To the surprise of absolutely no one, Rent-A-Girlfriend returns to prove that it’s still a series whose only whole-hearted effort it insists on making is its absolute commitment to not allowing any growth or development—character or otherwise. Pretty much every time I get my hopes up and convince myself that it might actually do anything besides spin, and spin, and spin its old web of lies, bafflingly stupid conflicts and empty promises rehashed solely for the sake of keeping the marketing machine rolling, I’m slapped in the face with another repugnant helping of Kazuya Kinoshita—our cipher of a lead’s endless moping and perpetual internal monologues. At the core of the concept, the constant clash between him trying to maintain the facade while simultaneously attempting to forge a genuine relationship with a rental girlfriend, of all people, makes for scenarios I admittedly love to indulge in—even if handled in ways straight-up frustrating by design. Some of which would make even the most stone-faced viewer physically recoil in their seat with cringe or even outright yell at the screen.

At this point, it’s honestly impressive how much of a degenerate Kazuya allows himself to be as long as it’s in service of the idea that he’s doing it for his grandma, which doesn’t even matter anyway, since she would obviously rather just know the truth. The headache-inducing romantic (and I use that term lightly) hijinks he somehow always manages to find himself in are not only a result of the increasingly pathetic, never-ending web of lies and misunderstandings he’s wrapped himself up in, they’re a result of his widely agreed status as one of the most utterly hopeless, downright embarrassing main characters around, only driven by his inferiority complex and general victim mentality. I mean, no one with a sliver of self-respect would have found themselves in the predicament Kazuya did in the first minute of episode one in the first place. How someone like him could feasibly manage to successfully guilt-trip a rotation of women who ought to be modeling for magazines into liking him is a feat in itself; better yet, swapping from girl to girl each episode. All the while lying to his friends and family about every aspect of his life. It’s painfully apparent that he’s the author’s own self-insert, which makes it that much worse.

Way too much of this show is wasted spent inside of Kazuya’s head, detailing every redundant thought and flagrant misunderstanding that accompanies them. But to be fair, we do get hints of a few nice ideas this time around—Chizuru's confidence turning to genuine heartbreak over missing her big break because the director of that play she gave her all in chose to recruit someone who was clearly less qualified for the job, solely out of favoritism, caught me off guard. It was a much needed moment of development outside of her just being viewed through the filter of being Kazuya’s crush. Comparably, for as cringeworthy as he can be, Kazuya's earnest offer of support to Chizuru was something I was pleased to see, even though I knew it ultimately wouldn’t lead anywhere. It's nice to see them have a real conversation and get to know each other better, and I’m glad she gets to be an actual character in her own right, even if what little growth is granted to her instantly makes her the only one with some honest thought spared to them—besides Sumi, of course, who’s still the best character in the show. And I don’t just say that out of waifu loyalty–she’s literally the most likeable character at this point, just by virtue of having a respectable personal objective.

Seeing her conquer her debilitating social anxiety to be the compassionate friend Kazuya has somehow been for her brought a genuine sense that these characters have grown for the better through their healthy chemistry together, which may well be a first for this series. The few episodes that put the spotlight on her are a pleasant, much-needed step back from the mildly entertaining degeneracy, which I’m so glad she’s never overtly been inserted into. Well, not yet at least. She’s endearingly purehearted, far, far sweeter than this show deserves, and the only character who brings out what few positive aspects our cipher of a lead has. Rather than the idealized Girlfriend Experience the show so often endorses, Sumi offers the sort of sincere, unconditional emotional support you would actually want from a romantic partner. It almost makes it feel as if the show itself acknowledges the fact that the rental girlfriend service is no foundation for a real relationship whatsoever. But these flickers of substance are few and far between, and the trudge to get there is so unrewarding that the only thing that might make the whole thing worth it is seeing Kazuya actually grow a pair and ask Chizuru out for real. We both know that’ll never happen, though.

And while the new OP is definitely an unquestionable downgrade from The Peggies’ delightfully catchy single which practically made the first season, as far as visuals go, it still feels like this is as good of an adaptation as this series could get. There isn't much animation, and the backgrounds frequently leave a lot to be desired; however, the individual shots are beautified, and the vibrant colors almost make up for the show's dull construction. The character art is always on point, and the show's eye for fashion continues to deliver. I’m honestly convinced the author just flips through the latest Japanese fashion magazines and picks out the most popular outfits. All the girls dress like magazine models, aside from Chizuru, who dresses sliiightly more classy than her other rental girlfriend counterparts. None of them has a particularly unique taste or flair, and so you get to see lots of stylish outfits in the show, but I always feel like I’ve literally seen this while scrolling through Pinterest or something. Not to say that these girls wouldn’t wear these kinds of outfits; obviously they would because their job literally depends on them looking, dressing, and acting their best in every facet of their presentation. I guess I'd rather their outfits reflect their personalities more or be discernibly unique from one another, rather than always looking straight out of the latest fashion catalog. I realize I’m probably talking out of my ass here, since this IS the Asian style capital of the world we’re talking about, but still.

At the end of the day, I still unironically enjoy this show way more than I probably should. I’m not sure what that says about me as a person, but I’m willing to be fairly generous and give it a 4—the same score I gave the first season—because upon taking a step back from the moral bankrupcy of it all, I've realized there may well be a tiny crumb of merit in a socially stunted lost soul like me indulging in it, indefensible construction and all.

Rent-A-Girlfriend is immensely popular—but for all the wrong reasons, and as a result of the astronomically infamous (and whole-heartedly deserved) reputation this series has built for itself, most come away from it instantly casting it off as fundamentally ill-conceived romcom filth only appealing to the lowest common denominator. A show that has nothing to say about anything. And while I no doubt agree with the former, I think those who believe the latter are too blinded by the cringe to notice what little hints of self-awareness suggest otherwise, because I'd say there’s at least one noteworthy element under the trash heap; the show’s depiction of social dynamics. From Ruka believing that just because she’s an attractive female she has the right to be relentlessly over-the-line and all over people without permission, to how Mami is a cold and calculating, BPD-ridden social manipulator who presents herself as this bubbly, good-natured angel who can do no wrong, or even Kazuya and his pathetically pussywhipped, beta-orbiter nature, which is a look in the mirror for a concerning portion of young males in our current generation. Many of whom would be quick to clown on him, not even realizing the irony of the sentiment.

Now, I’ve been alone and loveless all my life, but, be that as it may, I know for damn sure that there is no shortage of people this superficial, two-faced and socially reprehensible in the real world. Anyone could very well be unfortunate enough to know or happen to have been in a relationship with a Ruka, or a Mami, or a Kazuya. Lord knows there are plenty of the latter two out there. In no way do the characters themselves escape from falling snugly into place of the archetypical cookie-cutter harem or romcom dynamics. However, the way Rent-A-Girlfriend portrays the interpersonal relationships therein could genuinely be seen as a cautionary tale, if anything, for more inexperienced viewers who don't know how it really is out there; a perfect example of how NOT to approach relationships in general. And, for what little that’s worth, I think I can surprisingly say there’s a smidgen of merit to watching this stagnant, ceaseless dumpster fire that I just can’t look away from.

Story: 5
Animation: 7
Sound: 7
Character: 5
Score: 4 | Enjoyment: 8