Honzuki no Gekokujou: Shisho ni Naru Tame ni wa Shudan wo Erandeiraremasen 2nd Season

Story 7/10 This season is based mostly on Myne’s interactions as an Apprentice Priestess in the church while I enjoyed this season and its story I didn’t think it was as strong as the first season as there wasn’t enough happening outside the church. This was still good though as we learned more about the church and the world and how backwards their attitudes are outside of the Head Priest Myne is able to make some changes though and these changes further Myne as a character and allow her to follow her dreams. Art 7/10 I do like the art style here with good artwork on the world and the characters. Sound 7/10 Reasonable sound and music with decent voice acting. Characters 7/10 I still like Myne as a character and Ferdinand the head priest is a good character however I thought the support cast was not as strong as the first season. Enjoyment 7/10 An enjoyable 2nd season although as mentioned above this was not as good as the 1st season it did have some good moments particular when Myne was able to make important changes in the church which improved the lives of the other children although some of the episodes towards the end were a little weak. Overall 7/10

Compared to the painfully slow first season, the pacing improved significantly. There were many interesting plot developments, as well as plenty of intriguing information about the world. For me, the first season is a 6.5/10, so I rounded it up to a 7/10. Despite these improvements, I gave season 2 only a 6/10. Very minor spoilers: While somewhat exaggerated, the third popular review by laeval explains the main issue quite well, so I'll keep it short. Especially in the second half, the MC went from quirky to an obnoxious spoiled brat. While I understand that hormones are a factor (which is one reason why laeval's review is somewhat exaggerated), other children her age behave far more maturely than her with over 20 years of experience. In addition, it seems extremely unlikely that a society with such developed infrastructure, somewhat widespread magical tools, and an entire noble class capable of using magic would not have invented more advanced devices, making several of the MC's inventions unnecessary. Likewise, not making greater use of commoners with the "Devouring" to power magical technology feels like another oversight.

Following what was done in the first season, the anime managed to continue with the excellent wolrd building, as well as developing its characters well. Although there are no crazy twists or grand action scenes, or even deep dramas, the work delivers what it proposes, which is to be a relaxing story but with a certain depth, making it pleasant to watch. The story has few serious moments that are not so long, which can displease people who hope for something impactful. So, if you are looking for something calm, with a story that makes sense and freak out of the isekai cliches, I highly recommend this anime

- May Contain Spoiler - (i think I will keep this short) At this point, I think season 1 has better material than season 2 (just my thinking or maybe of others too) this season continues where 1st finished and focus on the life of MYNE who now has a new position and duties as Apprentice Priestess in a blue robe only provided to nobles but she is accepted there because of her tremendous amount of mana which is really important thing for them (cathedral) as we know most of the stuff from season 1. And that's what my point is as we know how dedicated MYNE was for making books because she had nothing to read but now after she is been accepted in the cathedral her character is kind of has become dense (sometimes felt annoying to me). for example, she wanted to hide her Priestess thing from people who live near/around her home but in the second episode she was walking on the street while wearing her robe and there are more of this kind of dense thing in the second season like her character has changed - like she just has knowledge of this world (our world) but her character is just a five-year-old kid, not a reincarnated character (annoying). And every time when she sees something new (magic stuff) she acts surprised by making noise and every time the head priest had to point it out for her don't do this these are not proper manners for an Apprentice Priestess. (again annoying) And about the story in the middle episodes (3-7 ) of her getting retainers and discipline them felt me kind of side events which led to more side events like the Orphanage kids part well we can accept all this because they are needed to take part in MYNE's workshop so she had to build trust between themself. so first 2-3 episode and the last 4 episode were felt me focused on the main thing and the ending was unexpected, compare to the first season-ending you expect something better than that but here it was kind of a disappointment ( i expected that we may see her powers again or this season may get little bit more intense compare to season 1 but phewww). About sound, art (animation) and characters I think they are still the same as season 1 but I like how sound has improved compare to season 1 and we have more character introduced here at first I didn't like them but after staying or coming to contact with MYNE they have improved so all good in the end. story - 6/10 art (animation) 7/10 sound - 8/10 characters - 6/10 enjoyment - 6/10 (so many holes in the story and character development and improvement) overall - 7/10 (well the season 3 is announced and i am expecting something better and improvement in upcoming episodes)

This is a pretty good addition to the first season. The main thing you get out of this is new character development for the cast. I feel like this was the main goal of this whole season. The first season fleshed out the world and the second season fleshed out the characters. It flows into the first part pretty naturally and doesn't really lose anything the first season had. I've heard some people remark about how there isn't enough drive in the second season but I feel like this is okay for the show because Myne's goals were naturally met and the show has an overall lighthearted feel to it so this doesn't hinder your overall viewing experience.

Having read and then reviewed part one of the “Ascendance of a Bookworm” manga, it was interesting to look back and see how my perception of part 1 of this story stood up in light of the anime adaptation and also the uncovering of part 2. My original critiques were aimed at Main herself. Emotionally turbulent, inwardly focused and with a perverse attraction to the physical concept of a “book”. It sort of rubbed me the wrong way. In the context of the anime this feeling takes a different form though – Main is an anime character transported to a world of reaction blunted normies. Certainly side characters display emotion through the series, but the presentation is always very minimal, in stark opposition to Main and her mind cinema. Realism? Or just a lack of characterisation in the animation? Not sure. I noted both moments of strength and weakness in this presentation, so I really feel it’s a matter of preference to what extent this appeals. Speaking of that, the anime adaptation takes small liberties in the continuity of the story. Leaving out certain details while stitching other parts together previously unmarried. The pacing felt brisk, which is good for a show that focuses so much on small efforts of economic enterprising. Even then it doesn’t cover up the fact that “Ascendance…” is a slow, meandering story. There are an extraordinary amount of mysteries left to discover about it’s world. Which is probably why the taste we got at the end of part 2 was so sweet to me. The rows of white noble housing. As if a Victorian was trying to copy the stereotype of white picket fence neighborhoods in the U.S. Sterile. A little strange… Which brings me to something I only realised while watching the anime. This is a strangely sanitary fantasy world. What’s with all the buildings being tenements? I got the reference is meant to be Victorian Britain, but every shop of Downtown shows no variation in building structure at all. It feels like a city that has been very deliberately planned out. Sort of how the structure of the city in Attack on Titan would make no sense without knowledge of the Titans existing. I suppose I don’t know anything else about the world to say why it’s like that. If it does have a reason... The noble district is also just a sea of housing templates. I can’t help but feel this must be the weakness of the adaptation from novel, to manga and then to anime. I’m assuming the text does contain information about the structure of the city that does not paint it in such bland terms architecturally, but no attempt has been made to allow this to be visually represented. The church being the main setting for part 2 receives a least some development as an area. Despite the fact that we really have no feeling for the presence of other blue robed priests, their activities or much of anything else that goes on in the Church (even what our supposed antagonist, the high priest, is doing…). This reminds me of a Mr Btongue video where he asks of Fallout 3, “what do they eat?”. The purpose being to recognise why Fallout New Vegas felt “lived in”, versus the desolation of Fallout 3. This is obviously not something that is directly comparable for a manga/anime, but it serves to illustrate a deficit I felt in the world building. This could probably be remedied by better visual representations of the inside of the temple and the city, but that would require resources, time and talent. While I think this anime adaptation is serviceable and generally enjoyable, I don’t think they are trying to do their utmost here. So in the end, I’m sold on book otakuism a lot more than I am on the world of “Ascendance..”. You live to pull from your ass another day Ms. Main!

This anime is fucking great, I don't know why but I think of this phenomenon in our world that a person driven by obsession can do many good things. If anything, a ''smart person'' especially in our history is usually driven by that. The dead fascination by a particular thing therefore dumping all their time into it and letting it be the focus of their life. Putting a shit ton of your eggs into one basket actually pays off. Passion is obsession, and it's beautiful. A personal ideology that pays off for both the person and the world. Clearly MC's personal ideology is whatever gets her books in the most ethical way or at least the meaning to her life. What's your personal ideology? What's mine? What brings you joy? I know there's many people in the world who wakes up every day scouting for dopamine but unable to achieve it, and that's a little sad. AAAA THE SELF HELP INDUSTRY- oh well. Even so, I adore this thing. It has a good plot, there's no male gaze and it's cheery. 10/10

Same like the season 1 before, but added more intense cause of some more trouble that added in the story and it is enticing and making you want to watch again BUT with the same graphics as before. For the story itself, the MC found itself in a new environment that should not be the MC environment and the story deals with that problem. If the season 1 is like adapting to new environment, creating new item and relationship, dealing with body condition, season 2 is almost like that too but add a little arrogantly noble stuff "You mustn't like, you mustn't like that stuff" more of that and I think it's fun. It's like watching a strong stick that is continuously bended over and over again but trying not to break it. The art? Same like before, but damn I'm surprised that there is some scene that is like overly budget and that is good too. Sound? Barely noticeable. The character... So many, uh… imagine imaginative real world social status but add a little hyperbolic situation and condition. Many growth for the characters to be expected if you watch this, like how the MC tame one of his wildest enemy into her abide and the other. Enjoyment? Yes, indeed, I like it so much but not love, just try it if you have some time to spend. Ah, weird isekai indeed, likeable but not too noticeable.