SPOILERS BEWARE The second season of March Comes in Like a Lion starts off with an absolute blast it only took three episodes of the show to break me and once again its the 3rd episode that we see Hinas tear stained face and dear god seeing it really hurts me inside. The mood went from 0 to 360 within seconds of seeing Hina return home at the end of this episode and that was only a tease for what happens in the following episode. The 4th episode of this season has been the biggest emotional episode for me in a good while its been quite a while since something has hit me so hard. The act of bullying really resonates with me even though I was never a victim myself but simply seeing first Hinas friend and then Hina herself bullied really breaks my heart its genuinely hard to watch but this is realism and it happens very frequently in schools. This episode was pulling on my heartstrings so hard I cant remember the last time I felt so broken inside. Truly a masterpiece of an episode and if this is the level that this show will present itself as later then dear God help me as I may not last emotionally throughout this season. After witnessing this episode I am seriously setting my expectations extraordinarily high for this anime now as I want to see more episodes of this kind of magnitude. 800https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/670745625670713353/890361179111817256/unknown.png The 8th episode also portrays what this anime does incredibly well the flashback or backstory as you want to call it for Nikaidou was handled flawlessly it definitely got me feeling sympathetic for him as what you see on the outside isnt always the whole picture and his incurable illness has been with him for ages yet he is always so happy and cheery in the anime seriously he is so mentally strong it can easily be overlooked. This whole episode dedicated to Nikaidou was another example at how well this anime is being adapted from its manga now I havent read it but it clearly states when a new chapter is about to start and so far not a single one has been missed out and if we keep going at this rate then this really has potential to being an alltime classic. 800https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/635602177833959439/972782169032372298/unknown.png The 9th episode is no slouch either holy fuk my heart in this whole episode was melting and the final scene torched it. That lunge and embrace at the end of this episode was bloody beautiful Its simply so beautiful I really cant say it otherwise the whole idea of giving flashbacks to his school trip when he was alone and didnt have anyone for him but now hes there for Hina and this episode is crippling me emotionally like goddamn its so good sweet and wholesome I asked for more episodes like the 4th and this show just keeps delivering. This anime is becoming a masterpiece and its well on its way to being remembered as one of the alltime greats as the messages portrayed are so powerful so realistic and so meaningful. I had to make a note on this episode because it melts my heart and in the good way this time as its just so damn beautiful lets see how many more times I can use that word. Another godly episode from start to end I was feeling emotional and couldve broken at any given moment but Im glad it happened at the end since that was just an incredible finish to this episode. Seriously the 9th episode of this season is godlike in fact ever since the bullying arc started this show has just gone into god mode every single episode since we saw Hina return from school after being bullied has been extraordinary. I dont remember the last time Ive been so immersed into a show and this is even the slice of life genre which makes it all the more incredible I am captivated by what Im watching since its just breathtaking and Im sure it will continue at this level and possibly get even better if thats even possible at this point. 800https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/670745625670713353/835625793978630144/unknown.png After the 13th episode is where I could somewhat say that the bullying arc had come to a conclusion in a sense and just what an arc it was it was a breathtaking arc and a masterclass of the highest level this anime is so incredibly well constructed in terms of everything whether its the art the characters the narration or the OST as everything just comes together to really create an unforgettable experience. In almost any of these episodes since the bullying arc began I was on the edge of my seat and could have been moved to tears the emotion that had been packed into these past episodes had been so grand that even a slightly stronger emotional scene would have broken fragile old me. These past few episodes are seriously giving me flashbacks to when I watched Clannad After Story for the first time most notably the episodes surrounding the legendary flower patch scene. I dont recall the last time I was so damn immersed and loved an anime this much I am now honestly believing this has potential to be one of the greatest masterpieces ever created as every single episode is simply sublime the level doesnt drop and just keeps getting better instead. We also seem to be setting sail on the Hina x Rei ship which Im very satisfied with since I definitely ship them Hina has gotten SO MUCH development in this season and she is honestly one of the strongest anime girls Ive ever seen when it comes mentalitywise a character standing up for themselves against bullying in a slice of life is really rare but she doesnt only do that she does it in an incredible fashion and most importantly she holds out long enough to prevail and come out on top of this realistic yet difficult and common situation that is present in schools. This anime is starting to throw out real life lessons left right and centre which is why it is also becoming a landmark anime that I will love and cherish for as long as I will remember. Now should I expect this anime to go even beyond what it has already shown me? If so Im really worried for my heart as it may not take it in the end haha. 800https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/635602177833959439/972784136584585276/unknown.png When I got to the final episode it felt like all the emotion and tension was built up over the past episodes and the flashback to Reis childhood as his foster mum was telling it broke me I had so much emotion built up that it just started coming out its so beautiful in fact everything this anime does is perfection. Starting from the animation and this carries over from the first season too studio Shaft have created an animated masterpiece this art and animation alone deserves all the praise possible but thats not the only thing thats extraordinary about this series. The storytelling that goes with this priceless animation is groundbreaking. Its been a heck of a time since I encountered such godlike writing there really is no faults here and seems like not much if anything of the original source was skipped since the 89 chapters that have been adapted in the past two seasons are clearly stated when its the beginning and end of each chapter and I really felt this as the story felt so fuking good its easily top tier worthy on my spectrum of anime that Ive seen. These whole two seasons have been an incredible journey and Im very glad I finally got around to this series Ive had it in mind for quite a time and only recently did I commit to it and my god what a commitment this has been. I picked up this anime since I saw a recommendation that its similar to Clannad After Story and yes I can see that this show like Clannad teaches you life lessons and it does it extremely well. Like mentioned earlier the bullying arc was executed flawlessly and at that point this was already shaping up to be a masterpiece. Even the shogi arc after the bullying arc finished so from about episode 13 onwards was so immersive I never knew watching a game of shogi could be so suspenseful and thats not even live I was watching a shogi game in an anime and being on the edge of my seat as I watched Shimada and Yanagihara battle it out for the title. Oh that leads me to another point this anime has so many amazing quotes that are so realistic its eyeopening. This anime is a rare gem that should NEVER be overlooked since its a modern masterpiece and whats best is that only half the manga has been adapted so by the pacing weve seen there is potential for not only a season three but even four since there are at least 80 more chapters to adapt. 800https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/635602177833959439/972786229890400256/unknown.png That alone fills me with ridiculous hype and excitement although its been over 3 years since this season was released so Im not sure if they plan to adapt the rest of the manga at any point but if they want to take more time and care doing it then Im all for it since the worst thing to do now would be to rush a story that has already been perfected to an unfathomable degree. Now do I even need to ask the question of whether this should be recommended? This is a slice of life anime from the highest level possible its story telling is on Clannads level there wasnt any episodes which crushed me as the legendary flower patch from Clannad but the ones I really loved I already outlined in my review above. Still this is a legendary anime that will go down in time as a classic in years to come and a special gem that I will cherish for as long as I will remember. If you loved Clannad then this is a no brainer and if you love slice of life then its also a no brainer since its easily one of the best in the business. 800https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/635602177833959439/972785746215833610/unknown.png S1 Reviewhttps://anilist.co/review/13555