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「神の宴」 (Kami no utage (Paatii))
“Banquet of the Gods (Party)”
DanMachi is back! For those who don’t remember what happened in the first season, you’re in good company, because I only remember bits and pieces. But the long and short: The struggling Hestia Familia, led by the titular (and tit-uluar) goddess Hestia (Minase Inori), is once again trying to make a name for themselves, with a grand total of one mortal among their ranks. That’s our boy Bell Cranel (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu), AKA Little Rookie, the adventurer with the fastest time-to-Level-2 ever. Because yes, this is DanMachi, which means yes, there’s gonna be video gamey artifacts treated as real, because the gods said so.
All very interesting, but here’s the crucial question going into this episode: Does it set us up for season two? For a good intro shouldn’t just remind you of the characters you haven’t met in a while; it shouldn’t be naught but an animated cast listing. It should set up the intrigue—extending our theater metaphor, it should set the stage. How does this episode do that?
It does well! By the end of the episode, we’ve met the presumed antagonists for at least part of this season, the Apollo Familia, including the ridiculously campy Apollo (Osaka Ryota) himself—though I have many questions about that mega-creep face, though I’m not sure I want those answers. If this is depraved homosexual plotline, I’ll be annoyed. If it’s a god being a petty dick, though … well, we’ve all studied a bit of mythology, right? That’s right on brand.
The point is, the first episode sets up the intrigue well. What is the War Game? Why did the Apollo Familia set this up? How are them Duke boys gonna get out of this one? (I’m not even sure that’s how the line goes tbh.) It also did a good job of reminding us of who some of these old characters were, and what’s more, in fancy clothes! Much appreciated.
Last of all, let’s confront the elephant in the room: Bell and Ais’ dance. Ais Wallenstein (Oonishi Saori) is not my favorite heroine ever—no, I did not see the spin-off, which from the weeping and gnashing seems like was a good idea—but her story does fit well with Bell’s. Or at least she does, cause that girl is awkward too. It’s like a teen romance up in here. Anyone else seen Far From Home? That, but less awkward. Honestly, I think I like her more as a feature of Bell’s story than a character in herself, but that’s mostly just because Hestia blows her out of the water in the personality sphere. Hestia is just so fun! Gotta love her.
That’s the first episode of DanMachi II! Oh, as for the other elephant in the room: No, I’m probably not blogging this season. I just wanted to intro this one show. Sorry! Maybe next season. Just a feeling…
My second novel, Freelance Heroics, is available! (Also available: Firesign #1 Wage Slave Rebellion.) Third book in progress now! Sign up for my email list for updates, or follow me at stephenwgee.com for miscellaneous blogging.
OP Sequence
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OP: 「HELLO to DREAM」 by Yuka Iguchi
Preview
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This episode marks the beginning of LN Vol 6.
There’re presently 15 volumes out, with the 15th debuting last June 2019.
Our favorite shortstack goddess is back, mad all is well in the world.
There’s also the Danmachi movie spinoff; Arrow of the Orion.
Any review plans for it?
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2019-06-14/is-it-wrong-to-try-to-pick-up-girls-in-a-dungeon-arrow-of-the-orion-all-new-feature-film-hits-theaters-july-2019/.147842
It’s been a while, but it’s as if this series never elft. The characters are as endearing as always, the plot-dive video-game tropes are as cringy as always, and the animation is very good! Oh, and those fancy clothes were great. While Apollo is a jerk and a creep, he did have a good idea: let the gods and goddesses invite a mortal familia member to the party. And make them all look fantastic.
Since I don’t know much about the LNs, I expect some kind of fiery competition in the upcoming arc. With Bell and company as the perennial underdogs.
I get the same feeling. And honestly, I feel the same about Bell: I think of him as a nice feature of this story, but I don’t really care too much about his specific character. The supporting cast in general is far more interesting than the main couple.
I hear in terms of personality and past, the author’s been quite coy on wholly revealing Aiz.
Especially in the Oratoria spinoff.
Or maybe she just doesn’t have a personality. That’s my take at this point but maybe she just needs a few more seasons. Other than Hestia though, I don’t think anyone does except for maybe the elven contingent.
This episode was really dreadful. While Hestia has her charms, she was just yappy here. Even low expectations can’t account for this dreck.
She definitely has a personality, but whether that’s a personality one likes varies greatly. In part because she’s, as I’ve seen others call her, “a giant mess of neuroses” and a very quiet person.
Apollo craves Bell’s ass in an extremely sexual fashion, but he also goes after women too.
So, depraved bisexual (trope), gotcha
While the greek gods were pretty pan-sexual, there are a few lines between Hestia and others in this episode that suggest Apollo’s intent is less about Bell and more about sticking it to his ex.
Someone’s jealous of the new “boyfriend”.
Totally dont remember what happened in season 1, the recap episode doesnt help X’D
In a nutshell, the theme of this season of Danmachi, as set up in the first episode is about the envy of the gods. Bell’s unprecedented accomplishments attract the attention of the gods, and given how small and young the Hestia Familia is, Bell is uniquely vulnerable to being preyed upon by gods who seek to posses this interesting being. This episode, I think makes the fundamental conflict of the first arc clear – it’s the envy of the gods in it’s most direct form, but inevitably of course, for this theme to sustain a whole season, the envy of divinity has to be played out in different ways.
Gets the chance to fix mistake made during first season and… throws it out of window. I’m disappointed in you. Even more so cause that’s the type of show I love to contemplate while reading your blogs.
Also I liked Sword Oratoria and I don’t know why it’s so harshly received. Well, ok, I sort of do but not really. I guess those that watched it expected more of a plot driven story while it’s just a fun time with background characters with some exploration of this interesting world thrown in.
I am so sick of licky-licky shounen villains. It’s such a lazy visual crutch to signal to the audience – “hey, look at this villain here – don’t you just hate him?”
And Apollo didn’t even look like that in the manga.
Aw yea, been waiting 4 years for this! Just finished rewatching all of S1 for the 3rd time and Sword Oratoria (Aiz spinoff) for the 2nd to refresh myself. They did release a summary episode recapping all of S1 last week though for anyone not feeling like rewatching the whole first season lol.
I did the same, but only the S1.
So, the opening foreshadows the Hestia familia taking Apollo’s mansion.
Wow why the openings always have to spoil everything. (but it looks very good)
I don’t watch OP/EDs anymore (unless the music is really good, then
I’ll mainly listen) because of that. I will catch up with them towards
the end of the series after most things have been revealed. It’s
definitely annoying that some series reveal too much in the OP/EDs.
Wife Asfi at the ball
https://randomc.net/image/Dungeon%20ni%20Deai%20o%20Motomeru%20no%20wa%20Machigatte%20Iru%20Darouka/Dungeon%20ni%20Deai%20o%20Motomeru%20no%20wa%20Machigatte%20Iru%20Darouka%20II%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2018.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Dungeon%20ni%20Deai%20o%20Motomeru%20no%20wa%20Machigatte%20Iru%20Darouka/Dungeon%20ni%20Deai%20o%20Motomeru%20no%20wa%20Machigatte%20Iru%20Darouka%20II%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2033.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Dungeon%20ni%20Deai%20o%20Motomeru%20no%20wa%20Machigatte%20Iru%20Darouka/Dungeon%20ni%20Deai%20o%20Motomeru%20no%20wa%20Machigatte%20Iru%20Darouka%20II%20-%2001%20-%20Large%2034.jpg
So what, this series is not chauvinistic anymore ? Honestly, USians trying to claim their filthy social standards as supposedly universal and “the only true way”, always crack me up.