When dealing with so “much” content, it can be a little hard to take a step back and provide a detailed bigger picture. With Narenare -Cheer For You!- episode 2, it’s easy to take that step backwards and say that the episode is about dreams that won’t exactly pan out, but providing something with more context is a little difficult. The episode pulls viewers in several different directions: the unresolved emotions of a cheer squad, the fear of sharing something with others, emotional hangups- there’s a whole list of odds and ends that connects our cast in the second episode.
It’s an interesting piece, because while it does reassert the prologue-ish nature of the first episode as a way to bring our main cast together, it also doesn’t completely absolve Kanata of her mental blocks in regards to cheerleading. She thinks she has the confidence to do it, but just can’t get past that one little blip of a memory in her mind. Some might say that it’s a silly way to stunt the story and Kanata’s growth, but I think it’s a pretty effective roadblock currently. Narenare -Cheer For You!- episode 2 effectively conveys that while the block exists, it’s not something pervades the entirety of Kanata’s life. She can still find freedom from it, but similarly, that also doesn’t mean that she’s completely free from it. It has its triggers and signs, and that’s a pretty realistic way to tackle it.
It’s because of those triggers that Kanata struggles with her cheer tryout in the episode. I really appreciate that they didn’t let Kanata run away from the tryout (though I never really expected them to let her), as it truly cements her fears as part of her character, as something that the series aims to overcome. I also appreciate that they sent her to tryouts because we got to see some pretty damn good gymnastics animation- not that the episode was of poor quality or anything though, more so that it was just very satisfying to watch.
Of course, Kanata isn’t the only character that the series wants to focus on. With Narenare -Cheer For You!- episode 2, we get a closer look at Shion’s character (and Suzuha’s by extension) as well. It’s a little more shallow, as expected of a more supporting character, but it’s a nice counterbalance to Kanata’s story. It doesn’t hinge on any sort of mental or emotional issue, instead choosing to go the more regular route for a high school girl. Bringing a dream that aims for the stars yet is par for the course, it serves as an effectively cute reprieve from the heavier drama that weighs on Kanata’s cheering.
Adding Suzuha into Shion’s story though, you sees the dynamic of Shion’s dream change in a very creative way. Suzuha’s no-nonsense personality pulls a lot out of Shion as a character and forces her to face those dreams with a lot more intent, refusing her the ability to always hide away behind another personality. Also, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the straight shooter Anna around to poke at Shion just a little more.
With the characters all having such strong archetypes, it really is up to the interactions between characters to provide plot and development, and interactions like the ones outlined above add a great deal to the episode. Another example might be Megumi being Kanata’s shoulder to lean on, but when Kanata’s emotions get too strong, her taking that step away from Megumi does well to illustrate how closely she ties Megumi to cheerleading. It’s a lot of dynamic legwork that quickly establishes a strong network of interactions with our main group of characters. Sure, we still get time with the cheer squad and characters like Hana, but it’s very clear that the main focus is our group of girls- and a nice side of solo Kanata.
Surprisingly, that’s about all the space Narenare -Cheer For You!- episode 2 has for story. It’s quite surprising after the whirlwind of the first episode, but it’s a surprisingly methodical followup. Though, even if it gives the characters room to breathe and develop, that doesn’t meant that the intense and very loud humor isn’t carried over. Much like its color design, the series remains rambunctious and unique with its humor and doesn’t miss a beat for a visual gag or two.
Well, it might not match up to the intensity of its debut, but Narenare -Cheer For You!- episode 2 still has its fill of weird and wild, like Anna planting a solid flying kick on a guy trying to film Suzuha. A lot of the episode is dedicated to the more serious groundwork being laid for the season, so it doesn’t have space to really let loose like the first episode, but in the few moments it can it certainly is enough to get a chuckle out of viewers.
So while Narenare- Cheer For You!- episode 2 might be hard to explain in broad terms, if we go even more broad you can end up with the following- it’s fun. It’s not the wild whirlwind that the first episode painted, but it still certainly contains its tempestuous roots, this time with a side of proper story. With the first episode serving its purpose as a prologue, this second episode has stepped forward to address the core of the series: why it’s here, why our characters are the way are they are. And it does a solid job of setting up our little cheer squad for an interesting season.
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