Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
PrN_8
I didn't understand a thing about shogi. Since it’s somewhat similar to chess, I could follow bits and pieces, but most of it went straight over my head. That said, I really loved how deeply this season explored its characters. The episode with Kiriyama's stepmother acknowledging him, while struggling to actually show that she was thankful for him and saw him as one of her sons, was one of the finest episodes this anime has to offer.
Story
The season does drag a little at times, and we don't get as much of Kiriyama's personal life as I would've liked. But even with its slow pace—partly because I know absolutely nothing about shogi—the character-focused storytelling kept me invested. The emotional situations are given enough time to breathe, which makes them hit harder.
Characters
This is…
Read at the sourceJonaRM
I loved it, even more than the first season. I didn't expect most of the episodes to focus on Hina, but I adored them. Just like in the first season, the changing colors of the emotions, feeling Hina's sadness, anger, and joy, was fantastic.
I liked how Hina's problem was resolved; I felt her anger. But the way her family and Kiriyama supported her was beautiful, and the final episodes, where everything is alright, bring a sense of peace.
Although not much time has passed, Kiriyama seems much more mature, which I loved, and it showed in his matches. When he's at peace with his life, he's also at peace in shogi.
Watching this anime is undoubtedly one of the best experiences I've ever had. The art style, the characters, and how they interact are wonderful. I wish there were more seasons o…
Read at the sourcearyanarora
Gutted. A brilliant drama goes down the drain. I loved the first season. This season feels as if I'm watching a different show altogether with the same cast and themes. This is bad. This is not what I signed up for. I cared about Rei's internal struggles and growth, about him making new friends, about characters like Kyouko, Akari and Gotou and their dynamics with Rei because they are deep and multifaceted characters that can be developed even further to a point where they can carry the entire story around their interactions with Rei. I expected a lot of plot progression in terms of either positive changes or further struggles in Rei's life and shifts in character dynamics as the show progressed, but the story barely develops in that direction. He's playing second fiddle to the least devel…
Read at the sourceKranst
The second season of March Comes In Like a Lion beautifully encapsulates rediscovering the loving familial warmth that surrounds our lives, healing from painful experiences, and recognizing the value that our efforts have on others. Expressively bold imagery and captivatingly profound dialogue convey a diverse complexity of emotions, depict realistic hardships, and communicate important lessons. Themes of depression, bullying, and trauma are delivered with utmost care. But what resonates most is watching these lifelike characters striving to improve, seeking to understand people, and finding happiness amid challenges. The passing moments of life flow steadily by, but we are encouraged to appreciate those already beside us.
Read at the sourceLunaeLoon
As someone who is at a busy stage in life - adulting, working, balancing work with recreation, this anime has been eye opening for me in a lot of ways.
Although the anime is centered around Kiriyama, a high school student, I think the lessons we can gain from each episode would be much more appreciated by young adults past teenage years and onto working towards their own future. Perhaps this is also due to the fact that Kiriyama had to rely on himself from the very beginning to support his life.
A lot of the episodes during this season were relatable for me but seeing these experiences through another perspective made me ponder of how I could've handled my past experiences more rationally but I also realized how important is it to be confident with yourself and to be strong willed to cli…
Read at the sourcereigenloml
Super preferred this season over the first one! More topics and concepts were discussed, and seeing them in the perspectives of young adults to older people, makes the storyline different from others.
My favorite aspect about this anime is the representation! Shogi may not be a concept familiar to many viewers and can be deemed to be boring if shown, but through the representation of nature and its relation to shogi, I got to understand the struggles of playing it and appreciate the dedication that players gave. It was refreshing to meet new characters and get to know older ones.
There was a tendency for it to get too lengthy and stick to one event for too long, but it doesn't change the fact that the characters were beautifully written! I have so much to say but at the same time, it's…
Read at the sourcePyro1610
After watching Season 1 I had high hopes for S2 which does not disappoint in the least instead surpass its previous season . Mild Spoilers Ahead - The Action of helping The Middle Sister by the Rei by just staying with her is ironic since something that the girl and her family did for the MC when he was going through that phase of being shunned is heartwarming . I was rooting for Rei with the Biggest Sister but looks like that will remain wishful thinking. This Anime is like a remedy for those who have been outcasted and it shows that sometimes it only takes one person to save someone emotionally and mentally. This is Officially one of my Favorite Anime Of All Times.
Read at the sourceDumbleGus
Rei’s story is character rich and profoundly engaging. His experiences and emotional growth feel true to life (for the character) and are presented with a perfect balance of weight and lightness. There is a pretty unique story set in an urban, yet traditional, slice of life setting. There is also an opportunity to learn a lot about Shogi! I love the art style, obviously similar to Honey and Clover, it’s anime/manga, but original. This is one of those rare experiences that makes you feel a deep sadness while filling you with warmth and an inspired satisfaction. If you have seen Honey and Clover, and you were moved by Yuta’s journey, March Comes In Like a Lion has that emotional resonance and it is carried throughout the entire story. I come back to this one year after year. I have also been…
Read at the sourceIts_munnan
The most interesting aspect of the previous season was kyoko and gotou, and rei's conflicts and interactions with them, which are completely absent in this season. We never get any answers for what happened between kyoko and rei, and even the first season's ending parts showed them as being partially reconciled for no reason. Gotou's wife is shown to be hospitalised. That makes it okay for him to sleep around with a college girl! Basically all the darkness from the first season in relation to the main character is gone.
The bullying plot was good. It hit the right emotional beats at the right times and gave food for thought. Too bad that the problem was solved by a new teacher swooping in, thereby making the problem not the bully but the previous teacher! It's also not believable that the…
Read at the sourceCBMiura
The 2nd season of 3-gatsu no Lion gives us a little bit more of development that we needed for our other main characters, the Kawamoto's family. Still, it keeps developing the growth of Kei and his shogi journey.
The animation still incredible and the characters even better.
You may get a little dissapointed if you're expecting to be centered just around Kiriyama Rei. If you don't bother about Kawamoto's family maybe this season won't please you.
But in the end, 3-gatsu no Lion is a great show, that have well developed characters and keeps the slow pace and heavy narrative.
Read at the sourcewhiteflame55
I’ll start with the minor frustrations before I gush. This season doesn’t do a whole lot more than the first to dig into shogi, so when a big move happens in a game, it’s hard to appreciate as a viewer. Some of the characters from S1, including Kyouko and Gotou, largely take a backseat this season despite getting a little more complexity early on. It’s a bit disappointing after how both of them were built up to see them stray out of the story, and the fact that the MC’s adoptive father and mother remain largely enigmatic throughout doesn’t help.
That being said, those few Ls are small potatoes compared to the Ws of this season. There’s a short plot about Nikaido that gives more insight into his character. There’s unexpected bit of epilogue involving Rei’s adoptive mother that, while short…
Read at the sourceViolentPete
I finished watching the first season of this a couple of months ago but now that I'm writing this I can't for the life of me recall anything that actually happened in the first season. That's okay, this is the second season, the first season is in the past. Except, surprise, I barely remember anything that happened in this season either and I just finished watching it. I suppose this is why I don't watch slice of life shit, because nothing ever happens in them, but I figured this one could be worth a shot. Well, I can say with confidence that after 40+ episodes of this show I still have no interest in slice of life shit. Sorry!
To be fair, I do remember one thing from the first season, and that was the little arc with Kiriyama and his Asuka clone sister. That was actually a pretty interes…
Read at the sourceCyanCheetah
This season of March Comes in Like a Lion had much much more heavy emotional aspects.
Some of the emotional aspects were:
1. The Hina Bullying arc.
There were many mature themes here and I think the anime handled it well.
2. The Nikaido thing.
To avoid spoilers I will not talk about it here but again the anime handled it well. The story is also good. Although this season does not focus on Shogi as the previous season did, I liked it. More Kawamoto family, please!!!! I want a Kawamoto anime asap.
I do have *some* gripes though.
For example, for a Shogi-focused anime (Going off the first season) the entire second half of the season had no shogi. Except for the Soya arc, it did not focus on Shogi. It can be a good or bad thing depending on POV but it is not consistent.
Also, the endin…
Read at the sourceAkiYumie87
My first review ever so bear with me lol. This is seriously a masterpiece for people who likes Slice of Life and Drama genre.
I gave the first season a 9/10 but the second season really takes the cake. I would give it 12/10 if i could. Anyways, if you like stories with a lot of self introspection, give this a try. There's so many values of life and philosophy to be taken from this anime. Another thing I would praise is the use of OST and the scene directing. It somehow feels like you're watching a few hours long movie because of how cinematic most of the scenes are. All the characters used (even the extras) served their function to give the main characters (for the arc) some depth and characterisation. The writing is immaculate.
Read at the sourceanthony59237
First review so please bear with me. Please feel free to give tips on how to improve my writing for these, as this one will be a jumbled mess. This is a very quick review and I don't get that much in depth, just giving my overall feelings of the series. Light spoiler warning as well!
So, March Comes in Like a Lion is one of my favorite series of all time and has given me the most emotional impact of any series. However, season 2 is not perfect for me. The writing is still good, but the focus of that writing is what I did not care for during portions.
(Mini rant. Skip ahead for review if you want) I honestly have no idea how this season is rated so much higher than the first, which I thought was a damn near masterpiece. This is all my opinion and I don't believe much in objectivity regar…
Read at the sourceDmAnimeguy
I have watched this entire series, omg what a story. In most animes there is this sence of unrealistic achievement and progress but this is not a bad thing, this is why most of us watch these shows, we love to see the characters overcome their difficulties and become better then ever.
In this anime its different, Ray is a boy who is struggling with severe anxiety and some possible PTSD. This story is how he overcomes this. This particular story is show has a very grounded feel to it but also takes advantage of the medium to show how all these events effect the protag. One of the top complaints that i keep seeing in reviews about this show is how it has a very slow progression and they are right, compared to other shows and other anime that is 100% true, but i dont believe its trying to b…
Read at the sourceOG_Otaku
It's all about the healing.
Yes, 3-gatsu no Lion has some of the most beautiful art and music you will ever encounter in anime. Yes, the characters, the plot, the romantic subtexts will all keep you coming back. But the point of this beautiful production is the Iyashikei.
Our author seems to have set out with the objective of writing an Iyashikei Slice of Life story, and this anime is now the perfect example of this genre. Still publishing, only about the first half the manga was adapted for this anime.
You will shed tears from time to time over the course of 3-gatsu no Lion, but manipulating the the viewer for the tearful catharsis is not the author's objective. Rather, this is an educational event, and an exercise in healing.
3-gatsu no Lion is indeed a masterpiece. The gorgeous a…
Read at the sourceLukinooo
So where would I start with what led me to see this piece. I have encountered the Shogi theme in many works, but I have never seen anything whose center would actually be Shogi. The main character finds refuge from the outside world in this strategy game. In the beginning, Rei is a closed boy who lost his parents at a young age and was adopted after their death by a friend of his father, who raised him and led him on the path of a professional shogi player. After a while, Rei moves to his own apartment where he lives alone. One day, three sisters come into his black and white life and turn his life 180 degrees. This anime exceeded my expectations.
On the surface, it seems that it is purely about shogi, but on the other hand, we dive deep into the lives of our main characters and deal with…
Read at the sourceBalloonofwar
I just finished writing a review for Kaguya-Sama- the thing in common is 10's all around.
It's impossible for me to give any one category a 9, as every category to me is absolutely beautiful.
This anime holds a special place in my heart.
I wasn't going to write more, then it just told me I need more words for a review ;p
I didn't know how describe this so I just decided against telling you guys but uhh for the reasons given I'll write it out- The story of Rei Kiriyama is one that resonates deeply within my soul.
Gosh I sound so cringy right now, I hope no one reads this.
It's not just light and fluffy, but his story has volume, and meaning, and for that I love this anime
Read at the sourceviennelu
Sangatsu no Lion will always be one of my comfort animes. I love how the story progresses and how the side characters have much to offer as well and play their own part in Rei's life.
I also love how season 2 is much brighter than the first season (apart from the improved art-style and quality) I believe this depicts how Rei's point of view is also turning brighter figuratively as he develops relationships in school, at shogi and within the kawamoto household.
Another point to love is how the writer and the anime director are able to display Rei's and Kyoko's mental struggle while not portraying it as something negative but rather something we can all experience and overcome. It accurately tackles bullying on both the victims' and oppressor's side as well.
It's overwhelming how this…
Read at the source
