Review of Ascendance of a Bookworm Season 2
Isekai Bookworm is back for Part 2, the continuation of the 2nd half of the remaining 12 episodes, and I'd have to say that while the content for the 2nd half was another solid effort, it was kinda downplayed after the strong foundations of the 1st half. Don't get me wrong, it is a good watch, but as a whole when it's compared to the source material, it lacks finesse and proper story progression. The story with Part 2 (the Apprentice Shrine Maiden arc) continues our blue-haired childish girl's dreams of wanting to read and make books, now descending onto the Church, whose noble state isone of disrepair, and attaching with it, the politics and power play that comes with tormented abuse. Myne is only there as a means to cure her growing mana (which she had from the Devouring back in Part 1), and of course, the library, because books come first than others.
The measure of being a commoner in royal clothing is something that Myne constantly has to bear her position in the Church, to whomever resides in there as means to oppress people where and when they like it. All these is wrong, but Myne has no power to stop it, and besides, getting yourself in trouble only builds a bad rap to your name, and Myne doesn't want that, so it's really testing her nerves. Together with High Priest Ferdinand, Myne goes through her adding number of responsibilities and work, one day at a time. One good thing is her own personal growth, compared to the beginning of Part 1, Myne has fully grown and outdone herself in ways that I could say it's just character "development", but it's development truly different, yet fascinating.
New to Part 2 is, of course the side characters, plus some new oddities of Myne's growing responsibility: the grey-robed assistants (or rather the untouchables). As a noble, every noble has to attach themselves to a grey-robed servant, and Myne has 3 in toll: the aggressive Gil, the annoying devil Delia and right-hand man Fran. It's easy to see why there is a lot of disdain between the nobles and commoners, but for Myne, the biggest challenge is to persuade them to her side and be fellow good people, regardless of their ulterior motives. Most certainly, flexing her position as a noble gives her the identity to do as she pleases, but with the rotten Church system, it's clear that something must be done, and she will take up any case, so as long as the dream of reading books isn't negated.
All things otherwise, it's about what you'd expect from Part 1, with the same artwork and visuals. I certainly don't ever think that Ajia-Do would have perfected this even much given the seasonal gap to improve some aesthetics, but what is given to us the audience, it's passable enough.
Same goes with the sound, the VAs still doing a good job at the character roles given and such, adding that blend onto the anime. And of course, new OP/ED which is good, but I'd take Part 1's set anyday as it expressed the emotions better.
Overall, Isekai Bookworm was a good watch, and for the uninitiated, having to binge through all 26 episodes really spoke volumes about how this series really eventually came into all on its own and carving its sense of identity. If you can, I'd suggest binging from the beginning to get the full experience about this overlooked hidden gem that's an Isekai, but a vastly different type of Isekai out there.
Fun times indeed.