There’s No Way I Could Write 魑魅魍魎!
- Episodes : 13
- Genre : Comedy, Supernatural, Fantasy, Seinen
- Airing Date : October 2017 – December 2017
- Studios : Studio Deen
Contains Spoilers
Hoozuki no Retetsu (Hoozuki’s Coolheadedness) 2nd Season Introduction and Story (Spoilers)
Hell is quite the busy place. The dead come to be judged daily and then based on their judgements, they go to either the hot hells or the cold hells for further processing. King Enma oversees all of Japanese Hell,; there are different hells for each country, and faithfully and dutifully, his assistant Hoozuki is always at his side working, cleaning up King Enma’s messes, and being stoic while doling out punishment. Today too, Hoozuki must work diligently in order to complete all of the necessary tasks within Hell. He will probably go somewhere to meet someone who is having an issue. Thanks to his quick wit though, Hoozuki is able to solve any and all problems, and those around him too are able to help him.
Let’s not forget all of those adventures around the different levels of Hell including the encounters with Nasubi and Katauri, Shiro, Kakusuke, and Rurio, or maybe Hoozuki has to go all the way to Heaven to meet with Hakutaku. Hakutaku employs Momotaro in his store and is constantly chasing skirts. If there was something to say about the second season in comparison to the first, it would be that we get more of the same, which is good because the first season was so excellent, and the fact that the Zashiki warashi are permanent characters here to terrorize and be oddly creepy.
What We Liked About Hoozuki no Retetsu (Hoozuki’s Coolheadedness) 2nd Season
The biggest factor to stress here is how much we were happy to just get another season. Hoozuki is an episodic series and as such, there is not some overreaching, moving story that happens. Rather, it is the informative, fun adventures of Hoozuki as he goes throughout Hell. The real benefit to the series is that it is laden with humor and cultural references. While some will shoot right over about 90% of the viewer’s heads, they are still enjoyable because we can guess what they are talking about via context. With a wide variety of characters, you do not realize just how massive the story is that is being spun until the season finishes and you take a step back. You never expected to see everything that we saw this season which is what really helps one appreciate the series; there is just so much to enjoy.
Discussion Time
Here is where we are going to break down as to why you should be watching/should have watched Hoozuki no Reitetsu 2nd Season. While the anime only covers so much of the source material and it is ongoing, there are many good facets to the show that can be and should be appreciated. Please do note that there will be full spoilers and nothing will be held back. There are also a few negatives that we can argue about as well, but to be honest, this is what a good anime with substance looks like.
1. Humor
Hoozuki no Reitetsu is loaded with humor. There are so many jokes that flow so effortlessly that you cannot realize everything that is being thrown at you. The best part, too, is that almost all of the jokes land. Each episode has multiple humorous moments and you are guaranteed to crack a smile at least more than once. Some standout moments in particular would be when the zashiki warashi copy the creepy goldfish plants’ screeching, when Shiro has an existential crisis in a bar, and of course, all of the endless banter that goes back and forth between the bitter rivals Hakutaku and Hoozuki. Of course, it would not be a good season without Hoozuki hitting or smacking around King Enma. That always makes for a good time. If anything, Hoozuki’s sarcasm is enough to make anyone laugh so if you enjoy sarcasm, you are set!
2. Japanese History and Deities
Naturally, Hoozuki no Reitetsu is chocked full of Japanese history anecdotes and stories of how deities and mythological creatures landed where they did in Hell. It is a series about Japanese Hell run like a Japanese business after all. What did you expect? We also get to enjoy plenty of mythological characters including Hakutaku and the characters from the Momotaro story and learn about their arrivals in Heaven/Hell and what they do there. Karashi is there as well again, but it is interesting that we do not see the Tanuki who did her in. It sure would be funny though to see the two of them encounter each other. We also met a many number of deities including one of the most famous this season, Izanami, the wife of Izanagi. They spared her no expense putting her in a palace and giving the viewer a full history lesson, which the season went on to do multiple times after that regarding other historical figures in Japanese lore & history.
3. The Story
Rather than be one large, overreaching story, the story of Hoozuki no Reitetsu lends to its episodic nature by breaking up stories of various characters in Hell by giving us at least two an episode. Eventually the stories do come full circle or it is revealed that they lead into something else where a new story is developed. Peach Maki held a decreased role this season compared to the last season, but we get a full ending of her performing, so we are quite happy. Maybe she will get more a spotlight in the latter half of the second season. The big thing to take away from this point is that the story never gets dull. Just sit down, watch and laugh. Nothing is stale and it flows smoothly.
There are certain aspects of Hoozuki that could be argued and debated to discourage those who may not end up enjoying. While we here at Honey’s Anime do heavily encourage everyone to check out this very underrated anime, we understand and are aware that not everyone is going to like it. However, there have got to be legions of anime fans that have not heard of the series and would definitely enjoy it for one reason or another.
1. The Series Is Episodic
The one major point to recognize before starting a series like Hoozuki no Reitetsu is that this series is episodic. What does that mean? More or less, it means that if you binge this show, or at least don’t give yourself a day or two between episodes, there is a very high chance that you will not be drawn into this world. One of the joys of Hoozuki no Reitetsu is that it is a brief reprieve from everything week to week. However if you are someone who does not enjoy episodic anime or are looking for something that is packed with action, fights, boobs, and more, this might not be the series for you. However, if you are willing to exercise a bit of self-control, you should be set.
2. It’s Hell.
There is bound to be someone who does not enjoy seeing or hearing about Hell. If this is you, Hoozuki no Reitetsu is not for you. While it does take a very light tone on Hell, it is still about Hell. There are demons, devils, ogres, and more. It takes Hell very lightly, but still, this is about the afterlife. So while most people will be able to take it with a grain of salt, if it makes you uneasy or you find it unsettling, steer clear of this series.
3. History
This point is more of a warning rather than a reason as to why one should avoid Hoozuki no Reitetsu, but the series does tell a lot about Japanese history. Some people do not enjoy being lectured or learning about things while watching anime, so steer clear. There is plenty that is discussed and sometimes the story does feel as if it has shifted entirely from one story to another making you wonder at some points how this will tie into the main overall story, but it does thankfully. Nevertheless, if you don’t enjoy a bit of history/religion learning, then you will not enjoy this.
Final Thoughts
Hoozuki no Reitetsu has continued to make us laugh years later and it is just a matter of time, quite literally, until the series returns in the spring with more jokes, more history, more Hoozuki being mad at everything, and more King Enma getting his butt beat by Hoozuki. We get a treat with the direct announcement right after the season ended that we were going to be getting more, so what are your thoughts on it? Did you see this season? What about this season was the most shocking? We think it may have been that Hakutaku has a girlfriend who is extremely violent. Be sure to let us know down below what you think as well!
Author: Nagareboshi
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