REVIEW: ‘To Your Eternity,’ Season 2 Episode 2 – “Beating Will”

To Your Eternity is a shonen adventure anime produced by Drive. Having succumbed to Hisame’s poisoning, Fushi lies defenseless. Luckily, the other woman at their dinner table has been revealed as Tonari who is determined to protect Fushi from the dangers that his new world presents him in To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 2.

This week’s episode picks up right where last week’s left off. Tonari’s confrontation with Hisame is brief, but she manages to keep Fushi out of the young girl’s grasp. When Fushi comes to, he learns what Tonari has done and spends some time telling her about all the people he has met in his long life. Though he does not realize who she is.

This sequence provides the viewer with a wonderful recap of Fushi’s journies in the last season. Seeing him go through the forms of all those he met, the boy, March, Gugu, Parona, and so many others serves to refresh the viewer’s memory, while also pulling at the heartstrings a bit.

While this moment hits well, it moves on to attempt a deeper emotional impact that I don’t think lands as well as it could’ve with a bit more time and care taken. The event feels rushed as if the show felt such a moment would be expected early on and had to deliver. This haste causes the moment to fall short, though it doesn’t completely miss the mark it is aiming for.

The other big takeaway from To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 2 is the clear change in the narrative approach this season is taking. While last season had a brief time-lapse here or there, this season is already skipping large stretches of time as Fushi continues his wandering. I’m not sure how I feel about the show leaning into Fushi’s long life this hard. Hopefully, once the show fully engages in a plotline the time skipping will calm down a bit.

Another big takeaway we have for the plot going forward is the continued presence of Hayase’s descendants. I’m curious to see what exactly their ultimate goal and role in the story will be as time continues to move forward. Organizations and ideologies change over time and I think this series has a unique opportunity to explore that evolution as Fushi interacts with the Guardians.

The final narrative element that this episode foreshadows is one that has me more than a bit worried. While nothing happens in this episode, there is some hinting that Fushi’s growth in this season may come to encompass the sexual aspects of life. While this isn’t the first time sex has come up in To Your Eternity, it is a tricky topic to approach. With the generally series nature of the show, I hope that, if it does fully explore this aspect of life, it is able to handle it with proper respect and care.

The visual presentation brings this episode’s heavy tone and wandering protagonist to the viewer skillfully. Fushi’s pain as he walks back through all the faces in his past is executed in a way that is both impactful and consistent with the character. The slow-moving montage of Fushi as he wanders in search of something to grasp onto is delivered in a way that helps the viewer feel the weight of time on the character.

When all is said and done, To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 2 manages to deliver a solid, if flawed sophomore outing for the season. While it doesn’t quite land some of its elements, hopefully, what it does here will be built upon to strengthen the story going forward.

To Your Eternity Season 2 Episode 2 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.