The first season of March Comes In Like A Lion was definitely enjoyable, but it never really blew me away. Its second season, on the other hand, manages to reach some incredible heights in both its presentation and dramatic writing.
The first half of Season 2 of 3gatsu No Lion is probably the best streak of episodes in the entire series, briefly shifting focus to Hinata as she has to deal with bullying in school. This entire storyline is so unbelievably compelling, mostly because of how realistically the anime deals with its subject matter. The show explores how truly difficult bullying can be to stop due to teachers and students who pretend nothing happened to prevent making a scene, along with parents who refuse to admit their kids did nothing wrong. Not only is the bullying that Hinata receives never played for laughs, but the show treats it with such seriousness that the scenes end up being scarier than most horror movies/shows I've seen. As much as I love A Silent Voice's more idealistic treatment of the subject matter, I think this show does it better. It helps that Hinata is a strong and proactive protagonist, bolstered by Kana Hanazawa's amazing performance. I also really like that Rei and Akari get their own character arcs around Hinata's situation, the former wanting to return the favor for taking him in, and the latter being worried she's not a good enough caretaker for her sister. Even the shoji storyline throughout this first half is pretty alright, as I really wanted to see Rei win the Rookie Tournament to support himself and the sisters.
Once the bullying arc ends, however, the second half of the season isn't quite able to stack up. Once again, I think the shoji stuff this season is far more interesting than in Season 1. Being able to learn more about the mysterious Souya was great and the Burnt Field arc is pretty visually stunning (I also really like the running gag of the poorly-composited shoji game posters), but it still doesn't grip me as much as Rei's personal life and the Kawamoto sisters. Thankfully, the final few episodes do a really good job of bringing all of the character arcs and plot threads together in the end. On the other hand, I think some characters got a bit shafted (no pun intended) this time around. I was totally fine with Harunobu being bed-ridden for a large portion of the season since I never really liked him, but the Shoji-Science Club definitely didn't appear enough given how important they are for Rei's social life. I was also really disappointed that Kyoko barely appeared at all throughout the season. She's such a fascinating character and having her meet the Kawamoto sisters near the end of Season 1 could have led to so many interesting storylines and dynamics, so not seeing her was a bit of a shame. As for the presentation, 3gatsu No Lion looks even better than Season 1, especially when it comes to the lighting. As I previously mentioned, the Burnt Field episodes look absolutely stunning.
Unlike Season 1, this season had episodes that could rank among the best I've seen in an anime, such as:
Ladybug Bush/Feelings: This was the episode of 3gatsu No Lion for me. It was such a massive jump in quality from the rest of the series before it, kickstarting the season's best arc and shifting a large portion of the focus to Hinata. The whole episode was just heartbreaking, from what happened to Chiho, to Hina's breakdown by the river, to the fact that everyone just tries to ignore the bullying going on in Hina's school, to the brief shift to Hinata's narration. But I think the most affecting thing about this episode was Rei himself. I think it's perfect that, after being bullied at school himself, Rei would be the one to try to support and help Hinata now that his own life has taken a turn for the better. And that line from him, "You are my lifesaver" absolutely broke me.
Black Mist/Light: This episode was the point where the "bullying arc" comes to a head. That opening scene where Hinata confronts Takagi (the bully) in the homeroom was just so intense and anxiety-inducing. I really like the new replacement teacher for his calm and reasonable attitude, even with Takagi's mom pressuring Akari about "proof". I especially liked how the animation had a darker hue for most of the episode except for the ending where Hinata was comforting Akari.
Small Palm/Sunny Place: Coming after all the pain Hinata had to go through, this episode was an incredibly heartwarming end to the bullying arc. I think Chiho's letter was the highlight here, it was really satisfying to learn about how she's recovering. I also thought the ending with Rei and Hinata was a nice parallel to Ladybug Bush/Feelings, though with a much happier tone to it.
The Other House/Child Of March Town: This was a really good finale for the season. It ties up plenty of loose ends with Takahashi leaving and Rei moving up a class, and the final scene of Hinata getting a bob cut is entertaining, but the real highlight is Rei briefly reuniting with his mom, giving us some of the few family drama in the season.
Overall, while the bullying arc may have taken most of the spotlight for me and some characters were a bit shafted, I think this second season is overall a much stronger outing for the series with its improved visuals and stronger emotional impact.
4/5 Stars
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