A slow burn series like this naturally has dips and rises in ones enjoyment as certain parts are merely build up. The peaks of this series are the parts where we see the payoff. And the payoff is often easier to talk about than the build up... This review primarily talks about p2 though some sections may bring up p1 as well. Any spoilers for any season are tagged. Music/performances: Again some really great music TRIGGER having a lot of focus naturally means we get some more epic songs and Re:vale and I7s new songs are good too... though I cant say Im a fan of the opening and the ending... at first I absolutely despised it and while I gradually came to like it more... I still dont like rap and rapesque sections in songs much... The animation in some of the performances is just stunning. I once compared SECRET NIGHTs animation in this season to s1s and... hell the improvements are clear. And in general TRIGGERs performances here are the ones that have me in awe the most the camera angles the animation its just breathtaking The insertmistakenforopening in ep13 and insertmistakenforending in ep14 are kinda disappointingly slideshow performances but... I mean its really only annoying the latter wasnt given more care. The number of performances remains... shockingly low but I think its plenty. Its just the kind of show it is after all... Also I noticed it for most of s2s few performances as well but it does feel like theyre using recordings from actual live shows or at least making it sound like such rather than just using the standard studio recordings for the songs. Characters: As always a strong point of the series Last time I mentioned Yamato gets some focus here and even though mostly in part 1 I feel like it would be wrong to not bring him up here seeing as I didnt properly talk about him before. To be honest half of what Id describe his personality as is merely what other people say about him in the show. Whether its because these traits are subtle or not there Im not sure but Id lean towards the former. Especially considering the fact he is a prodigy actor who definitely had a reason to put on a mask it makes sense its hard to tell what his real personality is like. Hes pretty complex and interesting though this kind of complexity is not one I seem to really appreciate much. Moving on the new group introduced at the end of part 1 ZOOL is very much introduced as a strong antagonistic force. Their music is a bit of a mixed bag but the members are almost all very interesting. The first one seen Isumi full name unstated due to how completely unaccustomed to it I am is a vicious little brat who hates Tenn with every single fibre of his being and in general is an unsociable arrogant and rude kid who constantly calls people annoying idiots. Hes pretty much all talk though and cant take anything in return. All in all hes the most immature character... which means hes also the one with the most room for growth... Torao Mido is an arrogant flirt and by far the least interesting. Whatever personal problems he might have havent been brought up yet and any rivalry he has with anyone is pretty shallow... which doesnt help combat his annoying as hell and shallow personality. Natsume Minami is a fortune telling actor with very... mysterious aura. I dont have much to say about him as right now hes just an enigma. Then Toma Inumaru is a kinda rough guy who seems to place high value on actual skills in performing despising popularitywins contests and thus also any undeserving winners of them. Despite his harsh attitude and rough manner of speaking it is clear he is an actually kind guy from the start almost certainly the nicest guy in the group... though hes a bit tsundere... I mentioned last time how this series places a strong emphasis on the characters dynamics. And that definitely hasnt changed The banter between the cast is very natural and the ways everyone interacts with each other... I could probably write as much about just that as I have written about the show in general in my reviews and notes combined... The new characters are all introduced quite smoothly and the dynamics they build with everyone are naturally well really natural. Even if they are extremely hostile ones. Story: This season is a fair bit more plotfocused than s2 as instead of many characterfocused arcs there is one big arc about the machinations of a... kinda creepy ambitious man with some smaller arcs contained within it. That is not to say the writing quality has declined not at all. This shift in focus felt quite natural as much of part 1 was still scattered arcs with set up for this larger plot in part 2 intensifying towards the end. Tsukumo is very clearly not mentally sound at all but he is scarily competent with his schemes. And his actions do make sense when taking into account his warped ideology and worldview. I mentioned in my s2 review how the arc about the antagonistic force was the least emotionally impactful and I think that is just how it goes with this show. The character focused arcs are the best part though the more plotfocused parts arent bad by any stretch either. That likely shows with my favourite parts and the most emotional ones of this season mostly being Sogos episodes both ep5 and the later subarc climaxing in the intensely emotional ep10. An episode that really got me crying... Fun: Re:vale remains the comedy masters theyve always been and even in the darkest moments they help lighten the mood a little For example in one scene in the immensely tense and dark ep16 Momo has some looks on his face that just ease the anxiety felt slightly through how silly they look... And its not jarring. The comedy in this has basically never been jarring. Even now when the plot is getting so dark. Well there was one awkward joke in ep14 which may have been slightly better had they not went chibi for it but still probably not that good. But meh. Overall: This show has some of the best writing I have ever seen and likely will ever see It has such great characters who are all so memorable and feel so real and they really are the strong point of this show. And the writing quality has always been the same throughout every single part of it Though it might not be as emotional as s2 it is still a masterpiece of writing I think the reason the dynamics between the cast are highlighted more than the individual characters is because I thinkat its core this show tries to convey the importance of friendship and good interpersonal relationships in general. Putting aside the value of interpersonal skills in business which is emphasised in this season they show how these kinds of relationships can be vital in helping us face our problems and move on from them. Even though this show is frighteningly dark at times its still a hopeful story... a realistic kind of hopefulness that is While many music anime may have this strong theme of friendship this one is the one where it is the most subtle but also the strongest. Perhaps because of the realistic way it is conveyed. Ill say it over and over again. Every part of this show from the characters to the plotlines to the comedy to the messages they all feel so realistic and natural. I know some people say theyre not interested in idol anime because they think itll all be unrealistic and overly sparkly and cheerful and things along those lines like the performances idols put on. But this show is all about what goes on backstage and how these normal people try to be the best people they can be and not just for their fans sakes either.