Yama no Susume Season 2 is an interesting study in the benefits of extra run-time per episode. Where Season 1 was concise and drifted through the story to individual subjects, Season 2 - while feeling like the same show - has extended deviations into introspective moments for the characters. Even though these episodes are actually only around 12 minutes long, they feel more like they are a full 24 minutes - both to advantage and disadvantage.

Outdoorsmanship is a very broad hobby, which gets touched on a few times here, if not to the extent of Yuru Camp. The continued focus on mountain climbing and its place within the lives and friendship of the core cast remains compelling. Character growth remains at the center of the story, though with plenty of asides about responsible hiking and the growth towards a goal.

The structure of Yama no Susume actually leans me towards calling it a Slice of Life rather than the usual label of Iyashikei. There's much more at risk than in most healing type stories, and more character conflict. It's the difference between Non Non Byori and Dagashi Kashi - both are about rustic life but the former puts more emphasis on character conflict with lasting consequences to the narrative. Yama no Susume uses its mountain metaphor as a symbol for growth, and that it does rather effectively. Being serious about the subject matter is what sets this apart from the usual girls activity fair.

When it's leaning too hard into a purely free and youthful spirit, the show kind of loses its way. With the expansion of plotlines came a lot of hit or miss mini-stories that didn't really seem to do much for the core narrative. Kokona's dedicated episode is cute and all, but I kind of wish we actually learned something new about her to have a dedicated focus. As it is, most of the interesting stuff continues to be driven solely by Aoi, which is enough to provide a satisfying arc - if little more. The pacing was also quite slow, which is part of the reason that each episode felt longer than it really was. I'm fine with that as it gives more opportunity to drink in the atmosphere, if keeps me from enjoying the moment-to-moment events.

For those that were hooked by the first season for its wonderful background art, season 2 ups its game substantially and pulls in some great animation custom top of that. Episode 17 features the talents of Ryouma Ebata going absolutely ham on a bouncy style, which I loved (I had to pause the episode to look him up). Seeing places in Japan which I have only experienced through vlogs makes the whole series feel like a portrait of a particular time and place. That's rare for anime to do and is definitely worth commending, especially when it's all storyboarded so well. They make everything feel as vast as it truly is, which is difficult to do in 2D, even if there should be substantially more crowds.

This season was still enjoyable, but dragged down by extra narrative weight that's a little cumbersome to carry. Perhaps my primary reason forbeing mixed on the seasons as a whole is due to the last episode, which like many anime provides a rather unnecessary epilogue that sort of sours the experience of catching up on anything. Such is the rule of a show calling itself Iyashikei.

My hope to future seasons is that they will take their extra runtime to more confidentially embrace their dramatic aspects and really allow the characters other than Aoi to go places.