Anime Hajime Review: Ro-Kyu-Bu SS

***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Ro-Kyu-Bu SS. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

The Keishin Academy Girls Basketball Team is as strong as they’ve ever been. With the help from their coaches, Subaru Hasegawa (voiced by Yuki Kaji) and Aoi Ogiyama (voiced by Kanae Ito), there’s no sign of that stopping.

Leading the group is their ace player Tomoka Minato (voiced by Kana Hanazawa). Providing the moral is Maho Misawa (voiced by Yuka Iguchi). Offering clarity and insight is Saki Nagatsuka (voiced by Yoko Hikasa). Being the pillar of kindness and support is Airi Kashii (voiced by Rina Hidaka). And always the lovable spark is Hinata Hakamada (voiced by Yuji Ogura).

Together, these five have become quite formidable. Although, that’s not to say there’s no room for some additions. The success of the team has inspired a few admirers. As such a new batch of fifth graders hope to challenge their seniors.

Looking to form a healthy rivalry with Tomoka is the skilled Mimi Balguerie (voiced by Misaki Kuno). Wanting to spend time with her beloved sister is Kagetsu Hakamada (voiced by Asami Seto). Wishing to show their power are the twins Tsubaki and Hiiragi Takenaka (voiced by Minami Tsuda and Aya Suzaki). And seeking a bit of revenge is Masami Fujii (voiced by Risa Taneda).

This new group is a tad rough. Yet, their situation is reminiscent to where the sixth graders were not too long ago. With a little effort, these ten have the potential to be unstoppable.

Series Positives

Ro-Kyu-Bu is a series that keeps proving my points. If there’s a sturdy show at the core, everything else is secondary. The first season demonstrated this.

Regardless of the fluff surrounding it, the first season of Ro-Kyu-Bu knew what it was. A genuine sports anime with an outstanding cast of characters you want to see grow. It made the effort to build connections. It went into what drove everyone and why they were trying to get better. It established a hard as steel relationship between teammates. As well as a heartwarming bond between Subaru and his girls. It did all this so well the effects carried over to this season.

It’s a good thing too since Ro-Kyu-Bu SS also helps illustrate what I’m saying. In this case, this season was a perfect example of what happens when a series doesn’t do any of what I mentioned.

Priorities shifted since the conclusion of season one. This series’ undeniable loli tendencies were much more evident here.

I have no problem acknowledging any leniency I may have given the original. If that's true, it’s also irrelevant. What may have been offset before was blatant here.

And there was no real reason why this should’ve been the outcome. Ro-Kyu-Bu SS had a setup that would’ve made it a great companion piece to the first. Though I should say it would've made a better companion piece.

While this season was the weaker, it wasn’t awful. The reason I’ll be hard on it is because more could’ve been done.

I don’t even have to come up with a what-if scenario. The proof was in the series.

The Second Half

I have issues with the absolute end of this season. But the lead up to it was everything SS should’ve been.

The best thing that could’ve happened to this series, following the original, happened. The Keishin Girls Basketball Team got more players. With ten members, the team could join official tournaments and prove themselves.

While you could say they did that in the first season, here was the chance to show off their hard work.

In addition, this gave the sixth graders the opportunity to take the next step in their growth. It was something a couch couldn’t give them. The original five could mentor and teach the fifth graders. Much like Subaru did for them.

A fantastic example of this came from Airi. She gained the respect of a newer player due to both of them being tall for their age. In the past, Airi lost it whenever her height got brought up. It was something she was self-conscious over. Now, not only did it not bother her, she encouraged her junior to embrace what she had.

Seeing the shy Airi do this was wonderful. It was a marvelous point for her character. The one problem, no scene like this existed for the fifth graders. The girl Airi inspired was from another team. Still important. Still great. Except, that’s it?

What SS did instead, worked. But when compared to the encounter Airi had, it was lacking.

Either way, I do want to talk about the route SS did choose to go down.

The closest instance the sixth graders played seniors was to the younger team as a whole. The new members were too focused on winning. They wanted to get stronger as fast as possible. They couldn’t see the value in what they perceived to be small details. It was the sixth graders who made it clear those small details weren’t just good things to keep in mind. They were the essentials. If they didn’t make the effort to master them, nothing would improve.

This got the job done. It made the final basketball game exciting. Watching the girls come together as a team was what made the original stand-out. For the first time during the second season, it felt like I was seeing why I enjoyed Ro-Kyu-Bu.

That’s what hurts the most about it. What SS should’ve been, came late. Had this season started and built from this, it could’ve surpassed the first. Rather than resulting in a weak reminder of something much better.

Series Negatives

Before continuing, I want to mention a few things. While the heart of the first season struggled to return, many of the key factors did.

Tomoka, Maho, Saki, Airi, and Hinata were as adorable as ever. Their relationship towards each other didn’t diminish. Whether it was basketball or not, they helped one another get through what was troubling them. Yet there were few places left they could've gone to sure that up. Other than the aforementioned being reliable seniors.

Subaru as the girl’s coach remained a center piece. He was always thinking about them and their worries. He strove to bring out the best in his team. Except this season felt the need to verify this again. The first already got the point across.

SS spent a lot of time on the original group. It retaught lessons instead of introducing new ones. This was weird and it made no sense. I say that because it meant staying put rather than taking a step forward. But even in terms of what this season wanted to prioritize it felt like a missed opportunity.

There were tons of situations in SS that the original took care to avoid. There were more shower scenes, innuendos, and suggestive positions. Not only that, these moments were forced. This was a distraction. As well as a downgrade when compared to the development and purpose of season one.

The Fifth Graders

I liked them. I liked Mimi, Kagetsu, Tsubaki, Hiiragi, and Masami. I wanted to see more of them. I wanted them to be a part of the season. The lack of them not being around was what brought SS down.

The fifth-grade team formed earlier. Which reminds me. I need a quick pause.

The majority of this team shouldn’t have had their introduction here in season two. Mimi was the exception. She was the catalyst for the team’s creation. That and she had no reason to be in season one. Kagetsu also gets a pass since she was in season one.

To be fair, Tsubaki, Hiiragi, and Masami could’ve been in the original. I don’t remember them being in the original, but yeah, they could’ve been there. Well, Tsubaki and Hiiragi, maybe. Masami I’m pretty sure we were meeting for the first time.

Tsubaki and Hiiragi were the little sisters of Natsuhi (voiced by Minako Kotobuki). He was a huge part of the last season. It’s a bit odd that his twin sisters, who were big fans of his, were never once mentioned. It doesn’t help that Maho had a history with them too. Then, by extension, so did Saki. Their inclusion in SS came out of nowhere.

Although, Tsubaki and Hiiragi were nothing compared to Masami. According to her, Saki was her dreaded rival. Saki then confirmed that was how Masami saw their relationship. This was a rivalry that, I imagine, had been going on for a while. And Masami was quite adamant about it. To think she never made a stink in the first season is convenient.

That notwithstanding, this is a smaller aspect of a much larger problem.

When the fifth-grade team did come together, they challenged the sixth graders. As you’d imagine, they got demolished. Except, the roots of camaraderie took hold during that game. Afterward, Aoi stepped up to be their coach.

“Splendid,” I thought to myself. The season was setting up a new batch of players. It could do many of the things from before with the added insight of the sixth graders. A fresh group of friends could form. Not only that, like it was for Subaru, Aoi could develop her own bond with these girls. Then when the two teams became one, a whole new set of obstacles could get tackled.

None of that happened. Instead, SS seemed to forget the fifth graders existed. The show did not come back to them until much later. When that moment came, that was when this season started getting good.

We never got to know these girls. At least not to the extent of the sixth graders. They didn’t have individual problems that needed solving. Difficulties lumped together and were overcome in bulk. Never mind the fact Mimi and Kagetsu’s importance dropped to near non-existence.

This is what could’ve done it. This was the chance SS had to surpass the first season. For the life of me, I don’t know why it didn’t take it.

And these are the reasons that annoyed me. But going back to what I said, why this happened just does not make sense. Especially for what this season was. SS was a lot more fan service driven than its predecessor. I’m not thrilled about that, but I’ll go down this path.

Sure, the original cast could do all the things they did during this season. Yet why ignore this new opportunity provided? The roster doubled, is that not good enough? Although, I suppose I get it. You had an attractive high school student and five cute elementary schoolers. Yeah, that’s a pit void of any creative possibilities.

In more ways than one, SS was a giant waste.

Final Thoughts

I mentioned it earlier. I was going to be hard on this season because it could’ve done so much.

By itself, yes it's an easy skip. There are a lot of things wrong.

Yet it wasn’t terrible. I don’t regret watching it. When this season did decide to explore its potential, it was fun. The excitement from the original did come back. And nothing undid what the first season managed to accomplish.

And that’s what it comes down to. With the support of the first season, Ro-Kyu-Bu SS is worth watching. It’s a continuation that could’ve done more, sure. But it is a continuation of an all-around decent series.

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