Agreed, the animation is whack sometimes, and the MC can be kinda annoying, but I’m really vibing with it. I’m really interested to see where things go from here.

Horimiya this season feels a bit underwhelming. I feel like if the original run had incorporated these bits into the story and the show expanded to two seasons it would have worked better. However, trying to tell these stories removed from the context of the larger story does them a disservice.

I also think there is a reason most of these bits of the story were cut originally. I think the first season rightly focused more on just Hori and Miyamura. A lot of the episodes of this season focus on other characters with Hori/Miyamura acting as a supporting character instead. They are cute stories, but just don’t have the same narrative heft as when the main couple is the focus.

Somewhere out there a vending machine is crying its metal heart out

Doubtful; A) that would cause rust, and B) it’d have to pay to get that capability in the first place!

Honestly, I had zero expectations of Vending Machine but it’s mildly exceeded them. Way better than it has any right to be.