WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Season 2 Episode 1, "Irregular," now streaming on Funimation.
Badass-looking, overpowered main characters are not new in the world of anime, especially in the lately well-favored isekai genre. In isekai, average everyday people are transported into a fantasy world and often tasked with saving it -- whether they want to or not. Hajime Nagumo of Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest is no exception. Although a rather bitter protagonist after being betrayed by one of his fellow classmates in the beginning, he undergoes a huge transformation.
Once Hajime figures out he can become more powerful by consuming monsters within the abyss of the dungeon, he almost instantly goes from shy, raven-haired boy to a white-haired, cold-hearted killer. Did he have a choice on how he ended up looking? Former classmate and newest addition to his team, Kaori Shirasaki, seems to think so as she reveals a crucial point in the first episode of the newly released Season 2.
First, it's important to remember who Kaori is. She has been secretly in love with Hajime since they were in middle school together. In Arifrueta's isekai world of Tortus, she is a former member of the Hero's Party as a Priest. Kaori has known Hajime since they were much younger, and when they were finally reunited at the end of Season 1 she confesses her love to him. Despite her feelings not being reciprocated, she joins Hajime's harem to prove to his main lover, Yue, and the others that she loves him the most.
The Season 2 premiere of Arifureta is Kaori's debut as part of the harem, and she immediately butts heads with vampire princess Yue, much to the protest of Yue and Hajime's "daughter", the merfolk toddler Myu. In fact, they are on their way to give Myu back to her mother after saving her from kidnappers toward the latter half of Season 1. Yue and Hajime have had to overcome a lot of obstacles together, but does Kaori's long history with Hajime mean she loves him more?
Kaori definitely seems to think so. In order to prove it, she points out that Yue doesn't know crucial details about Hajime's past otaku life such as his favorite anime and manga. Yue cleverly points out that since those things don't exist in Tortus, it doesn't matter. Kaori deflects by pointing out that Hajime modeled himself to look like an anime character, then reveals that the newest weapon he's working on -- the Cross Bit -- is also based on an anime/manga weapon called the Funnel. Whether or not this is based on a real-life anime or manga is unclear, but this quirky little reference is enough to make any Arifureta viewer chuckle.
As they travel through the dangerous sand dunes to get to their destination, it is revealed that Demon Army commander Freid is plotting to murder Hajime and his harem for killing his lover Cattelya at the end of Season 1. He refers to the gang as "Irregulars" and vows to acquire new Age of God magic in order to serve the king and God the demons worship. Who is the king and God? What is Age of God magic and where will General Freid acquire it from? Hopefully Episode 2 of Arifureta Season 2 will answer more of these burning questions.
