First I want to talk about the visuals. Season 1 already looked great but in my opinion, Season 2 is a massive improvement. The overall quality has significantly increased.

Now to the story:

Just like in Season 1 this season once again succeeds in showing us beautiful landscapes, delicious food and a good humor. It continues its subtle promotion of camping gear and sightseeing spots, but this is not an issue. It fits well into the story and adds to the charm of the series.

What I love about Yuru Camp is its celebration of both group and solo camping from the very beginning. While Season 1 focused on the joy of camping together, this season shifts the spotlight to solo camping. The first big trip centers on Rins solo camp at New Year. It’s heartening to see how Rin enjoys her time alone again, after her last trip alone wasn’t that succesfull. this time she’s well-prepared and confident. At the end of her trip she visits Nadeshiko and meets Nadeshiko’s childhood friend Ayano. This leads to a wonderful scene, my favorite in the entire story, where Rin, Nadeshiko, and Ayano share a warm drink on a plateau and enjoying the view at night.

Here Rin reflects on the past season and her New Years trip, realizing the differences between camping with friends and camping alone. She concludes that she doesn’t want to miss out on either. Rin finds a healthy balance between the two sides without throwing away her character and I absolutely adore this aspect of her. But this scene also prepares even more. Initially Ayano doesn’t quite understand Nadeshiko’s newfound love for camping but after listening to Rin, she decides to give it a try in the future, although this isn’t explored further this season. However Rins words leave an even greater impression on Nadeshiko, marking the starting point of her character growth.

In the following episode, as the girls take on part-time jobs and Nadeshiko looks for one herself, she begins thinking more about Rins description of solo camping. The scene where she starts running and arrives alone at the train station symbolizes her decision to pursue her hobby independently. Up until then she had always relied on others. While she doesn’t isolate herself from friends or family, she still takes their support. For examples Rins advices on solo camping or her sister helping her to find a job. But now Nadeshiko is helping them in return like buying hand warmers for her sister with her earnings instead of spending everything on camping gear.

These two episodes about Nadeshikos solo trip are delightful, as they showcase her growth through her experience, Rins tips, and her innocent nature. She even makes friends with other campers, thanks to her outgoing personality. Like Rin, Nadeshiko finds a balance between solo and group camping, but from the other side. I love the connection between Rin and Nadeshiko and how they inspire each other to try new things.

The other characters also experience significant growth. Aoi, Ena, and Aki’s trip to Lake Yamanaka is an unforgettable experience for them. Due to their lack of preparation, the trio nearly freezes but thanks to help from other campers, Rin, and Toba sensei, everything turns out fine. For viewers this episode highlights the risks of winter camping for once, while for the characters it serves as an important lesson in always being well-prepared.

All the experiences the girls go through are part of their journey toward growing up. To fully enjoy their hobby, they take part-time jobs, think about how to spend their earnings, learn from their mistakes, and don’t forget their responsibilities (like studying for exams). This theme is reflected right from the start of the season, with a parallel between Rins middle school days and the present. The season begins like the first, with Rin on a solo camping trip. However this time it’s her very first attempt, and without prior knowledge, she makes several mistakes. While things don’t go as planned, she doesn’t let it discourage her from embarking on future adventures.

The season’s highlight is the Izu camping trip. This final adventure showcases all the groups growth, from organizing the trip to celebrating Nadeshiko and Aois birthdays and demonstrating their improved cooking skills. The trip is packed with humor, stunning seaside views, capybaras, and great character dynamics. This makes it one of Yuru Camps most memorable moments.

One personal highlight of the Izu trip is the nighttime conversation between Ena and Nadeshiko. Both reflect on the events of the past months, concluding how much their lives have changed in such a short time. Enas development particularly stands out to me. She isn’t in the great spotlight as much as Nadeshiko or Rin, but her inspiration to travel with Chikuwa in the future, sparked by their adventures, is a touching moment. I’m glad Ena also received her own small character arc.

Toba senseis words in episode 12 about how happy she is to be the teacher in charge of the outdoor club because she enjoys watching the girls grow up resonate deeply with me. Starting this anime was one of the best decisions I’ve made.

For the end some final words from an adaptation standpoint. I’ve since read the manga and can confidently say that the anime is an outstanding adaptation. While I love the manga and its illustrations, the anime enhances everything. The new scenes, music, voice acting, animation, and (odd as it may sound) the colors elevate the experience. A few jokes from the manga were cut, which I would’ve liked to see, but it’s not a major issue.

In the end, this second season is a fantastic continuation of an already wonderful series and I’m grateful it exists.