Review of The Devil is a Part-Timer! Season 2
*SAD NOISES INTENSIFIES.* (REPOST.) The fans have been waiting for 9 and a half years for a sequel... in exchange for this? NOT WORTH! You done messed up, Studio 3Hz. Everything about the show screams poorly constructed, from overblown reactions to bizarre camera angles to malformed appearances to cheap animation. It felt like the show was made in the early 2010s. You know you've fucked up when the sequel to KanoKari outperforms you. It makes me wonder if S2 should have existed at all. Let's start with the obvious downgrade in art style and animation. While the differences in the art styles of the characters areinitially shocking, they will fade as the story progresses and you will grow accustomed to them. However, most people would agree that the biggest problem is the animation. Episode 4 marked the beginning of the animation's demise. The animation appeared to be melting in that episode, especially during the entire Gabriel confrontation sequence, as not only was the art style changed. This episode appeared to have been produced by amateurs who were thrown together at random, and the episode was completed simply to have something to show for it. The unfortunate part is that the art style and animation only get worse as the show progresses, and I'm too lazy to list every flaw and discrepancy I've noticed. In general, the show was extremely difficult to watch and felt like a chore.
This season has squandered the characters and stories established in S1, making them appear completely inferior and those that are classified as Made in China, essentially cheap and off-brand product marketed at a low cost, as one might say. Majority of the casts in S1 received no development and have had their personalities degraded. Take Shirou as an example. In S1, his persona was built up to be that of a housewife, with being good with household chores and handling funds, being thrifty and all, but now he's only concerned with pocket change, and has turned into a nagging granny who no one wants to listen to. The comedy is simply not working, the characters aren't as amusing, and all of the gimmicks have worn out. There is none of S1's charm or wit to be found. The characters spent the majority of their time babysitting a random child named Alas Ramus thrown into the mix. The show literally transitioned from a show about magical powers and actions to a slice of life and romcom. What's worse is that the entire ordeal surrounding Gabriel was left unresolved and a new problem has already emerged. It is like throwing random ingredients into a hotpot and expecting it to taste delicious. Furthermore, a new romance angle emerged from what had previously been a subpar love triangle angle among the main casts, leaving us viewers perplexed as to what exactly is going on in the show. How are we supposed to believe that Rika suddenly likes Shirou and has a huge crush on him? Like where did the romance even sprung up from? It was as if I were watching a teen romance written by someone who has no idea what love works. Honestly the entire season felt like a filler and setup for a sequel, a throwaway basically. The show's finale didn't help matters either, as it was too anticlimactic, leaving many questions unanswered.
The only thing I can say about the show that I like is the sound, with the VAs doing their jobs with the roles their characters play, and even then, I find them irritating with the way the show tries to portray and present their characters. The OP and ED are nice. You'll become more invested in them as the season progresses. The show's audio is the only winner, and everything else is a loser.
The trailer alone should have been a warning sign for what was to come this season and to skip the sequel, but I chose to stick with the show, and this is what I got in return. DISAPPOINTMENT and more DISAPPOINTMENT. I considered dropping the show several times during its run, but decided to endure what felt like an eternity of anguish.
If you've just finished S1 of the show and are thinking, "Hey, I want to watch S2 to learn more about the casts and the story to see what happens", I recommend you don't. You'll be thoroughly disappointed, just like the majority of people, and this is coming from someone who loved S1 and doesn't mind mediocre art and animation in S2. This anime had so much potential, but it was sadly wasted.
PERSONAL REQUEST: PLEASE REPLACE THE STUDIO IN CHARGE.