REVIEW: ‘Too Many Losing Heroines’ Episode 2 — “The Promised Failure Of You”

Lemon Yakishio (Shion Wakayama) gets spotlighted in Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 2. While it doesn’t possess the same level of charm as Episode 1, it does announce itself loud and clear with an irreverent tone that plays fast and loose within the genre. This isn’t a grounded series, nor should it be. However, that it manages to find relatability at all amid the zany mayhem these characters get up to is a tremendous feat.

To address the fan service elephant in the room, the one major negative of Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 2 arrives early. “The Promised Failure For You” begins with Lemon cornering Nukumizu (Shūichirō Umeda) in a supply shed. She wants to use Nukumizu’s friendship with her crush, Mitsuki, to help her, offering to bring the books Mitsuki requested to him. Nukumizu suggests a different plan that ensures she’ll be at the Lit Club at the same time Mitsuki is, which she loves. However, just as they’re about to leave, Lemon realizes that she’s accidentally locked them inside.

This leads to both suffering from heat exhaustion, with Lemon quickly becoming delirious. This leads to more shenanigans as she looks for ways to escape the heat, much to Nukumizu’s mounting horror. They’re released, and Lemon doesn’t remember the whole ordeal, though it does lead the school nurse to be bizarrely invested in the potential love triangles going on at the school. The scene is entirely unnecessary and leans heavily into a fan service element to which this type of show could easily fall victim. This is especially true when it shares the basic DNA patterns of a harem-style anime. However, utilizing some winking humor and Nukumizu’s earnest panic helps alleviate some of the more frustrating aspects.

Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 2 also benefits from there being just enough comedy at Nukumizu’s expense. No one is fawning over him, and his sister assumes he’s lying when he tells her he talks to five people daily. He isn’t unlikable, but he floats under the radar, which is something he appreciates. He also makes for a hilarious narrator, observant enough to help Lemon and Yanami (Hikaru Tono) when needed and always existing on a base level plain of exasperation. His being a relatable protagonist, not looking to gain anything from these relationships, allows Lemon and Yanami to shine further against his straight-man position.

Lemon truly is a delight of a character. While Yanami is more assertive in her distress and overtly dramatic, Lemon is reserved. Her personality is vibrant until she shares scenes with her crush, who she worries is beginning to fall for another girl. Her assumptions are proven correct in a hilarious sequence where Mitsuki fails to read the room, simultaneously breaking Lemon’s heart and insulting her all in one go. She finds a support team in Yanami and Nukumizu, joining the Lit Club to escape and find like-minded people.

Each character has their own distinct dynamic with the others, which is evident at the end when Nukumizu has to pay for yet another lunch out. He and Yanami take Lemon out to the same cafe where Yanami had her heart broken, and their personalities all sing with vibrant distinction. Lemon is casual with Nukumizu, and both girls make fun of him when he’s slightly awkward. But Yanami and his relationship remain a quiet, charming element, even after an entire premier dedicated to it. We’re starting to care about them despite the absurdity that follows. Who knows if the series will follow a traditional, romantic path, but their burgeoning friendship is sweet and comfortable.

The story is bolstered by stunning animation that brilliantly captures the character’s facial expressions and physicality. So much of the charm and personality of Yanami and Lemon is found in how they move and react to others. The animation team takes clear care in their rendering as they leap from the screen with boundless energy. However, the animation takes it further with sweeping background shots and detailed interiors, such as their school’s downtrodden, overgrown nature. Playing with tone and genre, the series adopts an eccentric nature in design and narrative.

It’s not just the school nurse or their homeroom teacher who is odd, but the school itself. Greenery seems to pool into the hallways and their lockers, giving it a wild, uninhibited energy that speaks to the character’s peculiarities. The world’s vibrancy and sweeping visuals add layers to the drama and romance of these girls’ lives. They may be losing heroines in Nukumizu’s eyes, but the series renders them as the protagonists they are.

Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 2 continues to deliver top-notch comedy with relatable protagonists and stunning animation. The story has a kinetic flow as we weave with these characters and untangle their messy romantic lives that continue to disappoint them.

Too Many Losing Heroines Episode 2 is out now on Crunchyroll.