One thing about this show is that it isn’t afraid to be over-the-top and absolutely ridiculous—that’s the appeal! However, this second half of Gokushufudou has proven that if people violently reject your vision, simply reassert it and they may come to understand, or in this case, you’ll end up with a story that is even funnier and wholesome than it was before.

This half had more focus on Tatsu’s interactions with people outside of his home and immediate circle, such as the former members of gangs he crushed, clerks at video stores, and more. Our favorite scene from this season is when Tatsu’s wife, Miku, is unable to go to any video retailer to purchase a limited edition OVA of Policure, her favorite anime franchise. Miku asks Tatsu to stand the long queues and get it for her, which he is glad to do; however, there’s a catch...phrase: one can only purchase the limited-edition OVA if they greet the store clerk with a special (and highly embarrassing) catchphrase! The hilarity of this scene reaches its peak when the otaku character arrives at the video store to get the same limited release Policure. They form an unlikely partnership, one which helps Tatsu to remember the catchphrase he needed to get access to the merchandise, and Otaku-kun even goes as far as taking their partnership to another retailer where, together, they could do a super special catchphrase and get a limited-edition card!

Other standout side-splitters include the time Tatsu ran into the former member of a gang he crushed single-handedly. This man, as threatening as he appeared, merely wanted to get his revenge in a one-on-one rap battle! Tatsu dazzles his opponent and the crowd with his rapid-fire bars about household appliances, and his opponent retorts in short, snide yet powerful lines about Tatsu’s failings as a man. Tatsu hilariously leaves his opponent nearly in tears when he drops the scathing line, “Your clothes are weird!”. Having realised that he hurt his new friend’s feelings, Tatsu offers to keep things going with innocuous raps about random themes, but the emotionally-injured MC refuses to be a part of something so corny. Tatsu’s reformation is one thing, but the fact that he is in some ways a jack-of-all-trades adds to the overall hilarity and goofiness of this anime, and that’s a very good thing in this case.

Despite masses of viewers baying for blood over the quality of Gokushufudou when the first part aired earlier this year, the anime continues with its motion comic aesthetic, which greatly enhances the experience of the show. This is especially true with the funny scenes, where exaggerated movements and deliberate goofy motion add to the hilarity of the present situation. This show relies on situational humour the most; however, there is also a lot of visual and sonic humour expressed in the show’s art and animation, as well as the chosen soundtrack and sound effects. When the first part dropped late last year, we released an article in defense of the direction chosen for the anime’s visuals, and we stick to those opinions because when one has seen enough gag anime, visual techniques and styles like those present in Gokushufudou make more sense than going for a MAPPA masterclass for the sake of it. Even gag anime like Nichijou, which has another gag anime nested within it (Helvetica Standard), have visual and stylistic quirks. Just like the first half, Gokushufudou’s style has been one of the show’s best qualities.

One of the best things about Gokushufudou is how it wraps a feel-good ribbon around everything. Each scenario, regardless of how wacky it can get, tends to boil down to Tatsu’s genuine love for his wife, love of various household activities, and love for his life as a househusband. The moments in which Tatsu has gone above and beyond for his wife Miku are one thing, but the character has proven to be likable to children and animals too.

In the first half of the series, we saw Tatsu scramble to take care of Miku and help her relax after a long day at work. When Tatsu collapses due to a high fever, the roles are reversed somewhat and we get to see a more vulnerable Tatsu, which is really interesting. We also got what seemed like a minor Hataraku Saibou! (Cells at Work!) moment when there was a depiction of the gang war happening inside of Tatsu during his illness!

One of the best scenes from this half of the season came in the first one, where Miku and Tatsu were just doing their shopping when Miku excitedly dragged Tatsu to a pop-up Policure show! Despite being the oldest fan there, Miku can’t help but want to participate when the actors announce that anyone in the audience who offers to “help” the Policure duo defeat the enemy will get a free picture. Tatsu, wanting to make his wife happy, raises his hand and enters the fray. You can imagine what happens next!