SKET Dance | Deserving of a Second Season?

Woow! A title I haven’t used in a LONG time. Is SKET Dance worthy of a second season? In my opinion, I do think so. I personally loved the Anime, while it was airing. Although Anime that run for 77 episodes don’t typically get a “round two”. I do think that if it were brought back during this year, that it would be one of the best Anime for the year of 2018.

I also highly recommend this Anime to all those who haven’t seen it. I think regardless of the length the Anime ran for (77 total episodes). I think it’s definitely worth watching it.

At Kaimei High School there is a special club dedicated to helping others known as the SKET Brigade. The brains of the group is Kazuyoshi “Switch” Usui, a tech-savvy otaku who speaks through speech synthesis software, while the brawn is provided by Hime “Himeko” Onizuka, the hockey stick-wielding girl once known as “Onihime.” And last but not least, their leader is Yuusuke “Bossun” Fujisaki, whose latent ability is evoked by his goggles, allowing him to summon the awesome power of extraordinary concentration.

However, most of the school only know them as the club that handles odd jobs. Many of their days are spent in the clubroom slacking off, but when there is something to be done, they give their all to help others—usually in sincere, but unintentionally hilarious, ways. The SKET Brigade do all they can to provide support, kindness, encouragement, and troubleshooting to any students crazy enough to ask for their services. – MyAnimeList

Story
The core plot is just a simple, mainly episodic story about a quirky trio of friends that solve problems and help people out. But there are also some very tightly written and amazingly powerful (multi-episode) storylines within it that I can’t say much about – for fear of spoilers. Just know that they don’t come off as abrupt, but rather fit smoothly into the ‘narrative’ and add a lot to it. Don’t let the comedy-oriented episodes fool you into thinking that that’s all the show has in store for you.

On another note – being perfectly blunt and honest – this series is best classified as a ‘dramedy’. The overall tone you are first introduced to is that of a school-life comedy. The drama picks up slightly near the beginning but truly picks up a little farther in. After that point, both exist within the show almost equally (with a few exceptions). The balance struck between the two is well-done, as neither overwhelms the other. They work together to create a fantastic atmosphere.

One thing should be noted though. When the show ends, there’s no solid culmination for the characters. It just kind of… ends. So be prepared for that.

Art
The art is very high-quality. Frenetic motion (due to the fast-paced comedy within the series), facial expressions, backgrounds and lighting are all above par. Character designs have had a lot of thought put into them – almost everyone is unique. And the best part is that the quality stays consistent through all 77 episodes.

Sound
SKET Dance utilizes music in a very effective way. It plays songs that match the current scene. If it’s comedic, the music will be bombastic and crazy. If it’s serious and dramatic, the music will fit that. It helps enhance the presentation. But it also does one thing that is greatly appreciated: it shuts up when it needs to and lets what’s happening play out with no influence from the music at all.

On the voice-acting side of things, this anime also excels. The seiyū gave their all in every episode. Everyone was well-voiced and sounded natural.

Characters
The main three characters are pretty unique and unconventional, having a lot of depth and personality. Switch, the genius otaku, who talks through his computer. Himeko, the occasionally violent Okinawan “Yankee” with a soft-spot for cute things. Finally, the leader of the SKET club, Bossun. He’s a rather interesting choice for the main character, as at times he’s almost completely inept and useless – but at other times he really shines. It’s actually quite refreshing.

Interestingly, these aren’t the main character’s real names, but rather their nicknames. They go almost entirely by those nicknames – each of which has a story behind it.

There are also almost too many side characters to mention (which can be a good thing or bad thing depending on your tastes). Most of them are great, having something of worthwhile value to contribute. A few serve almost no purpose – but they don’t overstay their welcome.

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