Iine! Hikaru Genji-kun 2 (2021)

Fun, quick update to Season 1

This was a great little addition to Season One for those of us who were left missing this adorable show and cast! I fell in love with this series immediately and missed it so much when I finished it, so I was thrilled when a second season was announced. I was sad it was only 4 episodes of app. 30 minutes each. However, it felt about like a special TV movie or something and made for a fun, quick update on the main two characters in particular while still managing to bring in some new characters and plot.

It was nicely paced without feeling rushed, the storyline had just enough plot in each episode, it felt fresh enough that it was worth revisiting the characters and getting an update on them (as well as having some progress for those who felt a bit cheated for how things ended with the main couple on season one) but there was not too much new stuff that it felt unnatural like they were forcing a new storyline or anything.

The new season picks up after the main couple of Fujiwara and Hikaru have been living together for a while after he returned to her dimension at the end of season one. They open up season two by moving into a new house, but they still haven't progressed romantically or admitted their feelings for each other. Although they each want to do so, bumps in the road seem to keep them from admitting their true feelings to both each other and themselves... bumps which comes mainly in the forms of attractive co-workers and the rumors of Hikaru's former wife possibly being in town.

Acting was of course great when dealing with people like Chiba Yudai, Kiriyama Renn, Kamio Fuju, and Ito Sairi. I give it high ratings for that, despite its short length and lighthearted writing. It's nothing groundbreaking, but for what it's intended to be, it's works very well.

Since it's short and about the length of a movie and filled with some of my favorite people, I would definitely watch it again.

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Good Enough

Second season of the Japanese Drama 'Iine Hikaru Genji-kun' brings back all the beloved characters from the first season. We get to see what happened to them and a conclusion to the story, as well as an explanation of the whole fantasy element.

However, the drama was too short and it tried to add in too many plot lines, from the love story, to the love triangle and the time travel trope. Every character, other than the main leads, gets a few scenes and a short screening time. They were also there only to prompt the love story forward. The latter, though cute, was also rushed and everything happened really fast, founding the emotional built to the previous season's dynamics.

Finally, the performances were pretty great from everyone in the cast and the time travel was smoothly handled.

So, overall, 6 out of 10.

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