Jigokuraku S2
Short Synopsis: Season 2 of Jigokuraku, where we hunt down a bunch of Taoist immortal monsters for the elixir of immortality.
Lenlo: So like many sequels, I feel pretty comfortable saying that if you didn’t like the first season, the second won’t change your mind. Yes, this is where I feel Jigokuraku’s narrative starts to pick up a bit, with the Tensen taking center stage and many of the mysteries around Tao and the Island beginning to be answered. So if your main issue was that nothing was happening, then you might enjoy this more. But at its core, Jigokuraku remains a shounen battle series fueled by Taoism where our unlikely heroes team up and defeat a bunch of immortal monsters. In my eyes, so long as the animation is solid (it is) and the story doesn’t interfere with it (it doesn’t), then that’s all I need.
Potential: 40%
Oshi no Ko S3
Short Synopsis: Oshi no Ko establishes its new status quo now that Aqua is busy with his variety show and B-Komachi is gaining popularity.
Mario: Here we have the new, hopefully final, season of Oshi no Ko. I’d say that this episode is more of the same, as it still has insights into the Japanese entertainment industry (Aqua has to shoot 4 episodes of his TV show in a day), with some twisted drama and heightened romance, sometimes not in a good way. I’m still not sure why Aqua, for example, avoids Kana for fear that her reputation would be affected if they were dating (or worse, that a stalker might attack her like they did Ai), but is still dating Akane anyways? Doesn’t he hold the same concern for her? The aspect of this episode I do like is how it is told from Mem-cho’s perspective, as she has been overshadowed by her teammates in previous seasons. What’s the deal with the man Ruby seeks out at the end? I guess we will find out in the next episode.
Potential: 40%
Sousou no Frieren S2
Short Synopsis: Season 2 of Frieren, where a pair of children babysit a 1000 year old elf as they travel the world.
Lenlo: And so we come to the final show of the season. I have to say, I’m really mixed on this first ep. A lot of the highs are still there (Himmel was once again the best part of the episode), it’s animated beautifully, and something about Atsumi’s performance as Frieren just pulls me in. But… Man has it never hit the same highs as those first four episodes. I’ve already gone on a rant about the stupid crystals in Discord, how they found a palm-sized one on the side of the road but somehow no one has found or noticed the cave with literal billions-of-dollars’ worth of crystal like, 50 feet under the main road? Hey Wirbel, those demons? Walk 20 minutes down the road, you might find something to help! It’s stuff like this, or the exam arc, that don’t live up to the carefully crafted world and story that I initially fell in love with, which makes it difficult for me to really recommend Frieren. I think, overall, there’s still a lot to love and enjoy about the show, and it’s most likely going to be one of the prettiest shows of the season, but I can’t confidently say it’s going to be one of the best.
Potential: 60%
The post Winter 2026 Impressions: Jigokuraku S2, Oshi no Ko S3, Sousou no Frieren S2 appeared first on Star Crossed Anime.
