English Dub Review: Aharen-san wa Hakarenai “It’s a Battle, Huh?”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Aharen and Raido get a sporty new homeroom teacher as they begin their senior year of high school.

Our Take:
We’re only halfway through the season’s second half, and the characters are already in their senior year of high school.  Time sure does fly when you’re hanging out with an unlikely yet adorable couple like Aharen and Raido.  With the setting being their sophomore year, we’d assume that their second year would be the primary plot of the show’s second season, with their senior year occurring during the third season.  However, this week’s episode happened to prove otherwise, as the series is quick to finish the “sophomore year” arc of the season in case season three doesn’t come to fruition.  With season two being just as good as the first season, there better be a season three of this series.
As previously mentioned, the episode features Raido, Aharen, and the others as they begin their senior year of high school, bringing them one step closer to graduation.  It also introduces viewers to their new homeroom teacher, Ms. Henzan, who is extremely by-the-book regarding her adherence to the school curriculum.  But don’t let her child-like appearance fool you.  Her lively personality is enough to compensate for her height.
However, she also possesses a sense of misinterpretation of the students, including Aharen and Raido, as she comes to a misunderstanding that Aharen, Raido, and even Oshiro are violent delinquents, causing her to be overwhelmed by “esteem”.  In a way, Henzan acts similarly to Tobaru in that they both experience nosebleeds whenever the students’ actions overwhelm their senses.  However, that doesn’t make the scenario involving the exaggerated teachers less amusing.  As for why Henzan sees Oshiro as a delinquent, it is due to her involvement in sports like boxing and karate.  This comes into play in the episode’s second half, where she confronts her opponent, Aragaki, whom she defeated in a tournament last year.
But, at its core, it’s mainly about Oshiro’s desire to pursue her dream.  Despite her athletic pursuit, Oshiro’s actual dream was to become a beautician, as seen in the flashbacks during her rematch against Aragaki.  This further highlighted the show’s ability to deliver growth in its characters despite the episodes featuring their sitcom-like appearances.  Seeing that we’re nearing the end of the season, it’s no surprise that it would continue that pursuit as the characters enter their senior year together.  Regarding the new homeroom teacher and the episode’s second half, “It’s a Battle, Huh?” marks a successful start of the new year and the season’s tail end.