An Uphill Battle for Love // Kaguya-sama Ep. 2 Review

Kaguya-sama Episode 2 Review: Kaguya Wants to Trade

Otaku Voice Staff

Kaguya and Miyuki are perfect for each other. Both are clearly bone-headed and destined for one another, or at least they should be. The war between the sexes continues in episode 2 of Kaguya-sama: Love is War.

Calling for Failure

The antics of Shinomiya Kaguya in her efforts to subtly nudge Shirogane Miyuki into asking her out is a thing of beauty. In this second episode we have Kaguya upgrading Miyuki’s phone in such a roundabout way. She wants Miyuki to be able to message her and be in contact after school. Not a bad way of building their relationship beyond the seemingly professional one they maintain at school.

After all the subliminal messaging to buy the phone, Miyuki turns Kaguya’s plan into his own. The crux of the battle is who will ask for the other’s Line i.d. first. Miyuki’s plan to use youthful pictures of himself to lure Kaguya is devious. Who can resist baby picture’s of their crush? Of course this is all for naught because in her haste to upgrade Miyuki, Kaguya’s phone is too old for line. Both idiots deserve each other for not upgrading their phones sooner. Its 2019 people!

Eternal Battle of the Mountain and the Sea

I wonder how much Fujiwara Chika is playing the idiot, and how much she knows. Even Chika takes a shot at the lovelorn pair as they plan their potential summer getaway for the student council. Miyuki dreams of sitting under the stars on a mountain, while Kaguya imagines showing off her new bikini at the sea. It is not just a battle of the sexes in the second part of the episode, but a battle between the mountain and the sea.

It is amazing how quickly this show can turn around the logic of these characters. One minute Miyuki is fighting to go to the mountain since he is afraid of swimming. The next his disgust of bugs outweighs drowning in front of his crush. On the other side Kaguya is convinced she will get Miyuki to confess while admiring her cute outfit. She flips when she realizes she will be outshone by Chika in her new outfit. The show is playing some serious mind games moving this fast.

A Taste of His Own Medicine (or Advice)

Miyuki needs to actually listen to himself speak for once. He goes on an impassioned rant to another male student about how to get the girl. Then he fails to understand that if he would just take his own misguided advice he would have the girl. Clearly the battle between Kaguya and Miyuki could be won if one of them wasn’t as dumb as the other.

The second episode of Kaguya-sama takes a step in the self-aware direction. It knows its main characters are goofs and need to be knocked in the side of the head. Too bad the only character close enough to Kaguya and Miyuki to do it is as dumb as a brick. I hope to see some more self-awareness come from someone other than Miyuki.

[Further Reading & Source]
[Episode 1 Review]
[Images via Crunchyroll]