Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 2

Episode 21

I've complained quite a bit about how long RAG has been stuck in place with its story this season, but that doesn't mean this kind of show necessarily needs a propulsive plot to be good. It's the opposite, really, as a lot of the most classic and beloved romcoms in anime history kept things in a holding pattern for dozens, if not hundreds, of episodes. The problem isn't that RAG hasn't resolved any of its ongoing plotlines – it's that the plate spinning it's been doing so far hasn't been very funny. And that's mostly because so many of these episodes have been Kazuya and one girl in isolation, with the audience stuck in his head as he overthinks every interaction before the girl in question either ignores or accommodates him. There's no friction or tension to derive any real humor from, and that's necessary for the particular brand of character-driven comedy this series works in.

So, credit where it's due, this episode actually manages to be pretty funny at times. It's not revelatory or anything, but putting Kazuya and Ruka in a classic sitcom scenario with his parents is a solid setup for some humor. There's a decent back-and-forth between Ruka trying to moonwalk her way into the Future-Granddaughter-shaped hole in their family portrait, and Kazuya trying to rein her in so she can't usurp his fake girlfriend's place in Grandma's heart. It still suffers from a lot of RAGs drawn-out comedic timing, but the irony of Kazuya trying to keep the girl who's actually in love with him from dethroning his fake bae is strong enough to make this episode pretty entertaining. It's also fun to see Chizuru walk in like the Girlfriend Terminator and just effortlessly play the perfect potential In-Law. There's just something hilarious to seeing Ruka's jealousy of the world's most Professional girlfriend. It's a gag that works specifically because of both girls' personalities, and it's the first time in a while that watching an episode didn't feel like a chore.

There's even some impending drama hinted at, what with the failing health of Chizuru's own grandmother. Granted, a dying grandma isn't exactly novel dramatic territory, but being reminded that there are some actual emotional stakes to Kazuya and Chizuru's fake relationship is something desperately needed at this point in the story, especially for Chizuru's character. There's something genuinely sweet about seeing her being welcomed so lovingly into Kazuya's family, and if this show were more consistent with its writing I might even dare to think that warmth is part of why she sticks to this goofy lie. There's even a bit of depth given to Ruka, if her own dead granny story is to be believed (who can tell with her?). I can easily imagine a version of this story where there's real emotional weight behind how this all plays out, because the bonds each girl has forged with Kazuya and his family feel real. Heck, maybe the family could even address the deprecating way they behave towards Kazuya as their “heir” or something, rather than just treating him like a pimple! Sky's the limit here in imagination land!

That hypothetical version of the show is no doubt going to be wiped away like condensation on a bathroom mirror next week, but right here and now, this is easily the most engaging RAG has been since season one. Why, there's even some really nicely-animated gags, like the grandson-seeking missile of Grandma Anger from the cold open, along with some lively animation on Ruka that reminded me of the best parts of the previous season. There are still flaws, and I have no faith this streak will last long, but I'll take a pleasant surprise where I can get it here.

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Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 2 is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.