Tiger & Bunny Season 2 Manages to Hold Its Own in a Saturated Superhero World

Tiger & Bunny was a landmark anime series that bucked the trend of shonen anime and Western superhero conventions, while being a somewhat seamless hybrid between the two genres of storytelling.

Starring a past-his-prime superhero named Wild Tiger, who is partnered with a rookie hero named Barnaby Brooks Jr., this odd couple story taking place in a hyper capitalistic world was truly unique when it was released in 2011.

Eleven years later, this anime series finally received a second season, and truth be told, it feels like no time has gone by. Like going back home after being away for so long, fans will have a lot to love about season two.

But times have changed since Tiger & Bunny’s debut, so can its introspective look into superheroism exist in today’s modern landscape? Let’s find out.

Spoilers ahead for the entirety of Tiger & Bunny!

Stern Bild’s Finest

Tiger & Bunny takes place in a world where being a superhero is a proper job. Similar to an athlete or pop star, superheroes can earn corporate sponsorships while competing in a reality show called Hero TV.

Each hero is ranked for their performance in heroism, with the friction between the heroes and their acts of heroism acting as the central theme of the series. Compounding this theme is Wild Tiger aka Kotetsu’s view on traditional heroism versus Barnaby’s single-minded goal of being the highest ranking hero.

This dichotomy is also seen in how they portray themselves. Kotetsu still has a secret identity and wears a mask in public events, while Barnaby does not even bother to have a superhero name.

Throughout the first season, we see Kotetsu coming to grips with being an older superhero losing his powers, while Barnaby’s Batman/Iron Man-like origin story leads him to a path of revenge. The purposeful decision to not show the protagonists as wide-eyed youngsters is what made Tiger & Bunny so memorable after all these years.

Return of Hero TV

Be sure to watch the second film in the franchise, Tiger & Bunny: The Rising because the second season picks up right after the events of the film. This includes the introduction of the hero Golden Ryan, and Fire Emblem coming to terms with their gender identity, which is very much a step forward in the anime industry.

With Tiger & Bunny themselves proving that heroes work better in pairs, this season hones in on the themes of working together as a team. This means that the previous superheroes who were working alone are paired and new heroes are introduced.

These include the teenage heroes of Mr Black and He Is Thomas, who are reflections of who Tiger and Barnaby used to be in season one. There’s also Magical Cat, the youngest hero of the series who is equipped with water-based powers. Similarly, the main antagonists are also a superpowered tag-team duo, who hell-bent on killing every hero on the planet.

While there is a running theme and somewhat of an overarching plot, season two doesn’t have the tension that the first season provided with Tiger’s power loss and Barnaby’s thirst for revenge. The pair are even somewhat relegated to a supporting role as they become the lynchpin to each heroes’ development in the season.

The Buddy System

What holds season two back is its length, with only thirteen episodes. Judging by Netflix’s recent practices, it is pretty certain that thirteen more episodes are coming our way later on. With hanging plot threads, it very much feels incomplete.

Otherwise, with its mix of slice-of-life problems, especially with each pair of heroes learning how to work together, as well as superheroism, Tiger & Bunny’s storytelling is as refreshing and fun as it was in 2011. Both the English and Japanese versions are also a delight, thanks to the great performances from the returning voice actors.

The biggest question this season of Tiger & Bunny had to answer was if it could stand toe-to-toe with the likes of The Boys, Invincible, One Punch Man, and My Hero Academia. With so many ways traditional superheroes can be remixed for new stories, is Tiger & Bunny still relevant?

The answer is yes, since Tiger & Bunny’s portrayal of superheroes is still more realistic than ever. Truly, if there ever were superheroes, they would definitely be peddled for corporate greed while being broadcasted wherever they go. The second season still manages to portray these influencer-like heroes with heart and soul, while giving them realistic obstacles to face.

All Tiger & Bunny needs now is a true Avengers-level threat to truly cap off the series, as we have a great cast of characters but no major antagonist they can face together. Hopefully, this is what the second half of season two will lead to and we certainly can’t wait for more.