Anime Review: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Roads Lead to Doom X Season 2

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My Next Life as a Villainess: All Roads Lead to Doom X Season 2 anime- 12 episodes

After successfully thwarting her doom in her first year, Katarina now begins her second year without any worries in the Magic Academy. More colorful characters are introduced in the story and in her harem too. Check here for the review of Season 1 and First Impression of Season 2. 

The hilariousness continues with the fourth episode and it's a total gamechanger. The group dynamics will be shaken up and we finally see the end of Bakarina. And for clarification, the end of her baka-ness, not her demise. The first season focused more on the premise of how to escape doom flags. But it has now shifted from the trope it is known for and taking off things in a different direction with Katarina enjoying life without the constant worrying of her doom and with the other characters now taking matters into their own hands. But it looks like it will be short-lived and it will be back to square one again with the movie. 

As usual, I am late for the bisexual harem party (See Animefeminist) just like I was late with the trope and even the term, isekai (used to call it timeslip). I just labeled the anime as reverse harem and yuri harem before. Baka me. So where do we put this now in Levels of Reverse Harem? Hmm 4.5 flowers? I was more for equality before but the reverse harem is now tipping the scales in their favor and the hints are all over the opening and ending credits. Sadly it didn't do any justice for my boy Alan. And expect two or three more additional characters in the reverse harem or bisexual harem rather in the upcoming movie. But in this season, I'm now starting to understand the popular Maria and Katarina ship. I was too distracted with the other characters before but I can see now that the two can be the endgame perhaps? Meanwhile, in other adaptations, we see the separation of the bisexual harem. In the otome game, the girls are not playable characters while in the My Next Life as a Villainess Side Story: Girls Patch manga focuses on the girls' relationships and setting aside the boys. 

The flashbacks as kids came in as a surprise. I thought that the first season will be the last that we see of them. We'll definitely see them again in the OVA. I'm still not convinced with the rest of the additional characters if some of them are really needed or if we can live without them because maaaannn they are already so many. But props for causally mixing up all characters so they can interact with one another. The mini Katarinas are so cute especially when they get flustered by a certain someone and them dancing in the opening ugghhh And as always the opening and the ending are such musical and visual treats.  

The villainess-otome game-isekai- reincarnation is oversaturated now but sometimes I forget that My Next Life as a Villainess is one of the titles that popularized it. (See Animefeminist and ANN) It is expected for this to tackle this premise at its face value. Now all the titles succeeding it has used it as a template and put their own twists or variation. (Also updated Decades of Harem to include this trend)   

Having said that I think that is the reason I begrudgingly include it in my top 10.  I mean who am I kidding, it's impossible not to include this in the top 10. But there's something missing storywise even though it is a perfect ten already or even more with the loveable ensemble cast and the fun factor. I know I'm being ridiculously stingy but it's because I really love this series. Hopefully, the movie can remedy that with the direction the story is moving. 

Burning question: What's the significance of snippets from real life. Is it a dream? A parallel world? Premonition? Please don't answer if you know Haha But I would be definitely interested in your other thoughts on the anime. Let me know in the comments.  

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Purchase titles/ related to the titles mentioned: (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases):

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Volume 1 (Light Novel)  https://amzn.to/2XIVYnm

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (Manga) Vol. 1 https://amzn.to/3ky00Ys  

My Next Life as a Villainess Side Story: On the Verge of Doom! (Manga) Vol.1  https://amzn.to/3hXFHC0

My Next Life as a Villainess Side Story: Girls Patch (Manga) https://amzn.to/3zzxzxJ 

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