Review of Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S
July 2019, I was taking a usual afternoon ride on the Tokyo Metro when an urgent news alert came across the in-train TV’s. The famed Kyoani studio had been the subject of an arson. Immediately my mind thought of all the people who would have been hard at work on what should have been a typical weekday afternoon. Sadly, to all of our dismay, 34 people, including the director of Maid Dragon, tragically lost their lives that day. Kyoani have been my favourite anime studio for years now. They have created so many magical experiences that have taught me and so many others life lessons.For such a studio to be attacked, over such a senseless reason, really broke my heart. I got a chance to pay my respects at the site of the fire a few days later along with several other fans. It was truly surreal to see the number of people who showed up in support of a studio that had done so much for so many.
It was always a question of when, not “if” Kyoani would comeback. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the president of KyoAni was adamant in his intent to rebuild the studio and continue working on projects. The Violet Evergarden movie was pretty close to completion before the fire, so Dragon Maid is really the first full project Kyoani have made since the fire. Although Takemoto Yasuhiro tragically passed away in the fire, Ishihara Tatsuya has stepped in and continued to build on the amazing work Takemoto did. If Maid Dragon season 1 was a funny, wholesome slice of life story, Maid Dragon S is a journey of self-discovery, acceptance, forgiveness and optimism. While I had a lot of fun in Dragon Maid season 1, I can’t really say there was ever an episode that got me emotional or really made me think. I found the plot of Maid Dragon S to be a step up in every regard. We have the same beloved characters we met in the first season, plus additions like Illulu who aren’t just there for jokes, but for legitimately moving moments. Illulu in particular has one of the best character arcs I’ve seen in a while. The tone in general feels much more serious. While we still have those comedic moments, Quetzocoatl’s boobs, Tohru sexually harassing Kobayashi, etc., it feels almost secondary to the plot. Which is always welcome.
Kyoani are known for their stunning visuals. Whether it’s Kyoukai no Kanata, Violet Evergarden or Hibike Euphonium, they’ve consistently blended top notch storytelling with beautiful art and animation. Maid Dragon might not be the first show to come to mind when you think of animation and visuals, but let me assure you no expense was spared by KyoAni for this season. The show really does feel like it had years of development behind it. There’s several fight sequences particuraly during Elma and Tohru’s backstory arc and Illulu’s development arc, that are better than any shonen fight scene we’ve got this year. Of course in this type of show, things like that are not the sole focus, but it’s always nice to see the staff go the extra mile.
I thought the pacing was fabulous throughout the season. Every single member of the cast got a backstory/development arc that adequately set them up for future development and arcs. The only thing I didn’t like was how fast it felt like episodes went by!
Maid Dragon S is the perfect comeback for Kyoani. After so much tragedy, they’ve managed to craft a project that encapsulates acceptance and moving on from the past at the perfect time. Welcome back, Kyoani.
Maid Dragon S gets 10 out of 10.