Mini-Analysis of the Hamefura Season 2 Poster
The poster gathers all the key characters from both the first and second seasons. Yet what immediately catches the eye is that the characters from season one are placed closest to Katarina, offering her their favorite desserts. Their poses and gestures alone reveal the feelings they hold for her.
By contrast, the newer characters from season two appear more independent and preoccupied with their own concerns. Sora, Raphael, Alan, and Nicol are positioned at a greater distance, seemingly content to watch Katarina from afar rather than compete for her attention directly.
The composition of the poster is rendered in soft pink and red tones, with roses scattered throughout. This is a classic shoujo manga technique, used to create an atmosphere of romance and to hint at the love lingering in the air. The symbolism of roses—affection, admiration, and love—reinforces this theme. And while every character gazes at Katarina with tenderness and admiration, she herself is absorbed in her own thoughts, remaining blissfully unaware of the emotions directed at her.
What makes the poster especially intriguing is its clear visual homage to Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. While the creators likely didn’t intend to dive into deep religious symbolism or biblical parallels, they borrowed the composition and certain gestures to evoke a playful yet striking allusion. Still, the similarities invite reflection.
In The Last Supper, Christ sits at the center, surrounded by apostles, each with their own pose and expression.
In the Hamefura poster, Katarina occupies that central seat. She becomes the “center of the universe” for the surrounding characters, just as Christ is for his disciples. After all, without Katarina’s “second life,” none of these characters would have come together at the same table in the first place.
While the fresco depicts a moment of betrayal and looming tragedy, the anime scene radiates an atmosphere of calm, friendship, and even a touch of carefree cheerfulness. There is no “betrayal” in the tragic sense—on the contrary, all the friends adore Katarina and are simply trying to win her attention. Her “problems” are nothing more than comedic situations and her own naïveté.
Unlike the biblical scene, where the table holds bread and wine, here we see sweets and pastries. This highlights the lighthearted, joyful tone of the anime, sharply contrasting with the solemnity of the original.
Seated in the middle, Katarina appears relaxed, natural, and carefree. Everyone around her revolves around her presence—she is the one who ties their destinies together.
In the painting, John is known as the “beloved disciple,” the one closest to Christ. His figure symbolizes purity, sincerity, and love—standing in stark contrast to the apostles who argue or gesture dramatically.
Maria perfectly mirrors this role. For her, Katarina embodies light, kindness, and love. She doesn’t see Katarina as a rival or a source of jealousy but as someone who holds her hope and happiness. Maria’s devotion is gentle and steadfast; her love for Katarina is purer and more selfless than that of many others in the “harem.” If Geordo or Keith pursue Katarina as a beloved woman, Maria’s affection is almost angelic, elevated, and spiritual. She represents unconditional love that expects nothing in return.
In The Last Supper, Thomas raises a finger in a gesture of doubt, symbolizing his need for proof and unwillingness to believe blindly.
Geordo reflects this same spirit. Katarina’s kindness alone is not enough for him—he craves proof of her special feelings for him alone. His jealousy and persistence mirror Thomas’s doubts, but just as Thomas’s skepticism ultimately strengthened his faith, Geordo’s longing for reassurance only deepens his conviction that Katarina is the center of his world.
(In the poster, however, this is softened into humor: Geordo simply wants to feed Katarina dessert from his fork to capture her attention.)
Keith ↔ James the Greater
In da Vinci’s painting, James the Greater spreads his arms wide, rejecting even the thought of betrayal—a gesture of pure trust and devotion.
Keith’s pose mirrors this, though in a more comical way: he seems to push Geordo back, refusing to let him get too close to Katarina. This parallel is symbolic—just as James was devoted to Christ, Keith is wholeheartedly devoted to Katarina.
Even if the parallels are playful rather than exact, the message is clear: the poster borrows from da Vinci’s masterpiece to portray Catarina as the unifying center of the story. Each character’s pose and gesture express their unique bond with her—be it love, jealousy, admiration, or loyalty. This meme works precisely because of the contrast between the sacred and the mundane. It takes a famous work with profound dramatic meaning and applies its composition to a scene from anime with an entirely opposite mood and content, creating a clever and amusing parody.
