. But that’s just me.

    Kinny Riddle
    Reply

  22. Sometimes this show makes me think Kobato and Sena would make nice couple in scenes where the comedies calms down. Then they throw Sena’s room and wig at me and I don’t know what to make of her character anymore 😛

    Fling
    Reply

  23. Watched this episode with a big grin on my face 😀
    Really looked forward to this! But that aside, Meat certainly has an…interesting (yeah lets call it that) way of holding on to her grudge, Hehe. All we need now is the perverted version of hououin kyouma back and we’re good to go 😀 (all the characters seemed rather tame actually) All in all this will certainly be a weekly watch show 🙂

    CatsRofl
    Reply

  24. Missed this show so much. Glad to have Haganai back for another season.

    – What an unexpected (or expected) way for Kobato to be reintroduced than by screaming for her An-chan because of an excited Sena.
    https://randomc.net/image/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai/Boku%20wa%20Tomodachi%20ga%20Sukunai%20NEXT%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2010.jpg
    – Really when this scene happened I thought an unholy alliance was formed.
    – Definitely looking forward to seeing Kate’s debut. From those previews she’s very much an upgraded Maria.

    Zhinvu
    Reply

  25. well band is back together again yet still at it.

    sure like give sena a hair makeover end up get spank by her dad which kodaka feel good parenting for it.

    to kodaka enter sena’s house to see sena has more obsession to yozora to having sena’s dad rubbing clean kodaka’s back (brain bleach now please).

    oh my indeed yet next ep here come big “nun”.

    grav
    Reply

  26. The good: the shennanigans of the Neighbors Club are back
    The bad: bashing Sena instead of Yozora in the first ep.

    After the end of season (without the OVA), I expected that the beggining of S2 would be a little bit more of bashing Yozora since the self-destructive bitch hasn’t received some humble pie at all. Gangbanging the only character that could be well developed (since Sena is the only one in this damned club that really wants friends) in the kickoff is low. And, if Kodaka is really the author self-interting into the story, GROW UP BALLS, YOU IDIOT! C’MON MAN!

    SeedStriker
    Reply

  33. So things have taken such a big turn, have to say, my hopes are high for the 2nd season. Doujinshi artists are gonna have so much materials to work on. Profit going up up up for them.

    Tingster013
    Reply

    2. No problem, there’s so many good scenes in the novel I can’t wait to see in the anime.
      If you’re wondering who Kodaka ends up with…
      Show Spoiler ▼

      D
      Reply

      2. Damn it im dying to press the spoiler button but i dont want any spoilers damn it spoiler are some terrifying things, i dislike them but cant keep myself away from it. Ahhhh! damn it i want to know.
        Well whatever ill just close this page.

        Neregade
        Reply

  37. I loved that they just picked right up with the same show. It made it seem much more like a split 2-cour series, just with a little longer than usual break. You want the backstory? Go back and watch the first series, because if you liked this episode, you’ll like all of the first series.

    One of these days, someone in the club is gonna actually figure out that they *are* friends, not just practicing for when they have friends…

    Highway
    Reply

  38. Ah, good ole Haganai…good to have you(and Takaii) back again!

    Am I the only one who misses Yozora’s long hair?

    And to think, after everything she did to Sena in Season 1, messing with her hair and all is what makes Yozora think she’s gone too far and it was just plain mean…wow…lol

    HalfDemonInuyasha
    Reply

    1. I miss Yozora’s long hair, too, but I guess it can’t be helped.

      And I think the apology for going to far is showing that they’re actually becoming friends. Instead of a only a generalized other that Yozora can antagonize and bully, she now feels sorry for pulling what I thought wasn’t that bad of a prank, and even one that Sena fully participated in, on someone whose opinion and goodwill she’s starting to care about.

      And I think Sena’s kind of the same way, because that last scene didn’t exactly strike me as ongoing rage. I think she longs to ‘get’ Yozora, but in, again, a prank-y way like friends would.

      Highway
      Reply

  41. i gotta say while i’m on team sena, hair down rika makes her become a more viable option. her in that maid outfit in the OP!! hnnnnnngg! additionally, it looks like we’ll be catching up to the light novels where rika gets to shine more.

    RickyMack
    Reply

  43. Was it my imagination or did anyone else think some of the scenes had some quality issues? Scenes in their club room where it wasn’t a close up shot seemed off, like their faces were not detailed enough. Also, the color palette seems different, more muted.

    Looking forward to Mother Kate next episode. And we need more Maria.

    bertman4
    Reply

    1. So I just visited the Japanese wiki site. The director and art director are different from the first season. In fact much of the staff is different from the first season. No wonder I thought it looked different.

      bertman4
      Reply

  45. I prefer my harem ending above all pairings, seeing as Sena would most likely dont mind, Rika and Yukimura as well, and Yozora will eventually agree with it if Kodaka is ok with it. Hail for the harem end! All hail harem end!

    Ryner
    Reply

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