Laid-Back Camp – Season 3 Episode 2 Recap & Review

Mini Camping and Yard Camping

Episode 2 of Laid-Back Camp Season 3 starts with Ayano traveling to a hill campsite. She pulls out her canister of hot chocolate and drinks it. Next, Ayano heads to a nearby shop, looking for an item to keep her drinks warm. She asks the cashier for advice and the cashier suggests Ayano purchase a pocket stove. Ayano purchases the item and visits a beach to test the device. 

While enjoying her drink, Ayano reflects on her promise to Rin about visiting her in Yamanashi when it’s warmer. Before she indulges in her tour camping affairs, Ayano researches light and compact items she’d like to pack on her bike. Several tents catch Ayano’s attention. Then, we cut away to Chiaki, Aoi, and Nadeshiko arriving at Ena’s place. Ena and her canine companion Chikuwa greet them.

Chiaki and the others set up the yard campsite. While they’re doing that, Ena promises to fetch herself some proper attire. After Nadeshiko and her friends set up camp, Ena and Chikuwa exit their home and regroup with the others. Ena sets up Chikuawa’s small doggie tent and the other girls can’t help but state how cute Chikuwa looks. However, they change their stance when they learn how much yen Ena spent on all of Chikuwa’s belongings. 

Nonetheless, the girls can’t help but admire how much Ena cares for Chikuwa. After that, Ena tells Chiaki she wants to cut her hair now. After Chiaki sits, Ena asks her what type of hairstyle she’d like. Aoi suggests Chiaki go for a “badass” hairstyle while Nadeshiko insists Chiaki teeter toward a cute look. Ena says she’ll make her hair look adorable and cool. Before Ena starts, Nadeshiko insists Ena cut Chiaki’s hair in a way that lets Chiaki’s forehead show. 

Chiaki’s not a fan of this sentiment, so Ena asks Aoi and Nadeshiko to hold Chiaki down while she cuts her hair. After the haircut, we learn Ena shortened Chiaki’s hair, upsetting Nadeshiko. Then, the girls start barbecuing and showing off what sausages they brought. After Chiaki reveals what sausage she brought she and the others engage in an amusing shooting and zombie-themed activity. 

The girls stop their funny antics when Chiaki tells them that Ena’s father’s watching. Meanwhile, we cut away to Ayano in her home. She receives word that her package arrived. Ayano retrieves her package and heads outside. She sets up the tent outside and finds everything about it to her liking. Ayano texts Rin. Ayano informs and entices Rin to go tour camping with her. She promises to message her again when she’s ready for the expedition. 

Rin finds Ayano’s vague plan puzzling and wonders if she should tell Nadeshiko. Before she can, a customer enters her workplace so she puts that thought on hold to assist the customer. We cut away to Ena and the others, who are still yard camping at Ena’s place. The girls indulge in food prep activities with Chiaki’s meat.

After that, the girls head to the front to cook the meat with the same device they used during the Christmas camping trip. Nadeshiko puts some of her meat in the other pan and the girls monitor each meat’s cooking progress. Once both meats are ready, Nadeshiko, Ena, and Aoi try Chiaki’s meat. They find the taste revolting. Chiaki tries it next and shares a similar sentiment. 

However, all four girls find Nadeshiko’s Chorizo tasty. Chiaki’s upset that her meat didn’t turn out well, so Nadeshiko pulls out her phone and shows Chiaki why her meat didn’t produce satisfactory results. Chiaki plans to turn her meat into soboro when she gets home, that way, it doesn’t go to waste. Chikuwa wanders toward Chiaki. Chiaki thinks Chikuwa wants to cheer her up. 

Unfortunately, Chikuwa leaves to grab his leash, indicating to Chiaki that Chikuwa wants her to take him for a walk. Ena believes it’d be a great idea to go for a stroll with their chairs. The four girls head for a field and decide to camp there. While resting, Nadeshiko asks Chiaki if she knows of more fanciful DIY projects like the alcohol stoves. Chiaki says they could make leathercraft products like pouches, gas cartridge covers, etc. 

Aoi brings up wood and what they can make with that. After that, Nadeshiko suggests she and the others go flower-viewing camping next. The girls aren’t against the notion, but Aoi feels they should find a secluded spot to camp at if they go. She wants to take in that future spot’s peaceful atmosphere. The girls return to Ena’s place and bid farewell to her and Chikuwa. Later, Nadeshiko, Aoi, and Chiaki visit a bus stop. 

There, Nadeshiko bids farewell to Aoi and Chiaki who depart via train. While Nadeshiko waits for her train, she reflects on her recent camping outings. She wants to embark on a solo camping endeavor. Suddenly, Nadeshiko receives a text from Ayano. Ayano tells Nadeshiko that she’d like her to accompany her and Rin on a tour camping outing to Oigawa. Through text, Ayano explains why she wants to travel to Oigawa. 

Additionally, Rin says she and Ayano plan to tour Ikawa via bike before that outing. Rin asks Nadeshiko if she’ll be okay on her own. Nadeshiko says she planned on going solo camping anyway, so this will give her the chance to do that. Ayano says she wants to purchase several hamburg steaks.

The episode closes with Nadeshiko arriving home. 

The Episode Review

Laid-Back Camp Season 3 delivers another cozy episode for viewers this week. However, this episode did have some issues, mostly in the visual and structural spectrum. Firstly, it was great to see what influenced Ayano’s decision to go tour camping. Yet, it’d have been great if the showrunners had opted for a more coherent straight-forward story structure regarding Ayano’s timeline of events. 

Granted, this chapter shows what led to the Rin and Ayano text message confusion scene in last week’s episode. Nonetheless, a simple line of dialogue would’ve been appreciated to help audiences realize when the Ayano segments were set before that conversation. That way, fans won’t find the text message confusion scene bizarre. Also, there were certain sections in this episode where the characters, their items, or their environment looked off.

Some bizarre-looking segments include Nadeshiko’s cooked sausages or Ayano’s biking segment. Besides those things, this episode contained marvelous, wholesome, and relatable content. Many pet owners watching this chapter will resonate with Ena’s stance on pet care. Also, they’ll find the goofy and cute segments involving Chikuwa and Nadeshiko’s group alluring and comforting.

On top of giving audiences the same informative and engaging intel on camping products, Laid-Back Camp Season 3’s future looks bright. Hopefully, the series can iron out its visuals and give characters like Ayano great depth and purpose.