Perhaps better than Season 1! There's a lot to like.

Being with the most attractive, popular guy may be the high school dream. But what about a sustainable relationship after?

Two wonderful things happen with this switch to university:

1) Nao 'gets it' before Uehara flipping the whole silly girl script - she knows what she respects in a person and Uehara is it. Her insecurity this season stems from the fact that Uehara does NOT seem to get it.

2) Uehara suffers from a lot of self-doubt at university. It's nice for once for the guy in a school drama to NOT 'have it all.' He has little money/time/energy to be a good romantic partner to Nao, and he has trouble putting her first while trying to get ahead. Enter Natsume who seems to have all the things Uehara lacks, and the self-doubt grows.

The show could have cut some side plots, but in the end I just felt incredible fondness for the characters and their journey.

I grade on other criteria as well:

Complex themes:7.5
Being caring and responsible towards others is a rare quality that should be cherished. Secrecy causes trouble and heartbreak, so be open and honest. New to this season: relationships take work and growth - you have to put the time in.
Character growth: 8
Uehara does most of the growing. Letting life pull him in all directions and hope Nao's at home waiting is not a good strategy.
Female relationships/characters: 7
A draw back to the focus on Uehara and Natsume is that there isn't as much female bonding. Marina has a definite backseat this season. Uehara's sister-in-law is replaced by Uehara's new boss as the messy adult woman in his life. I liked that Uehara's boss was a woman, but I didn't like her characterisation and found it over the top.
Cinematography/Production: 6.5
A bit better than the first season but not by much. Still shot as a very basic 90s drama. A little more variation in sets, costumes, and extras. Natsume's look is well done and a good contrast to Uehara.