Review of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S
It's been over 2 years since the tragedy that hit Kyoto Animation during the Summer of 2019. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon S marks the grand return of its franchise on the television screen. For a beloved show that graced upon us with maids, dragons, otaku culture, and Kanna's endless charm, we are once again treated with this near masterpiece. Right off the bat, we are reintroduced our lovely dragon maid Tohru and her everlasting admiration for Kobayashi. Even though it's been nearly 4 years since the anime aired on television, you could see the immediate character chemistry return between the cast. Without a shadow ofa doubt, Tohru and Kobayashi share a special relationship and this continues throughout the season. However, a new season also means new faces so we are introduced to Ilulu, a Chaos faction dragon that causes problems in the human world. With the drama she hammers into the show, we do witness the behavior of a misunderstood dragon. It's clear that she lacks common sense as others but that's the entertaining element about her. Ilulu represents the chaotic side of the dragon speices, a being that needed to be tamed. And thanks to Tohru, Kobayashi, and other, she begins to accept her life on the Earth.
Ilulu isn't the only problem landing this season. Soon enough, there are other beings appearing such as the dragon hunter Clemene. It's safe to say that at the beginning of this sequel, it wanted to really spice up the drama. As more episodes progressed, we do see the anime settle down with a slower pacing and lighter mood. At its best, I believe this franchise works as a slice of life story telling the everyday adventures of humans and dragons. This is accomplished through its principal cast such as Kobayashi/Tohru, Kanna/Riko, and Elma/Shouta. Watching this season shows what the director and Kyoto Animation do what they're best at - to bring a story formulated with such everyday adventures. From amusement parks to big cities such as New York, the anime has a ton of imagination and isn't afraid to pull out the cards.
Even with the amount of comedy and entertainment this show has to offer, it also touches on some surprisingly realistic qualities of life. Most noticably is the aspect of job employment. Even Ilulu takes up as job at a candy store to become more familiarized with humans. Tohru's role as a maid continues to bring out her inner love for the work and being there for Kobayashi. Even the idea of labor union is developed thanks to Elma's efforts. Ultimately, I believe this show loves its own premise and always seeks ways to be creative with it. Thankfully, it works out thanks to the character personalities and their roles in the show.
Even after all these years, Kyoto Animation hasn't lost their touch when animating the fantastic visual elements of the franchise. It sets the bar for terrific chereography despite facing hardships such as arson attack and global pandemic. Looking at this season from the first episode shows that art director Shouko Ochiai has talent when crafting background visuals. Others such as Nobuaki Maruki and Miku Kadowaki made valuable contributions to sell the show as an visual extravaganza. Some of the highlights of this season includes Tohru vs Ilulu and Tohru vs Elma are just a testament of this anime is capable of. Even the OP theme song contains dancing sequences courtsey of Taichi Ishidate's talent. The already established Kyoto Animation shows that it still has the talent to build on what it achieved in previous years. Likewise, this season also contains eccentic energy with electrifying character expressions. It's a breathtaking experience when watching the show as a what it advertised and you're not going to regret it.
This is the sequel fans have been waiting for and I guarantee there won't be regrets. With an already established character cast that further enchances its portfolio, there's all the reason to jump into this season. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon is an IP that tipify the evolution of Kyoto Animation and how a studio can rise back up when it gets knocked down.