REVIEW: ‘You and I Are Polar Opposites’ Season 2 Episode 1 – “Christmas Eve”

Based on the manga written and illustrated by Kōcha Agasawa, You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 Episode 1 wastes little time in reminding us how easy it is to fall for this series. With its perpetual vibrancy and superb cast of well-written characters, the charm is undeniable and inescapable. 

It’s been six months since extroverted Miyu Suzuki (Sayumi Suzushiro) professed her love for the introverted Yusuke Tani (Shogo Sakata), and their bond has only strengthened since. As they become closer, taking small steps in their romance, the relationships around them also continue to develop. “Christmas Eve” takes time to touch base with not just the established couples but also the continued will they/won’t they dynamic between Shuji Taira (Wataru Katoh) and Shino Azuma (Miyuri Shimabukuro). 

Broken into connected vignette-style segments, You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 Episode 1 gives each character their due while keeping the bulk of the focus on Suzuki and Tani. Suzuki and Tani, who still haven’t kissed and are caught up in the anxiety of wanting it to happen and wanting it to happen with ease and confidence that doesn’t come naturally to teenagers. 

You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 Episode 1 blends teenage realism with sugary aesthetics. 

Part of the charm of the series and part of what makes Agasawa’s works so strong is her ability to blend realistic personal beats with over-the-top color schemes or blocky, chibi-style animation. One doesn’t overcome the other. Instead, the expressive animation helps accentuate the youthfulness of these characters. Suzuki’s love of bold colors and fashion comes through in the series’ storyline without overwhelming it. Pink is her color and aligns with the stories’ tone, but it’s not like Tani is suddenly showing up in eye-catching outfits. 

Instead, the abundance of energy and color comes through in the world around them, in the school uniforms, and in how the series animates their movements and visualizes their thought process. Even the many, many faces of Suzuki, while silly, serve to show off her personality and how much of a teenager she is.

Her inability to take a good candid photo is one of the funniest bits of the show, and it works because they lean into the awkward faces. There’s a reason for her anxiety about being caught in the background of a shot. 

“Christmas Eve” is a welcome return as we catch up with Suzuki and Tani. 

That energy is part of why You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 Episode 1 is such a welcome return. There’s such an infectious, lovable warmth to these characters that we can’t help but root for them. They feel like real teenagers in how they navigate their relationships and offer advice and support to friends. 

Suzuki and Tani trying to experience their first kiss is adorable and hilariously plotted as everything seems to get in their way. In Season 1, it was Suzuki’s parents appearing out of nowhere. In Season 2, it happens accidentally, both of them distressed by it, essentially by bumping into one another. Their stunned silence is edited to highlight their mutual confusion without it being verbally articulated. Even if it was an accident, does it still count? 

Both hope not and, in trying to rectify it, kiss with so much clumsy anticipation that they clack teeth. It’s fantastic, funny, and so honest about the teenage experience. There’s no finesse to a mutual first kiss. But the wholesomeness comes not just at their expense, but also because they’re happy to try to navigate these milestone moments together, however clumsy.

The supporting characters are just as wonderful as the central duo. 

It makes their gift exchange and walk home even sweeter. While they have more standard romantic tropes to wade through than the other pairings, their affection is tangible and is the show’s driving force. They need to work, and they do. 

But the show wouldn’t be the success that it is without the entire ensemble, something that You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 Episode 1 highlights. We only get a brief interaction between Kentaro Yamada (Anji Iwata) and Natsumi Nishi (Kokoro Ōmori). Still, their scenes remain sweet as Yamada continues to give Nishi space to open up with more confidence. He might be happy barreling through social situations, but he knows, at least, that Nishi isn’t the same way. 

Beyond the romantic elements, Yamada continues to be a fantastic comedic element, especially in his reaction when Suzuki tells him she knows about his and Nishi’s date. Iwata is hilarious in his exaggerated responses, and Yamada and Suzuki’s childhood friendship is a constant source of joy as they stomp through scenes. It’s moments like their shared joy over a potential double state that underscore the importance of a strong cast of characters in shojo.

The ensemble takes center stage in You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 Episode 1. 

We care about the characters not just because of their romance (though it’s the driving point) but because of their personalities. And moments such as the group’s celebratory walk through a Christmas-adorned suburb, or a passing comment about them celebrating like they’re the “Straw Hat Crew,” flesh them out and make them more than simply the opposite personality type to their potential romantic suitor. Tani is quiet while Suzuki is loud, but he’s also confessional to and trusting of Taira. He isn’t simply keeping to himself, unless it’s with Suzuki. 

Taira, who, in any other series or, heck, in the mangaka’s other series, The Ramparts of Ice, might be the leading force. He and Azuma, really, are two deeply fascinating characters with so much depth that they almost seem out of sorts with the rest of the cast. The series takes itself seriously, and the story beats are effective, but Taira and Azuma raise the bar with some fascinating, slow-burning storylines that reach the story’s greatest potential. 

Because they’re opposites not so much in how they express themselves but in how they internalize judgment, peer pressure, and expectations. Azuma shows zero hesitancy in interacting with others, so much so that classmates who aren’t friends with her are put off by it. She thinks it’s easier to go with the flow rather than have her efforts go to waste. Meanwhile, Taira is hypercritical of every situation, hesitant to interact with others unless directly invited, and seems to believe everyone has an ulterior motive. 

Taira and Azuma are the subtle MVPs of the premiere. 

And yet, they both understand rejection. He sees it when he tries to ditch her on their walk home rather than deal with an uncomfortable conversation that isn’t even on her radar. He sees the rejection plainly on her face and rectifies it. She’s chill, he’s high-strung, and yet their similarities are more pronounced than those of the other characters. And it makes them super interesting to watch because it’s harder to predict where the show will take them. 

You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 Episode 1 is a playful bout of check-ins that reminds us of the character’s undeniable charm. Maintaining the frenetic pacing matched by the twinkling score from tofubeats, “Christmas Eve” is everything that makes the series a success, from the dynamic contrast of colors to the malleable facial expressions that give away Suzuki’s inner dialogue. The series remains an absolute treat, vivid and exuberant in its ability to utilize familiar narratives while keeping the atmosphere fresh and light on its feet. 

You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 Episode 1 is available now on Crunchyroll. 

| Next Episode

Catch up with other season reviews:

Season 1