English Dub Season Review: Tales of Wedding Rings Season Two

Tales of Wedding Rings is certainly an experience that I’ve encountered when it comes to the isekai fantasy genre.  It follows the usual aspects you’d typically see in other isekai anime, including a protagonist from Earth traveling through a fantasy world, as well as incorporating a Lord of the Rings-like aura in its color palettes and premise.  However, it also includes plenty of harem elements that you don’t want your parents walking into, particularly its nudity sequences.  While it doesn’t come close to being mistaken for hentai, the series certainly has some risqué moments that satisfy its fan service or make you feel embarrassed about the concept.  Whichever comes first, depending on your feelings towards anime harems.  Even though its first season wasn’t anything too special regarding its narrative formula, I appreciated its art style and serviceable character moments well enough to see where the journey goes from there.

This brings us to the show’s second season, which serves as the second half of its larger story.  It depicts Satou, Hime, and the Ring Princesses continuing their fight against the Abyss King by visiting the three crucial locations.  Those destinations include the Elves’ Great Library, the Imperial Mythic Armory, and the Magecraft Spire.  During the journey, Satou and Hime continue to further test their relationship, not just through their encounters with the Abyss army but also within themselves.  This ultimately leads to their epic showdown against the Abyss King, which will either spell victory or oblivion.  

If you watched the first season of Tales of Wedding Rings, you’ll immediately know what to expect from season two.  It’s got fantasy action, harem-esque humor, and fan service, and I do mean plenty of uncensored fan service, especially in this season’s third episode.  If you enjoyed season one for these reasons, then you might appreciate the second half of this latest good-vs-evil journey.  If not, then you’re better off transporting yourself back to the real world after Hime’s sister, Morion, shows up in the season one finale.  Personally, season two is more of the same in its structure, with the locations the characters visit, but with Morion joining the party.  While season one has Satou traveling to recruit the Ring Princesses, season two has the team journeying to locations to improve their strengths, physical, magical, and sexual.  It’s somehow enough to deliver a watchable continuation of Satou’s isekai adventure amid its similar shortcomings seen in season one.  However, the only element that the show actually improved on was its characters, particularly Hime and Satou.

Tales of Wedding Rings may be seen as another harem anime that’s a tad more risqué than others, that is, if you’re watching it on Crunchyroll.  But at its core, the focus is on the developing relationship between Satou and Hime as they confront their personal doubts and fears about their future together.  Despite following the Ring King’s prophecy, Satou’s heart still belongs to Hime, even after recruiting the Ring Princesses.  However, upon hearing about the previous Ring King’s true nature, he is afraid of following the same footsteps that resulted in that Ring King’s demise, leaving him concerned about hurting Hime.  Satou then finds himself confronting that fear while attempting to rescue Hime in the eighth episode, where Hime is clouded by her doubts and jealousy due to the Abyss.  Regardless of how one feels about the show’s fan service, it’s easy to admit that the heart of its romance shines as bright as Hime’s light powers, demonstrating that love stems from the characters’ growth in becoming better partners.  Additionally, the second season further proves that Satou and Hime are another anime couple worth rooting for, thanks to their charming awkwardness and chemistry.

The second half of Tales of Wedding Rings delivers what you would expect from its first season, particularly for its seductiveness and commendable animation from Staple Entertainment.  However, it also provided a slight boost of magic in its plot and characters, notably Satou and Hime’s growing relationship, delivering a suitable yet middling conclusion to the new Ring King’s harem quest.  Sure, it’s not an emotional roller coaster in the same vein as “Return of the King”, nor does it offer anything grand in its narrative involving prophecies and harems.  But those willing to embark on this adventure further would be treated to an enjoyable second half that offers heart through its reflection on love amid its sexualized essence.  Unless they pulled the rug underneath my feet with a season three announcement, this is a happily ever after worthy of closing the book on this harem fairy tale.