DESCRIPTION

CAST

ANIME ComedyYahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru. Zoku
NOVEL ComedyYahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru.
OVA ComedyYahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru. Kan: Dakara, Shishunki wa Owarazu ni, Seishun wa Tsuzuiteiku.

REVIEWS

• 

  AnimeDweeb

  70/100
  Things Must Finally Come To An End.

  Oregairu will always have a special place in my heart.

  

  It’s the anime that got me into anime, for better or for worse. SNAFU S1 showed me that these seemingly simple Chinese cartoons could have far more to say than the tropes advertised on the tin. Zoku defied my expectations again by turning the genre subversions of an entertaining first season into an intimate character exploration that ranks among the most compelling arcs I’ve experienced across visual and written mediums. A pair of pretentious intellectuals and a hyper BFF’s struggles with actualizing their wants and needs opened my eyes to brand new ways of appreciating stories. Challenging my understanding of texts and the world around me, Oregairu has perhaps been the piece of media most formative to my growth as an audience member.

  And at long last, it has arrived at a climax.

  I’ll keep things spoiler-free for S3, but be sure to catch seasons 1 & 2 before going further. Skip ahead to my Tl;Dr if you wish to go in blind. Let’s finally bring things to an end…

  ---

  

  The franchise had always thrived on re-inventing itself.

  Oregairu S1 made waves with its trademark joke delivery, utilizing every weeb’s favourite loner, Hachiman, to provide jaded commentary on SOL genre conventions. While the comedy was hit-or-miss with audiences (a hit for me,) the series also took time to lay the foundations for a stellar second season. The eye-opening S2 turned its caricatures into characters, its sarcasm into introspection, and its “parody” into a drama on its own right; all while maintaining the quirky wit that characterized so much of its predecessor.

  Oregairu S3 doesn’t burst onto the scene with

  a game-changing makeover, and frankly it never needed to.

  The thoughtful experience built in seasons 1 & 2 deserved a continuation in the form of closure. The series opens immediately following the climax that was S2’s finale, as if the 5-year gap between seasons never existed. The relationship between our Service Club members remains as uncertain as ever. The search for something “genuine” is a burden that rests heavy on the hearts of Hachiman, Yukinon and Yui. Unlike the many subplots about students coming to the Club for help, this time our beloved trio face the task of helping themselves. Understanding how to reject the superficial impasse within the other cliques in school, fighting against expectations imposed by others, and making the inner desires of their hearts known.

  

  Through the plot and themes, Kan summarizes its mission statement with a refrain: “Things must finally come to an end.”

  To achieve this end, the Service Club sets their sights on a single goal: organizing a school prom. This final arc looms large over the course of the season. Previous instalments of the franchise would cover two or three of such subplots at a brisk pace; S3 is a slow-burn that commits to paying off its threads on one last journey. The more-measured pacing has sparked audience discussions about what makes the prom such a huge deal. But the plan to get the prom off the ground isn’t important, rather it’s the varying character motivations amongst our trio that creates room for this story’s subtext and drama. The competition between Hachiman and Yukinoshita that brought the Club to where it stands today enters its final round; the outcome will decide the future of their friendship. The prom setup is a backdrop and metaphor for the inner feelings of 8Man and the gang. Unearthing the subtext between these complex individuals and their interactions has been incredibly engaging. Ideas and themes built up in S2 get expanded upon and explored in greater depth. Adding on to the payoff are well-written visits from familiar faces, as Hachiman makes his rounds and seeks help for the tasks at hand. Moments of character introspection are a common occurrence, as Kan shows its hand and lowers the defenses of several cast members. Getting into the heads of characters other than Hachiman further enrichens the story and caused me to look at things from different perspectives. Reinforcement of themes and payoffs cumulate in immensely satisfying fashion. Episode 8 of S3 is a triumph and arguably my favorite 20 minutes of anime this Summer. Heck, I’d go as far as to say that this episode deeply affected me as much as the Genuine Scene itself.

  

  Although the thematic threads are as complex as they’ve ever been, subtext alone may not be what you’re looking for.

  And it’s in those aspects that Kan falls short. Most striking is how quickly the show shaved off its comedy tag. Fans of S1 tend to dislike the more serious tonal shifts of S2, and S3 brings even less of that to the table. Certain attempts at gags feel tired and forced retreads of older material, such as the spiritual sequel to the “Logical Thinking” bit. Somber undertones are present in most scenes, holding Kan back from hitting the comedic highs the series is known for. That’s not to say this season doesn’t pack any laughs; pick any scene with Iroha or Zaimokuza and you’re bound to get a few chuckles. Also a step-down are the visuals, in my opinion. Other than a slew of lighting effects, Studio .feel doesn’t add anything substantial in this regard. In the OP (once again performed by Nagi Yanagi,) a frame-rate drop towards the end gets pretty distracting after repeated viewings. Character designs and facial expressions also look a tad off at times. Another area of concern would be moments in the show that can come across as unrealistic or unintentionally silly at times. When the show leans too hard on driving in subtext and parallels, the surface-level interpretation can be pretty ridiculous to take in. Slow pacing of certain episodes is yet another issue. It takes a while to really get going, and I found myself getting frustrated at the first three episodes for its relative insignificance. This issue is exacerbated by the show repeating itself at certain junctures. Plot points are stretched and some scenes are essentially rehashed. For example, I found the first 15 minutes of Episode 5 to be a recap of ideas adequately explored in the last 5 minutes of Episode 4, which shares a very similar ending to that of Episode 6.

  

  While this season can be prone to slower pacing and repetition, I feel that this was an intentional approach.

  Adaptations are a tricky business, and sometimes a show has only so much time to convey the key narrative that made its source material special. RELife is one example that comes to mind, being allocated a meager 4-episode OVA release to wrap up upwards of 50 chapters' worth of material. I found it that OVA series to be a success and the high-point of the anime series, because it had a strong focus to close out its story without throwing in arcs that have no chance of resolving in a satisfying manner. Unlike another high-school contemporary in Summer '20 (one that may or may not involve gods,) S3 rarely plays out like a hastily slapped-together highlight reel of its source material. I’m confident in saying that S3 handled its adaptation well, even without having read the manga, on the basis that the story presented in the anime holds up on its own. Aside from one tease of a line in Episode 8 with Haruno and Hayato, Kan remains true to its refrain to deliver on a strong narrative, and that’s enough for me. That being said, the LN/manga readers I’ve shared discussions with agree that plenty of content they consider “essential” got left on the cutting floor, and I won’t contest that. But I assure you that if you were to go into this season with an open mind and appreciate Kan as its own story, you will not come away disappointed.

  

  OK, let’s now address the elephant in the room:

  The Romance.

  You would have noticed that I haven’t brought it up at this point, and truth be told I’d love to bring up my Best-Girl biases and opinions on how it’s handled in the anime. I’ve always thought the unofficial Waifu War could be built up a lot better, and like plenty of viewers I have my qualms on the outcome Kan went with. But personally, I’m not upset at how things played out, even if it came across as rushed for some. Because to me, S3’s titular climax is not one to do with resolving romance. Rather, it has everything to do with the friendship Hachiman, Yukinon and Yui share. This was the outcome they all wanted and needed – to think, to writhe, to struggle together. This was the closure they deserved, one that brought out their truest desires.

  

  Tl;Dr:

  Oregairu Kan is a triumph. The season deftly packs subtext and builds upon themes introduced in seasons prior, setting off the search for something genuine. Admittedly S3 is the weakest instalment in the trilogy, not quite managing to capture the comedy of S1 or the compelling character arc of S2. Content cut from the source material may concern fans of the original source material. Still, Kan achieves the goal it set out to do – providing a thematic and profound conclusion to the enigmatic franchise.
  My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected is a story about challenging the norms. It mocked the mundane and transformed it into a unique, endearing experience. It got me to question the reality of friendships and what it means to share genuine intimacy with others. SNAFU will forever have a place in my heart, and I’m so happy that it’s over. Thank you, Oregairu, my wish has been fulfilled. 7/10~

  ---

  Not enough Oregairu? I ran an episodic coverage of S3, feel free to check it out!

  • Eps 1-3 (Rant)
  • Ep 4
  • Eps 5-6
  • Ep 7
  • Ep 8
  • Ep 9
  • Eps 10-11
  • Ep 12

  STRAY RAMBLINGS (SPOILERS):

  -- Really sad about the show not premiering in Spring, but I do sympathize with the animators and team involved. Taking the extra time to deliver on a project so near and dear to this audience is commendable, especially during such difficult recent events. What does tick me off, however, is the promotion of S3. It went strong even up till a week before the proposed season premiere, misleading me into thinking it would survive the COVID production delays that plagued so many shows this year. On April 1st a PV debuted, which was basically the main PV for the show entirely dubbed by Zaimokuza’s VA in-character. While I understand it would have been a shame for such a topical gag to go to waste, it was very upsetting to hear that the trailer got a green light. I find it unlikely that the people managing the show’s promotion were unaware of the show needing more production time so late in the game; and if that really was the case it was highly irresponsible to overestimate the capacity of the team tasked with bringing this season to life.

  -- If I had a can of Georgia coffee for each time I saw a can of Georgia coffee on-screen, I’d have as many cans of Georgia coffee as the vending machine in Episode 4. Here's a montage of Georgia coffee cans in each episode:

  

  -- Never knew we needed a Kawasaki ship, but we sure as hell got one!

  

  -- Iroha was super perceptive and even pulled an 8Man on 8Man himself on many an occasion. She stole the show in every scene she was in.

  -- As did Hiratsuka. Someone PLEASE marry her already, or I will.

  

  -- Copious lack of Totsuka this season, maybe that’s why I rated it lower than the other two.

  -- Gahama-mama is amazing. Enough said.

  -- The world would be such a brighter place if everyone had a little sister like Komachi.

  

  -- Haruno was still the more interesting of the Yukinoshita sisters for me. Really appreciated how they humanized her in Ep 10, almost all her screentime before that portrayed her as a Ryuk-type figure who observes Hachiman’s silly schemes. Really glad they grounded her character at the very end.

  -- And Yukinon was… well, Yukinon. Never took a fancy to her in the anime, and that’s putting it politely. I’ll admit I did warm up to her a lot more this season, keep your pitchforks down. I also heard she gets far better treatment in the LNs/manga, so I’m keen to give that a shot some time.

  

  Last but certainly not least:

  -- BEST GIRL: Yui. Yui Yui Yui. The beating heart of the club. I’ll always love my Genki Girl, no matter how annoying people say she is. Her role in the story is vital; the club could never exist without her. Even her most ardent of detractors will find something they like in S3; she pays a penance of sorts for her selfish act in S2’s finale, easily redeeming herself in my eyes.

  

  ---

  Welp, that’s it! Those of you who know me know I’ve spent an unhealthy amount of time talking about this season. I’m happy to say that I’m ready to put that to rest and move on. Thanks so much for sticking around during that strange and enriching journey, I took a lot from this show over the past few weeks. If you happen to like my verbose rants, feel free to check out my other reviews for seasons past and present, peace~

  Continue on AniList
• 

  deprived

  54/100
  tl;dr just another boring sequel that is only maybe worth the watch.

  My review has spoilers so don't read if you don't want spoilers?

  I watched the first two seasons a while back and they were okay, nothing special from what I remember. Iroha, Yui and Haruno were probably the only characters I liked, the rest were either forgotten or used as plot devices. I did rewatch the first two seasons to actually remember what was going on, leading up to season 3 and it wasn't impressive but whatever, I liked it.

  Season 3 continues directly on from season 2's climactic finale, but doesn't hold the momentum and kind of just goes downhill. It largely revolves around Yukino's ability to decide things for herself but the fact she can't already do what pre-schoolers can is just embarrassing, and the whole execution is lame, especially the co-dependency factor, which makes the ending inherently worse simply because they don't solve their own issues. Instead Yui gives up and third-wheels Hikigaya and Yukino, with Iroha in the background.

  Personally I don't find the characters that relatable which shouldn't be surprising considering they're so weird and difficult about everything, especially this season.

  Maybe because I was rewatching the show but the convoluted dialogue seemed much worse and almost hard to listen to at times, because istg all Yukino and Hikigaya do is chat shit about why they can't directly help each other and then go in circles, before Hikigaya helps her anyway.

  The characters are shallow, one-dimensional cardboard cut-outs that repeat the same phrases, ideas and actions throughout the show. Yeah I get they have their sad pasts, backgrounds, etc. But change indicates growth, and I don't think the main characters actually grow as people. Yui remains mostly the same and the other two only really change their attitudes toward each other, eventually dating in the end. Haruno's clearly complex feelings towards Yukino and the rest of her family are never explored in detail and she's just used to drive the storyline forward.
  Not to mention the rest of the side characters are also just plot devices at the end of the day, like Hayama is used as a romantic interest for Iroha and a rival to Hikigaya throughout the show. Except he's pretty much forgotten and unused for majority of the third season, to the point I don't even think they finished the subplot with Iroha and him.

  It's a good enough show, these are just my critcisms. I didn't find Hikigaya relatable but I did enjoy watching his self-destructive tendencies cause friction in the club, and Iroha. She literally carries the show and is probably the main reason I continued it but a lack of character depth and development in general, combined with a weak storyline and ending make this easily the weakest season so far. There is also definitely a lack of closure though but I was high so who knows.

  Continue on AniList
• 

  nflstreet

  90/100
  A beautiful, sometimes longwinded, conclusion to a series that I consider my favorite--I love everyone on this show

  The third season of Oregairu is something that I have been anticipating ever since the second season ended in 2015. My interest in the series waned for most of the time in-between seasons, but ramped right back up after I did a rewatch of the series a few weeks before this season was supposed to air. Unfortunately, a virus got in the way, and this season was delayed for three months, among other things. In the meantime, I dived deeper into the series by reading the light novel to completion. As you can expect, I had sky-high expectations for this season. Season two of Oregairu is my favorite season of any anime that I have ever watched--topping that would be hard, but I had faith that feel. could pull it off.

  

  Before I get this review in full motion, I have to air some of my grievances at the Oregairu fanbase. The Reddit fanbase in particular (although there are some wackjobs semi-independent from the website). After finishing the light novels, I decided to try to start associating with the Oregairu subreddit fanbase. Maybe it’s because I don’t use Reddit all that much, but I’ve never seen a fanbase for a show seemingly hate it so much. I understand having favorites, as I love Yui to death. But what I don’t understand is treating the series as some sort of stage for a ‘waifu war’. To devolve such a moving and layered series such as Oregairu into such is an insult. It misses the point so far off that I don’t even have a figure of speech for it. I don’t know if this is the intention of the people that I mentioned, but the result is that the series looks like it has rabid fans that want to gate-keep it from otherwise unsuspecting anime fans. I would understand if the rhetoric commonly found in the comment section of r/oregairu was on the 4chan anime board, since I don’t expect much from there--but not from somewhere where you’re only semi-anonymous. I get it that the series has a special effect on those (the “Ace Combat Effect” as a friend called it) that can make them go into a manic-like state for hours or days. It happened to me! Some people get that effect and turn it into vitriol for the series (this for example). It really sucks that such a fanbase can give a series as brilliant as Oregairu, a bad name. Guess that’s Reddit for you. (That being said, the subreddits for Yui and Iroha are filled with good people.)

  

  Back to the series--this season starts right after the ending scene of season two. Yui and Hachiman agree to listen to Yukino’s request; that of becoming independent and not relying so much on others. With her request stated, we all know what each of the three want. Hachiman wants “something genuine”, while Yui “wants it all”. While I could go into what each of those mean, I’m going to assume that most of you reading this at least vaguely already know what they mean. While the first two seasons were more focused on Hachiman and the rest of the Service Club trying to solve other people’s problems, this season is more focused on solving their own. The one request that was made for them this season is from Iroha, who wants to throw a prom. Yukino rejects the idea that the Service Club help Iroha, but tells Iroha that she herself will help her. Yukino believes that if she can pull this off, she can prove to others that she isn’t completely reliant on others (usually Hachiman’s) help and can act on her own accord.

  This season covers the last three light novels of the series--typically that would be a piece of cake for a season of anime, but it becomes a bit of a struggle when the light novels are as dense as the volume twelve, thirteen, and fourteen of Oregairu. Some of the issues with the differences between the anime and light novel are due to parts in the light novel being cut in the anime in past seasons. The two members of the Gaming Club that help Hachiman and Yui with the ‘dummy prom’ plan were introduced in volume three of the light novel. But since that part of the novel was never in the first season, it would be weird if Hachiman and Yui acted like they already knew the two Gaming Club members. The differences between the anime and the light novel aren’t that big. Most viewers wouldn’t even know about how the Gaming Club members being cut from the first season unless if they read about it online or read the light novel. What was cut out this season didn’t negatively affect the anime. Mostly just some parts left out due to being unimportant and others being switched around to make more sense for the anime. The only times I remember that I was disappointed about a part being cut out was when some lines from Yui’s monologue from the ending of episode four were cut, and a part in the light novel where Yui fixed up Hachiman’s hair for the promotional video in episode three.

  

  Some will complain that this season is too ‘Yui focused’, but that’s the way the light novel was as well. She’s willing to do anything to help him. Some of those complaints are coming from the same Reddit people that absolutely hate her. They should know better because they also act high and mighty for having read the light novel. If there’s one thing I would complain about plot-wise, it would be that the anime didn’t show Hachiman being miserable while coming up with the ‘dummy prom’ plan as well as the light novel did. Season two did it better with showing his struggle, culminating in the ‘genuine’ sense. Casual viewers may not be able to pick up why he’s doing all of what he’s doing or what mood he’s in. That being said, he isn’t as visibly miserable as he is the second season, and him doing all he does just to make a point should drive the point home.

  Another complaint I’ve seen is with the animation quality this season. While I do believe that the quality is down from the second season, it really isn’t as bad as people say. Some people say that Yukino is animated weirdly this season, but I didn’t notice that. I don’t think she looks worse than the others. If I was a Yukino-ultra then I could probably tell if she was or wasn’t. Complaining about animation has always been a part of this series. In season one, it was because the style of animation was exceptionally cartoonish, looking barebones at times. In season two, it was due to personal preferences between what style you liked more. This season, it’s because the animation quality is slightly down from last season. The style differences between season one and two fit the greater tone shifts in the series, but there isn’t any excuse I can say for the animation being ever so slightly worse than season two.

  

  To answer the question; no, I don’t think this season is better than the second season. At the same time, I think it would be nigh impossible to even do so, considering what a masterpiece it was. It’s unfair to this season, but that was the card it was handled. Season two gets a hand over this season due to its animation and the mood it created. The fluid scenes from season two are missing from this season (until the tail-end of it anyways). There isn’t a scene like the Splash Mountian scene this season. This also ties into how season two created a mood of the forlornness that Hachiman had for most of the episodes. While he has an idea of what he wants now, he still has trouble grasping it. To be fair, there are only so many monologues from Hachiman that the studio can adapt before it starts cutting into the other parts of the anime. And he isn’t the only one who’s struggling too. From Yui’s helplessness, Iroha’s frustration, and Yukino’s misguidedness, Hachiman isn’t the only person whose thoughts we get to hear this season. The point is that it would be impossible to fully adapt how Hachiman feels this season. And even if it was possible, Oregairu is such an abstract series that it might ruin it if it spelled it right out there for you. This season is also handicapped somewhat since the best part of the series is commonly considered to be between volume six and eleven, most of which was adapted in the second season.

  

  What this season (and series) nails so perfectly is ‘the mood’. Even in season one, when the series was more of your stereotypical rom-com series, it still got the feeling of loneliness and youthful cynicism down perfectly. While season two still technically did it better, the feeling that Oregairu creates is something that I’ve never really experienced while watching another anime. Maybe that’s just something to do with me, since I view this series differently than how most others do. Even though I knew what was going to happen (since I read the light novels), I still was thrown for a loop watching each episode. I think one of the best ways a series can prove that it’s good is if it still affects you even when you know what’s going to happen. In Oregairu’s case, I was more affected seeing it happen a second time, something that I’ve never experienced. Maybe that’s just the power of the visual form.

  It’s sad to see this series finally come to an end. Oregairu was one of the first anime that I watched when I got into watching anime years ago. Perhaps it finally coming to an end affects me more because it’s a relic from when I was still an ‘anime newbie’. The fact that a third season even aired was pure circumstance. I’m glad it did, because the cliff-hanger that the second season ended on would have let down many that wanted to see an ending but were too lazy to read the light novels. Some say that the way this season, and the series, ended was disappointing. While I see where they are coming from, they have to remember the vague nature of Oregairu to begin with. The ending being as straightforward as it is a little surprising. While certain characters don’t have their ‘conclusion’ yet, the ending is still is satisfactory for them. One of the main points of the series was that you shouldn’t let others try to manipulate you into doing something that you don’t want to do just because it’s ‘logical’. In this sense, while some characters didn’t get what they want, they still have the ones they love close to them. Also, a spinoff series could always happen and ‘resolve’ any loose ends as well.

  

  Oregairu is my favorite anime series of all time. It speaks to me like nothing else ever has. Maybe that’s a character defect on my part, but it is what it is. I honestly wish that more people treated the series as a character drama about a young man discovering the value of his youth instead of a battlefield for them to conduct another bird-brained waifu war, but I can’t do much about that. While this season isn’t the masterpiece the second season was, it still upholds the Oregairu name and doesn’t make a mockery of it. The emotions it invokes is something I’ll never get from a form of media again (unless if I start playing every popular visual novel out there). Oregairu is the one anime that I would recommend everyone to watch. Maybe they won’t get what I got out of it, but I think most people will like it. I’m sad that this series is over, but I’m glad I got to experience it with others.

  Continue on AniList

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