Humorous Title: Transported to the Hidden Realm and Tasked to Pay Off Her Grandfather's Debts by Cooking, Season Two
Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- 2 proved to be my favourite anime this past Fall 2025 season, even if I just rushed through it by the end of December. And it pains me that it has received cold entertainment in the Kakuriyo fandom, and the complaints have some basis. I somewhat agree.
I'll address these, where I agree and where I disagree, by pointing out what is so enjoyable in this season in spite of the shortcomings in the technical aspects.
For context, this season has two studios working on it, Gonzo and Makaria. Gonzo, having faced financial difficulties and the threat of bankruptcy, is only a shadow of its former self. Although Gonzo is in the production committee, the grunt of animating the work lies with Makaria. Makaria is a decade-old studio with recent projects 'The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows' and 'Zatsu Tabi: That's Journey.'
If Okuda Yoshiko directed Season 1, Yoshizaki Jou directed Season 2. He also directed 'The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows' and the upcoming anime 'Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky.' Overall, Director Okuda did a fine job, but could have done better.
Season 1 had two character designers working together to realise the vision of the source material's character design: Kusanagi Takuhito and Satou Youko. They did not come back for the second season. Instead, the character design is handled by Katsura Emi. Kakuriyo S2 is this person's only entry at MAL, so the widely criticised changes may perhaps be attributed to Katsura's inexperience and/or limited budget. It's probably a combination of these.
Unlike the general fandom, I am not bothered by the changes. Perhaps, I have seen worse, most notably the infamous changes in the character designs for Weiß Kreuz, the original season having drastically different character designs to Weiß Kreuz Glühen due to legal issues. Nevertheless, I can at least sympathise that, given the choice, I do hope a hypothetical Season 3 will use Season 1's character designs and art style, if not improve on it.
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For comparison, here is the character design for Weiß Kreuz versus Weiß Kreuz Glühen. Although the key visual for Weiß Kreuz Glühen features different characters, with such design, the characters from the first series are unrecognisable.
With this context in mind, that's why I don't find the changes in the character design for Season 2 really bothering.
The anime has a limited budget and has to be compressed to 12 episodes, even if it would have been better as a two-cour season. The first season is not too popular anyway, and the fact that it took high viewership in Crunchyroll for Gonzo to greenlight this project effectively means that fans of Kakuriyo had to beg for a new season.
If you don't know the source material (and I certainly don't), Season 2 doesn't feel like there is something being omitted. A longer season, if these omissions were included, might have been better, but such omissions, I reckon, do not render this season unwatchable.
Since it is established that the art style for Season 2 is inferior to that of Season 1, let me point out this aspect that remains good, if not better than, Season 1. The OP and ED by Touyama Nao are great, and in my opinion, this season's OP is better than Season 1's OP. Whilst in general, I don't count them as part of the score, I have to count them here in my consideration.
They really add so much to the vibe. Whilst it doesn't hold a candle to the first OP of The Apothecary Diaries, Season 2, as seen in its animation, or even compared to the two OPs of Season 1, it is really catchy.(For the sake of comparison:
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Despite the lower production of the corresponding musick video, Touyama Nao's passion for singing does come across.
The ED for Season 2 is emotional and leaves you with so much emotions after every episode. That's why I can't ignore these songs in this review, and why I'm glad they did better here even if in other aspects, it's a downgrade.
I scored the first season as 8 out of 10, and despite Season 2's issues, I still scored it 8 out of 10. Why? The story is better overall. Although it retains its seemingly relaxing, slow pace, which I consider its strength, you can't help but feel that the stakes are higher. This might be unintentional on Konparu Tomoko's part, who is both working on the script and series composition; the omitted events and compressed episodes make this anime feel both fast-paced in terms of what's happening, despite maintaining its signature slow pace.
There are important character developments here in the romance department despite the absence of a key character. Cliché it may be, this season leans more on the emotions felt in the other's absence, i.e., absence makes the heart grow fonder. (This is seen in a visual cue that stands for romantick development; once you see it, you can only be aghast at the claim of some that this season has barely any romance.)
Therefore, if only this season had used Season 1's art style or even improved it as well as had been two cours, I would have rated this second season a 9 out of 10.
Also, this season has sealed the deal on why I now deem Tsubaki Aoi as one of my favourite characters.
NOTA BENE: A grade of 8 out of 10 [or 80 out of 100 in anilist] means that I find this anime is very good and three notches above average. I enjoyed watching it.
My enjoyment spectrum lies from 4 to 10. If I have scored an anime below 4, I actively dislike it.
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