Trapped in a Dating Sim Season 2 MAL Rating Predictions: Will the Sequel Outscore Season 1?

When Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs first aired back in 2022, almost nobody expected it to become such a memorable isekai series. At first glance, it looked like another “generic light novel adaptation” buried inside an overcrowded anime season. The visuals were constantly criticized, the animation budget clearly wasn’t competing with bigger studios, and social media spent weeks making jokes about the infamous character designs.

And yet… people kept watching.

Not because the anime looked amazing, but because Leon Fou Bartfort carried the entire show on his back.

Now, after years of silence and endless “Season 2 when?” discussions across anime forums, MobuSeka is finally returning in July 2026. The big question is no longer whether fans will watch it — they absolutely will. The real discussion now is whether Season 2 can actually score higher than the original on MyAnimeList.

Honestly? I think it probably will.

The Biggest Advantage: Only Real Fans Are Left

One thing anime fans constantly underestimate about MAL scores is how sequel seasons naturally benefit from audience filtering.

Season 1 had to convince everyone:

casual isekai viewers
seasonal anime tourists
people who dropped it after three episodes
critics already prepared to hate ENGI productions

Season 2 doesn’t have that problem anymore.

The people returning for the sequel are mostly:

loyal light novel readers
viewers who genuinely loved Leon
fans invested in Olivia and Angelica
people already attached to the world and humor

That alone usually boosts sequel ratings.

We’ve seen this happen repeatedly with mid-tier light novel anime. A first season sitting around the low 7s often climbs by 0.15–0.30 points once the casual negativity disappears.

So even before talking about story quality, MobuSeka Season 2 already has a statistical advantage.

Leon Is Still the Main Reason People Care

Let’s be honest here: the anime works because Leon is entertaining.

There are thousands of isekai protagonists now, but very few have Leon’s energy. He’s sarcastic, petty, manipulative, and somehow still weirdly likable. Instead of acting like a perfect self-insert hero, he constantly roasts everyone around him while exploiting the ridiculous rules of the otome game world.

That personality is what made the first season stand out.

A lot of fans compare him to characters like:

Kazuma from Konosuba
Naofumi from The Rising of the Shield Hero
Cid from The Eminence in Shadow

Not because they’re identical, but because they reject the typical “generic nice guy protagonist” formula.

And Season 2 is bringing Leon into much larger political conflicts, which honestly fits his character even better than the school-focused comedy from Season 1.

The Alzer Republic Arc Is Where the Story Actually Levels Up

Light novel readers have been hyping the Republic arc for years.

Season 1 mostly functioned as setup:

introducing the world
establishing Leon’s relationships
building the academy politics
showing the absurd social hierarchy

Season 2 moves beyond that.

The Alzer Republic storyline introduces:

more serious political tension
stronger rival factions
larger-scale mecha battles
deeper romantic conflicts
darker satire surrounding the world itself

This is where the franchise stops feeling like “just another comedy isekai.”

If the adaptation handles the pacing correctly, anime-only viewers are probably going to realize why the source material has such a dedicated fanbase.

The One Problem That Still Won’t Go Away

Unfortunately, the visual concerns are completely valid.

Even fans who adore the series usually admit that ENGI has never been known for elite production quality. The new teaser looks slightly cleaner than the original season, but nobody expects Demon Slayer-level animation here.

The biggest fear is still the same: poorly animated CGI mecha combat.

That could absolutely limit the final MAL score ceiling.

Because while anime fans can forgive average visuals for comedy scenes, they become much harsher when action arcs start dominating the story.

And the Republic arc contains far more large-scale action than the academy-focused first season.

My Personal MAL Prediction

Here’s how I realistically see the score scenarios playing out.

Scenario	Predicted Score	What Happens
Worst Case	7.05 – 7.18	Weak animation and rushed pacing damage the adaptation
Realistic Outcome	7.30 – 7.45	Strong writing and sequel bias push the score upward
Best Case	7.50 – 7.65	Surprisingly good production elevates the entire franchise

Personally, I think the realistic range is the most likely.

Not because the anime will suddenly become visually incredible, but because:

the returning audience is extremely loyal
Leon remains one of the funniest isekai protagonists
the source material genuinely improves
sequel filtering heavily benefits MAL ratings

That combination alone usually guarantees improvement.

Is Trapped in a Dating Sim Season 2 Worth Watching for Light Novel Readers?

Summer 2026 Is Surprisingly Competitive

Another interesting factor is timing.

Summer 2026 already looks stacked with high-profile sequels and major adaptations, which means MobuSeka probably won’t dominate mainstream anime discourse every single week.

But weirdly, that might help it.

Shows like this often perform best when expectations are moderate. The anime community tends to reward series that “overperform” compared to initial assumptions.

And right now, most people still see Trapped in a Dating Sim as:

“that entertaining isekai with questionable visuals.”

If Season 2 simply delivers solid pacing, fun character interactions, and competent action scenes, audience reception could become significantly more positive than many expect.