Shy Season 2

Episode 22

This series truly does contain multitudes. Shy is at its weakest when it relies on repetitive platitudes to get the point across, and it's at its strongest when it throws a giant enemy teddy bear at the problem. Thus, I found the first half of this episode fairly weak. There are good points made, but the writing doesn't rise to their complexity. On the other hand, the second half is goofier and more briskly paced. That ends the episode on a higher, plusher note.

The most interesting thing Teru does this week is make a deliberate distinction between Utsuro and Mai. I had been using those names pretty interchangeably, but this got me thinking. Despite my comparisons to Shinobu Sensui in the prior review, I don't believe Teru does this to suggest that Mai's personality has literally been split. Rather, Teru tries to tell Mai that she can relate to her. Utsuro, the villain, is a mask not that dissimilar from Shy, the heroine. In both cases, the girls hide their weakness behind a façade of strength. While Mai may have used that strength to do wicked things, Teru sympathizes with her reasons for doing so.

Though the show drags this scene out too long, I like how it repeatedly harps on the importance and trickiness of forgiveness. This is a topic too big for an anime episode review, but I see a lot of rigidity in how the general public—especially people in tight-knit communities—handles wrongdoing. Obviously, there's tons of room for nuance here, but the main point I want to make is this: If someone thinks their life is over after making one mistake, then they are likely to just keep doubling down on that mistake. Mai simply doesn't believe she can be forgiven, and that despair drowns out her sincere wish for atonement. That's the psychological chokehold at the heart of her struggle.

Drawn out though it may be, it's emotionally satisfying to see Ai extend her hand to Mai. No matter what, she still loves her sister. If you love someone, you're willing to share their pain. Heck, Ai was willing to take all of her punishment. If she had been more aware, Ai could have become Mai's protector instead of Utsuro. We can definitely lay a lot of fault at the feet of the shinobi village and customs. But both sisters, at this point, realize their responsibilities in this tragedy. It's not too late to amend things. It's not easy for Mai to do this 180 too, and Shy evokes that dramatically with the legion of skeletons shackled to her arm. It's a punchy symbol for the weight of her victims, but Mai can't use that guilt as an excuse to wallow forever. She has to break those chains before she can begin to atone, so that's what she does.

It's cute that Mai's Amarariruku buddies come to her aid at that moment, mirroring the heroes' earlier entrance to support Teru. They're bad guys, but they still care for each other. Doki looks genuinely hurt when Mai becomes a turncoat, and it's easy to imagine how his own hangups have been eating away at him like Mai's were. This arc did a good job investing me in this good lad's arc, and I hope he becomes a regular fixture. Meanwhile, Inori is a cipher, so the jury's out on her. I also like that Kufufu can't even be bothered to care at this point; it makes sense. After her chat with Pepesha and Mai's change of heart, Kufufu isn't attached to this plot anymore. She's eepy—let her nap.

The teddy bear surprise is silly enough to be endearing. I've said this before, but it's a good thing that Shy never takes itself too seriously. While the writing may consistently stop short of exploring the truly meaty and thorny themes below the surface, its earnestness earns a lot of points. Why can't this arc's climax be a sisterly tag team against a giant stuffed bear infused with evil powers and diamond claws? That's the stuff I watch anime for.

Rating:

Shy Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Steve is on Twitter while it lasts. If he has misspelled "Amarariruku" anywhere in the above review, you have permission to rub it in his face. You can also catch him chatting about trash and treasure alike on This Week in Anime.