Was I praying for a second season of Miss Kobayashis Dragon Maid ? Nah. https://i.ur.com/32NOavC.mp4 Look. Before you break out the pitchforks please believe that this is coming from a fan who adored S1. For all the wholesome happiness Dragon Maid DM for short doled out back in 2017 I wasnt exactly clamoring for a sequel. Unlike countless oneseason wonders that are crying for an anime followup to this day DM didnt strike my skeptic self as the type of show that would either benefit from a continuation or significantly build upon the status quo. Oh how wrong I was. Having completed this series spectacular sophomore outing Im pleased to report that its a worthy instalment for the franchise. S2 came not only with the realization of just how much Ive missed DM but also with surprising improvements. This sequel is one for both the skeptics and those dearly in need for some fun this anime season. The following review is spoilerfree with a TlDr if youd like to go in blind. With that out of the way lets come together and discover what maid this season so dang special. The dragon gangs all here as if theyd never left. 100https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/858107709009428490/862457875880476712/MaidDragonS9.gif The series premiere sets us right ontrack with one of the funniest meta sketches yet as everyones favorite maid Lady Tohru finds herself taking her services to a Japanese maid caf The familiar fun doesnt stop there with the rest of the cast in full swing. Kanna continues to redefine cuteness with her many playful childhood adventures often accompanied by a lovestruck Saikawa. Meanwhile in the working world Elma the sweettooth learns more and more about the worklife crunch of a middle class office worker. Takiya helps with her taxing load as a reliable colleague by day before grinding out MMORPGs as a fullblown otaku by night alongside the sullen NEET Fafnir. And lest we forget our flirtatious Lucoa is still doing all sorts of unspeakable things to her beloved Shoutakun an eager mageintraining. Finally at the beating heart of this lovable community is Miss Kobayashi a kindhearted dragon ambassador with an achy back and a knack for reaching out to her friends in need. Her affinity for booze is only matched by that of sharing thoughtful advice as a mentor for our scaly pals. Things seemed the same as they have ever been. 100https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/861520129192099860/872636536687067196/unknown.png?width=1315height=740 S2 simply maintaining the series trademarks of great comedy and wholesome joy would already have been cause for celebration. If S2s episodes were just Tohru trying to feed Kobayashi her tail for 20 minutes you can bet that Id still be happy to laugh along each week. The lively likable goofballs of DM had won me over long ago so just watching their daily lives play out would have been enough to satisfy my SoL cravings. But to my surprise S2 seemed intent on taking its entertaining formula to new heights. Take for example the introduction of a brand new cast member: the fiery Chaos Dragon Ilulu. Her backstory is sobering stuff and her arrival draws some parallels to how Tohrus second life on earth got off the ground. The developments didnt stop there as DM continued to spread its wings in new directions. I found myself taken aback by how much of S2 built upon the simple gags and sketches Id grown accustomed to. S2 offers a great deal of thoughtful character maturity handinhand with hilarious childlike shenanigans. In order to explain where DMs growth comes from we need to go back to the roots of this series simple success. DM celebrates the fun of discovery and unity. https://i.ur.com/yKvbFsr.mp4 S1 achieves this goal through the charming interactions between dragons and humans. For eons these ditzy dragons have observed our human world from a distance. Now that theyre finally able to experience our lives firsthand the dragons embrace our mundane daytoday activities with excitement and curiosity. Most of S1 is dedicated to these dysfunctional dragons settling into their new lives. The comedy and cuteness that ensues from our dragons hijinks stems from them setting aside their differences. Getting together in harmony can be a wonderful exchange allowing all from different walks of life to learn new things and foster new bonds. DMs many moe elements and comfy vibes further demonstrate how fun and rewarding this cultural experience can be. This solid sweet foundation can still be seen and enjoyed throughout S2. However this sequel doesnt shy away from broadening its horizons in unexpected ways. S2 shifts focus from the dragons pleasant present experiences to their lives in the past. 100https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/861520129192099860/872518741974462505/vlcsnap2021080423h36m45s969.png?width=1315height=740 Shocking truths and revelatory origins of our friends come to light through various flashbacks that deviate from DMs typical tone and fluff. From these glimpses into the distant past were introduced to unfamiliar versions of our firebreathing friends. Viewers will get a glimpse of what its like to be a dragon and where their selfish way of life differs from ours. At the same time these origin stories tell us that maybe Tohru and the gang havent changed that much at all. Perhaps theyve always sought to see the world in a new light to be kind to be happy to be loved. Perhaps the human world was a gateway to finally meeting those desires. Here on Earth a second shot at life presents our dragons with opportunities not possible in their previous realm. https://i.ur.com/Zz1h5vp.mp4 Before these mythical creatures were content with isolation and chose to avoid the trivial activities of lesser beings. Now having kept their horns hidden our friends can fully explore what it means to be a part of a community with shared struggles and relationships. Finally these ageold beings can embrace simple innocence and find all kinds of fun with friends and loved ones. For the first time our dragons get to learn the meaning of selflessness and how to act for the wellbeing of others. And lets not forget Kobayashis end of things as well as she muses over her own new life as a role model and love interest for our dragons. S2 portrays these brief arcs brilliantly in ways that are both hilarious and heartwarming. Viewers get to live vicariously through the wholesome antics of the dragons in large part thanks to Kyoto Animations immaculate attention to detail. Seriously theyve outdone themselves once more with this one. Theres no reason why a SliceofLife show should wind up being a legitimate contender for prettiest anime of the year let alone contain stunning action cuts that put proper shounen seasonals to shame in the visual department. This season is sensational probably the only downside I can propose is that of sequels in general. DM is still going to have moments that fall into moe blob territory and risqu jokes featuring Saikawa and Lucoa are still bound to raise a few eyebrows. This sequel is a sizable stepup over what came before but shouldnt be expected to change the minds of those who dislike the first season. But as for the rest of us existing DM enjoyers we can rest easy in knowing that S2 has deepened its alreadyenriching experience on both a thematic and emotional level. Truly a mustsee sequel. TlDr: https://i.ur.com/rH5JZ0W.mp4 Miss Kobayashis Dragon Maid has always been about experiencing new things and its only fitting that S2 follows suit. In its absence the show we know and love has become bolder tackling familiar SoL topics with a measure of character growth thats sure to resonate with viewers. S2 isnt afraid to stray from its sketch show formula introducing flashbacks which showcase how much our dragons have grown. Of course the series trademark comedy makes a welcome return embracing innocence and community with a leisurely atmosphere. Hilarious and wholesome in equal measure Dragon Maid is back and better than ever. 8/10 STRAY RAMBLINGS SPOILERS: Sorry Georgie. You did scare the shit out of me when you started showing up at several places at once. The fantastic animation quality is made way more impressive given that many key staff members were youngstershttps://blog.sakugabooru.com/2021/07/18/kyotoanimationschangingstudiodynamicsmisskobayashisdragonmaidsproductionnotes02/. Due to recent events KyoAni being shortstaffed on talent was a serious possibility. Putting their trust in youngsters for some truly phenomenal cuts and visual choices just makes me love this awesome studio that much more. This production model bodes really well and Im gonna keep my eyes peeled for the kind of sakuga talent thatll bloom from this youth development in the years to come. THE. KANNA. EPISODE. IN. NYC. GAVE. ME. DIABETES. I think Elmas workplace story in Ep 9 doesnt get enough credit. Im really surprised at how the sketch played out given how unassuming Kobayashis office culture must have been to a local audience. The things Elma were stressing over are practically nonissues over in Japan. Work culture is known to prioritise the company over the individual to the point where workers feel bad about using mandatory annual leave. Plus Elmas lobbying for workplace reform marks the rare occasion where the dragons challenge the human way of doing things. It was a pretty profound statement really all while being a lighthearted watch at the expense of Elmas tremendous efforts. S1s OP ED are the better of the franchises pair IMO but Im not complaining about what we got here. fhnahttps://anilist.co/staff/118915/fhnas hook is unstoppable. SING ALONG PAPARAPAPA... BEST GIRL: Strictly in a waifu sense Lucoa can get it. But how can I not shoutout Kanna for being so damn adorable from start to finish? AHHHHH 100https://cdn.epicstream.com/assets/uploads/ckeditor/images/1631214972mkdmse101.jpg 25https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/766670782494408744/890246573924175932/staticassetsupload8406836846158696503.gif Thanks for joining me on this quick read Now if youll excuse me watching Elma eat candies has got me craving for dessert. As if this show wasnt sweet enough as is If you happen to like my verbose rants feel free to check out my other reviewshttps://anilist.co/user/AnimeDweeb/reviews for seasons past and present. I also frequently post writeups under my list updates so definitely take a peek if youd like to see me mald over anime as they hit the airwaves. Peace