Solo Leveling is returning to TV for the Winter 2025 season, and this special theatrical presentation provides both a roughly 80 minute compilation of the first season and an advance look at the first two episodes of the second season. It was out in theaters in the States today (Wednesday 12/4/24), so this preview is based on a screening of the subtitled version at an IMAX theater.
The compilation is less a summary of the first season and more a highlight reel designed to help refresh the memories of established fans. If you’re new to the franchise, don’t rely on this to inform you enough to be able to follow the second season, as it skips over a lot of important details. The heaviest emphasis is on Jinwoo’s fight against the snake, the affair with Hwang Donsuk’s party, and the class change battles, the latter of which are replicated almost in full, but you’ll see very little from the set-up in the first two episodes. Since the strength of the first season lay in its detailed battle scenes, getting to rewatch them on an IMAX screen was a real treat. In fact, in general, limiting the content mostly to the major battle scenes emphasizes the strengths of the series while minimizing its weaknesses.
The first two new episodes (which I hope are released together as the debut, since they form a story mini-arc which doesn’t have a good break point in it) involve Jinwoo escorting the high school girl from the C-rank dungeon raids with Jinho (who turns out to be a classmate of his sister) as observers with a raid party of mostly B and A-ranked hunters. Things, of course, go awry when the gate goes red, thus trapping the team in a snowy landscape until the local boss can be defeated. The main threats here are giant bears and elf-like assailants, which combine to pose a severe threat to everyone else but mostly just give the even more dashingly-handsome Jinwoo an opportunity to show off what his new class can do. Various flashy battles ensue, as well as yet another Hunter turning ugly at his failures.
While these two episodes do bring up a couple of potentially interesting world-building points – this is the first time that dungeon adversaries who can talk have been encountered, and they seem to be subject to some guiding force – these two episodes mostly serve to finish a major shift for the story. No longer is this about Jinwoo having to get stronger just to survive; it’s now about him showing off as a total OP badass. Granted, there’s an S-ranked Hunter (and I’m guessing one of the stronger ones?) now gunning for him, but Jinwoo now seems to be at least on that level, and he’s got a whole damn shadow army at his disposal, too, complete with powerful new recruits from these episodes. Could be interesting to see if the series can keep ratcheting up the challenge level enough to maintain the kind of tension which characterized key fights in the first season, but at the very least, the high-powered musical score is back to give the action all of the dramatic backing it could ask for. On the downside, Jinwoo is progressively becoming less interesting as a character as his flaws and self-doubts continue to fade away.
Basically, if you were a big fan of the first season then you’ll probably find a lot more to like with this opening. If you weren’t then these new episodes offer little hope of changing your mind.
In all heroic stories where things go bad, there is a turning point. In the case of this arc, that “point” is the entirety of episode 8. No action in this episode can single-handedly carry that distinction, but taken together numerous actions set the path forward for climbing out of the hole that Freya Familia has dug.
The first issue is that, for as all-encompassing as Freya’s charm seems to be, there are gaps beyond just Hestia and Eina’s incident a couple of episode back. Freya knows it, and so does her upper echelon, and so they’re starting to sweat Bell’s continued resistance, even if it is flagging in the face of training even some Freya members are starting to acknowledge is going overboard. The Xenos are too deep to be influenced, and so is a Loki Familia expedition to deep levels headed by Riveria. (What, exactly, this expedition is for has not, to my knowledge, been revealed in the novels, either – or at least the ones published so far in English anyway – as Sword Oratoria’s novel 12 happens between seasons 3 and 4.) How someone as powerful as Riveria might influence the situation is a legitimate worry, enough so that reassignments in anticipation of her group’s eventual return passes the smell test with the Freya rank and file. But that’s not the last suggestion this episode that Hedin is definitely up to something. He seems to be both pushing Bell and giving him opportunities.
The second factor is Mia. Although novel readers knew this for a while at this point, the anime version has only suggested that she is a retired Freya Familia member. This episode confirms both that and that Mia did, indeed, have some kind of agreement to stay out of what Freya was doing. But she’s also clearly shown as far back as the first season that she doesn’t tolerate crap, and the stunt Freya is pulling here is a big heaping load of it. Her tolerance only goes so far, and so she gives Bell the words he needs to hear, even if he’s too much in depression to realize it immediately.
The third factor, unsurprisingly, is Ais. We knew from previous episodes that she was affected, but maybe not completely; she is, after all, both part spirit and emotionally stunted, and had a connection to Bell maybe even as strong as Hestia’s (if in a different way). Even so, an Ais who has only vague impressions of her established connections to Bell is enough. Would this encounter have happened if Freya Familia members were still tailing Bell? Probably, because nothing short of Freya personally being present could have stopped the encounter, and even familia elites (other than maybe Ottarl) couldn’t have taken on a trio of level 6s without consequences. Still, them not being around meant that Bell could collect himself without anyone being the wiser – and my, Hedin seemed at least a little happy about that, didn’t he? That’s the nail in the coffin that he’s not as fully committed to this scheme as everyone else, though why is the lingering mystery when his devotion to Freya doesn’t seem to be any less than that of the others.
And then, of course, there’s Hermes, who, other than Ouranous and Hestia, is the most problematic of the gods. Even under the charm, Hermes is too clever to not notice that things are off (with Asfi not being present, and him not knowing where she is, being the biggest clue), and he’s clever enough to figure out a way to leave breadcrumbs that even the charm can’t negate when it inevitably interferes with his memory when he gets too close to the truth. How do you fight a charm like this without being aware that you’re fighting it? Put yourself in a situation where you’re being told what to do without knowing the reason why. Honestly, it’s a brilliant plan, especially given the limitations he’s operating under.
And it’s even more brilliant when you consider that the note he left Hestia, which he had to come up with on very short notice and hastily scribbled out, fits perfectly into that resistance. Current Hermes may not know why it’s important to turn all of Orario into one big hearth, but he knows himself, he knows Hestia, and he knows that’s her domain. If something is affecting his memories, and Hestia can resist it, then the key is to find a way to transfer that resistance to the city as a whole. The particulars may be murky at this point, but the firewood deliveries Hermes Familia have been tasked with almost certainly have everything do do with that scheme. Gotta give a few more creds to Ouranos at this point!
And lastly, in a way, Syr is a factor here, too. Getting into a relationship with Bell as Syr may have been something Freya deeply wished for, but it’s looking more and more like trying to corner Bell as Syr was the biggest mistake she could have made. as Bell’s memory of her is the final barrier when he’s on the brink of giving up. But that, combined with all the other factors, allows Bell to collect himself in true heroic fashion. It’s now looking a lot less promising that Freya Familia can keep things together, especially with one of their own seeming to very subtly sabotage them. And don’t forget that Ryu is locked away somewhere, too, even if we didn’t see her this episode.
Finally, kudos to the musical score for this episode. This franchise has a long-standing and well-earned representation for superlative use of its musical themes, but this episode enforces how effective it can be outside of major battle scenes, too. This also feels like the best the series has ever looked artistically. Given next episode’s title – “Vesta,” which is Hestia’s counterpart in Roman mythology – a major reversal may be looming, and I can’t wait to see it play out.
This half of the report covers Orb (which I somehow overlooked in my first half) and all fall season series I have been following which are first hitting episode 6 or 7 between 11/16 and 11/20 inclusive. Mostly these are the series that were later starters, though in one case (Reincarnated Aristocrat) the series is here instead of in part 1 because it took an unexplained week off.
Arifureta 3
Rating So Far: C+
Thanks in part to much improved technical merits, this anime adaptation has gradually become more watchable as has progressed into its third season. It also gets a somewhat interesting plot line going about how the Haulia Bunny Tribe decides to start asserting itself politically, too, with only a comparatively minor helping hand from Hajime. That being said, it’s still blatant edgelord fare, to the point of absurdity; Hajime and crew now fly around on a massive sci fi airship that would look more fitting in outer space, and I think it may actually be impossible at this point for Hajime to make a mistake. I’m really starting to wonder if how seriously this series takes itself isn’t part of a really big joke. It’s barely passable as lowbrow fare.
As A Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World2
Rating So Far: B
While the first season did set the bigger plot in motion, it largely focused on assembling Ars’ core supporters and allies. This season has moved on to dramatically advancing the plot, sometimes with diplomacy and sometimes with Ars facing his first real, direct battles. Along the way his Appraisal ability essentially levels up, too. The series is doing a pretty good job so far of showing how Ars is gradually growing into the role of being a leader who could conceivably rise much further, but this would all be a bit more credible if Ars is allowed to age up some more. At least he’s not having it easy; no shortage of capable foes are popping up in his path.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War p3
Rating So Far: B-
At this point, I’m watching Bleach much more because I’m a completionist than because I care about the storyline. Other than Uryu having turned on Ichigo and friends/allies and Grimmjow being back as a kinda-sorta ally, this story about Ywatch killing, absorbing, and replacing the Soul King isn’t mechanically much different from any of the franchise’s previous apocalyptic storylines. Like its predecessors, the plot has little more to it than an excuse to set up lots of flashy battles. That being said, the flashy battles are amazingly flashy. The franchise has never looked better than (for example) episode 33, and that and the way the series is getting just about everyone who’s ever appeared before and is still alive involved is enough to carry the content on its own. So turn your brain off and come for the sheer spectacle; who cares if it makes sense?
Demon Lord 2099
Rating So Far: B-
This “reincarnate into the future of the same world” tale invited initial comparisons to The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy, and despite being an entirely different style of show, it still maintains some structural similarities. It is also easily the season’s most overlooked and underappreciated series. A former demon lord becoming a pompous, arrogant gaming streamer to reconstitute his worship-based power is a neat and fitting approach for a cyberpunk-influenced setting, and there are some unexpectedly philosophical elements involved when Veltol encounters the still-existing former hero, now reduced to being a vagabond. It can also surprise with some remarkably lavish action sequences, highlighted most by some in episode 6, and features a solid core cast. If you passed this one by at the beginning of the season, consider giving it another chance.
Nina the Starry Bride
Rating So Far: B
Nina may still act immaturely at times – she’s certainly no Shurei from The Story of Saiunkoku – but few anime heroines persevere more thoroughly on raw gumption than she does, and that (along with some protection by gorgeously handsome princes!) has enabled her to navigate some deadly-dangerous situations and still come out ahead;. Even a prince intent on using her (unknown to him, fake) status as a priestess-princess to start a conquest of her home country is having trouble reckoning with her, as even being slashed across the chest by a sword doesn’t stop her. Some big plot twists towards the end of episode 7 promise that the story will remain lively. On the technical side, the series benefits from some very pretty character designs, but the more subdued coloring prevents the look of the series from standing out.
Orb: On the Movement of the Spheres
Rating So Far: A
I may be a little biased here, since I’m a sucker for historical dramas. However, for as ugly as the content can be (torture, suicide, violent deaths, and characters being burned at the stake have all been a thing), this is a beautifully-rendered version of a manga that was known much more for its keen writing than visuals (especially in regard to its limited background art!), and it does so without sacrificing the writing one bit. These are sharply-defined characters who each have their own well-developed world views as they struggle to pursue the truth of the universe (i.e., heliocentrism) – even if that pursuit might put them at odds with the Church. Stunning twists, dramatic events, and an especially strong musical score are all highlights of one of the year’s most cerebral series. It’s my current front-runner for Best of Season honors and, unless it flounders in its second half, will likely to make my Top 10 (if not Top 5) for the year.
Ranma ½
Rating So Far: B+
The original Ranma ½ anime adaptation has long been one of the most beloved series in Western fandom, so many familiar with it approached this new version with trepidation. However, a strong case can be argued that this version is better. With support from a crisp animation effort, the series looks great, and the tighter and more efficient storytelling keeps events moving along. It proves that it can hit more sentimental notes when it needs to (see the first half of episode 5), but it also deftly captures the spirit of madcap fun which characterized the earlier version. Nowhere does that show more strongly than episode 7’s epic “Rhythmic Gymnastics Martial Arts” showdown. (For newcomers, this is just the first in a regular running gag of making martial arts versions of activities that have nothing to do with martial arts.) The wonderful English dub is hitting all the right notes, too. Sure, there’s a big controversy over some mild censoring involving butt cracks and nipple-less breasts, but that’s ultimately a trivial issue to me. If you were holding off checking this one out because “remake,” don’t; you’re missing the season’s funniest series.
Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles 2
Rating So Far: B
Frankly, I didn’t have a high opinion of the first season when it first aired (due in no small part to the MC being a blatant Kirito clone), but the series grew on me more during a rewatch immediately prior to its second season’s debut, and that has carried over into this season. The lackluster personality of Haruto/Rio is still the series’ weakest point, but he is unusually insightful for an OP lead and he does at least have the conflict over keeping his past and present lives separate as he interacts with the newcomers from Japan (including his former love and biological little sister!) and one of the other summoned Heroes. Essentially, the series depends primarily on the people around Haruto being much more interesting, and giving significant chunks of the content from viewpoints other than Haruto’s doesn’t hurt. The seeds of greater plot threads lain in the first season are also now starting to bear fruit, including some surprising reappearances by characters first seen early in the series. It still hasn’t strayed far from being an OP power fantasy at heart, but it has more going for it than the lesser isekai series this season.
Shagri-La Frontier 2
Rating So Far: B+
There may not be much plot to this series, and it may not amount to anything more compelling than watching the MC get into all sorts of antics in VR games, but it still tackles what it does with gusto. The animation alone doesn’t get the credit for that, although it is a big factor; the design of the action scenes deserves at least as much credit. Sunraku also doesn’t give enough credit for how much his smarmy personality helps carry the series, either, whether he’s playing in Shangri-La Frontier or some other rando VR game. The SF Mini bits also deserve a shout-out, especially the one at the end of episode 6 about customers at an armorer being creeped out by Sunraku jealously staring in from outside. Still among the season’s most purely entertaining series.
The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor
Rating So Far: B-
This one is probably my second-favorite new series of the season (behind only I’ll Be a Villainess), but I have to rate this one distinctly lower for a couple of reasons. The first is that the series doesn’t entirely divorce itself from the inherent creep factor of a grown man having a physically 10-year-old girl as his bride, even if she is mentally older (though he doesn’t know that) and nothing physical is going on. Revelations over the course of the season have shown that his preference for girls under 14 isn’t a lolicon fetish, but rather a security measure (a fragment of a jealous goddess oriented on him can possess women age 14 or older), but that still seems a little too convenient. The balancing of cutesy and serious elements could also be better, but that’s a minor factor compared to the animation limitations that occasionally include still frames in the midst of action scenes – disappointing, since at other times the action flow actually looks pretty good. On the plus side, Jill is a delight and calls up comparisons to Tanya from The Saga of Tanya the Evil as the prepubescent-looking girl in a military uniform with a military attitude, and the contrast between her gung-ho confidence and occasional cutesy moments is utterly adorable. Not hard at all to understand how she wins people over despite her age. The musical score is a big plus on this one, too. Even with the growing animation problems, this is still a very fun series.
The Healer Who Was Banished From His Party Is, in Fact, the Strongest
Rating: B-
I was going to rate this one a step lower, but a strong episode 7 – one which furthers two key relationships and reinforces in a big way that a bigger plot is in motion – bumps the evaluation up overall. It also doesn’t hurt that this is one of the better-looking of the lower-tier fantasy series this season, with some actually decent animation, and has a co-lead in Narusena (featured above) who more than makes up for the bland personality of the titular character. Add in a potential romance beyond just the main characters and we have an RPG-styled fantasy series which seems to be striving to be more than just a typical tale about dungeon-crawling. The limp personality of Laust (who is, of course, far more capable than rumors about him suggest) is still a limiting factor on what this series can accomplish, but this one is still at least a step above the season’s bottomfeeders.
Week 7 of the Fall ’24 season marks the season’s official midway point, so let’s take a look at how some of the series airing this season are doing.
Like with the past three seasons, I am keeping up with a massive number of series this season (23 to be exact), so I am once again splitting this endeavor into two parts to keep it from being too cumbersome a read. The titles in this part are the ones that I am following which have reached episode 7 by 11/15/24. Next week’s installment will cover tittles that are hitting episode 7 or (in a few cases) 6 in the period of 11/15-11/21. And no, DanMachi will not be covered in either of these pieces since it is getting separate episode reviews.
So without further ado. . .
2.5 Dimensional Seduction
Rating So Far: B-
This series is at its best when emphasizing the different motivations for cosplaying and the way that relationships can build through cosplaying, and both of those factors are strongly evident this season as Nonoa becomes a cast regular, Mikarin returns to more active participation, and final girl Aria (the blonde who’s the redhead in the shot above) enters the stage. The love triangle dynamic created by Mikarin’s return is less effective (partly because she’s the only one who seems to be aware that there is a love triangle), but Aria compensates for that as a young woman seeking to cosplay to show love for her divorced father’s manga and hope to get his attention by becoming famous in the cosplay scene. Her more extroverted personality also fills the last gap in the group’s personality dynamic. Though Okamura is mostly reduced to the role of a supporting character by this point, he still makes important contributions, too. The somewhat flat coloring and unremarkable artistic effort still hamper this one some, but if anything its appeal as a story may be growing as it progresses.
365 Days To The Wedding
Rating So Far: B
Fake romance stories share one thing in common with real romances: how much you want to see the couple together is the single most important factor to the series’ success. That’s by far the biggest plus this series offers, as Takuya and Rika absolutely belong together: they both have similar levels of attractiveness, they both have similar levels of social awkwardness (though in somewhat different ways), and they both fit a gap in each others’ lives. The seven episodes so far all put them in situations to test whether their relationship can become more than just a fake engagement, including a surprisingly sober episode about a coworker and his family being shaken up by his wife unexpectedly seeking a divorce. Credit also goes to the staff for making the most of what feels like a relatively limited animation budget, and it’s hard not to appreciate a story focused on potential romance between two adults in the anime landscape. It may be one of the season’s more low-key offerings, but it’s a delight nonetheless.
DAN DA DAN
Rating So Far: A-
And we go from the season’s most low-key title straight to its most brazen. While I would not number this one among my favorite titles of the season, there are legitimate reasons why it’s both a critical darling and the most popular title of the season, even over former megalith Re:Zero. For starters, it’s arguably the most ambitiously and dynamically animated series of the entire year. While I prefer the prettier visual aesthetic of the animation used in Frieren or The Apothecary Diaries, neither of them has anywhere near the energy or sense of motion that this one does, and boy, does the storytelling provide ample opportunities to show that off! The appeal of the series goes well beyond just that, though. Okarun and Momo make a fabulous central duo (in addition to Momo being a great character on her own), Momo’s hot grandmother is a lively and unique supporting character, and even the villain “Turbo Granny” is tolerable now that she’s relegated to being a plushie. Episode 7 also surprised with a heartbreakingly poignant backstory explaining how the second major antagonist came to be the ghost Acrobatic Silky and linked to secondary girl Aira. Let’s not forget that it has one of the year’s best OPs, either, and its ED also isn’t shabby.
Good-Bye, Dragon Life
Rating So Far: C+
For the most part this has been a very run-of-the-mill pure reincarnation tale, in this case involving a former dragon reborn as a human man but with many of his draconic powers still intact. The main difference-maker has been the presence of the young-adult lamia Celina, though an encounter that protagonist Dolan had with a literal goddess he knew in his dragon life was also interesting. The move to a battle-heavy scenario in the last couple of episodes has been less effective, partly because Dolan, for all his power, just isn’t that interesting to watch in a fight. The portrayal of elves in this setting has also been thoroughly underwhelming (especially compared to how much attention is given to how Celina moves), and the world-building in general is a weak point. Offsetting that somewhat is a capable female magic knight who doesn’t (at least yet!) seem romantically interested in Dolan. This one is definitely watchable, and doesn’t look bad artistically (though the animation quality is less robust), but it is only borderline for being decent in a qualitative sense.
I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History
Rating So Far: B+
I almost rated this one a notch higher, but a 7th episode where the titular character was mostly absent as part of a curious way to handle a time jump holds the series back some, even if that episode did serve its purpose (i.e., to give a full outside perspective on what’s transpiring). Beyond that, this is easily my favorite new series of the season, with Alicia making for the ideal spunky villainess-wannabe, with the twist that most of her efforts to be a villain wouldn’t actually be considered true villainy by objective viewers, but rather a level of pragmatic “tough love” that captures positive attention she doesn’t intend to get. The angle of Alicia serving as a break on the runaway idealism of heroine Liz, and Alicia getting into danger because she’s not getting sucked into Liz’s almost cult-like following, is also interesting (even if not completely original).
Let This Grieving Soul Retire
Rating So Far: B-
I wavered on rating this one this high, but ultimately leaned towards the generous side because I find the fundamental concept to be that amusing: Krai leads the the land’s most powerful adventuring group, and his every decision is regarded with respect and awe and in the most favorable possible light, but he’s painfully aware that he’s by far the least of his compatriots when it comes to monstrous talent (he can only get by with seeming powerful because he uses a ton of magic items) and so is always seeking ways to minimize what he has to do, whether it be foisting management duties on subordinates or getting clan underlings to do investigations for him. His only real talent is being able to manage his exceedingly eccentric childhood friends, but after seeing how some of them act, that group needs a stable pragmatist at its core, and the other members seem to recognize that even if Krai doesn’t himself. Much like with Mia in Tearmoon Empire, seeing Krai get way more credit than he wants or deserves, even as he tries to dodge having to do anything, is endlessly entertaining.
Loner Life in Another World
Rating So Far: C
This group isekai series has a lot of factors stacked against it: some of the season’s weakest artistic and technical merits, over-reliance on the game aspects, little that’s interestingly different going on, and hardly anyone but the MC and an emergent antagonist among the students being allowed to be both creative and effective with their powers. Despite that, I can’t bring myself to hate the series and am still watching it. Haruka’s commitment to the loner role helps fends off potential harem elements, and that the Class Rep snagged one of the most potent abilities mostly to keep anyone else from abusing it is also a neat touch. It’s my lowest performer of the season so far, but not the series I’m following that I’m least enthusiastic about.
Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc.
Rating So Far: B
I love the concept here: magical girls are adult women doing a job for a specialized business (or, in some cases, specialized departments of more regular businesses), and the different ways this can be done are examined through the eyes of the newest employee at a magical girl start-up. The execution of the concept has been solid, too, as protagonist Kana has gotten to witness magical girls that are aggressive, elegant, or businesslike working for companies that focus on aesthetics, improvisation, or efficiency, as well as experiencing the very tech-like nature of this form of magic. The most recent episode has even raised hints of a bigger plot involving the “Kaii,” which serve as the threat necessitating magical girls, possibly evolving into something more dangerous. The series looks pretty good (if a bit flat) and has a likable diversity in its cast, including at least one who seems to have a loaded backstory. This may not be top-tier entertainment for this season, but it has proven to be a reliable performer so far.
Mecha-Ude
Rating So Far: C+
The strongest thing this series has going for it is its almost manic, Studio Trigger-styled action pieces featuring the titular aliens and the hosts they have “derized” with to feed off of their host’s “Arbitrium” (whatever that is). The problem is that the series depends too much on that element, leaving other aspects anywhere from partly to wholly unsatisfying. Some of the specific blame for this is pacing that is, at times, frenetic, especially in the most recent episode. I am also not a fan of the very angular art and character design styles, and a muddled plot and a bunch of characters I don’t care about don’t help. I’m giving this a halfway decent rating out of respect for the action sequences, but this is the title closest to the cut line of all the titles this season that I’ve watched to the halfway point or beyond.
Re:Zero s3
Rating So Far: B+
Most of the core cast members (sans Ram and Rem) have gathered in Watergate City, along with all of the Royal Selection candidates, and four Archbishops of the Witch’s Cult (previously-introduced Greed and Gluttony and newly-introduced Wrath and Lust) and their minions are there, too. Add in a new bard character and a whole lotta mayhem is going down – in other words, par for the course for the franchise. I am less than thrilled about Beatrice being sidelined partway into the season (though she still has importance as something the Witch’s Cult is seeking), but Emilia remaining active despite effectively becoming a prisoner helps offset that, and that is one hell of a speech that Subaru gives in episode 7 (57 overall). This isn’t the franchise’s strongest run of episodes, but the series still doesn’t disappoint.
Sword Art Online: Gun Gale Online s2
Rating: B
Prior to seeing episode 7, I was going to say that the twist which resulted in the formation of the BTRY team during Squad Jam 3 was the most disappointing of the season (if not the year), as it killed the full-blown LLENN/Pitohui team-up that was promised at the beginning of the season. The second big twist near the end of episode 7 has forced me to re-evaluate that thought, however, as the episode’s very last scene offers up the possibility of an even more interesting scenario, and earlier scenes offer up the suggestion that something of concern might be going on in the real world, too. All of the tops a season that has, so far, entirely consisted of one long in-game battle, but at least there’s been enough antics with all the different groups involved to maintain interest. This spin-off has never indicated that it isn’t meant to mostly be about lengthy online battle scenarios, but I still feel like there’s at least some room here for more plot beyond just the games (unlike Shangri-La Frontier, where the plot is in the game), and the lack of that is why I can’t rate this one higher.
That’s it for part 1! Nearly all of the titles feeding into part 2 air over the weekend or early in the week, so part 2 should be posted late on 11/20/24.
Despite Freya Familia seeming to have nearly all-encompassing control of Orario, last episode still left the status quo with a few loose ends. This episode explores several of those, while also dropping the first vague hints about possible resistance to the status quo. With so much ground to cover in various little scenes, that makes the episode’s content fly by.
Let’s take a look at how various important characters are impacted here:
Ahnya – As expected, she’s a loose end, and a big enough one that Freya decides to address it personally (even if she did have ulterior motives). Also as expected, Ahnya doesn’t understand what’s going on and is not dealing well with everyone seeming to forget Syr. The way she reacts to Allen – and the way Allen acts towards her – definitely suggests that there’s a complicated story behind how these two apparent siblings ended up this way. But what’s most curious here is how Freya seems to be going out of her way to be emotionally cruel towards Ahnya, like she’s specifically trying to distance herself from Ahnya. But is that for Ahnya’s benefit or Freya’s?
Mia – That Mia was unaffected by the charm isn’t too surprising. Once Freya was revealed to have been posing as Syr, that she would be working at an establishment run by a current or former Freya Familia member who is still quite strong only makes sense from a security standpoint; the upper echelon likely wouldn’t have tolerated anything less than a member on their level directly watching over Freya. Mia also seems to know exactly what’s going on, too, but she does not seem inclined to interfere even though she clearly isn’t happy about it. Allen does mention a threat to her tavern, but even based on anime-only content alone, I can’t see Mia being intimidated by him or anyone else in the familia’s upper echelon. Likely she has some special agreement with Freya, and if she is a retiree, it could have something to do with that.
Ryu – Ahnya may be simple-minded, but Ryu arguably had an even stronger emotional connection to Syr (even if Syr did also recruit Ahnya, much like she did Ryu), so naturally this turn is going to hit her hard, and she wasn’t going to be able to resist Freya baiting her in with Ahnya when Ryu and Asfi sought to infiltrate the city. The interesting thing here is that Freya does genuinely seem to like Ryu, to the point that she’s loathe to use her charm on Ryu and is even willing to share Bell with her in an epic three-way relationship. How much of this was merely a ploy vs. Freya’s true feelings is unclear; it may well be both, especially since she, in the end, resorts to imprisoning Ryu rather than charming or killing her.
Asfi – Of the people left unaffected, she’s the most detached emotionally, and the one most capable at stealth. She may be isolated by circumstances now, but she’s too smart for that to last. Her opportunity to shine is doubtless upcoming.
Hestia and Ouranos – Not at all surprising that Hestia would end up here; in fact, her not trying this would have been more surprising. Ouranos is playing it coy because he can’t make a move without Freya knowing about it with Fels charmed, but that was a curious direction he gave to Fels, wasn’t it? Why would he have made a point of making sure Hestia knew about firewood deliveries being done by Hermes Familia? Methinks that may have been a subtle hint to Hestia about some course of action. . .
Freya Familia – The meeting with Freya and her leadership team only raises the suspicion that Hedin – the familia’s equivalent to Loki Familia’s Finn in terms of being a strategist – is playing a bigger, longer game here while still following Freya loyally. Freya seems to be picking up on it some, but Hedin is too smart to reveal his hand, and none of the others in the upper echelon are even close to on his level of craftiness. What’s going on with Horn is even less clear; is she being influenced by Freya or trying to influence Freya?
Bell – His appearances are only relatively brief this episode, but he still seems to be holding out, and is even unwittingly throwing Freya off her game with his simple-minded but sill meaningful comments about retrieving things that one has discarded, a statement more impactful on Freya than he knows given what went down earlier with Ryu.
Freya – For not the first time, Freya gives the impression that she’s deliberately casting herself as the villainess; she’s just not openly admitting that’s what she’s doing, as Alicia is in I’ll Become A Villainess Who Goes Down in History. It almost seems like she’s trying to convince herself that she doesn’t care that she’s trampling over everyone to get what she wants, and even that has limits. (See Ryu.) The statement that she hates her own charm power is also a curious one; perhaps it’s because it makes everything too easy? That she still has that ornament in a bedroom drawer is the strongest evidence yet that she has failed to completely suppress Syr, and even Bell is noticing.
Lastly, one point about the artistic effort. It’s been very solid so far this season, but in this episode I have noticed some inconsistencies in the way Hedin’s ears are designed. They look different in side shots compared to head-on or from behind.
Things look bad for now, but the saving grace for Hestia and everyone else is that Freya, despite being insistent on what she wants, isn’t bloodthirsty about it. She’s more incredibly selfish than truly evil. That gives those who oppose what she’s doing what little chance they have.
Unlike most other movies connected to anime series, The Sacred Kingdom is not a compilation, sequel, or original side story. It is, instead, an interstitial story, one that takes place between the two main arcs of season 4 but was skipped over during the airing of season 4, presumably to set up the end of the Re-Estize Kingdom as the season’s much more dramatic finish. (There are even a couple of brief references to the events in the Roble Holy Kingdom in the second half of season 4, so they are now referring to the events depicted here.) Seeing up through at least the end of the first arc in season 4 before watching this movie is recommended, though in honesty, the events here stand well enough on their own that not being fully caught up not hinder the viewer much.
The story here focuses exclusively on the northern half of the Roble Holy Kingdom, which is facing an existential threat from a massive army of demihumans led by the demon Jaldabaoth (aka Demiurge). Faced with a foe they can’t handle on their own, the paladin defenders of Roble reluctantly seek the help of the great hero Momon, and so travel to the newly-established Sorcerer Kingdom. To their surprise, the Sorcerer King himself, Ains Ooal Gown, decides to assist them personally, and the young female squire Neia is assigned to be Ains’ escort. As she assists and speaks with Ains in his endeavors to face off against Jaldabaoth, Neia gradually becomes more impressed with the Sorcerer King, even to the point of using him as a standard to define her sense of justice – much to the dismay of head paladin Calca, who (more rightly than she knows) doesn’t trust an undead.
Like with some earlier story arcs, the perspective here isn’t that of Ains or any of his chief minions; in fact, beyond Demiurge, the only Nazarick minion which has more than a cameo appearance (if even that!) is the little-used-in-animation Pleiades member CZ2128. Instead, the viewpoint is primarily that of new character Neia, and to a much lesser extent Calca. But the franchise has shown multiple times before that it can function well based on outsider perspectives of Ains and his people, and that works at least as well in this case, too. Neia deserves the bulk of the credit for this, as she is both an engaging character and makes for an interesting study in how an ordinary person can gradually become a zealot through circumstances. One of the multiple juicy ironies in the story is that Ains wasn’t deliberately aiming for this; he was just being congenial with Neia (as he was with the Swords of Darkness members back in season 1), and his dramatic help to Neia’s cause was, at least in part, staged, but it’s not hard to understand why Demiurge would interpret that as deliberate intent. That Neia had such a favorable view of Ains certainly contributed to her getting along so well with CZ; their teamwork in the movie’s later stages is arguably more of a highlight than the big, flashy battle scenes.
The substance of the roughly 135 minute movie comes from the various ruminations on justice scattered throughout the film. Paladins form the core of the Roble Holy Kingdom’s defenders, and their very existence is bound to the pursuit of justice. When this starts to be used against them by the demihuman forces, various key characters on the Roble side – most notably Neia and Calca – have to consider if their definition of justice needs to be modified or even re-thought entirely. Is justice based on idealism still functional, or does it have to be based on practicality in order for it to be achievable? In dealings with Ains, Neia going in the latter direction is only natural, while ironically, the justice and distrust maintained by Calca proves to actually be correct even though no one around her will believe that Ains and Jaldabaoth are working together to stage the whole thing.
Like the series, much of the content has grim overtones to it, with no shortage of bloody slaughter and graphic deaths involving even children. However, also like the series, it makes room for various bursts of both ordinary and dramatic action sequences (though the biggest battles are commonly trimmed in favor of emphasizing smaller, easier-to-animate action sequences). Also like the series, the movie does find its opportunities for humor, too, especially in the curious emphasis that various figures put on “rune technology” (this is the reference that seeing the first part of season 4 is most necessary to understand), Ains’ reactions to Neia at times, and CZ’s comically bad acting, which Neia doesn’t seem to pick up on. The nearly-full theater I watched this in was chuckling or laughing out loud at multiple points.
The animation effort is a step up from what the TV series accomplished, while the musical effort was in line with the styles used in the series. I watched the English dubbed version, which worked perfectly fine; veteran Sarah Weidenheft (Black Clover‘s Charmy, Zombie Land Saga‘s Lily) is a great fit for Neia, while Michelle Rojas hits just the right delivery cadence as CZ.
I can’t speak to how the movie serves as an adaptation, since I have not read that deeply into the source material, but from an anime-only perspective the movie serves as a capable and entertaining display of the franchise’s strengths. Its main weakness is some somewhat choppy editing, which results in what might be expected to be featured battles being cut out entirely and thus some abrupt scene transitions. Even with that, though, it’s a worthy addition to the franchise that’s well worth watching by any franchise fan.
Last episode featured Freya dropping her charm bomb on Orario and Bell waking up to discover that he was trapped in a peculiar kind of nightmare. This episode, Freya advances her game plan as she and her minions push forward with a concerted effort to convince Bell that his memories of reality are just the result of some curse that’s warped his memories from the truth: that he was always a member of Freya Familia. It’s insidious in some senses but sad in others.
For an episode where it feels at the end like not much actually happened in terms of advancing the story, a lot of detail still comes out. Freya has probably had a plan like this in mind for some time now, as evidenced by all the preparations that have been made for it. She has a plan for those who were deep in the Dungeon or outside of the city when the charm landed, she has eyes on Hestia (the one person whom she apparently knew she couldn’t affect), she had the Status Snitch ready for when Bell would inevitably demand proof via a status update, she has the Hestia Knife hidden away somewhere, and she had a plan for dealing with Ouranos, too. She and Ouranos both know that, with the charm in effect, he doesn’t have the tools to do much to her, but Freya also knows he can still be a thorn in her side, so she bribes him rather than charming him, which brings up an interesting point: we’ve seen Loki Familia in the Dungeon many times, but we haven’t seen Freya Familia down there beyond Ottarl prepping the Minotaur back in season 1. All her people have apparently been doing lots of life-and-death training and tasks for her instead, even though they’re on at least even terms with Loki Familia for power. But how long will Freya’s promise to push Dungeon exploration keep him at bay? (And what is “machia” anyway? This is the first time that term has come up in the animation, and I don’t believe it came up in the novels before this point, either.)
But Freya’s charm isn’t flawless. Altering memories doesn’t seem to block strong emotional connections, and those combined with hard proof can overcome the charm. Unfortunately for Eina, the charm also appears to turn everyone under it into an effective spy for Freya, so someone who breaks out is bound to get reported, and she just winds up using Eina’s notes in her continuing attempt to dupe Bell. (But she also probably wasn’t lying when she indicated she would enjoy reading them just to learn more about Bell, too.) Not even Ais can resist the charm, but she still had enough of a relationship with Bell to have vague lingering impressions. For all her ridiculous behavior at times, Hestia is also no fool; she knows that Ais could be a key to saving or completely breaking Bell, depending on how she responds to him. Hestia also has enough sense to heed Hermes’ warning to her before the charm dropped, since Hermes clearly isn’t ready to be shaken out of the charm himself yet.
And there’s a simpler factor Freya hasn’t accounted for, either: how skittish Bell is when put in even vaguely sexual situations. Even if he is confused over whether his memories are real or not, that part of him hasn’t changed. Freya, who may never have had anyone resist her physical charms so thoroughly before, was clearly caught completely off guard, but she’s enjoying that rather than getting frustrated by it. Yes, she wanted Bell, but even she may not have been fully cognizant of what she wanted from Bell. That she feels compelled to result to such drastic measures is, honestly, a bit sad.
Then there’s the matter of Folkvangr. In Norse mythology, this was a meadow that served as a counterpart to Valhalla, where warriors gather after death and which was controlled by Freyja. In this context, it’s the part of the Freya Familia estate where the rank-and-file constantly engage in bloody training during the day, get healed by the Familia’s masterful healers at the end, and then eat heartily in the evening. It’s more brutal combat training than anything Bell has seen before, all in the name of pleasing Freyja. But even here, some faint cracks are starting to emerge. Even beyond Horn, not everyone is welcoming of Bell’s presence, regardless of what Freya wants; they want Freya’s attention on them, not him. The upper echelon are all playing along for now, but they have also shown that kind of selfishness in the past, too. Yes, they all worship and serve Freya, but they also expect her attention, much like Soma’s familia members expect his wine, and they are all no less addicted to it. (Interestingly, this is almost a diametric opposite dynamic to Ishtar and Apollo, where many of the familia members actively avoided getting too much of their god’s attention.)
And there’s one other potential loose end which hasn’t even been touched on yet: a certain moronic catgirl waitress, who was a former active Freya Familia member and still probably has Freya’s Falna engraved into her back. That means she would also be unaffected by the charm, just like the regular familia members weren’t, and she clearly didn’t know what was going on with Syr and so almost certainly wouldn’t understand it. How will she play into this going forward?
Essentially, the challenge here is whether Freya can wear down Bell’s resistance before someone can disrupt to her fantasy world. The seeds for overcoming Freya are out there, but can Bell hold out long enough for them to germinate?
Hermes has not always been completely on top of situations, but he rolls with the punches better than anyone, so seeing Hermes look this alarmed is the first indication that the situation this episode is even more dire than it appeared to be at first – and that’s saying something, because a dedicated move by Freya Familia elites to take out all of Hestia Familia is a pretty dire starter move. But as the episode soon shows, that was just the prologue to the real story here.
Anyone who’s watched the anime adaptation from the beginning has probably been anticipating that Freya was going to make a direct play for Bell at some point, and the episodes this season have only heightened the tension that this could be coming. Hence, especially after Freya’s declaration at the end of last episode, them making an aggressive move here was expected, and Freya directly confronting Hestia and making threats about killing off Hestia Familia (and even Hestia herself, if necessary) to get Bell converted to Freya Familia isn’t a surprise, either. But what may be a surprise to anime-only viewers is exactly how far Freya can and will go with this.
One thing the DanMachi setting has always been consistent about is that gods who have descended to the Lower Realm may give up their divine powers, but they don’t give up the traits of their specialties. Hephaistos and Goibnu are still peerless makers of weapons and armor, Takemizuchi (as a war god) is still as skilled a warrior as any adventurer despite not having Falna engraved on him, Miach is still a master of medicine, and Freya and Ishtar (as goddesses of beauty) both have/had innate charm powers. Those who read the Familia Chronicles: Episode Freya novel got a glimpse there of what that charm can do when Freya sets aside her “self-imposed rule” (because forcing everyone to submit to her would be boring), and it’s no coincidence that novel came out about a year and a half before novel 17, the basis for this part of the arc, did: the incident in that novel was meant to be a foreshadowing of this. Does the ability to charm an entire city – even including gods! – make her one of the most powerful and scariest of all the gods, despite not being physically robust? Definitely.
But isn’t it curious what exactly Freya said to Hestia before this all goes down? “The eternal flame of the hearth that you preside over is more value than any sort of gold. You could even go as far as to say that I fear it.” She seems to know what Hermes also recognizes: that Hestia, with her divinity upped, is the one person in Orario other than Bell who can resist Freya’s charm. (Freya’s minions don’t seem to be affected, either, but that’s probably because they’re already linked to her.) That the normally-worthless Hestia is capable of this is the franchise’s greatest irony, even if why she can do so isn’t clear at this point. But we can speculate based on divine profiles. Freya’s spell is a powerful charm, and Hestia is one of the true virgin goddesses. She’s also the goddess of the hearth, and the hearth fire was regarded as the most important of all fires in ancient times, so that combination may give her a purity which transcends all attempts at corruption. (Even if Hestia rarely acts like that.) But even with that defense, she’s powerless to do anything when everyone else around her – even her own familia members – are subject to the all-encompassing charm, and Freya is making damn sure that Hestia is making no attempt to try to taking advantage of her unaffected status.
Of course, Hestia is not the only one besides Freya’s minions who isn’t affected. Her effect seems limited to the city, and Asfi got clear of that with Ryu. Whether or not the effect penetrated down into the Dungeon – and how far it did – is also uncertain at this point, so it’s reasonable to believe that the Xenos or anyone traveling deep might not be affected, too. So there are potential gaps in this attempt to rewrite everyone’s memories into believing that Bell has always been a Freya Familia member and their up-and-coming new star. But until those potential flaws can manifest and coalesce, Bell’s on his own, stuck in a classic “only I know the real truth” scenario and with every avenue for getting any sympathizers cut off.” The one-year rule on conversions (which last came into play when Mikoto joined Hestia Familia to help with the war game against Apollo Familia) at least buys him and Hestia some time, but that also gives Freya time to wear down Bell’s resistance. Even though it’s not a super-tight clock, the clock is, nonetheless, ticking.
But one other interesting thing is going on here, too. At the beginning of the episode, Freya states that she “killed” Syr. And yet, at the moment where she unleashes her charm, she seems to turn back into Syr, tears and all. (This was in the novel, too, but I especially like how the animation handles it.) That doesn’t at all seem like she’s forsaken her Syr identity as completely as she claims, and that smacks of a potentially fatal flaw.
DanMachi has always tended to emphasize its action elements, character interactions, and dramatic presentations, so I may not actually be saying much by labeling this as maybe the single most plot-dense episode in the entire franchise. But that’s still exactly what this is. No other episode has more big twists or more layers and diversity of meaning to it than this one does, and it tops off by ending on the final scene of volume 16 of the source novels, a scene that original author Fujino Omori has referred to as a “plot bomb” since merely labeling it a twist doesn’t do justice to the potential impact it’s going to have on the overall story. This is DanMachi at its most serious in a non-action sense, and its events will drive the rest of the season.
So let’s look at what all this episode spills out for important details:
The catperson waitress Ahnya is the younger sister of Freya Familia elite Allen Fromel and, based on her title, either a current (inactive) or former member of Freya Familia herself. This wasn’t a new revelation to novel readers at this point, as this detail was either suggested or outright revealed before this point, but it’s the first time the anime version has even hinted at it. And they’re not on good terms, at least from Allen’s standpoint.
Ahnya’s catty speech pattern is apparently an affectation rather than a standard catperson thing. (Notably, Allen has never used it himself in his brief previous appearances.)
Given Hestia’s immediate reaction to seeing Syr for the first time, that means that Hermes has either known or suspected the truth about Syr for a long time, or else the transformation was just so good that even he couldn’t be sure. But that would tend to suggest that other gods should have picked up on that too, right? (The novel is dodgy on this point.)
Based on what’s shown in this episode, the Syr that we’ve seen in the series is essentially an amalgamation of the human Horn and the goddess Freya. Syr was Horn’s original human name, and through the use of some special power, Freya was apparently able to borrow Horn’s humanity in order to become the human girl Syr. (The episode’s title, “Seidr,” is a reference to an old Norse form of magic that Freyja was particularly adept at, so that’s probably the name of Horn’s unique power.)
Horn can also assume the form of Syr (presumably because she’s the original) and thus was the Syr we saw speaking to Freya back in episode 1. But that would also mean that she can assume the form of Freya when Freya is posing as Syr, hence explaining the Freya we see in episode 2. Horn’s reference to sharing the psyche of Freya means that there’s at least a partial mind-meld going on here, too.
Based on their efforts to hunt Horn down the next day, most of the Freya Familia elite weren’t privy to the bargain Horn struck with Freya back in episode 1. Ottar clearly knew, and it’s safe to assume that Hedin either knew or had a strong suspicion, since he stayed out of the Syr/Horn hunt and stood guard over Syr/Freya.
Ryu is referred to as being precious to Syr, but does that necessarily mean that she’s precious to Freya?
Bell is definitely not above being affected by a sexy situation, but his self-control is impressive. And yes, he’s just as immune to Freya’s direct charm as he was to Ishtar’s.
Mia has to know everything that’s going on with Syr and Freya.
Whew! That’s a lot.
While Bell has always been skittish when it comes to anything even remotely sexual, this episode suggests better than any previous one that it’s not just typical anime male lead skittishness or purity. As the franchise has progressed, Bell is giving the impression that he’s the type who has to be won over gradually when it comes to romance. He’s not going to respond well to an aggressive approach, whether that aggression is physical (as in the Ishtar arc in season 2) or seductive. And Syr/Freya, after delighting in her date with Bell over the previous episode and a half and confirming to herself that she really does love Bell, is definitely getting seductively aggressive here, almost to the point of desperation. The Familia Chronicle: Episode Freya novel explores this much more thoroughly, but Freya is so venerated – and gets what she wants so easily – that she can’t have the relationships that a normal woman does and doesn’t seem to know what to do when someone doesn’t automatically fall into her grasp. That has to be both thrilling and terrifying.
The other important point here is that, because of her unique connection with Freya, Horn can sense this better than anyone, and so she’s choosing to act; probably from the time she delivered the message from Syr to Hestia Familia, her plan may have been to take out the person who was throwing her goddess so off-balance. And isn’t it conspicuous that the Freya elite stop trying to kill her for her transgression when she lays out her (nearly-psychotic) fanatical reasoning? Allen calls her a “zealot,” but he also seems to understand that he’s the pot calling the kettle black here, which is why Horn gets to walk away from this.
The waitresses certainly aren’t getting off so easily, though! None of them seemed to be fatally injured (perhaps because they were Syr’s compatriots), but they were certainly all hurt bad enough that they wouldn’t be able to interfere further. And this was a group with members capable of surviving on, and traversing to, level 36 of the Dungeon.
But for all the (relatively mild) sex appeal, all the deft action, and serious relationship moments, and all the twists, the final scene of an episode which atypically plays through both the opening and ending credits shakes the setting to its core every bit as much as Weine’s debut did. Bell unknowingly held his ground against Freya, dealing her the first true defeat she’s faced on any level in this franchise, and that’s not something she can tolerate. Ottar even conspicuously asks if that’s really what she wants (which I think may be a first for him in the anime version), because as devoted as he is to Freya, even he understands the extent of the action she’s undertaking. Big things are coming next episode.
One point that often gets underemphasized in discussions and analyses about this franchise is how much the structure and nature of familias can vary. Some (like Hestia Familia) function like a true family, while others function like businesses (Ishtar and Dian Cecht), fraternal organizations (arguably Loki Familia), spy groups (Hermes Familia), civic groups (Ganesha Familia), criminal organizations (Ikelos Familia), craft guilds (Hephaistos Familia), or even cults (arguably Soma Familia). Freya Familia absolutely falls into the latter category, and as these first three episodes have shown, that’s an important thing to understand. They don’t really care about each other; they only care about the goddess at the top and those who have special standing with their goddess – likely, apparently, Syr does. What the people at the top will always be honored, but woe be to any who try to intrude on those they venerate. With episode 3, we can see those two aspects come into sharp conflict.
The hostility that many members of Freya Familia have towards Bell over Freya’s interest in him has never been disguised, and the way they react to Bell taking off with Syr (at Syr’s request) suggests that at least some of their members were just looking for an excuse to go after Bell. Notably, it’s not the upper echelons we see doing that at this point; it’s the rank-and-file Freya Familia members who go as far as freezing a path to the dining cruise and essentially raiding it, only to find the others who were trailing Bell and Syr get in the way. And the upper echelon clearly aren’t all of the same mind on this, either; Allen seems dedicated purely to protection, Ottar seems to see himself as little more than a tool for executing Freya’s will, and Hedin, for all his harshness, seems genuinely dedicated to giving Freya what she wants, even she doesn’t quite understand that herself. Since Syr is very closely tied to Freya, why Syr would find all of that to be oppressive is not at all hard to understand.
DanMachi may be an action-adventure series at heart, but there was something especially delightful about how joyous and free Syr feels in the episode’s middle dating scenes. She’s clearly having the time of her life, regardless of what others want for her or whatever competition she has with Freya. Even so, she does seem to be acting in a meaningful way, too. The way she says what she does on the Heroes’ Bridge certainly suggests that she has expectations for Bell possibly every bit as strong as Hermes’ are, and where they two end up at the end almost seems planned, too. This may not have been the path that Syr had in mind to get to this destination, but this seems to have been her intended destination all along. In its own way, this is a threat to Bell as great as what Ishtar herself posed to him.
But there are plenty of other details to consider here, too. One little Easter Egg that the episode throws out for devotees of the franchise’s Memoria Freese game can be seen very briefly in the statues on the Heroes Bridge:
This is Fianna, the prum leader and founder of the Knights of Fianna, whom Finn venerates and is at least in part referring to when he talks about reclaiming the glory of his race. (The full story from the game can be found here, but summarized versions are also out there.)
While not referenced elsewhere that I’m aware of, the tale Bell relates about the story the Cathedral is dedicated to is also notable as one of the few bits of greater setting lore that actually makes it into anime form. The franchise has never been known for engaging in exposition just for its own sake, so doubtless that sad tale has at least some relevance to the current situation. Also, isn’t it curious that Syr also mentions Odr, something which Freya mentions early in episode 1 of this season? In Norse lore, Odr was Freya’s husband, though here the name seems to be used conceptually to refer to an ideal partner.
So far events have leaned towards the light-hearted side, but as events press on towards the end, the franchise’s more serious side seems to be starting to take over. How is Bell going to navigate his way out of one of the hairiest challenges he’s faced yet?
USA Anime 