Non Non Biyori Repeat

Episode 9

One of the problems with going almost two years between seasons is the ease with which minor characters can get lost in the shuffle. My first thought upon seeing Komari and Natsumi's neighbor Konomi this season was, “Who are you again?” Such is the fate of characters who only show up for an episode or two, but at least Non Non Biyori Repeat is light enough on plot that you can spend a few minutes searching the back corners of your memory without getting left in the dust.

Spurred into action by the promise of money, Natsumi forces everyone to go fishing with her this week. Her mission may be to find new residents for the backyard pond, but that doesn't stop her from going after the biggest fish she can find. With the freshwater monster safely captured, Konomi and Komari decide to inflict a makeover on Natsumi. Their mission appears to be a success at first, but it takes more than a change of clothes to conquer Natsumi's casual fashion sense. Hikage takes another break from her adventures in Tokyo, but her visit lands her in hot water when she and Natsumi devour the wrong box of snacks.

The fishing scene features some decent physical comedy thanks to a string of well-timed fish-meets-face moments. Renge carries on her usual role of pulling weird ideas and questions out of thin air, but most of the scene exists as a gradual buildup to Natsumi's battle against the biggest fish in the lake. Just when things look to be following the usual pattern of everyone working together, Natsumi's solution to her lack of a net steals the scene and caps the storyline off nicely. If the fish won't come to you, I suppose you might as well go to the fish.

The makeover sequence tries a little too hard for my tastes, pushing the “tomboy tries on cute outfits” angle more than necessary. It's fun to see Natsumi out of her element, but it feels like the series is constantly hitting us over the head with reminders of how adorable we're supposed to find it all. Non Non Biyori Repeat is typically subtler than this with its character humor, tempering its sugary sweetness with good writing and direction. I'd expect to see something like this in a more run-of-the-mill slice of life title, not in one of the genre's gold standards. At least Natsumi is able to end the scene on her own terms by sabotaging Komari's attempt to take her picture.

The dumpling incident brings things back up to the show's usual standards. As the two most mischief-prone characters in the series, Natsumi and Hikage make excellent partners in crime. There's a lot of humor to be found in watching them slowly dig their own graves as they try to rationalize, misdirect, and otherwise worm their way out of trouble. With each failed attempt at avoiding the problem, Natsumi and Hikage add to the imagined landslide of wrath that will roll down upon them, once everyone finds out that they've wolfed down the evening's main attraction. Between the tight pacing and the amusing dialogue, it's an impressive effort.

After three quietly competent episodes in a row, Non Non Biyori Repeat appears to be on cruise control for the latter half of the season. I'd like to see the series flex its artistic muscles more, but it's tough to argue with such consistent results. This is a show that knows its strengths very well and is able to capitalize on them without taking any major risks. If we're lucky, it'll turn in at least one more top-tier performance in the coming weeks. If we're not lucky, it'll just keep on being a step above the majority of its competition.

Rating: B

Non Non Biyori Repeat is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Paul Jensen is a freelance writer and editor. You can follow more of his anime-related ramblings on Twitter.