To LOVE-Ru Darkness 2nd

Note: I am writing this review for those who are already familiar with the To Love-Ru series. Perhaps you had seen the first season of Darkness and enjoyed it, but you're still skeptical of its sequel. Or despite disliking the first season (Darkness), you, for some reason, are still interested. Maybe, even now, you feel ambivalent. I hope this review will help those who are struggling to make a decision. Lastly, I am a huge fan of the series, but I've never read the manga.

"To Love-Ru Darkness 2nd" is just as entertaining as its prequels (To Love-Ru, Motto To Love-Ru, and the first ... season of To Love-Ru Darkness); in fact, the disparity between this and its prequels are, in my opinion, little to none. Unfortunately, this implies that many of its infamous flaws are also present in this second season. In this review, I will explore this season's strengths and weaknesses.

Story: 5

To Love-Ru, as a series, has a weak story. After 70+ episodes, there is little character and plot development; for example, much of the content in each episode (addressing the entire series) is Rito stumbling or slipping while female characters are conveniently nearby which results in a perverted scene. He is then chased or lectured, but ultimately forgiven. This exact scene repeats many times throughout this season. I, however, personally enjoy them and laugh occasionally because the show is self-aware that these scenes would only occur so frequently in a fictitious world.

As for character development, if you're here to watch Rito and Lala grow romantically closer, you'll likely be disappointed; there is one scene, but they simply end up reaffirming those same feelings that they had at the conclusion of Motto To Love-Ru. Additionally, more girls are added to the Harem Plan; furthermore, the characters who, originally, never knew about the plan provide their views on the subject. It's interesting to see different perspectives because some conflict with Momo's beliefs, although I had hoped that they would further elaborate on their reasoning. Still, it's exciting to see that the Harem Plan may not be as perfect as Momo makes it out to be. Interestingly, in this season, there is an antagonist (and I don't mean random fodder alien assassins) with a goal (not minor transgressions like kidnapping). I was also pleased that the show didn't feel episodic; there was continuity unlike To Love-Ru and Motto To Love-Ru.

And although it may appear that I dislike the story, I think the lack of progression is justified in some ways. For example, in To Love-Ru's universe, only two years or so (maybe less) have passed since the first episode. I don't know if two years is enough for someone like Rito to suddenly devote himself to over fifteen girls. He's sixteen; marriage, falling in love, and managing the entire universe are things that most teenagers would never think too deeply about at that age. Moreover, Rito is portrayed as an average male student; his only unqiue trait (that is emphasized) is his kindness and reliability when you really need him. So in many ways, I understand why he feels unsure about these things, especially the Harem Plan. The plot makes this clear several times that polygamy is not allowed on Earth; this implies that, for about 14 years, he has been raised with the idea that marriage is between a man and a woman. Maybe he hasn't thought about it until he was 7 or 8, but to ask someone to suddenly change their life values and beliefs in just two years seems improbable. As for character development, I think it's rather realistic that Rito's personality hasn't radically changed. I never expected him to suddenly become a whole new person in merely two years. And yes, several times, Mikan does mention that Rito has changed ever since the arrival of Lala and friends, but it's likely nothing serious as he is still shown to have those same mixed feelings (from the very first season) about marriage, love, politics, and the Harem Plan.

This is simply my opinion, and I just thought some of these things were worth thinking about.

My final note: If you don't like the theme of friendship, you may not like this season.

Art: 9

Compared to the very first season of To Love-Ru, the art has significantly improved (I'm sure many of you reading this know that already). Nevertheless, I don't know much about art; however, to me, the art looks colorful, vivid, and vibrant. I do prefer season 1's art (Darkness Season 1), but Rito's, Yami's, Momo's, Lala's, and Mea's faces are drawn really well this season. (I am in love with everyone's eyes!) Also it's interesting to note that the art is so stunning that when you see even a slight drop in quality, it's rather noticeable. Usually, I have to look for these, but I saw quite a few here -- especially when you're viewing the characters from a far distance (which is understandable). Nevertheless, I was bothered by how bright everyone looked as well.

Another example of good art, I think, is the ending. The planets, Yami, and the flowers are all quite artistic.

Sound: 9

I know I compare a lot, and unfortunately, I'm doing it here again. I only give the sound a 9 because I really enjoyed listening to Rakuen Project by Ray. Secret Arms is fine; I never skipped the opening if that means anything. Conversely, the ending, in this season, is far better. Kawada's Garden is amazing; if you have some extra time, I recommend listening to the full version as well. The background music, however, wasn't memorable.

Characters: 7

Rito: As I mentioned before, in the story section, I think Rito is growing/maturing, but it appears to be a subtle growth. That said, if you watch the specials (episode 13 and 14 which conclude the season), Rito does something quite surprising and out of character (not because he's drunk or anything like that; it's intentional). I wouldn't call it a serious change, but I like the pace of his growth; it might appear too slow for some, but I think it's fine. One of my biggest issues with the character, however, is his passive personality.

Lala: Learns something new from Momo, and there is one other minor thing with Rito, but saying anything more will ruin it. That's about it.

Haruna, Kotegawa, : Both characters remain static throughout this season, unfortunately.

Yami, Nana, and Mea: These three characters are the highlights of this season. If you like any one of them, you're in luck. The theme is friendship. That's all I'll say. And if you didn't like any of these characters before, you might like them now. You learn quite a bit about each of these characters, and I ultimately felt that they were no longer just one-dimensional characters.

Murasame Shizu: Even she sort of gets her own episode. Again, the theme is friendship.

Rin: There is more revealed about her character as well.

Mikan: Keep on eye out for her. She has some great moments this season.

Momo: I believe Momo is a character that does not need to change (personality wise). Her presence in the story is what drives a lot of these character actions in the second season. If you liked Momo in Darkness season 1, I think you'll appreciate her role here as well. Her alluring mischievous personality is always fun to watch.

Overall, I think it's fine that a lot of these characters are still the same after all these years; at least they're consistent. But until something a little more significant happens to Rito, Lala, and friends, all I can say is that the characters, this season, were good.

Enjoyment: 10

As I've said before, I'm a huge fan (Momo and Yami fan) of the series, so much that I ended up watching the first four uncensored episodes and finished the rest of it (along with the specials) in one sitting. Originally, I had planned on waiting until all 14 episodes were available uncensored, but I simply couldn't wait; in fact, I plan on re-watching those 10 episodes again once it's released on Blu-Ray.

Overall: 10

To Love-Ru is an anime that truly tests the limits of the ecchi genre; it is the epitome of a borderline hentai. For this reason, you really have to love the characters to continue loving this show. I know I didn't say much, but if you've seen the first season (which I assumed you have) you already know exactly how these characters are. In lieu of a summary, I thought it might be best to tell you what season two has to offer. Honestly, had I not enjoyed the show as much as I did, I'd give this season a 6.5/10.

Anyways, I suggest giving at least the first uncensored episode a try!

Thanks for reading.

I already liked To Love-Ru before (when it was Momo) but this season is so good that I can not stop watching, even went to the manga.
The story is not about the wedding Rito and Lala (protagonists) as in the first season, but it shows more about the other girls. The girls won at least two episodes prominent with Rito, showing why they like him and each showing a different way of acting.
It is impossible not to like the girls, they do not have the same mode of operation as in "certain anime" that all girls like the protagonist and are rubbing it, they show ... that like the Rito of different and indirectly.
Despite being a ecchi he can have a good story without disturbing anything, showing the history and how each girl feel about Rito. Many people criticized for not having the same story of the first season, talking about marriage, but the story of Darkness has its purpose and is essential to the history of marriage continue to succeed .If you watched the first two seasons do not waste time and watch this that has the design better and best voices for sure you will see the anime otherwise and you will love it (or else love Momo as all hahaha.)

This show is practically all about the enjoyment, and I enjoy it a lot!!. If you watched the original TO LOVE RU and the 1st season of Darkness, you will definitely enjoy this show as well as Rito's Ecchi escapades has no limits and will really keep on going for ever.

With the first series, the plot is somewhat episodic due to each episode having different characters to mess around with. However, there is more of a plot in this one; As there is the whole overlaying plot of what DARKNESS actually is and that is talked about through most episodes and each episode connects ... to the next, rather than it be episodic. This could be a positive or negative on what way you choose to look at it. I think the first show (pre Darkness) had it better due to it being more entertaining and random with Rito ending up in random places everytime. 'Darkness' s plot is more story and for me (who loved the randomness of the first show), it is a step down . And this carries on to the second season of Darkness. But it is still solid.

The sound and art are nothing mind blowing but is the art is definetly an upgrade over the past seasons to me personally. And the music is catchy as usual.

What this show really loses it points on is the characters. While it did the justice of taking, the pointless Haruna away from the Main character list, it came at the risk of Lala and Yui also becoming recurring characters. In the first season of Darkness, i feel like we saw more of them but now all we see is Mea. And i Hate Mea. She has been the focal point for so long, that it becomes a pain evereytime i see her do anything other than lick Rito. As good as Momo is, i still want more screen time Lala and Yui, especially YUI as she is the best character!! But I guess watching Momo and her harem plan will be okay for now.

For both season of darkness, my main issue has been Yui and Lala not get enough screen time. However, the other characters (except Mea) are still entertaining and Rito's ecchinnes will never stop.

Normally i will give this show a rating of 7 cause its just good on every level. But the enjoyment factor is just too much so i gave it a 8 overall.

PS: try watching once the blue rays come out so you can watch it uncensored, to fulfill your complete thirst

This is essentially the second season of Darkness, which adds just a bit of plot to the franchise and explains what the title "Darkness" actually means. It has literally been seven years since the original To Love-Ru, and despite the original characters much of the show has changed greatly. What began as a show dedicated to a love triangle between Rito, Haruna, and Lala has now grown to an outright harem large enough to match any competing series out there. The show has increasingly had to rely on blatant ecchi to match the competition to the point where this is essentially soft-core hentai. Moreover, the ... original heroines Lala and Haruna feel all but sidelined as the focus shifts towards Momo, Nana, and a new generation of harem members. Nonetheless, the show retains semblances of its roots, be it ridiculous inventions by Lala or Haruna's inability to confess her feelings. If harem-based ecchi comedies are up your alley, this is a pretty easy recommendation. If you've followed the show up to this point, this is probably one of the better seasons so I wouldn't miss out. That being said, the ecchi is so in-your-face that god rays often cover the entire screen, leaving you clueless as to what ecchi act Rito is actually committing; if the ecchi part is what you're looking for definitely wait for the Blu-rays.

Animation:
The show retains its overall feel from Darkness, though a fair amount of detail has been given to backgrounds and water scenes. The plethora of characters from previous To Love Ru seasons return with the addition of even more characters; I've honestly forgotten some of the more minor characters, and don't expect the show to remind you who they are. As in previous iterations, expect a lot of blushing and skin. I will say though that I have no idea how Nana tucks all that long hair into her tiny twin tails, it must be a gravitational anomaly or something.

The show still has a decent amount of action thanks to former assassins Mea and Yami. I have no idea how the school pays for it but expect tremendous collateral damage repeatedly. As for ecchi, expect it literally everywhere. By now, Rito is the king of accidents and always ends up touching or smelling things that require almost constant god rays. To add to this, Momo literally visits Rito to be groped while he sleeps. It's not just Rito as apparently many of the girls enjoy fondling each other. Indeed, this is among the most shameless shows of the season.

Sound:
The show opens with a relatively light OP with a fair main melody. The ED feels somewhat nostalgic as Mami Kawada's nice piece reminds me of her previous work on Index and Shakugan no Shana. As in previous seasons, the BGM is supportive but not particularly memorable.

The strong VA cast returns for yet another performance heavy in aroused, elated groans. Aki Toyosaki still gives a great performance as Momo though sister Kanae Itou as Nana gives her a run for her money with an emotional performance. Misato Fukuen also does a great job as Yami; her embarrassed voice is particularly good.

Story:
To Love Ru's revival as a somewhat plot-based show continues, and actually improves in this second season. The early episodes are generally mainly episodic, emphasizing either one of Lala's inventions gone wrong or focusing on a particular girl. Surprisingly, a fair amount of minor characters gets center stage including Yui Kotegawa and Rin Kujou. Nana also gets a bit more love to balance out with Momo. The most humorous aspect of it all was that an episode is dedicated to Lala, who finally realizes that she's no longer the center of the world. Despite the episodic feel, the story slowly introduces antagonists and foreshadows events that eventually link the show together. Once you hit the three quarter mark, the show finally decides to get serious and we learn what Darkness really is. To be honest, the first part of the final arc was a bit new but everything after was a tad too predictable. This climax is followed by a likewise predictable and open conclusion. All in all, not too shabby of a run with decent entertainment value throughout, and I don't just mean the ecchi parts.

Character:
I think Momo and Nana's characters are finally starting to sink in and feel more like real heroines rather than fill-ins for Lala and Haruna. They, along with Mea and Yami get a fair amount of development. Momo's harem plan seems to be going well as more and more girls seem to be falling for Rito's "nice" comments, despite him matching every nice comment with a not-so-nice grope. I still don't like the fact that the cast is so spread out but it does mean that whatever fetish you have is guaranteed to be covered to some extent by the show, yes including tentacles. The interactions between the girls are still fun as they fight over the idea of winning over Rito vs. submitting to a harem.

Value:
I feel like this second season of Darkness fixes many of the sour notes that I had from the end of the last season. This revival of sorts of To Love Ru is turning out to be fairly good, albeit ecchi heavy. If you can deal with the massive amount of blurred frames or are able to patiently wait for the blu-rays, this is an entertaining addition to the franchise. Enjoy the Darkness and may it brighten your day.

Let me start off by saying: I LIKED TO LOVE RU. Ok so, this is not gonna be a legit review of this series, I just felt like i needed to say some things about this series.

After watching 70+ episodes of this series I can say that I just got tired of it. And I have 2 reasons as to why.

First, The main character. i just can't take him seriously, you would think after so many episodes he would get used to seeing all of the girls' naked bodies, but no. Also he doesn't realize that 90% of the girls want his D. Like, Lala ... has straight up told him that she likes him, but he just doesn't make any progress with her because he's not sure about his feelings or some BS, like dude just go for the P. And I know this series is targeted for a younger audience but still, I think they could have managed it much better imo.

And secondly, The anime just got wayyyy too repetitive. Like it was funny at the start, but every episode is almost the exact same, Rito falling headfirst into a girl's panties. That's it.

But the good thing about this series is, The first season of darkness actually has a decent plot and also great "plot" so that's that I guess.

Anyway, I dont wanna be salty about some echii anime on the internet, so I'll just leave it at that

The audience disappointed me once again. It seems ridiculous to me, especially not to like the first two seasons and to like the darkness. I respect everyone's opinion, you may not like the previous ones but these 2 seasons are definitely not better than them. I also understand that the main characters have changed due to special circumstances, it wouldn't be a problem if it handle done well, but the series unfortunately couldn't do that.

I have nothing against fanservice (i have watched many ecchi shows with enjoy) but the fanservice in To Love Ru-Darkness seems way pointless for me. Unlike the prequel seasons, they're made ... just to be made and they're not funny.

The anime tried to be To Love Ru, but really failed. I don't mind that the story shifted to diffrent charcters, but I do mind that it shifted to the wrong characters. It's called "Darkness", so I expected to find out more about Golden Darkness, and I did, the problem is that side characters just became main charcters. Momo and Nana are not part of the main character Lineup. The relation between Rito, Lala and haruna became irrelevant, which is pretty bad, considering that they were the main reasoning for the story. For some reason the also thought it would be a great idea to make Rito love Momo more than Lala and Haruna, eventhough they really aren't that close as they illustrate it.

I think it would have been better if the series had only focused on the side characters instead of the main and side characters making this unfimiliar and weird story lineup. This just isn't a good series anymore and since xebec have broken up their won't be an attempt to fix this mess. On the other hand it is sad to see the series fade out likethis. I really do hope someone will buy the licens to the anime and completly reboot it, by fixing the mess these two dark seasons have made.

If you decide to watch Darkness s1 & s2, you will see that it is actually a standard ecchi anime made to entertain the audience with the whole season of Rito falling randomly on another girl's pantsu. And also it's funny how the series pretends to have a good story.

I'm a huge fan of ecchi anime, yet I had the audacity to never have watched To Love Ru. After many, many years of delay, I decided to watch it, and this great journey has finally come to an end.

I must admit I had a lot of preconceived notions. As I mentioned, I'm an ecchi fan, and therefore, I'm very demanding. I hate it when they belittle my favorite genre, saying it's just fanservice with no story. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ecchi is a genre full of great stories with immortal characters and extraordinary adventures.

That's why it bothers me when some authors ... truly forget the plot and misuse the genre's name. Honestly, when I read the synopsis of To Love Ru, I thought it was one of those types of anime, so I refused to watch it.

I was very wrong. I should have known from the sheer number of episodes and OVAs.

To Love Ru isn't an anime with a complex story or electrifying plot twists. Rather, it's a psychological anime that plays with the emotions, feelings, and desires of its characters.

To Love Ru is a psychological anime, disguised as comedy, presenting desires of love (like all the girls have for Rito), forbidden desires (infidelity, incest, among other perversions), friendship (the great devotion among them), and a complex universe (stories that could well be spinoffs or prequels in the style of Star Wars, complex alien cultures, etc.).

In To Love Ru, everyone has a forbidden desire they try to justify. There's depth in each character's backstory, which is revealed slowly, leaving loose ends for potential continuations.

It's surprising how there's a huge cast of female characters (as in any harem), and all receive attention, a story, and a personality worthy of them.

All this is told through a comedy anime, easy to understand but for mature audiences only.

It's an anime that plays with the viewer's moral principles because of the many perversions it discusses. But everything, being presented in a digestible manner, makes you stop judging and start enjoying.

I can't help but recommend this great anime. A grand saga. A true work of art in anime. That's why it's a classic.

THE GOOD: Handling of deep psychological plots under the guise of a light comedy anime.

THE BAD: Rito's indecisiveness always bothered me. All characters mature from the first episode to the end, but he, although he changes, it's very little.

THE AMAZING: It's the anime that best manages many characters while preserving the essence of each one. I bid a sad farewell to Princess Momo, Golden Darkness, Mea, Mikan, Lala, Kotegawa, and so many others who will always remain in my heart as a fan.

The fourth part in the To LOVE Ru series is as enjoyable as ever.
I do still miss Lala who has lost her role as main character since Darkness.
But as for the rest of the season?
The Art is amazing in the To LOVE Ru series as a whole, and the new concepts in the ''darkness'' Idea are overall beautiful.
The music is as fun and enjoyable as it has been since the first season with more ''darker'' themes to go along with the darker aspect of this season.
Characters have been getting a lot of development in Darkness 2nd, e.g. Yami or Mea who are both learning to ... live completely as normal humans instead of the weapons they were made to be.
The main focus is again comedy, which is beautifully present in this season.
The ecchi elements that are the drive for the comedy have been getting a bit too frequent and forced this time around, but still as great as in the previous seasons.
Overall this series is amazing from the light-hearted storytelling to the comedy that should leave you laughing yourself to bits.
It's my favourite series and will stay so if the series continues as it is.

welp i just finished watching to love ru-darkness 2nd and the specials. damn that was fun to watch. i was expecting a bit more with the story but well it was great i guess.
we see more fighting scene (well kinda..) and of course more falling scene from the god of falling himself, rito.
i dont know what to say due to the fact that i already did a review on to love ru darkness 1st season.
im a bit sad that they haven't continue this series until now, its been 3 years or more since this season's airing. welp i still have the ovas to watch.

this ... season is well, of course an improvement from the last one in terms of animation and ecchi scene. the ecchi has gone wild this season which i love hehehehe and of course, MOMO, still cant get rid of momo though in my head but well, lets enjoy it while it last.
the story is well.. unique i guess.. well not necessarily unique bcs i've seen it in other anime but damn it never failed to make me laugh hahaha!

i hope there's new season on making or smth bcs i need it in my daily life XD

overall, i enjoyed it so much ! lets hope the author decide to continue this series !
and of course, i hope momo keep doing ecchi stuff <3

I'll try to keep the review as spoiler free as possible, but there are a couple of points I do want to bring up. And this is also not a formal review as Darkness 2nd is a continuation of the series. I'm also assuming you've watched all of the episodes leading up to the current season

First of all, In this season, we continue with the main characters shifting away from Lala and Haruna. The main focus of the series is on Momo, Nana, Mea, and Yami. And for only for a couple of episodes is Lala actually participating. There is a small bit of Lala ... love for you fans out there, but the most you see of her is in the Last episode and the Specials.

In terms of Mea, she really begins to develop as a character. We see a lot of exposition of her and a new character. We also see Yami develop as a character more towards the end of the season.

Overall, If you have watched the previous seasons, its worth a watch as there actually is plot to the season, and you must watch the 13th and 14th episodes disguised as specials,

At last, I finally finish the anime that is (almost) considered borderline hentai at this point.


To LOVE-Ru Darkness 2nd is an continuation on the series following golden darkness and her story. I'm honestly so surprised that this anime, despite the numerous pantie shots, was actually a good watch. Albeit it goes a bit over board in this season, there's enough backstory for it to work with to make the over all "story" here outweigh the almost-hentai that this anime has become.

The characters have a sort of love-hate relationship with it's viewers (at least with me). I really wish that instead of showing Rito tripping ... and *majorly* messing up a bunch by *accidentally* groping girls constantly, that they would go back to how it was in the first season (aka, not as much, but enough to make it funny and not over-done). And this for me, is a huge reason why I can't give this anime a higher rating. However despite all of that, I still found the majority of characters interesting enough to keep the story moving.

This anime for me is a tough one to recommend. But if you're reading this review and have made it this far already, then I don't think you'll mind watching this season. All in all there's a lot of good here. Good characters, a great OP, and a decent-enough story to carry. Definitely watch if you were considering, it has a pretty good ending!

"Yuuki!"
"Sairenji!"

Why!? JUST WHY!!!

Story:
The story is as good as a ecchi-harem gets. The main character gets to do ecchi things with the others and it's a good comedy. Although I do find the whole premise to be stupid, it's supposed to be stupid, so I just don't give it much thought.

Art:
I don't care about art much.
...
Sound:
I don't care about sound much.

Character:
Oh, don't get me started about characters. Especially Mr. Main Character, Yuuki Rito. He is the perfect character to be in this situation. Clumsy enough to grope every single woman he sees, stupid enough to never think about, nice enough to win girls, dumb enough to commit to someone he won't confess to, and dumb enough to be unable to commit with anyone else. As much as I hate him, he is perfect for this story.

Enjoyment:
Man, there are so many sins in this story, but damn can I not get enough of it.

Story (7/10) - To LOVE-Ru Darkness 2nd is the final installment in the To LOVE-Ru anime adaptation. I feel as though the ending was unresolved, but I'm sure the producers had something in mind.

Art (8/10) - This season of art was the best in the series. (Which makes sense since this is the end.)

Sound (7/10) - The intro was the best in the series, in my opinion. The visuals were also appealing as they pertain to the main goal of the series.

Enjoyment (7/10) - The fluid hilarity, ecchi accidents, and reaction to said accidents is timeless in this series, and is still very evident.

Overall ... (7.4/10) - The ending of this anime felt like a disappointment, or rather, left on a cliffhanger. Regardless, it is sad, since this is so close to the end.

First things first. My "reviews" system is explained on a blog entry. Which can be found through my profile.
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Review is mostly about Darkness seasons while having similar opinion regarding pre-darkness seasons.
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✦Story
To put it in a most simple way.

Love-Ru franchise is pinnacle of great borderline ecchi and harem.

Now to give some extra comments. It's a very bright Anime with some darker subplots. It also offers plenty of characters and their development between various characters and main character himself. Even though it's harem story where romance is more of a fun element than drama, we still get plenty of dramatic moments, sad moments and as well very ... sweet moments. Also I do love there is a quite big background story that now and then shows presence. Plus the whole "harem plan" story element is also great fun.

Maybe this would go more under "characters", but as it plays a big part in the story I will have to mention our main male lead character. He is the pinnacle of naive, shy and unlucky lucky pervert character. Those characters usually are lead around by women and get into very erotic situations, where usually those characters end up essentially passing out from embarrassment. And in this type of ecchi AND harem Anime it is extremely pleasant part. As most characters genuinely love or care about our main character, It is essential for me that the targeted character would now use in underhanded or disrespectful way those feelings. Even though sometimes his shyness can get frustrating. I do still respect him more as I wouldn't have such strong heart to able resist all of those characters and situations our main character gets into. So in that sense how everything remains pure and loving PLUS very importantly VANILLA, I do like that our main guy can get serious to consider character feelings and struggle on a idea of harem. So respect to that guy. I would not simply able to keep my sanity in his place and that would end up destructive and ruin most relationships. If only complaint I have regarding him and his whole story and development between characters, then it would be that how the actual f*** he simply almost never got boner.. that is simply unreal. Personally watching this Anime was probably 90% of the time having blood rushing. But I still adored the purity and vanilla aspect to utmost highest level.

As whole franchise I feel there surprising amount of actual storytelling and some progression between characters. One of the Anime that I pray will get fully adapted as I'm really intrigued how it all will end up.

Now, of course story being existent and everything is a nice thing. BUT the most important thing about this Anime is probably "art of eros" the fanservice, scenes and such are probably conveyed and presented in the most amazing way I've ever seen. Giving us plenty of straight-on fanservice and obvious "references" regarding some things. But how they are done and shown are so much hotter than a large portion of actual hentai. But more about in the "Art" section.

Point still remains, even though there is some romance, drama and interesting world plus actual plot. This Anime main focus and the most impressive asset, is it's fanservice/ecchi genre.

✦Art & Sound
Art art art... this Anime is pinnacle of ecchi genre. I do absolutely love this artist style. Character designs are pleasing, there all sorts of them. Animation is superb, colors are bright. And ecchi element is incredibly erotic. Bare skin is superb, body parts are superb, clothes are superb, straightforward erotica is superb, "covered" erotica is superb a.k.a use of imagination. Most definitely more erotic/sexier than a large portion of actual hentai. Even the most simple panty shots and such were extremely pleasing, whilst lewder panty shot moments were unbearable amount erotic. In in almost every scene, aspect no matter what element it was, it was either extremely pleasing to look at or extremely erotic depending on intention of the scene or still shot.

Music & Ost was for the most part pretty impressive and good. But as well there were quite some tracks that had 0 presence at all.

And voice acting, aside great lewd moments, there were plenty of Angelic voices.. Tearju and Yami for example. I loved their voices A LOT.

✦Characters
A lot of different girls, a lot of great use of stereotypes, sweet amount of romantic moments, progression and development of characters and relationships between the characters.

Main guy I mentioned in "story" section as I felt it was required.
Aside that we got so many superb characters that I don't even want to discuss. I simply loved almost each and every of the character, whenever the character was part of the main cast or supporting characters.

✦Enjoyment & Overall
In short. It's fun, bright, extremely hot. Is also quite sweet regarding romance and has some very sweet dramatic moments. Absolutely great art style and character designs. Superb cast and top tier use of stereotypes plus characters overall were simply a lot of fun and joy.

Story is actually pretty nice with plenty of interesting points in it. But at the same time it is simply enough for straightforward fun.

It will go into my list of favorites that's for sure. But It won't get full score from me for two primary reasons. One would be that ost/music could been a bit better and done better and another would be the story could had a bit more development regarding relationships. But if this Anime get's fully adapted and get's satisfying finale. Then such "final season" might get 10/10 from me.

Absolutely bless "art of eros" type of Anime
Also absolutely love pure/vanilla love and romance type of Anime.
Well done pure and sweet romance with extremely lewd presentation.
Respect to Rito even though he is simply a bit pathetic, still respect for not giving in to the lust and keep himself back even through fate constantly threw at him erotic situations, easy grab moments and such a fantastic and beautiful harem at him.

I feel I forgot a lot of things I wanted to mention. But this review is simply long enough.

TLDR: If you like vanilla romance, harem and top tier ecchi. Then this is most definitely one of the series to watch.

Haiku review:

Not magical girl
Harem fun but serious
Degeneracy

Prose review for those to whom art doesn’t matter:

They’re back and lewder than ever. “To LOVE-Ru Darkness 2” might, by the third episode, be called “Lick x Sis,” as in sister-sister action we learn that the only difference between the folds in the tails of our pink-haired space princesses and their other nether regions is the color. Swap the blacks and grays for skintones and we’re in full-on hentai territory here.

... I wondered if “To LOVE-Ru Darkness” would take this tendency as far as it could go. It turns out, there was more unprobed territory, so to speak.

The first couple of episodes re-establish the strange world and that this is not our world in that there the girls are, for lack of a better term, psychotic nymphomaniacs who may turn on the other person or not. This may serve as a strong warning for viewers who employ the three-episode rule. It’s a commonplace for people to say this show isn’t for everyone, but they’ll know whether it’s for them in the first minute of the first episode. This series pulls no punches, though in keeping with the solemn code governing anime, the protagonist is an idiot.

We are reunited with our old friends from the earlier series. They’re unchanged, though Lala is more thicc than I remember (though, in my defense, it’s been almost a whole day since I saw the original Darkness series). Stylistically, there were a few more (disappointing; they’re always disappointing) misplaced rays of foggy light as censor strips, though only a few; they’re better, I suppose, than the stupid stickers licensees use, but if they don’t want full nakedness then they ought to reframe their cuts to begin with, no? And this series there’s a new way of travel, in the form of spring-shaped tornado things that precede one of the various magical girls’ arrivals. It seems a little late in the game to introduce this stuff, but that’s not something unheard of in second-season, lower-budget anime. And they did seem to spend their money where it’s most effective, if you catch my drift.

The writing seems much the same (in the dub; who knows what Sentai changed from the original Japanese – it’s not as if the issue has never arisen before), though there was one notable difference, at the end of episode 3. One of our girls is sneaking into the bed of the protagonist in the middle of the night, only to find another of our girls is already there. Did she go berserk and call him a pervert? She did not. She went berserk and called him “you filthy weeb.” I don’t know if this is progress, but it is certainly different – as is the idea that a weeb would ever be in bed with a willing girl.

Strangely, MAL lists the series as having 12 episodes, but the one I watched has 14. This leads me to think that there’s a version out there minus two whole episodes worth of material aimed at, um, sophisticates. (The version I saw, a dub, included the occasional explanatory comment, as when a pun that would only be understood by Japanese viewers was part of the dialogue, so perhaps the longer version is unofficial, more’s the pity. The final two episodes, though, were heavily censored subs – meaning an almost completely white screen much of the time.)

The series finally got around to a festival episode. It was not explained where they got yukatas that accommodate tails, but they weren’t wearing those or any other garments for a lot of it.

Celine – who is supposed to be a plant! -- latches onto any available nipple in search of milk. There’s never a shortage of candidates. And there is a cabbage-chopping scene – don’t worry, established anime cabbage rules were followed – in which the protagonist and his little sister are inadvertently put nearly into imouto/onii-chan territory. That’s not the only time. Anime, wonderful as it is, can get weird. Oh, and there’s more hot tentacle action, too.

The long-sought Master Nemesis appears – they didn’t even have to use master bait! – and our protagonist has her tiddies out and has face planted into her coochie before a minute has passed. Good job, though I’m beginning to think he slips and falls on purpose, like some grocery store liability lawsuit grifter. Best line of the series is not from Nemesis: “It’s become clear to me that the laws of physics mean nothing to you,” said to a coochie-gagged protagonist following a tumble down the stairs. (And I never dreamt I would ever write the phrase “coochie-gagged protagonist. I’d be a great title for a novel, don’t you think?) Close second, same character to protagonist: “I love all things perverted. And I love how depraved you can be, too.”

Nemesis, who it turns out likes to get herself some tail, can make her boobies get big and small at will, but I think it may have just been the animators demonstrating that unlike other animators they can draw more than just the one size. While we’re at it, the panty wrinkles have by episode 5 become downright explicit – remove the lace edges and change the color and they aren’t there at all. And who the hell makes that sort of electric cat’s paw toy? And who would call it “adorable”? (Well, before its use, anyway.)

The music is typical; the OP and ED are both apparently products of the computer program that randomly generates anime theme song lines (and a busy machine it is!), and they’re still longer than they need to be.

But yes, Nemesis’s appearance means that there is a plot. What could it possibly be? How can it turn out? Will our beloved characters be destroyed? Will the protagonist have what it takes or succumb to performance anxiety when he must enter the breach?

STORY - 8
ART - 9
SOUND - 8
CHARACTER - 9
ENJOYMENT - 9

Fanservice, a group of likable girls, and sweet comedies that serve to entertain the viewers mindlessly. To LOVE-Ru Darkness is a godsend to this series as it expanded on that premise with the establishment of a solid story. This second part was no exception, continuing from before with more focus on the plot revolving around Yami and Mea that it had previously set up.

With the introduction of the unknown Master who finally came out of the shadow, this season explored the idea of friendship and feelings more abundantly than its predecessors. There was already quite ... a mysterious presence in the hearts of some of the girls, some more and some less. Especially those who came from a non-Earth background. It's there, but it was pretty subtle to really grasp how serious their feelings were. So when the story decided to mingle around with this concept prominently, it created a deeper depth outside of the romance that had been there since the beginning, relatively speaking. Interactions with each other revealed the growing bonds as they slowly come to terms with their own true feelings. Their secrets or their emotions, it was all used to further develop the girls away from something that was just for entertainment. They actually have an identity. In a way, their portrayal was sensibly realistic for an ecchi show and that made watching them all the more fun because they actually grew in character while also having the pleasant amusing side to them. So that said, mindless entertainment was still a big factor in this season, mostly rooting from the harem keikaku in progress that inched the girls ever closer towards Rito. And with Rito's stunning skill of falling over in the most absurd ways at the most wrong times, there were a bunch of comical ecchi scenes in play that really defined this whole series from the very first episode. The situations of all sorts of awkwardness delivered in being entertaining while also solidifying how likable each girls are. Still some repetition, but it wasn't as annoying compared to the previous ones which was either due to me getting used to them already or the story additionally improved the characters enough where I don't mind them now. Or both.

First thing that I noticed for some reason was the thinner line work. The softer look of the visuals felt pleasing to the eyes so I really liked the slight change there. Animation was consistent with maintained smoothness and I'm amazed by the continual improvements that came with each season. Somewhat greater vibrancy in the eyes with even more distinct shine on the curves meant that everything stood out brightly but not too over-the-top with unreasonable whitewash. This art style drew forms to the apparent focus of emotions presented throughout the story. You'll know how attached you are to the characters if their feelings also affected you on an emotional level. Whether it's the vigorous cuteness of euphoric nature that radiated from their expressions or their rarely seen sadness, seeing them placed a smile on my face and can hit me with all sorts of feels too. In the ecchi department, warmer hues of red and orange enveloped the scenes. Although not that obvious, these color choices represented the emotions of love, romance, and an exciting warmth that sprayed the air into something stimulating. It pretty much added more style and substance when these was shown so if you already loved the ecchi part of the series, then it's a no-brainer that you will also love the ones in here. Great soundtracks and passionate voice-acting let out all the character's personality into the atmosphere, molding it to match the current mood. Whether that'd be a fun or a more serious one, the sounds harmonized together in a pretty great way. A fun melody is the result of that creation. Hey, and that ending sequence was visually and acoustically nice to experience. Maybe that's because of the focus of Yami but every girls here are great too of course.

To LOVE-Ru Darkness 2nd is a season of growing feelings, from both the characters and me as a viewer. Not only in a lovey-dovey manner but also with the prominence of friendship, family, and identity to add a bit of something, a bit of realism, into the characters to make them even more likable. It's this appealing side of the show along with the humorous ecchi situations that really got me to appreciate the series. This steamy enjoyment of energetic cuteness is awaiting you!

tl;dr: A solid continuation that wraps up the plot threads associated with the Darkness arc while also being very amusing.

This season is a direct continuation of the previous season, which of course is a direct follow up to the plot, but also continues to keep the same atmosphere and tone while also mostly focusing on the same characters. To be completely honest, the two seasons are similar enough that they've sort of blurred together in my mind.  The core focus in terms of characters in addition to Rito is still on Mea, Nana, Yami, and Momo. Mea's character development alongside her relationship development with Nana ... is one of the main threads in the series, which also leads to both gaining some relationship development with Rito. Mea's relationship with her master Nemesis is also important, though it mostly only matters in terms of the finale. Oshizu's relationship with Mea, which had so far been one of extreme wariness, also gets some development into a strange sort of friendship. Yami doing her best to live peacefully and her relationship with Tear and Mikan to an extent get development over the course of this season, though the focus on her mainly comes at the end where it truly tackles who she is and what she wants to do and how Rito fits into all that. The finale itself focuses on wrapping up Yami and Mea's plot threads and does so in an epic finale manner with a single event spanning multiple episodes, which is something that hadn't been attempted by the series since the finale of the first season. Thankfully, unlike the finale to the first season, the finale of this season wraps things up incredibly well, racketing up the intensity a good amount, but keeping events focused and consistent with the rest of the series in terms of tone and atmosphere, and doing very well by the characters being focused on in wrapping up everything built up relating to Yami, Mea, and the titular Darkness really well.

Momo is still very much carrying out her own plans, but in terms of an overarching plot thread it felt it takes a back seat to the one focused more on Mea and Yami. The previous season developed what the harem plan was and pushed it majorly forward with some key characters like Run and Yui that weren't a part of the plot thread involving Yami and Mea so it felt like it made major progress. It pushed things forward with Nana and Yami as part of their own plot thread, which while still progress didn't feel like actual progress in this regard due to the progress in this regard being indirect. There's also a push for progress with Haruna and Lala that is handled well, but both of their arcs are already over in a sense, with the only thing possibly remaining being for them to actually be part of a harem ending, which doesn't feel any closer to happening overall, so it doesn't feel like much progress was made there either. The only character that actually made noticeable progress in this regard was Rin, the progress of whose relationship with Rito was solid, however as its the only real progress that's occurred with Rito over the course of the series the relationship feels a bit weak for how late into the series it is. Thus while there is a good amount of content regarding Momo and her harem plan that's really well done in and of itself, it doesn't feel like the plan overall has moved any closer to a conclusion. This doesn't feel like much of an issue while watching as the focus is on the other plot threads, especially the finale, but afterwards it really feels like things were really left hanging.

The art and animation are very well done as usual and mostly about the same as the previous season. The animation regarding actions seems to be noticeably improved from the previous season however. The comedy and random antics are still as amusing and well done as usual. The OP and ED are both decent enough in terms of visual and audio. The soundtrack is still mostly not that memorable, but certain more intense tracks during action and serious sequences stood out.