「夜啼鳥の唄」 (Naichingeeru no Uta)
“Song of the Nightingales”

Well, probably not the ending we were anticipating, but arguably the ending we needed. Much like Log Horizon has done in the past, this season left off with some belated understanding, plenty of explosions, and even more hints of what’s to come down the pipeline. While the future is inevitably going to take some time to realize in anime form (given not enough source material exists yet for another season), at least we know it won’t be focused on the trials and tribulations of winning over Shiroe’s affections. Well, mostly; Minori may have lost, but no guarantees Akatsuki is the one who has Shiroe’s attention, not when Kanami is still in the picture. Who will prevail in that fight? No one knows, but I do know I’m looking forward to seeing more Log Horizon in the future. Now let’s get onto those final impressions!

Final Impressions

It would be remiss of me to say this season of Log Horizon wasn’t one of my most anticipated winter shows. This series always held a prominent place in my anime repository, whether it be due to the enthusiastic isekai story at work or the focus on lesser explored isekai aspects like politics, economics, and even methods of returning back home. Log Horizon’s third season easily carried on this tradition, and while not fully immune to certain faults, definitely did better than it could have.

Much like the previous season romps, Log Horizon’s strength is its RPG trappings. More so than even SAO this is a series which just gets the game format, whether that be in terms of strict mechanics and quirks like levelling and grinding or in more amorphous aspects such as the development of strong and long-lasting friendships. This season especially continued playing to this, and though arguably nowhere near topping last season’s raid arc with Shiroe and William, did quite well in condensing its similar material to reduce the sense of déjà vu and boredom. It may grow tiring after a while seeing similar explanations of raid mechanics, party setups, and other RPG miscellanea – but at least they were appropriate infodumps, particularly for helping to solidify the development of Minori and the other kids.

Where Log Horizon did stumble, however, is the same place it has stumbled before: story. I cannot deny the first half of this season was preferable to me over the second, in part because I think this series always does better with politics and subterfuge than with quests into the wilderness. Whether dealing with Minami, internal problems in Akihabara, or just how to keep a bunch of restless otherworld transplants from descending into anarchy, something was always at work which helped to keep things moving, energetic, and most importantly, suspenseful. In comparison side-stories like Kanami’s (and Krusty’s) Chinese adventures and the comings and goings of Log Horizon’s junior members lack a similar sense of intrigue; they have their moments, but whether down to lack of narrative grounding, the specific characters involved, adaptation rushing, or the base cheesiness of the setting, just don’t have the same impact the Shiroe-focused events have. Make no mistake, this side of Log Horizon isn’t actually bad, but it can prove off-putting when you’re here strictly for the literal worldbuilding.

In the end though Log Horizon pretty much did as Log Horizon does: those who dislike it won’t be switching opinions, those who love it will find plenty more to enjoy, and one way or another it’s unlikely this will be the last we hear of this series. It may not hold the same sense of awe or audience interest as the first two seasons once did (largely down to those author tax troubles), but this is one isekai which I will always look forward to seeing more of and I hope that more is indeed what lies in its future.

7 Comments

  1. Kanami is a double mom with with presumably a husband in the real world. There are zero signs that Shiroe is actively pining after her. His speech to Minori was pretty clearly about Akatsuki.

    Magnus
      1. They’re just friends yeah. Imagine along the lines of someone of the opposite gender you’ve known for years and are now stuck in an alternate world with. Kanami is very interested in offering her support to the cause and uncovering the mystery of the world and why they are there. Its fairly clear that in this case to achieve you’ll want to be where all the action is happening.

        Lyfe
  2. I was so sad seeing Minori’s love crushed, but at the very least she can now move on – and she has makings of becoming great raid leader herself.
    As for the love Shiroe mentions it is pretty much confirmed to be Akatsuki. Now if only those two had courage of Minori to take the decisive step…
    Meanwhile next season (there will be one RIGHT? or RIOT!) jumps back into politics of the isekai with diplomatic mission to Minami (and, I assume Raynessia finally going on a quest to haul Krusty back and take him for herself in the process)

    ewok40k
    1. Did find it odd that we got such a short season when the material is readily available for 24 episodes. Can’t help but wonder if we’re getting an endgame announcement for the series at some point this year and they’ll just bundle it all together as a 24 episode final season.

      The author has been doing this series for so long he probably wants to move on, thus the random hiatuses and the like. This and Overlord are my bets on final season isekai anime adaptations pending the material concluding.

      Lyfe

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