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Season 2 Redemption: Fuyu has feelings now, and It’s actually wholesome.

This season focused more on Fuyu and Itsuki's relationship. I'm glad they redeemed themselves from season 1 and added more sentimental flashbacks to actually make you care more about Fuyu and Itsuki's relationship in the past and now. And I finally got my closure with Ro Asami's revelation in the end of season 1, so win for me I guess.

The acting for me was still not my cup of tea, deeming it as pretty unnatural for my liking, but it's cute how they finally made Fuyu have emotions rather than being an extremely one-dimensional character in season 1.

It's heartwarming to see Fuyu seeking for help like a logical person this time and communicating her feelings of jealousy and doubt, meanwhile her friend group trying their best to cheer her up was so funny. You could also see them being more creative and romantic with the scenarios in this season, which made it easier to root for the main leads to get together in the end. Themes of self acceptance, removing yourself from toxic familial responsibilities, and self discovery is something I applaud this series for having.

What I didn't like: 1) Itsuki's first love. She was lowkey extremely weird and forcing on Itsuki and the fact Istuki made it seem like it was alright and normal was something I didn't like. Clearly boundaries and consent weren't being set properly which is not good representation. The fact that she's delusional too pissed me off, but I'm happy she finally understood she truly had no chance with Itsuki and Fuyu and her ended up being on good terms so it's all good. 2) The constant push and pull happening especially on Fuyu's end. Like please, make up your mind, the show's way too short for this.

What I loved: 1) All the sweet moments, flashbacks, and protective moments Itsuki had with Fuyu. 2) How they have no shame with using the word lesbian. So many shows are too scared to even include the word lesbian, so I'm happy they're unapologetically using it. 3) Fuyu, Itsuki, and Tsuki family dynamic. I'm a sucker for found family tropes so seeing it in a GL makes me extremely soft. 4) How it shed light to the societal discrimination toward same sex couples in Japan. It might have been painful to see for Tsuki's part but it was realistic and really gets you grounded to reality.

All in all, season 2 of Chaser Game W is miles ahead better than the first season in terms of writing and plot. It has become a pleasant and wholesome watch.

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A warm feast for the stomach and heart.

I feel full. Partially because of all the food showcased but mostly because of finishing season 1 of this series. I never knew how much impact a show with such a simple premise would bring to me, but here we are with She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat.

Growing up in a family that has food and offering food as their primary love language, this one just hits so close to home, I couldn't help but feel warm the entire watch. It's so endearing to see how food brings people together in other aspects in their life just like how it is being portrayed in this show.

There is something oddly comforting about watching two women eat together and talking to each other about life and about anything at all. This show did extremely well instilling the feeling of coziness and the feeling you get when you truly are at a safe space.

I love how they took time for Yuki to process her feelings and be sure of them before doing anything. The theme of self discovery was well done in this series which I appreciated a lot.

I only have good things to say about this show and how comfy it made me feel while watching. Although the 10 episodes were short, the slow burn was immaculate and got me kicking my feet and giggling. A light watch for anyone looking for a sweet and simple time.

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Missed potential and uncomfortable comedy in a workplace romance.

Warning: spoilers ahead!

Content & trigger warnings before watching the show: SA, Cheating, Mean Tsundere Behavior

This exes-to-lovers trope had potential, but it lacked creativity and romanticism. Fuyu’s character starts off stone cold and unreasonable, but I tried to overlook it, understanding people cope with heartbreak differently. She apologizes for her actions by episode 5, so for those wondering, she does make amends.

Fuyu’s character swings between acceptable and illogical behavior, especially since she’s a tsundere who’s mean without considering the other party’s feelings. If you don’t like this type of character, this show might not be for you. While the chemistry between the leads wasn’t as spark-filled as I prefer, their cozy dynamic worked for a more comfortable vibe.

Some emotional scenes could have been better with stronger acting. I did enjoy the contrast between Fuyu’s workaholic nature and Itsuki’s motherly, hands-on vibe, and their parenting dynamic with Tsuki was adorable.

The show also explored workplace struggles for women, like menstruation, having kids, and having to use "female charm" for career gain. The working mother and stay-at-home father dynamic was refreshing, and Fuyu’s character felt grounded in her dedication to work, but was also slightly problematic considering that if the genders were reversed, we would all despise the man for being such a red flag.

However, the show had major issues: 1) Sexual harassment masked as humor, which was uncomfortable and unnecessary. 2) The romanticization of cheating. 3) The lack of background on Fuyu and Itsuki’s past relationship made it hard to root for them. 4) Fuyu's unsure feelings or uncleared feelings toward her husband. How could she say she's a lesbian yet proceed to say she loved her husband without clarifying what kind of love it was? Sure we can maybe read between the lines but this kind of misrepresents lesbians and feels counter intuitive.

Despite these issues, the show was a decent watch, especially with its unique game development plot. However, the rushed ending and unresolved plot points (like Ro Asami’s feelings for Fuyu) left me confused.

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