Laid-Back Camp season 2
| Company type | Anime television series season |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Television |
| Predecessor | Laid-Back Camp (Season 1) |
| Founded | January 7, 2021 |
| Successor | Laid-Back Camp (Season 3) |
| Headquarters | Japan |
Key people | Jin Tanaka (series composition), Yoshiaki Kyogoku (director), Shōichi Hotta (producer) |
| Products | Anime television series |
| Parent | C-Station |
The second installment of the Laid-Back Camp anime series, adapted from Afro's original manga, follows the ongoing camping escapades of Nadeshiko Kagamihara and Rin Shima after their initial group excursion. This season was produced by C-Station, with Jin Tanaka overseeing the series composition and Yoshiaki Kyogoku serving as director. The main voice cast, including Yumiri Hanamori and Nao Tōyama, reprised their roles, while Tomoyo Kurosawa joined as Ayano Toki, a childhood companion of Kagamihara. Production commenced in July 2018 and was officially announced by October.
The season debuted on AT-X on January 7, 2021, spanning thirteen episodes until its conclusion on April 1. Subsequently, the series secured a third season, which began airing on April 4, 2024.
Episodes
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Development
Talks about producing a second season of Laid-Back Camp started while the initial season was still airing, driven by strong audience reception. However, the production team acknowledged that creating another season immediately was not viable due to scheduling conflicts, with director Yoshiaki Kyogoku describing it as "impossible" at that moment. In July 2018, Shōichi Hotta, who had left FuRyu, was invited to oversee the second season project. Hotta then envisioned an ambitious plan that included not only the second season but also a short anime and a feature film, collaborating on these ideas with writer Jin Tanaka and Kyogoku near the C-Station studio.
The official announcement for season two came in October 2018 during the Yuru Camp Secret Society Blanket Enrollment Explanation Meeting. Key returning personnel comprised Kyogoku as director, Tanaka as scriptwriter, character designer Mutsumi Sasaki, and cinematographer Hiroaki Tanaka. The season’s production was managed by DeNA with animation handled by C-Station.
Writing
Volumes five through nine of the manga served as the source material for the second season, which highlighted the theme of "family" to bring its narrative arc to completion. Producer Hotta shared in an interview with Business Insider that while the first season concentrated on friendships forming among characters, this installment delves into their personal development and goals. A particular focus is placed on Nadeshiko Kagamihara’s increasing interest in solo camping—a concept inspired by a line from volume five emphasizing enjoyment found in solitude. Hotta introduced two slogans for this season: "It's lonely, but also fun" and "It's fun, but also lonely."
To capture realistic portrayals of locations, Hotta, Kyogoku, and other members of C-Station undertook more than ten scouting trips across significant sites in Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures before the escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic. These excursions greatly influenced how settings were represented throughout the episodes.
Casting
Returning from the first season were Yumiri Hanamori, Nao Tōyama, Sayuri Hara, Aki Toyosaki, Rie Takahashi, Marina Inoue, Shizuka Itō, and Risae Matsuda, reprising their roles as Nadeshiko Kagamihara, Rin Shima, Chiaki Ōgaki, Aoi Inuyama, Ena Saitō, Sakura Kagamihara, Minami Toba, and Akari Inuyama respectively. Narration duties and the role of Rin's grandfather were once again performed by Akio Otsuka. In August 2020, Tomoyo Kurosawa joined the cast portraying Ayano Toki, Nadeshiko’s childhood friend. Directors Tadahisa Fujimura and Masamichi Ureshino made brief appearances as a smelt fisherman and campsite manager. The English-language dub cast revealed in January 2024 featured Celeste Perez as Rin, Morgan Garrett as Nadeshiko, Molly Zhang as Ena, Katelyn Barr as Chiaki, Hannah Alyea as Aoi, Phil Parsons as Wataru, Kelsey Cruz as Saki, Larry Cassady as narrator, Katie Wetch as Ayano, and Ian Sinclair as a clerk.
Music
Akiyuki Tateyama reprised his role composing music for this season. The opening track titled "Seize the Day" was performed by Asaka, while Eri Sasaki provided the ending theme . Both songs were released on January 27, 2021. Sasaki recorded the ending theme during a session with Hero Nakamura—who co-created the first season’s ending theme—in September 2018. Additionally, she performed an insert song featured in episode seven.
Marketing
The promotional campaign for Laid-Back Camp Season 2 began with a teaser trailer released on September 21, 2020, followed by a second preview on November 20. On November 29, 2020, an exclusive early screening of the premiere episode took place at Marunouchi Piccadilly in Tokyo and was simultaneously broadcast to 36 theaters throughout Japan. In December 2020, Shizuoka Prefecture partnered to create maps showcasing the real-life locations and campsites depicted in the season. A comprehensive series trailer was unveiled on December 23, 2020.
Broadcast
The second installment of Laid-Back Camp debuted on AT-X on January 7, 2021. This season consisted of thirteen episodes, wrapping up on April 1, 2021.
Home media
The second season was simulcast by Ani-One on their official YouTube channel, while Netflix began streaming it starting June 30, 2021. Later, in November 2022, the series became accessible on Amazon Prime Video within Japan.
Japan saw the release of the first Blu-ray and DVD volume on March 24, 2021. The second volume followed on May 26, 2021, including a brand-new original video animation (OVA) titled Mystery Camp. The third and final volume was made available on July 28, 2021, featuring a second OVA named Traveling Rin Shima. Each set contains a director’s cut episode starring Otsuka as well as the camping program featuring Toyosaki.
Critical response
Steve Jones from Anime News Network reviewed the initial three episodes of Season Two of Laid-Back Camp, emphasizing that the series transcends typical camping themes to become a "travelogue about the sights and experiences of Japan outside major metropolitan areas". Theron Martin, also writing for Anime News Network, observed that while the first episode had less humor than the previous season, it excelled in showcasing detailed camping equipment and featured subtle background music. Stig Høgset of THEM Anime Reviews awarded the season a flawless five-star rating, describing it as an "absolute masterpiece of a relaxed zen winter camping endorsement". Julia Lee from Polygon characterized the season as a "semi-educational show" offering engaging insights into some fascinating regions of Japan and called it the "most comfy anime" in recent years.
Accolades
In December 2021, Season Two earned a nomination among the Top 100 Favorites for Anime of the Year at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2022.
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Shanghai Television Festival | Best Animation | Laid-Back Camp season 2 | Template:Nom |
| 2022 | Setsucon Anime Awards | Sequel of the Year | Template:Nom | |
| Best Ship | Rin × Nadeshiko | Template:Nom | ||
| Location Japan Award | Special Award – Approval Rating | Laid-Back Camp season 2 × Shizuoka Prefecture | Template:Won |
Impact
Following its feature in Season Two of Laid-Back Camp, several tourist destinations in Iwata, such as the torii gate at Fukuda Beach, Ryuyokaiyo Koen Auto Camping Ground, and Mitsuke Tenjin Shrine, saw a significant rise in visitors. According to data from the Shizuoka Economic Research Institute (February 2023), collaboration efforts between Shizuoka Prefecture and the anime—including a stamp rally across locations from Season Two held between November 12, 2021, and March 21, 2022—generated an economic ripple effect valued at ¥411.48 million.