With Phase 4 of the MCU currently playing in cinemas and on various streaming services, the superhero genre is more popular than ever. There are plenty of superhero stories for anime fans too, and one of the current favorites is the Netflix series Tiger & Bunny.
The show is mainly a comedy, but it also has moments of serious drama, and the cast of superheroes also ensures plenty of action sequences to tie it all together. Season one was mostly expository, which means introducing the characters and describing the setting. Now that the second season is available, there's more to enjoy with the adventures of Kotetsu and his partner Barnaby.
6 The Stakes Are Higher
Now that the Ouroboros group has come out of the shadows, their plans to make the public fear anyone with NEXT powers are now in full motion. This season they are the main antagonists, actually producing and training the dangerous villains that are putting our heroes' lives at risk. In the last season, the worst thing that can happen to a superhero is losing a sponsor, but in season two actual death becomes a possibility.
The story was designed this way to give the viewer a twist when they find out this small group of hooligans is actually a branch of a much larger and more sinister criminal organization.
5 Terrifying Villains
The enemies in season one were small-time compared to the ones our heroes have to face in season two. Fugen and Mugen are some of the most powerful villains in any anime and could even kick some ass with the best of them in the MCU and DC. They aren't criminals out to steal or vandalize either, like the petty thugs of season one mostly were.
The twins are proud superhero killers, and their only goal in life is to beat the record of L. L. Audun, a criminal who killed 36 superheroes until he was finally caught. As if that's not scary enough, the villain poised to take their place in the next season looks scarier than both of them put together. Gregory Sunshine isn't just a raving criminal from death row, either. The Ouroboros group was experimenting on him, only to have Sunshine turn on his guards and escape.
4 Sternbild City
Considering how much of a beating this city takes on a daily basis, it looks pretty good, so props to the city engineers first and foremost. One of the best things about season two of Tiger & Bunny is the setting, the bright, futuristic, and somehow very organized and clean urban paradise of Sternbild City. Thanks to the prestigious Poseiden Line Company, residents can travel by monorail, train, or airship or use the various efficient highway systems with a private vehicle.
Viewers get to see more of this sprawling metropolis in season two, partly because more of the plots and storylines happen outside of the professional lives of the main characters. We get to see more of where Karina Lyle works as her alter ego when she's not Blue Rose, for example,
3 More Character Focus
The main characters were introduced in season one, and in season two the storylines involve more details about their individual traits. The buddy system that Tiger and Bunny spearheaded was such a huge success that Hero TV has decided that every superhero needs a partner, and some interesting drama ensues when each superhero is arbitrarily paired with someone else.
One of the things that keeps Tiger & Bunny popular is how relatable it is despite what seems like a fantastic premise, but this is one of those annoying workplace bonding exercises that everyone has experienced sooner or later. It's not only a way to tell the audience more about each character but also a nice way to include some backstory without slowing down the plot.
2 Kaede Gets More Screen Time
Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, also known as the superhero Wild Tiger, is still the protagonist of the series and one of the consistent plotlines tells the story of his relationship with his daughter, Kaede. In season one, the story unfolds that after his wife died, Kotetsu left his daughter with her grandma to move to the big city and become a superhero.
Kaede was happy with her grandma in a quaint little town, and part of the drama of season one was when she found out exactly what her father did for a living. In season two, she discovers her own NEXT powers and decides to visit her dad in the big city, among other things.
1 Teamwork Is The Real Superpower
There are some dark moments in this animated comedy and drama, but for the most part, Tiger & Bunny is a show about friendship, trust, and a hopeful future. In fact, one of the main themes of the whole show is looking past petty arguments to focus on what's really important, a wise lesson for all of us.
There are a variety of groups represented in the Hero TV superhero team, and despite the real arguments they have, respect and understanding are always the most important superpowers. The empathy and compassion of our main characters towards even their enemies are always an inspiration, and that is one of the many things fans loved about season two.