Overlord II

I am not exactly sure what happened but I enjoyed every single minute of it.
It was fun, quite slow paced but overall very enjoyable. The whole story can be divided into two parts (little bit of SAO feeling there), the lizardmen part and the princess part. They are not really related, I don't think they even mention the lizards after they are done with them. Or maybe they don't want to talk about them because of the thing they had to witness in the tent?
The characters are awesome and there is nothing else to say about them. I was basically fangirling (yes, that is a ... word) over Sebas and his style. The way he dealt with the bad guys was pure awesomeness.
The story was well written but a little bit short.
I am really hyped about the next season.

I'm very glad that Mad House decided to make a sequel to the first Overlord Season with this Season 2. I'm pleased with how it all went, from the first episodes to the end.

Story 7/10
This season chooses to focus more on the side characters rather than on the main character, Momonga. There's obviously going to be some doubts regarding these turn of events, but don't worry. This is actually a good thing, we get to see character development in new characters, as well as from a few characters that we were introduced to in the first season but never really got around to actually seeing ... them much.

However, the main story surrounding this sequel does feel a bit wonky in its progression. There's one arc that doesn't get much attention, therefore making it not as good as the other arcs explored throughout the anime, and the beginning to the mid-end feels clunky overall. It's not until the last four episodes or so that I actually begin really enjoying this anime. That isn't to say that it wasn't entertaining before that, I was just a bit disappointed with the execution of the storytelling. Still good enough in this department.

Characters 8/10
The characters are still as entertaining in this season just as much as they were in the first. Even without Momonga not being present most of the time, we still have a bit of character development from Sebas, Cocytus, and a few other characters that weren't delved deep into in the first season, and it makes up for this absence exceedingly so. The new characters introduced in this sequel also helped in bringing up the suspense and hype that the Overlord anime franchise has been able to do so well, and that also really strengthens my liking towards this growing anime series. Not to mention, Momonga gets a new member into his harem. Haha... yeah. Eight out of ten.

Animation 8/10
The animation is just about the same here when compared to its predecessor, although there has been a vast improvement in the combat and action scenes, mainly the CGI getting better which provides more smooth fighting sequences.

Sound 8/10
Oh boy, did I love this anime's soundtrack. While the Opening and the Ending don't really provide much relation to the actual anime itself, it still manages to bring out the awesomeness and hype that you'll get from watching it. And it so rightfully deserves that. Both songs are very entertaining in their own right, and both OxT and Myth&Roid have made me proud. I mean, I'm listening to the two songs right now as I'm writing this.

Enjoyment 8/10
This anime really relies on hype to make us watch more, and coupled with the action and humor, there's no doubt that I really enjoyed Overlord 2 so much.

Overall 8/10
This did not disappoint. I really loved watching each episode and the ending was really, really good, albeit kind of rushed. Despite some pacing issues, I enjoyed what this sequel had to offer. I'm looking forward to a third season without a doubt. With all my heart, I recommend this very much. If you want some badass characters, funny humor, and a very entertaining watch overall, then this is not for you. Just kidding. Watch it.

I finished Overlord II on my lunch break at the office today because I was THAT excited to see the season finale. In fact, I’m actually writing this review at work right now. It wasn’t always this way, though. I was actually a little concerned after watching the first couple of episodes back in January.

Overlord II is primarily a world-building season. That's great if you like seeing minor characters get significant screen time. Not so much if you're a fan of one of the previously establish characters that becomes less relevant because of it. While hesitant at first, I’m now convinced this was the right ... approach to take. The story is written in such a way that by the season finale I found myself actually caring about many of the “extras” despite their overall weakness relative to the main cast.

Aside from a few ugly bits of CGI, the quality of animation is on par with what we've come to expect from Madhouse. If you liked the first season, there’s no reason you shouldn’t at least give Overlord II a try. I mean, Madhouse did.

I have never understood why Overlord receives so much praise.

It is practically a generic isekai light novel adaptation, but with older characters, giving it the illusion of maturity. Overlord is not mature, it's not remotely well written, its visuals don't even look good. The character designs look cool, and all but that isn't enough to carry a boatload of mediocrity. Both this season and the first were at best disposable entertainment, like any other isekai light novel adaptation. What's the appeal of it? Is it that Momonga is a ridiculously overpowered self-insert protagonist and his legion of ladies all want him?

Momonga is a typical isekai ... protagonist. An overpowered character doesn't become good just by not being a teenage boy. Skeleton or kid, there is no difference. Skeletons are cool and all. I like them as much as the next guy, but he's not a very interesting character beyond his intimidating design. He is entirely devoid of substance, only existing to continue the story. Even his character art fails at conveying the intimidation. The light novel's designs look amazing—but this adaptation's art lacks detail. His skeleton face remains unanimated in conversations; his voice is undeniably booming, the actor puts on a fantastic show, but there's no impact.

Momonga being a villain changes almost nothing. Everyone still loves him anyway, and he acts like the generic 'nice guy' harem protagonist. He's always speaking in his friendly guy voice in his head to remind us, he's not actually a real villain. It's lovely how nice of a guy he is really–wait, stop right there... If the villain protagonist isn't even a villain, then this show is literally just the same as anything else… Like the meek voice hiding behind the intimidating demonic skeleton exterior, Overlord masquerades as something far better and more original than it actually is. The philosophy of: "How can I self-insert if my main character isn't a good guy?" breaks any potential this show had to become something original.

It's funny how Overlord shamelessly admits that its female characters are coded to love Momonga, but that doesn't make it better writing. A story's world should ebb and flow without the audience needing to be there. Here it feels like a pandering fest; the characters bend over backward to praise Mr. Skeletor, he wins nearly every fight, and there is no substance.

This new season of Overlord isn't all harem bullshit; it tries a few new things… and fails at all of them. For some reason, whenever the story follows any character other than Momonga, it becomes insufferably dull. We got classic stories to be loved for ages, like the tribe of lizard idiots who inevitably get taken over by Momonga, the compelling backstory for Momonga's butler (aka Plank of Wood), some random knight guy, and a princess with a dark secret! Remember how Overlord's first season had somewhat slow pacing at times? This is 10 times worse! Entire episodes are dedicated to characters that we don't have a reason to care about. We're forced to watch them fighting in their stupid battles and their boring melodrama, and all of it barely connected to the characters introduced in the first season. In the end, the stories come together, but does the moderately entertaining end justify the tiresome means? Not at all.

It's rare for anime to put me to sleep, but Overlord's first three (lizard-focused) episodes truly tested my fortitude. The only plausible reason for the story breaking off from Ainz to follow the lizard people is to keep his harem junk from becoming too repetitive. The thing is, Overlord will be redundant no matter what crap they shove down our throats during the filler episodes. Isekai anime are so oversaturated that only making more of the same isn't enough these days. I've seen so many of these isekai power fantasies—perhaps Overlord was more original when the light novel first began publication, but today it's trite, overdone, a waste of time.

At least the few episodes Momonga gets are slightly more entertaining than the filler ones. He and the people around him have eye-catching character designs, wacky personalities, and enjoyably overdone voice acting. There's almost no substance to any of them, but at least they're fun to watch in small doses. The thing is, this new season is barely about the actually exciting characters. The only one in Momonga's legion who gets a backstory is his butler (the blandest of them all). He has an even intimidating personality but none of the charisma necessary to hold up entire episodes independently. There was a small amount of development seen for a few members of the enormous cast, but it's for the boring ones that no one is watching the show for. An occasional twist in a character's personality following a surprising betrayal may offer some fleeting intrigue, but you will quickly realize that all those twists exist. To momentarily add a fresh coat of paint to a cast of rotting cardboard cutouts.

Momga's episodes were at least better than those about random bland side characters, especially during the last three episodes of this season. We see all-out violence using nonsensical magic to create exciting gorefests and lots of angry expressions. It's still never what I'd call good, but it's passable entertainment. Momonga's storylines do tend to get repetitive quickly. An issue arises among his legion or in the world; he is literally the most powerful being in the universe and kills shit, then gives us a comment on it in his 'nice guy' voice, rinse and repeat. The only reprieve from the mind-numbing formula is the final few episodes, full of gory action, plot twists, and even betrayals that actually had me surprised. Although I struggled to care about the turns the plot took or the characters who took radical changes, it provided a fresh perspective on the tired story, even if for a moment. Sadly, the action-packed moments weren't much better than what we've seen before from Overlord, plagued with issues caused by a rushed production.

The action scenes are lackluster at best. Madhouse is airing three anime just this season alone, so it would be unreasonable to expect flawless quality, but this is just flat out the same mediocre visuals as the first season. Action scenes rely on zoom in on still shots, unanimated motion tweens, and jarring CGI. Environments are dreadfully ugly to look at; dull colors, low res repeated textures, a lack of detail, and defining traits. It all feels so lifeless and flat. It's the kind of show I would have forgotten entirely if I wasn't reviewing it.

The soundtrack is equally mediocre, totally forgettable. The bog-standard sort of booming orchestral music fades into the background. The opening was ok; a generic rock song. The ending track "Hydra" was wonderfully wispy with haunting vocals. It was the best part of the show, the only reason why I was hesitant to drop it all season.

Anything separating Overlord from the hordes of low effort isekai adaptations we see every season is only superficial; neither the audiovisual nor writing are above average. The main character being a 'villain' is just a cheap facade, the setting is lifeless, and even the cool designs are diminished by lackluster visuals. Overlord is overrated. It's just more of the same boring isekai drivel.

A far cry from season 1. Season 2 of Overlord takes several steps back in terms of production quality. Virtually every episode follows the same crummy format.
1.Character does something wrong or reacts to something being done wrong.
2.Character has long winded dialogue to another character as they exchange exposition as unnaturally as possible for 15 minutes.
3.Action scene, but since all the main characters are op, and the directors know there is no tensity to the fighting. We are instead treated to watching random cliche characters nobody cares about, fight.
4.???
Episode ends. I don't think anyone was trying when they made this. What a joke.

STORY: 1

I'd like to begin by asking the following: What story? What exactly is this show about? Season 1 of Overlord couldn't really make up its mind either, but at least it was an enjoyable time enough for me to not mind. In fact, I marathoned all of Season 1 faster than I have ever watched an anime before in my life. Season 2 of Overlord got lost in a rabbithole.

After Momonga becomes a part of his MMORPG, but is simultaneously transported to a different setting (starting to get a little convoluted, but it's workable), he decides to do... Well, it's not really clear. He ... eventually decides to spread the name of his guild across the lands with the hope that someone else from his MMORPG is there also, which is a rather weak goal for an entire series to hinge on. BUT! Earlier he considers taking over the world as an evil overlord since he and his crew of NPCs have all the powers they acquired in the game while the people of the world they find themselves in are comparably weak. It would be the same as waking up in DragonAge Origins as your max-level character from World of WarCraft.

The problems start right out the gate because Momonga doesn't want to start a conflict he can't win, so is very slow and deliberate, scouting the world to see what powers he might be up against and if other players like himself are there. This grinds the pacing down to less than a crawl. The fact that Momonga can't be sure if he's 100% invincible in this world is an artificial barrier that prevents the story from pumping along at a nice even pace. More importantly though, while much is cut out from the original light novels, I believe much more should have been cut. For example, most events (in both seasons) take several episodes to complete when they could be done in just one, (mostly by removing extraneous dialogue that accomplishes nothing), making that event more impactful and freeing up time for more character development and story progression. It would bother those who have read the light novels since they would know just how much was excluded, but it would be necessary for the sake of making the adaptation into an anime even slightly functional.

The pacing problems carry on in Season 2 but are far worse. We never really know what the story is about because we don't see Momonga or his crew enough to stay saddled onto the overarching story. We divert to new characters as they rally to defend their homes from an invasion by Momonga's forces. That may sound interesting, but it's not. Seeing the conflict from the lizards' perspective (they're lizardmen, by the way) could be good, but it's jarring to focus on them so completely when this isn't their story to tell. This is Momonga's story of how he slowly learns more about the setting and, we assume despite him never really confirming it's actually his ambition, take over the world. This season doesn't allow us to follow along with that premise because we get bogged down in the immediate plot and endless and awkwardly written info dumps about history that really doesn't matter going forward, and could be safely left out, freeing up time for more interesting and relevant world building.

As we continue in Season 2, we shift focus to another series of new characters that aren't all that interesting as they go about their generic lives. They all have goals and pasts to tell, but none of it is relevant to the story of Momonga (presumably) taking over the world.

Just as an aside, I must mention the indecisiveness of the character of Momonga. He never really decides to be a villain protagonist. Even until the end of Season 2 he is only acting in small ways to gain resources and information and otherwise just react to events rather than causing them. He doesn't clearly act towards a greater goal, and many times appears to go out of his way to not be a villain. It's hard to describe, but it's like the writer couldn't make up his mind what kind of character he wanted Momonga to be. Does he want to be an evil overlord? Does he want to be a compassionate ruler who all the people love? We really need to stick to one or the other so we can have a unified point to the story.

I could ramble at length about the utter atrocity Overlord Season 2 is in the story and plot department, but I'll leave it here for now.




ART: 8

I've seen talk of the art quality going down and up and being overall bad through the middle of Season 2, but I didn't notice it. It looks quite nice to me, but doesn't have the flair for a higher score.




SOUND: 5

The sound is there. The music works, but it's very generic. Some of the pieces are overdramatic and it makes me roll my eyes. Sometimes less is more.




CHARACTERS: 1

What characters? We rarely see the protagonist, Momonga. The scenes with his crew of other main characters (that we didn't really get established in Season 1 but we loved all the same just because we appreciated them being there and the promise of new and interesting interactions when they got to make their debut in the story) are similarly shafted in favour of bland, generic characters that, in some cases, are simply frustrating to watch. Characters like Stronof or Climb (what a name...) are the embodiment of NPC. No one has ever wanted to know the entire life story of an NPC. A little background is nice, little humanizing moments are great, but giving so much focus on characters that can't drive the story forward (think Yamcha) and are boring anyway, is an awful decision for the writer and doubly bad for the team who adapted the source material. It's a season of anime that you weren't sure you were even going to make, and without any certainty that there would be a Season 3. You can cut these characters or at least give them less screentime without having to worry about needing them later. Just look at the lizardmen for example. We got all that development for them, but does it pay off with them doing something later in the season? Nope.

It's been said side-characters are what's interesting and important about Overlord. This is absolutely mind-baffling. Side-characters are great! Do you remember Jeremiah Gottwald from Code Geass? I DO! But he was also interesting from his first appearance, which is something Overlord can't do with its side-characters to save its life. The show is trying to reassure us with each episode that these characters will be important later, which I doubt, but regardless, they're worthless now. And even if they do become important later, they're still only side-characters and should never overshadow the main cast when it's not their time to steal the scene completely, otherwise what's the point of having a main cast or protagonist at all?

I'm not saying the main characters have to be in every scene, but if they are quite literally absent from the show, not even being in some way related to the events that are being portrayed onscreen, then you're doing it wrong. They aren't really main characters if that's the case. If the show is about the setting and showing it off, then don't have main characters. Make it an anthology series.




ENJOYMENT: 1

The pacing is a sin. Most the characters aside from the main cast (which you can largely rename Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Anime) are cringe. The dialogue is trite and redundant and forced. Every episode is a 'build-up' episode but without there ever being an equal payoff. Characters are dumb sometimes which strains our ability to stay invested. For example, Sebastian and Solution are going to leave their recon assignment but first they have to go on an errand - "Better leave the human girl who's completely defenseless and also wanted by the mob completely alone for a long period of time so she can get kidnapped, otherwise the rest of the season's plot wouldn't happen!" It's contrived.

And the action! Oh, the action... One isn't automatically an action junkie for demanding SOMETHING happen that we can all be invested in at constant intervals. All we get is extended dialogue scenes between two or more characters who we don't really care about on a subject that we don't really care about because it doesn't relate to the main cast.

When we do get fight scenes they're abysmal. The characters just shout names of attacks and stuff happens, usually after a transmutation circle appears. Then they stop to talk. Then someone else comes and they all stop to talk. Then the new guy fights the other guy calling out names of attacks, usually accompanied by transmutation circles, then they stop to talk again, then the fight's over. It's not the definition of heart-pounding, I'm telling you now.

One reason I keep seeing why there's so much dialogue and time spent without the main characters is because the show is trying to do world building. While I'll agree that's what it's trying and succeeding to do, it's doing it wrong. Completely disengaging from the overarching story is bad. Completely disengaging from the overarching story for characters we don't know or care about or are actively annoyed by just to have a meaningless conversation or practice swordfight is very bad.

Even if the world building wasn't shoved in your face like a child showing off how much spaghetti they got on their hands, it would still be bad because the world itself isn't interesting. For all intents and purposes, the world that Overlord takes place in is a reskinned Middle Earth or generic D&D setting, just like a lot of fantasy stories, whether high fantasy, dark fantasy, or whathaveyou. As a result, we don't need to spend an exceptional amount of time exploring the world because looking at a map is enough for us to begin guessing the state of the world and who exists in it. Simply looking at the side-characters is enough for us to more or less understand what they're like going forward. And if that isn't enough, a few lines of dialogue makes it clear.

Compare this to Swort Art Online. How that show does world building is by having the protagonist go on many unrelated adventures to various, interesting locations, meeting new friends and enemies along the way. We see the world, we hear the world, Kirito interacts with the world. We get enough of the world to feel like we know it without being inundating with information, while also implying that there's much more to the world than what we've seen. This is not the only way of doing world building, but it's vastly more effective than whatever Overlord is doing. I imagine it's trying to go for the Lord of the Rings approach, but you never read in the books or saw in the movies that one time when Jim and Pillock were standing on the walls of Minas Tirith before the armies of Minas Morgul showed up, talking about their pasts or explaining the hierarchy of their government to each other. To sum this up, what I'm saying is Sword Art Online does better world building than Overlord. To say that Sword Art Online does anything better than anything else is not a compliment.

Just as a side-note, I don't know if it's just Japan or what, because I've seen this in other anime too: Nobody ever mentions the fact that a kingdom is a kingdom in real life unless it's because they're being formal. If a guy was a messenger in Medieval France and was going to travel across the border to Aragon, he wouldn't say that he's going to the Aragon Kingdom. He'd just say he's going to Aragon. The Re-Estize Kingdom, the Slane Theocracy, the token evil empire that I've already forgotten its name (Bahamut? Or is that Final Fantasy?) really should not have their form of government mentioned aside from when it's revealed what kind of government it is. Imagine if we went around saying that we took a vacation in the France Presidency, or the United States Representative Republic. It's just silly.




OVERALL: 2

This season of Overlord misses the mark in every single major way, undermining what was good and making the whole thing an absolute slog to get through. To top this review off, I'll paraphrase something I once read on the subject of the main cast and action: I would rather watch Ainz (Momonga) sit at his desk and do his taxes for an entire episode than see characters we don't care about fighting in an epic battle. Because I don't care about those characters or that battle.

Are you a fan of anime and loved the first season of Overlord? Well, get ready to be blown away by season 2! The main character, Momonga, AKA Ainz Ooal Gown, is back and reigning over the game world with an iron fist. However, he faces new challenges from other players and adventurers who stumble upon his kingdom.

Season 2 is jam-packed with action, adventure, and intrigue that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The NPCs continue to evolve and develop their own personalities, and the relationships between characters become even more complex. The animation and soundtrack are still impressive, with some ... truly epic moments.

Not only do we get to see more of our favorite characters, but new ones are introduced that add to the mix. They offer a fresh perspective on the game world and provide insight into the potential consequences of Momonga's actions.

Overall, if you enjoyed season 1 of Overlord, then season 2 is definitely worth a watch! It expands on the world-building and character development of the first season, while also introducing new challenges and adversaries for Momonga to face. So, whether you're a fan of the isekai genre or just looking for an action-packed adventure, give Overlord season 2 a shot...

No fear, no spoilers are here.

When I heard that a second season for Overlord was coming to town I was nothing short of overjoyed, because I did not really think that I would get another chance of seeing Ainz Ooal Gown in action unless I wanted to resort to the manga. In addition to the fact that Madhouse, at the time that Overlord was produced, wasn’t exactly known for creating follow up seasons for some of their titles. Hence, my optimism regarding another season of Overlord popping up was rather low, and that’s putting it mildly. Though, at the time, I reveled in the fact ... that I was proven wrong and the anime was given a chance to continue. The thought of seeing Ainz and the bunch on screen put a huge smile on my face, that is until the show actually began.

Let me ask you this, what drew you to the show? What made you like Overlord to begin with? On the surface it is just another Isekai. A show about some random otaku who gets sucked into a role-playing game and is thrust directly into battle as some overpowered character. So, what made it so attractive? Sure, the world was interesting because it was filled with mystery and exploring what secrets are hidden within this new environment, along with understanding the economic and political systems that govern this land are all great prospects on their own. However, I loved the show because the main character (AINZ OOAL GOWN), along with his lovable bunch, were so unique and enjoyable. They were the prime reason that made this anime stand out from other Isekai for me. Ainz's monologues made him seem relatable, human, funny, and above all normal. I loved the fact that he was ambitious and was portrayed as an antihero, but at the same time maintained a sense of morality, plus he didn’t let things get to his head too quickly. You can see him testing what he can and cannot do or what can and cannot get away with, and you can visibly notice the conflict that is occurring inside him, having to continuously keep up this undead supreme ruler persona in front of his servants, which obviously differs from what his true personality is like. Moreover, his character seems far different from that of normal Isekai protagonists; he never goes about creating a harem and never prioritizes his love affairs (though this might have to do with the fact he is an undead, though I am not quite sure). Add to that a group of wacky, funny, and compulsive set of servants, whom were all interesting in their own right, and you get a show that was capable of being entertaining, engaging, and comical all at the same time.

Now mind you, most of these elements continue to exist throughout this second season, though at very scarce amounts. The screen time for all these characters gets cut down substantially, to the point that I began wondering if Ainz, Albedo, and the other guardians like Demiurge and Shalltear were actually still the main characters. What ticked me off the most was that, whenever you would think that the show had finally shifted its focus onto one of the original cast, it would almost instantly switch its attention to somewhere or someone else. This occurred whenever Ainz or one of the original cast members entered combat with another person; the footage would be abruptly interrupted and would be diverted somewhere else only to return when the fight was almost done. The only exception to this was Sebas who actually had more time dedicated to him than almost all other guardians combined, hell maybe even more than Ainz himself. Now he isn’t a bad character of course and I felt that through him we got a glimpse of the potential that all guardians have to develop and evolve into unique and interesting characters that would make the show even more engaging in the future. In addition to the fact that we got to experience how the values of the original creator of each guardian continue to persist within them and help shape them into who they are. They no longer feel the same as the servants displayed in season 1 who follow their master without second thought or are devoid of any features asides from the ones that their creators had transcribed to them. It felt at times as though I am watching a show about the development of artificially intelligent beings and how they may perhaps eventually break free of their makers whom they had previously revered or worshiped as gods. However, to be frank, for me, Sebas is probably the least interesting character out of all of guardians, which diluted the excitement for me, and the characters that were around him were devoid of any significance and were simply plain or perhaps even awful. This second season was so oversaturated with side characters who I didn’t care for, that I thought I was watching Fate/Aporcypha; and to make matters worse you are never given a chance to actually get invested in them anyways, since both arcs felt half-baked. For example, the show never goes back to revisit the characters who were introduced in the lizard arc, which diminishes the significance of their existence.

Hence, the major issues with this sequel occurred because far too many characters were introduced for the sake of expanding the show beyond Nazarick, causing the anime to transition at a very quick rate. Introducing new characters and expanding upon the secrets of Yggdrasil was something that was going to occur eventually and was something I was excited for, but the way it was executed felt rushed and left a lot to be desired. I simply did not see enough of the outside world or leant enough about the people with in it to truly care. The show for me shined whenever the focus shifted from the lackluster political game that was shown, to the original cast. I personally could never get enough of Ainz, Albedo, Shalltear, Cocytus, and the twins Aura and Mare.

The quality of the animations remains, for the most part, unchanged from the first season and has perhaps slightly improved, though CGI elements were introduced to the show; something which is perhaps becoming the new norm. The OST of the show was fine overall, with the best piece of music in the show being the ending, which I never skipped. Though, the opening of the first season was far superior to this.

I truely hope that season 3 capitalizes on the potential that this show has to offer, because, despite being disappointed, my affinity and enthusiasm for this show has yet to vanish.

(minor spoiler) The first season was quite good. It wasn't really anything new but it was entertaining none the less. I've seen 5 episodes from this season and it's just awful. It's like they gave up on the story and decided to aim this arc at the furry community by adding a bunch of furry references so they can get the ratings up from brigading furrys. They've even added a yiffing scene. It makes me cringe but i'll finish it since i really liked the first one. The art and sound is about the same as the first season except the action scenes look really ... half assed.

Honestly, this is more of a 'in-between' part of the seasons and plot itself rather than the main story. Why? Because it focuses more on the supporting characters from before, who serve under Ainz's supremacy. I don't know why it is getting such low scores tho.

Firstly, I actually enjoyed watching this. This second "season" of Overlord, is rather interesting. Getting to know Supreme One's subordinates and seeing the adventures of the 'unseen' people and beings is quite interesting. There isn't much to say, but watching it was hooking just waiting for the next episode when it was airing, and since it finished airing, I would ... recommend you watching this just to kind-of find out the details and understand more about Sebas and the others, including some abilities of the NPCs themselves. I'm pretty sure this second season isn't really important towards the season 3, but you will most likely have gaps in knowledge if you skip this.

Art is good as always, I really loved how this season was focused on fighting rather than political issues or didn't provide much fear of a new enemy coming up or such. It was more focused around humans and the interaction with them, especially on Sebas part. It felt as if all of the members from the Tomb of Nazarick were doing their job and trying to gather the information, and instead of it being clipped out as it always is while everything is focused on Ainz, we actually see all of the behind-the-scenes action! It's really amazing to be honest!

Character, actually, was a whole different thing for me. Despite Sebas and the others being just beings that were created by the players and were put into boundaries to behave and act as the Supreme Beings wanted, it feels as they've grown in mind themselves, especially after what Ainz ordered them to change in their behavior.

All in all, this isn't your typical plot-focused season, but more of a introduction before the main story which is going to take place, most likely, in the s3, thus I recommend you watching this JUST for the SATISFACTION during the fights, and how interesting it is to see Ainz find out what's going on, how others behave and what they face. It is thrilling to see the next thing coming up and in fact, this is the first time I've actually weren't able to think or predict of what is going to happen next! Can't wait for the next season!

Well I already review the first season wich is all of my first impression in there. So now I just make a short review.

Story : For the story there is no significant difference with the first season, well I can say in this Second Season it's prioritize more on the supporting character story wich is the story is very interesting . And this Second Season the story getting more serious. But the Story it's feel like too fast not because the episode too short but the feel of story is feel to fast, well i didn't say it's a bad thing though. (8/10)

Art : Same, ... there is no significant difference about this. (8/10)

Sound : Same again like the first season, just change the Opening and Ending song wich is it's nice to hear. (7.5/10)

Character : Now the character, there is more a lot of character in the first season didn't tell us and now in this Second Season you will know it. And with interesting story. But some of new character when didn't appear in the First Season and appear in this Season still didn't have detail about it, there is more puzzle on it. So I hope this is will be told in the Three Season. (8/10)

Enjoyment : Well I Enjoy watching this series, but in this Season there is no moment that makes me want to say "WOW!" Or "Amazing!", it's just good enough, but i didn't say this show is bad, just good enough. (9/10)

Overall : *Has been edited*. I edit this one review 'cause the subject i gave is unrelated and very inappropriate to be discussed in a discussion or review. So now i just want to say....overall it's very good 'cause at least i can see the 5 or 10 second battle scene wich is that scene is really makes my heart is really beating fast and it's feel so good. (9/10)

Sry maybe I didn't know much about this thing, but I just share my opinion about some Anime.

And sorry if my English so bad.

Thanks For Read It !.

Has some really interesting developments throughout the show that all corelate and are very impressive and well put together to make a great cohesive product it goes on and on about how truly great the anime truly is yup really great anime how many more words do I need mal? more? okay so it's really cool and all that I need this many words but I am good now mal? nope still not good enough well let's keep talking on and on keep going keep typing for hours and hours till this review is done is this enough yet mal? ok this is jus a ... bunch of nonsense so mal will accept my review the real review is below







Lizard action Noice 10/10

not enough hamsuke screen time hamsuke is the greatest character in history and for them to just blatantly ignore hamsuke this season should be considered a crime against all of humanity ainz is a total pushover who gets peer pressured into conquering the world by a bunch of npcs who technically arent real like the shows literally called overlord he could really just be like lmao i dont really wanna do any of that im your boss lmao listen to me and they really cant do anything about it considering that they all pretty much worship him also best outro but worst opening ik thats ... all personal but im just stretching this out cause MAL wanted me to make this longer the only thing i actually wanted to talk about was the hamsuke part

Why did they even bother? Perhaps that single question summarizes the second season of Overlord the best. Because, and I say this with the best intentions, this is one of the least interesting 2nd seasons of anything I've had displeasure of watching. I enjoyed the first season of Overlord quite a bit despite its numerous flaws, and large portion of that enjoyment came directly from the main cast. Expecting more of them, I dwell into the second season only to find out that the main cast has turned into background characters that do nothing.

First portion of the season - which is an arc, I ... suppose, about lizardmen or whatever - is tantamount to watching paint dry on the wall. Lizard characters are uninspired, drab, boring, and their circumstances are less than interesting. I couldn't be bothered to care, so I couldn't wait for it to be over with. It took way too long as it was, yet they still couldn't properly build up even a single character or a single plot thread.

Despite that, however, my greatest gripe with the story is that it's confusing as hell. And I don't mean that it's confusing just for viewers, it's self-confusing, if that makes any sense. It has no direction to speak of. Transitioning from parallel storylines is atrocious. New characters are just thrown at the viewers non-stop without taking even a second to build up the already present characters properly. New plot threads are introduced without ever having resolved the already lingering one. The major plot point of the first season (who was it that controlled the vampire) is thrown into the background, and is mentioned once or twice when the creator decides to show us the main cast. Not only is it all over the place, but even what we get is just... boring. I don't care about the fucking bottom-feeder lizards. I don't care about do-goody princess trying to fix the Kingdom or something. I don't care about the shady organization pumping kids full of drugs and selling slaves. Why don't I care? Because I was given about 30 seconds to process that information and was expected to just go with it and care.

Story is a disaster. I'm sure that, at least in LN, all these seemingly loose plot threads eventually tangle up and it all makes sense, but it's hard to care and truck through to get to that point. If, IF, these side-stories we're given were interesting, then perhaps I would give a dime about what's going on - but they're not. They're rushed, and we're given nothing except info dump after info dump. Characters are expositing to the point of insanity, and I can't be bothered to care anymore.

Next up - art. Oh. Sweet. Jesus. Christ. I know that art wasn't a strong suite of the first season, but this is atrocious. First 7 episodes feel like they gathered a baker's dozen intern scrubs and told them 'do whatever you want, nobody cares'. 'Fights' - it hurts me to even call them that - last about 10 seconds, and they couldn't even bothered to properly animate even that. Stills. Stills everywhere. Uninspiring designs. Every bit of charm that the first season had when it comes to designs is lost. Then we have lizard sex. It can't be unseen! Well, I hope she got pregnant anyway. I'm a good guy.

The only reason I've given characters such a high score is because of the main cast. While seeing them on screen feels like finding a cute, naked girl in your bedroom who swears to be your servant until the end of days, they're still relatively interesting. Besides them, nothing. Void. Absolute fuckery of nothingness. Lizards? Nope. I can't remember a single name of 10 or so lizards that were named. The only name I actually do remember is that guy Climb. Because his name is Climb. Fucking Climb.

Because of the sheer quantity of the characters, quality is nowhere to be found. Personally, I haven't read a light novel, so I don't know how it is handled there. But, however it is handled, this isn't the way to go about it. Not an episode goes by without being introduced to yet another character. Oh, because Clementine's character from the first season was so interesting, we also got a look at her(his?) long-lost twin-sister. Yaaaaay.......

I'll finish the season for the sake of finishing it, but unless quality suddenly rises by umpth degree, this won't be going past 5. Final conclusion? Colossal disappointment.

This is not a full review, but rather explanation why I feel Overlord stands above the standard.

Something are good because they are good, and somethings are good because they are something that others are not. For me, Overlord is good not because I feel it objectively shines above all other in terms of story and characters (though I feel they are certainly above average), but because it scratches a very specific craving I've developed over the years with excessive anime consumption.

To put it short, I've had my fill of holy savior protagonists, the messiahs, the good boys, the infallible morally just protagonists. I am also ... sick to death of the edgelords that talk all dark and edgy, yet also never do no actual harm to anyone who isn't literally so evil they eat babies for breakfast. Also I am sick of settings that make antagonists facing these protagonists so reprehensible that killing them is a just act and their assets spoils of war for the side of justice. In short, black and white morality in all aspects.

What I wanted, was either a pragmatist or a hedonist who, upon given powers far greater than those around them, would act as I would assume most people would act if they had the chance: self-servingly. Source: History of the humankind.

Overlord is not perfect, but it scratched that itch of mine that has been growing for years now. Here we finally have a protagonist that does not act as would be morally good, but as how he will reap the greatest rewards. And the world around him does not conveniently make all of his opponents so cartoonishly evil that him killing them and taking all they have defaults to just actions.

Now this is more interesting more then season one.
My review might contain some spoiler but i will try to not to spoil anything.

after the season 1, As always the MC is trying to rule the world but in some place i thought that the MC position is going in little in negative role, i was thinking what's happening, the MC is good side or bad side, well it's because the MC has no feeling because he is undead, so sometime it feels like that.
But if you compare the MC and the world he is living in, then you will get ya he is on good ... side but in his own way.....
The other thing, he is trying to make his name known to whole world, by playing both side as the viewers know...

well well now at this point it is interesting to know, what will happen in those situation in which the MC wont be able to play both side, well because it is hard to maintain both side, when you got known to both side....
this is the thing i didnt want to happen but it just crossed my mind XD

And As for story it was some what simple half way and the end was interesting.
characters are as always amazing specially the Vampire (Shalltear) in Episode 5. O_o

Overall the season 2 was full of interesting things.
and Looking forward for Season 3 hoping it will be more interesting then Season 2. :D

It is a common belief that a sequel season can never match the thrill and lure of its predecessor, but Overlord 2 proves that statement wrong on many levels.

The story commences where the last season ended: the fate of Shaltear. By picking matters up where they were previously left, this season immediately demands your attention and interest in a most rewardable way. Throughout this season's story, we are introduced to a plethora of new, controversial characters - some unlikeable, some likeable. However, it seems as if these characters were drawn this way - as if the writers wanted us to feel like this for ... one way or another. For example, the lizard clans were strange and suspicious to watch since it is logical to want to see more adventure within Ains Ooal Gown. And while the story seemed to drag on and persist in conjuring up unknown characters, it ultimately becomes clear that they are intended to intertwine in the most satisfying way with the protagonists that we hold so dearly.

To lead this further, I cannot begin to comment on the adoration I bear for some of the characters. And thus, I feel a need to emphasize how carefully the creators have crafted Lord Ains since certain scenes - which entail internal monologues from the Undead king himself - in an attempt to highlight his transition from a human-like state to an immoral and power-hungry ruler. But it is this thin line between morality and immorality the writers create through some of the characters that hold us in place and keeps us wanting more and more Overlord. It is this craving we bear for them and their adventures that permits us to indulge in watching multiple episodes in one sitting.

However, this season is not without its faults. As many fans will agree, there is a particular scene with two lizards that felt unnecessary and stupid, to say the least. And because a single scene cannot be held accountable for all the faults of a season, it is important to mention the lack of lore and backstory for some of the characters - who are they? where are they from? - that threw us into their individual stories and expected us to watch with acquiescing. This left me feeling slightly unsatisfied and desiring more...substance when it came to particular characters.

Overall, if you are a fan of the 1st season then you will undoubtedly enjoy the follow-up (if you pay no attention to certain silly scenes and move onfrom them). I would recommend it for viewing if you have the time and committment for it.

First, I think it's fairly important to note that both Overlord's second season is really more a continuation of season 1. Much like with the Fate/Stay series. This is made more apparent with the fact that Season 3 is set to aire with 26 episodes, rather than the 13 for both prior seasons.

The main reason I found this was because season 1 focused more on Albedo, Shalltear and Naberal, season 2 focuses on a completely different set of characters, being Cocytus, Demiurge and Sebas, along with some of the more minor characters from the background. Even Ainz himself barely makes a show ... for the majority of it.

So with that, on to the actual review:

Story:
Without giving the actual plot points away... The story for the first arc was a little on the dull side imo and as a standalone, I would rate it around a 5. But the second one had a lot more going on and (sorry to say it...) Demiurge is a much more interesting character than Cocytus. I would rate the second half at around a 9, so a combined score of 7.

Art:
I have loved the art style for the show since the first season, this is much the same. The artwork is crisp and clear, the character designs are fantastic for the most part and the settings are handled very well.

Sound:
The voice acting is very well done. Nothing 'quite' so spine chilling as Clementine's rather infamous scene from season 1, but it cannot be faulted in any way.

Characters:
Ainz, Sebas and Demiurge are all very interesting characters with some good development throughout the season. Cocytus starts off ok, but then pretty much just drops off the radar, so it could have been handled better.

Only complaint is the lack of any characters you grew to like from the first season. Almost no air time at all for Albedo or Shalltear.

Enjoyment:
Overall, it's a very enjoyable show and can't be faulted there. The storylines are worth a watch, the art is nice to see, the VA is above par and if you are a fan of either video game or high-fantasy genres, it's pretty much right up your alley!

More than all of the above, being only 26 episodes in its entirety so far, it's well worth a watch for the fact that it can be done in a couple of days alone. Highly recommend!

Just a little over two and a half years ago I talked about the series Overlord. It had some interesting ideas but was kind of mediocre. The second series came out early this year. Now, one thing I was very clear on when I reviewed te first was that it had potential. Rather like Made in Abyss, which I just reviewed. But, like that series, it wasn't there. So, let's see what we get in the second series to improve on things, if anything. 

Story:
We open with our guard captain from the prior series, Gazef, discussing the great and powerful magic caster who saved him. No, ... it's not Trixie. We also see various other characters discussing their take on the current situation, just to remind everyone what's happening. Our series starts properly with a bunch of lizard people living their everyday lives. That's when they're greeted by what looks like a Legion Persona telling them they're all going to die. The Green Scale tribe acts quickly, sending an envoy to meet with the other tribes and unite them to deal with the threat. 

It turns out the threat is Cocytus, commanding an army of low level undead, but forbidden from fighting himself. After that tale wraps up we move to Sebas who finds a  battered, abused woman on the street. He decides to rescue her and unintentionally brings the wrath of a major criminal syndicate against him, possibly drawing attention to Nazarick.

Let's start with what I don't like about this series. First off, the lizard man bit ends rather abruptly and leaves a pretty major question unanswered. Now, I'm sure they're going to bring it back up in series III but it would have taken a couple minutes to give us some closure on that front and there's not really a reason to make it wait for another series. The second issue I have is one I'm a bit mixed on. There are points where ladies being attracted to Ainz borders on harem shit and it gets really cringey. However, his discomfort with that does lead to some of the funnier comic relief moments so I can't just outright hate it as an element. 

One of my issues with the first series was that the Nazarick crew, Ainz in particular, are over-powered and it hurts any chance of tension. In this series, they address that by building the tension around other characters that they spend some time building up who are just normal people. The tension surrounding the Nazarick crew is more built around what they'll do to these other characters and whether or not they'll be revealed to the world. And that's a legitimately clever fix to that problem. So, full credit on that one. 

The series is still good about introducing intriguing plot lines that they can go into more detail for later. They also resolve enough within the series to make it feel like it has a satisfying conclusion while also leaving plenty of room for more developments. Which would still be true if they'd taken a minute or two at the end to answer the question about the lizard men and I think that's a big part of the reason that particular oversight bugs me because the lizard man bit doesn't feel like it has an entirely satisfying conclusion whereas the other arc does. 

Characters:
Gradually, Overlord is doing more to develop its main cast. Sebas, Cocytus & Demiurge in particular. I actually rather like the way they tie the two of them to their creators and I like that Sebas was created by a dude who went by the moniker "Touch Me." That's a great screen name. Overall, the series focuses  more on developing the characters they're actually building tension around than the Nazarick crew though. Which is a real necessity given that we're supposed to be concerned about their fates. And if the series keeps giving different members of Nazarick the spotlight in different arcs all the major ones will be nicely fleshed out in series V. 

Art:
I really like the character designs in this. There are a few additions in this series that I can appreciate in particular. The first is that the female lizard people don't have large bosoms in spite of all logic. And so many works just toss pronounced boobs on their lizard women just because people like boobs even though it makes no sense given how reptiles work. Most depictions of the Yuan-ti, the Cardassians, the Yinchorri, the Falleen. and many many others have gotten that wrong. So, well done on that front, Overlord. They also have Entoma, an insect woman who just looks really cool and she has a great power set. And I know she was in the first series briefly, but I don't recall seeing her true form in that one. 

Sound:
The acting is quite good in this one. Since there are characters who get a bit more development, there's more of an opportunity for their actors to shine. So, Chiba Shigeru, Katou Masayuki, Miyake Kenta, Osaka Ryota, Touchi Hiroki & Amamiya Sora get  the chance to really do their business. And they all do it well. I didn't really like the theme tune much, but I did like the music in general. 

Ho-yay:
There really isn't any. 

Final Thoughts:
This is a franchise that gets compared to Sword Art Online quite a bit because they both deal with people in a game world, although in this one he's glad to be there and this franchise also isn't bollocks so they're quite a bit different. And this instalment just further distances the two because it's legitimately good. It's  not just a mundane series with potential that's only superior to SAO by virtue of not being rubbish, it addresses a lot of the issues that held the first series back and provides an entertaining viewing experience. It still has some issues but they're a lot more minor. Ultimately, I give it a solid 7/10. I actually look forward to reviewing the third series when it finishes airing and I can get round to it. 

Overlord II is indeed a show full of lizards -at least for the first half of the season, which I have seen so far; and I have to admit, I became to some extent aroused when I saw the lizard reproduction activities (this season really has such a scene).
Overlord never was an anime that really used well and often the theme of "the man trapped inside a virtual reality game." No, it feels more like an anime of an overpowered man who knows all about the world - because he comes from outside it - and wields power over everything as long as he is ... the only one with knowledge of the world and all its legendary items and such.
The second season is a continuation of his quest to reassure himself that he is the only most powerful being in the world. He wondered in season 1 whether there was another like himself in the new reality, and to counteract against such possibilities, he conquers land and takes up missions to make himself rest assured. This season seems to show just a small portion of his overall longer quest than what one season can afford to show - that's the impression I get; a person who read the light novels might know better.
But rest assured, it is actually quite interesting to see the lizards cower in fear (sort of) before the almighty Ainz Ooal Gown. To see the lizards be so overpowered by just one of Momonga's servants is very satsifying and entertaining.
I didn't like the art. The depiction of a particular icy sword was horrible and childish, and the drawing quality was low tier.
The OSTs and OPs and performance of the voice actresses are part of the Sound category. Nothing too remarkable or horrible in there. EDs and OPs sound fine. OST I don't remember. VAs do their job.