Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? II

I’m disappointed with Danmachi season 2. I was looking forward to this anime for so long, but when it came it was such a let down. [Spoilers] The War Games was bad: • Apollo was like a generic rapist straight out of SAO • Apollo family chasing Hestia’s family throughout the city in broad daylight. The problem with this is it shows is there’s no government officials to prevent something like this happening between other families. It makes Orario being a peaceful city and not a warzone make no sense. • The War Games was too short. We had 3 episodes of build up only for the eventto end in one episode. • Hestia’s family beating Apollo’s was too easy. It was unbelievable that 5 people would be able to breeze through 200 without any serious injuries. Bell’s power boost was so poorly written that I questioned if this was fanfic. He went from getting his ass kicked by a lvl 3, going off to train for a few days and winning the rematch. Why? Because Ainz showed him how to dodge 1 or 2 hits. The problem i have with this is they don’t SHOW us Bell’s training, we’re only given a few lazy panels and are meant to be okay with this. I liked the darker tone in the Prostitute arc, too bad it was mainly prostitutes chasing Bell to take his virginity and adding 1 girl more to the harem. We got some backstory on Samurai girl which made me care a bit about her. Fox girl was pretty much a damsel in distress. I hated the reveal in the end that she didn’t actually sleep with anyone considering what made her interesting was that she did ‘taint her body’ and didn’t feel she deserved being saved by a hero. She may not know, but it completely undermines her development for the viewer. I don’t know what to call the next arc because it was pretty much a mess. Pacing was eradic e.g. ep. 11 we left of with Bell and Hestia falling from a cliff, the next we’re at a village and everyone’s fine. The only good thing about it was the focus on Bell’s love for his kami sama. However, I wish Bell addressed Hestia’s feelings like he was told so she could move on but instead he does the opposite and said he loved her... That’s going completely against what the story has been built around which is Bell’s love for Ains. Speaking of Ains, I don’t know what role she played this arc besides being a third wheel robot in a love triangle. The glimpse of her showing some emotions over the Black Dragon scales was the first time i think I’ve been interested to seeing where her character goes. I don’t see the point of Ares considering he just disappeared from the story. Bell’s development was awful this season. It’s like the same ‘pushover coward to confident hero’ character arc he went through last season, which is why he hasn’t really changed. I don’t like his ridiculous power boosts e.g. other characters take years to level up once, Bell went up from lvl 2 to lvl 4 in like 1 month... There was a few decent-good fights/animation e.g. Bell Vs Prostitute onee-san, but the fights and pacing wasn’t consistent enough. Overall, Danmachi S2 wasn’t good as the first season.

There’s plenty to say about DanMachi Season 2 but first, I’d like to welcome back this series. While the franchise hasn’t been a stellar masterpiece, it certainly has caught enough attention to secure a sequel. Even if it took nearly 5 years, this show obviously has a fan base, one that made this franchise popular for what it is today. That being said, I can’t declare this season as any better than the first season and as a matter of fact, it took several steps backwards. It doesn’t mean this season is unwatchable but certainly not enough to be considered great. For starters, you should doyourself a favor and watch the recap episode 0 unless you’ve recently finished the first season. Season 2 isn’t here to spoonfeed you and assumes the viewer is familiar with this franchise. Watching the first few episodes made me realize that the anime itself retains the familiar setting, charisma, and personalities of the previous season. Hanging on to the premise, DanMachi hasn’t been really about picking up girls from dungeons. Rather, it’s more of an anime to explore character relationships in this fantasy world of uncertainty. As some ideas may seem absurd, I do have to applaud the creator in making DanMachi into more than mindless popcorn entertainment. There’s plenty of characters to fill the story and while the previous season had already established its principal cast, we are also introduced to new ones this season. With the way this sequel started, it elicit some levels of entertainment from its first episode. We are reintroduced to Bell who continues to improve himself as an adventurer. Now being part of a guild and having a formidable party, Bell also catches the eyes of adversaries. This begins from a party that he and Hestia attends where he gets challenged to a war game. It doesn’t take long for Bell to accept because it’s a chance to prove himself. In that one moment, Bell shows his change from the previous season. If you remember from season 1’s first episode, he was weak and couldn’t defend himself. If it wasn’t for Ais Wallenstein, he’d be a dead man. Now, we have a young man wanting to prove to the whole world that he is capable adventurer. If he and his party wins this war game, it would definitely earn himself the respect he’s been fighting hard for. That being said, the war game arc itself is relatively short and unfortunately, both the buildup and execution is rushed. There’s a lack of emotional impact felt by both the fighting itself and endgame. Plus, I do believe the plot execution lacked excitement and in general, very predictable. On the other hand, I am somewhat glad the anime was generous enough to feature characters besides just Bell. These include characters from the first season such as Liliruca, Ryuu, and Yamato Mikoto. While the sequel doesn’t commit time to develop them, I’m certainly glad they weren’t left in the dust. Of course, Bell earns his spot for being able to keep his promise. While I’ve never been a big fan of his character, it’s certainly a better outcome than seeing an obnoxious individual such as Apollo taking the glory. It’s easy to understand why DanMachi Season 2 decided to dedicate its time to focus on volume 6 for the first half. It wanted to establish Bell’s guild as a respectful organization and that its adventurers are no pushovers. By doing so, we can trust the characters this season won’t be weak. Even Bell, who was initially portrayed as an underdog, is now a capable adventurer who others have taken notice. From here, we get the second half of the anime that dedicates its time on exploring new elements of its fictional world. While the Danmachi universe has its world fiction contents, it never seemed to step outside of the box to be something unique. It continuously borrows fantasy elements and even isekai ideas with the RPG-like world. The dungeons, town, and landscapes is what you would expect out of any fantasy adventure. From the second half, we are introduced to a distinctive district that takes the show to a more mature side. This would be known as the “City of Night”, a place of adult entertainment. The plot also builds tension to its overall suspense and even elicits a feeling of conspiracy. While this anime is usually filled with lighthearted jokes, the second half of the show adapts more of an emotional angle. While this seems like an exciting tone at first, it quickly wears out as the main girl involved is a timid prostitute. You heard that right. It seems the anime also applies its usually quirky humor by inserting virgin jokes. On the plus side, it did give a chance for Mikoto to shine. She stands out as the breakout character this season from Hestia Familia. Although she isn't able to carry the season, I do find Mikoto’s character to be much more appealing than Hestia herself. I mean, how many times are we going to have that Loli Big-Boobs shoved down our throat? I won’t spoil the plot so you’ll have to see how they planned out volume 7’s adaptation. From an anime perspective, let’s just say it contains more emotional impact than the first half. Yet, it isn’t going to be a tearjerker. That’s probably an unfair statement to say. DanMachi has never been really much of a series about emotional drama. It unites a variety of gimmick together with its character relationships that tries to each be unique on its own. From the previous season, we had Bell develop bonds with Hestia, Ais, and Liliuca. From this season, he builds a bond with Haruhime and members of the Hestia Familia. The latter is a step backwards as I didn’t feel compelled enough to get attached to these relationships. This isn’t really Bell’s fault as a character but overall with the plot direction. Haruhime and Bell’s character bond is nonetheless important for this arc but doesn’t capitalize on showing emotional effect. And in a world of creative writing, that’s not a great sign. J.C. Staff returns with its talent and I have to wonder how far they planned ahead. Likewise, I don’t think there’s any problem with the overall animation quality. Character designs returns in their original forms with a familiar style of combat cinematography similar to previous season. The extended world setting of City of Night adds more adult fan service. Trust me, you’ll understand what I mean once you reach the second half of the show. On most parts, this anime didn’t suffer from production issues. There were no episodes that had drops in quality. In terms of technical merits, you do have to give some credit where it’s due. This wasn’t really a season about picking up girls from dungeons. Instead, it’s an extended story on what the previous season had established with its character and ideas. Unfortunately, watching DanMachi Season 2 was a mediocre experience that truly didn’t make a big impact on my enjoyment. It’s feels like playing a video game with a long expansion DLC pack added to the main questline. With the franchise confirmed getting another season in 2020, this is going to be a big season pass.

Less Dungeoneering, more Familia Wars... Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka II was pretty much what LA expected of a sequel from Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka. World building and character development be it new or old and even if the plot structure of this season are essentially 2 and a half arcs mainly focused on selfish gods and goddesses with similar plot beats with them but the best strengths between both of these arcs are the solid character developments from new and old characters and growing the world building more because of it. Well to start offwith the Apollo Familia and Apollo himself, sure the entire war between Hestia and Apollo started off what is quite literally a waifu war only intensified into all out war, dragging Liliruca with her current familia Soma (which was slightly delved at in the first season) and Apollo wanting Bell as he's already become a name in Orario. Apollo's arc dragged in Liliruca in which she got ALOT of screentime in this arc and we more or less get character development and resolution from Soma, this being said as the Soma familia technically kicked her out but due to a Soma advisor having more control over the familia itself and the god Soma caring more about making more alcohol, the Soma advisor goes crazy with power and siding with Apollo to gain that power from him and get their way as a result. Liliruca either way from this Familia War gains ALOT of character development and ties loose plotlines from the first season. From this however, Yamato Mikoto viced by Chinatsu Akasaki that had a bit of screentime in the first season got a bit more focus as she wanted her debt repaid thus helps Hestia familia from this and at the end of the Apollo and Hestia Familia War, makes a great decision that only makes her better in te next arc... The Ishtar arc, which focuses on Sanjuno Haruhime voiced by Haruka Chigusa and Bell stumbling upon her, the thing is Haruhieme is a prostutite in the Red Light District helmed by the Ishtar Familia, striving off black market and the more sleazy end of businesses, Haruhime either way helps Bell getting out of the Red Light Distrct but Ishtar has other plans for Bell and latter on once the Hestia Familia and Bell finds out...they need to save her. Haruhime as a character is interesting as she like Bell loves hero stories but since she was tricked into becoming a prostitute she just let it happen, BUT she doesn't want any help from heroes as since she's a prostitute, she's the symbol of destruction for a hero thus doesn't want the help, so Bell being the "always wanting t protect everyone" not only wants to save Haruhime from Ishtar's plans but to shatter Haruhime's beliefs of a prostitute and hero dynamic. So how does Mikoto come into all this, well her familia the Takemakeuchi Familia were childhood friends with Haruhime when she was a princess so Mikoto wanting to find her as well as like Bell get her out of there, she in turn gains ALOT of screentime even in this arc and heck Mikoto came a LONG way from the nuisance minor character with little to no screentime to the point she became LA's favourite character in this second season (Ryu Lion is still LA's favorite character of the series overall). With all this being said, why does Ishtar want Haruhime let alone her plan?, well one that's spoilers so LA won't talk much about that, but Ishtar's plan, well has to do with Bell AND Freya, YEAH she's invovled and much like Apollo is vain and selfish using her familia as tools than...you know adventurers and human and Apollo may have been just plain crazy narcissistic, but Ishtar was a plain awfully detestable goddesses, even to the point of her reasoning of her plans and her fate was more than enough (let alone Bell wasn't really involved in that...*cough* Freya *cough*). But do you see something with Apollo and Ishtar compared to Hestia's familia?. Well for one thing Apollo and Ishtar's familia are powerful and rich as hell, compared to Hestia onnly hvaing Bell at the start and poor, but going further, Apollo and Ishtar doesn't really care about their members and again using them as tools more than anything else, hell because both Apollo and Ishatr one way or another eyes Bell, makes their members jealous of Bell instead. Wherein Hestia LOVES Bell and deeply cares for him in the worst cases and when Hestia's familia grows even though Hestia is a bit iffy with any advances with other girls with Bell, but aside from that, Hestia cares for her members of the familia, Apollo and Ishtar drunk on power and vain...do not care about their members and like the new best face or even more power than anything else....Ares ehhhh he's a comedic footnote if anything... The animation done once again by JC Staff are on form again with slicker, more polished and great battle scenes in the anime and with how intense it gets with Familia Wars and the such the strategy and choregraphy used in the anime was out in out fluid and great for the most part. The aesthetic of this season was the same as the first season but with a crisper tone to it as well. Not much to really say besides that JC Staff updated the animation to be more polished and consistent animation all round this season. The voice cast was great and thanks to the expanded cast added in some great voice actors from Haruka Chigusa as Haruhime, Akeno Watanabe as Aisha, Takako Honda who voiced Ishtar and Ryouta Osaka as Apollo. from the main cast, Yoshitsugu Matsukoa did great as Bell, Maaya Uchida as Liliruca and the big underdog Mikoto Yamato voiced by Chinatsu Akasaki did great as well. due to the majority of the anime focused on the other more poweful gods, Hestia's screentime was lessen dramatically this season thus Inori Minase but nonetheless she did her usual comedic scthick this season for the most part. ALl in all the voice cast was great all round. The only flaws LA saw was that once Haruhime's and Ishtar's arc finished, Haruhime became like the rest of the harem vying for Bell's attention and her backstory though full developed..had nowhere else to go which was a shame as she was a great and fully developed and realized character and she became wasted potential (but that's not to knock the events of Ishtar's arc it's just something LA noticed), the other would be that yes because Bell is the expected hero of this story, he essentially wins the entire time but not without hard work and training but he wins all the time, yes there is that but at least this season, he wasn't the only one set on stage as other characters had their time to shine, from Liliruca from Apollo's arc to Mikoto from both Apollo and Ishtar's arc and let's not forget Haruhime. Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka II was a HUGE step up from the first season and the bland-retelling side story of Sword Oratoria, sure the dungeoneering was slimmed down in favour of world building of Orario and character development from the old and new characters of the cast BUT...yeah isn't that actually a good thing due to this second season focusing on Orario and it's familia's and thus giving us much more in-depth world building with the various familia's and them having their eye on Bell and in turn drags major and minor characters into all this and drastically changes ALOT be it plot-wise or character-wise. LA VERY much enjoyed this second season for this, let alone giving LA some great characters like Mikoto Yamato, Haruhime and heck even Liliruca gets heavily redeemed in this second season. With the Apollo and Ishtar familia's craziness dust settling...what DOES Freya want with Bell, either way this second season was great and is an absolute must for those fans who liked the first season, was a palette cleanser from the disappointment of Sword Oratoria and then some for the Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka world..and since it was announced there will be a third season, LA wouldn't mind them trying to blend both the dungeoneering aspect of the firsts season and the Familia Wars of this season together making this world building fleshed out even more and let's not forget the major plot twist with Bell and what this has to do with Freya. Hestia may be Bestia but she's getting competition...from Haruhime and Freya...

Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka II (2019) Story Continued adventures of the cast involving a War Game, Rescue of a beautiful Renard (Fox Girl) and finishing off with a god from outside of the city attacking. The story itself in this season covers quite a lot of content with the initial episode having a wonderful scene between Bell and Ais. The scene very apparent is a lovely introduction. The War Game occurs fairly quickly but the episodes are well done and well thought out. The Renard section is also very good and you get a great new character that ticks many ofmy boxes. The final segment again is really well done and you get to know people on a bit of a deep level going forwards for a new season. Art This is done to the same standard as before and is really good to watch. The use of CGI for the enemies does work really well when needed. Sound We have a great OP and ED. The general sounds are perfectly fitting. The best of the sounds in the series are of the conflicts because they have the level of quality that Megumin has in Konosuba with her explosions or the quality of Millim when she punches that lizard in Slime Datta Ken. The sound effects are just spot on in this season. Characters All characters receive great progression even down to the minor details of Welf having a relationship with his original goddess Hephaistos. In terms of Hestia we learn about the debt she holds all for that dagger and the jealousy of other gods against her. They seem to have dated her and it shows bitterness about. Trouble follows her. Bell gains more development than ever right down to heartfelt moments towards the end. We get his beliefs that can be overpowering, his desires and worries. He is expanded so much more. It does leave conflict to his love interest as it isn't clear if it is Haruhime, Hestia or Ais. Haruhime gets a really nice backstory and revelations she doesn't know about herself come to light. Mikoto gets a nice story background and she is developed into the cast as a main stay. Ais we do not get to see as much as I would have hoped. Her absence does make sense during the show completely. She when around however is developed greatly. The first episode shows how little she has done towards normal life. Towards the end we see genuine rage on her face indicating a troubled past and her emotions show a bit more towards Bell. Ais is still best girl but Haruhime comes close. Other characters are their normal selves with some development around. New characters are well introduced. Enjoyment The show is enjoyable all the way through. It gives a range of emotions and excitement. This season is definitely a great addition to the series. Overall this is an excellent season and is very much worth a watch. Look forward to the OVA coming and Season 3 that was announced immediately following episode 12. *Megumin referenced from Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! *Millim referenced from Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken.