Anime Review: Why You Should Watch "Bananya and The Curious Bunch" (Season 2) On Crunchyroll

​The Cat Anime That’s Totally Bananas and Super Kawaii

By Ghia Vitale

If you like cats and bananas, you’re in for a real treat: Bananya recently began releasing episodes from season 2. The second season is called “Bananya and The Curious Bunch” and as far as anime goes, it doesn’t get much cuter than this!

Bananya is a Japanese anime show that an animation studio called Gathering produced. The term “Bananya” is a mixture of “banana” and “nya,” the Japanese equivalent of “meow.” All of the show’s characters are little kitties who live inside of bananas. The main character is Bananya, a white cat who, according to the Bananya Fandom Wiki, is “described as optimistic and carefree.” This fandom wiki also mentions that Banana’s dream is “to become a trendy chocolate-covered bananya."

I became aware of Bananyas when I saw them as plushies. I’ve wanted one from the moment I saw them. The cats just look so cozy in their bananas! Shortly afterward, I began watching the first season. Much like with the characters from Rilakkuma and Kaoru, I wanted to jump through the screen. cuddle with the Bananyas, and immerse myself in their world.

The Bananyas go on simple yet adorable adventures throughout the first season. Based on what I’ve seen of the second season, this trend seems to be continuing. Honestly, though, the simplicity of the plots doesn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of this series. I think it can be positive for one’s mental health to consume cute and lighthearted media whenever it feels good. In fact, researchers at Hiroshima University have done experiments that suggest looking at cute images can improve your focus. Bananya has plenty of cute images, so that means watching this anime could help you concentrate better. Therefore, I think it's a good idea to watch Bananya whenever you're having a break from work or school.

​Crunchryroll is still in the process of releasing the episodes in Bananya’s second season. But as far as I can tell, Droopy-eared Bananya is the cutest character in the show so far. In fact, being cute is her super power! She came from something called a “meowteor.” (It’s a meteor that’s full of goods and other surprises.) Because her cuteness is literally otherworldly, other Bananyas fawn over her and want to cuddle her.

​Considering the fact that all of the characters are kitties who live inside bananas, many of the characters are still very imaginative. For example, in the Halloween episode, viewers met the Zombie Bananyas. Personally, my favorite character in Bananya is Flower Bananya. Flower Bananya spends her days singing and tending to the garden. Plus, she also has butterfly wings like a true flower fairy! I hope to see more fairy-esque Bananya art takes in the future.

Yes, I’m aware of the fact that children are the target audience for Bananya. After all, it’s rated G, so it’s definitely appropriate. However, adults enjoy watching anime too. So what if I, too, want the Bananyas’ kawaii goodness in my life? And believe me, this anime is chock full of epic neko cuteness.

You can find both seasons of Bananya at Crunchyroll.com. The first season is complete, but like I said earlier, the second season is still releasing episodes. I’m so grateful for the fact that Crunchyroll decided to make this anime available to stream on their platform. If you’re up for cute little adventures that last only a couple of minutes, this kawaii anime is a total mood for you. Otherwise, I highly recommend this anime to cat lovers and fans of kawaii culture.

Maximize the cuddles in your life with an adorable Bananya plush! Buying one through the link below will ensure that a portion of your profit goes to Quail Bell. That means more content and fairy punk magic just for you, so do us both a favor and get your Bananya on!