Made in Abyss: Retsujitsu no Ougonkyou

The kid gloves are off. Although some people still do, we can’t pretend this is the happy go lucky journey down the Abyss that we thought this show was going to be back when Season 1 aired all the way back in 2017. One thing that hasn’t changed since then is my undeniable intrigue I have with this series. The adventuring, the stunning scenery, the immaculate OST, the characters, basically everything resonated with me, and with this season of Made In Abyss, that was no different.

Since this show is about children, I can relate it to my own childhood to some extent, so I’ll tell ... a quick story. I loved the outdoors a lot as a kid, and still do. I enjoyed hiking and camping a lot, just the wilderness in general, though I didn’t know the necessary worldly survival skills like making a fire, or using a compass. One, scorching summer afternoon, I went on a hike with my friends and parents, into quite a large forest. We walked and walked until “Two roads diverged in a wood”. Being my adventurous and fearless self, “I took the one less traveled by”, albeit with a couple people. It was a maze of trees, and a winding road, far different from the other road, that some of the others from my group travelled on. Knowing that forests were home to such creatures like bears, coyotes, and the creepiest of creatures, I still felt like the happiest little kid in the world, prancing down the forest like nobody’s business. The sun set, and we were set to return from where we came from, back home. However, in our inexperience of the outdoors, we got lost, in the night. We wandered and wandered with seemingly no exit from the vast forest. Hearing the creatures around me, I felt for the first time, a sense of fear, that something might attack my unprepared, vulnerable self. In my fear, I tripped on a branch and injured my leg a little bit. Eventually, my group found the exit, and although those gruelling hours of being lost were some of the toughest in my life, I never stopped being excited about the unknown.

And that’s because I started to learn, that there will always be ups and downs in life, and whenever you mess up, it’s always a chance to learn new things, new skills, such as how I could not get lost in a forest next time. The characters in Made In Abyss do much of the same thing, they have encountered their fair share of troubles, but it never gets them down, they learn from the troubles, and have undeniable courage to tackle whatever the Abyss throws at them. At its core, Made In Abyss is a tale of a life’s journey, and one’s slow but sure maturity.

My grading criteria: Story: /25 Art: /10 Music: /10 Characters: /20 Enjoyment /15 Thematic Execution /20

STORY: 24/25

This season was a very interesting one to me in that although it’s very self-contained in the Golden City, it tackles the journeys of the past and present, the past being the first adventurers who ventured into the Golden City, the Ganja Squad, and the present being the characters we all know, Riko, Reg, and Nanachi. It further splits into different paths, as each character from the present has their own set of experiences in the Golden City, and each learn vastly different things, and encounter varying things, good and bad. The darkness is instilled in the story from the first moment of the season, and never turns back, yet there are some light moments in the series as well. The Golden City is home to a village, which has their own culture, such as currency, and language, that serves as a very intriguing exploration element that feels as good as the first season, where Riko and Reg explored the wilderness, this time, they explored a city with its own lightness and darkness.

For characters from the past and present alike, the Abyss still remains as great metaphor of one’s progression in life. The fact that the sixth layer of the Abyss represents “The Point of No Return”, hammers home the fact that we as humans, only move forward, not back. We can’t go back to being the starry-eyed children we once were, and no matter how hard life gets, we must persevere and find new ways to improve our life and survive. No matter what mistakes we made, we can’t live in the past, because like the Abyss, the real world doesn’t wait for us to get back on our feet and recover. The real world presents us with a barrage of puzzles to solve every single day, so if we get weighed down by our past regrets, we’ll get swallowed up by the curse of the Abyss.

ART: 9.6/10

Still very visually appealing with great scenery and I love that they didn’t hold back in the dark moments. The visuals in those moments looked blood-curdling, spine-chilling, and that is what Made In Abyss does so well.

MUSIC: 9.7/10

The music by Kevin Penkin instills a great sense of atmosphere, and is very resonant. It’s tempting to listen to it again and again because you can just close your eyes and imagine yourself on an adventure (though maybe don’t imagine what happens in Made In Abyss, or you’ll have trouble sleeping). OP and ED are also very nice, especially the ending by Myth & Roid, which was my favourite this season.

CHARACTERS: 19.5/20

The characters continue to be quite the treat to watch. Riko continues to be a character with a ton of heart and a great willingness to persevere no matter how unforgiving the Abyss is. Reg’s backstory is intriguing, and Nanachi has her share of moments, some of which were quite emotional. The characters from the past, the Ganja Squad, had a whole bunch of great characters as well, quite a few that stand out such as Vueko, Irumyuui, Wazukyan, and Belaf. Each have their own struggles, some more than others, and their personalities are quite interesting, ranging from a willingness to do anything to help himself and others survive, to harboring a feeling of guilt that was so great that he couldn’t go on. It’s a very wondrous cast of characters, who each have their backstory told in a very fascinating way, and you feel for every single one of them.

There is also no real villain in this story, though I can argue there wasn’t one in Season 1 or the movie. Sure, there are antagonists who oppose the main characters, but they each have their own reasons, whether it is a love for their loved ones, or an appetite for human advancement. There are a lot of morally repugnant themes in this show, but they all have a reason in which to do such unthinkable things, and that’s what makes each and every character special, even if you come to hate them.

ENJOYMENT: 14.8/15

Although it’s frustrating that there are so many questions asked, but not enough answers, the show brings about a sort of odd excitement not found in any other show I’ve watched. My immersion was always strong, and every detail in the show is spectacular. Phenomenal.

THEMATIC EXECUTION: 19/20

The themes are so well executed because each character is interesting. Another reason is that they never hold back from showing us morally questionable things, whether it is excessive gore, or very grotesque imagery. It really shows us the unforgiving nature of the Abyss, and that is simply amazing. Sure, there are some rather dumb things that happen, such as the toilet humour, but that’s just a minor tonal shift issue for me.

OVERALL: 96.6/100

This was an instalment to the Made in Abyss series that felt even better than the first. It’s a great tale of one’s maturity, and it resonated with me a lot. You feel the characters’ fear, you feel their emotions, you cry with them, you smile with them. There is still much to unravel in this adventure, and we probably won’t see another season of Made In Abyss for quite some time, but whenever we get it, I’ll want to be the first in line to witness what comes next in this emotionally damaging journey that I love so much. To everyone who read this to the end, I truly appreciate it.

Probably the first and only review I will make so I will keep it short.
Also, keep in mind I read the whole golden City Arc more than 13x times, so I'm a bit of a fanboy for this whole arc...

I can't thank Kinema Citrus and the whole staff crew enough for this beautiful Season. The pacing, art, animation, voice acting, music... everything is so good, and the opening/ending...I had tears watching it.

So far there are only 3 episodes out and it gets a lot better and darker in the next couple of episodes but I have to say they handled it really well so far ... and I hope that they keep the pacing and don't skip anything!

Definitely a 10/10 for me.

Alright, here's my review for Made in Abyss season 2. Unlike the previous 2 people who kept it semi-short, I'm gonna go in depth with this one and make it pretty lengthy. Brace yourselves. I'm also semi shocked that besides this, there's only been 2 other reviews (even tho ep 3 has been out for over a day now), but oh well, guess Call of the Night is stealing all of the attention this season :P

Anyways, that aside let's get into it. Keep in mind this review will have minor spoilers for season 1 as well as the movie, Dawn of the Deep Soul. I'll ... try not to spoil anything too major though.


Season 2 started off interesting. Instead of starting off by showing us Reg, Riko, and Nanachi like we've been used to, they instead decided to focus on a new group of cave raiders. Halfway into episode 1, it switched back to Riko and the others, making it clear that this season will switch back and forth between 2 separate groups and showcasing their journeys along the way.

Story + Worldbuilding: 10/10

There hasn't been a single moment in Made in Abyss where I felt like the story dragged on, or I wasn't invested or hooked on it. Made in Abyss has, for me, the best worldbuilding in any anime period, and because of that, it tells one of the most interesting stories (since story and worldbuilding is heavily intertwined). As you all know, the story follows Riko, Reg and Nanachi and it shows their struggles, challenges, obstacles, and successes as they descend further and further into the Abyss so that they can eventually reach the bottom of the netherworld and with that, discover all of the secrets the Abyss has to offer. Even though we are currently in the 6th layer of the Abyss in season 2, and even though they uncovered a lot of important clues and secrets in season 1 and the movie, there are still so many mysteries surrounding the Abyss that have yet to be uncovered. I'm sure that these unknowns will get revealed to us over time in this season as well as future seasons, similar to how AOT does it. My only concern regarding this is every time a mystery gets solved, it feels like 2 new ones pop up. I just hope that the show continues to solve things at a natural pace, rather than building up to many secrets to where we reach the end and everything gets hastily resolved in an unsatisying way. I have faith that won't happen, though.

Looking more at season 2 specifically, the crew has now arrived in the Hollow Village and they are still trying to figure the place out, as they are unsure about a lot of things. Why do these hollows seem more intelligent than the ones at Ido Front? How come the princess of Hollows, Faputa is leaving this specific symbol everywhere? Why is Majikaja the only friendly Hollow for now? How come certain hollows are hostile and others aren't? These are all questions that I am very confident will be answered by the end of the season, in one way or another.

Anyways, I'm really looking forward to very the story is heading this season, and just getting to explore more of this mind-blowing world.

Art: 9/10

The artwork in this show is stunning. Everything from the gorgeous scenery shots to the character art to the extreme long shots of the world are just really beautiful to take in. I'll also take a moment to briefly mention the animation, since the animation and the art tend to go hand in hand. The animation in this show has been extremely consistent. It looks really fluid, and I honestly have no complaints with it. I think the animation was at its peak in the movie, during the big fight scene. The fighting choreography in that was just beautiful. And even in season 2, the animation remains great. There were a few scenes where Majikaja was in CGI, but I honestly thought it looked pretty good and didn't mind it at all. Keep in mind, Kinema Citrus are no ufotable or MAPPA, so I thought they did a solid job with it, and I'm not about to sit here complaining about CGI for 20 hours, because that's just lame af.

Sound: 10/10

It's Kevin. It's Kevin Penkin. It's Kevin "the goat" Penkin. It's Kevin "the absolute gigachad legend" Penkin. What more do I need to say? Anything that has Kevin in it will automatically have a 10/10 OST. I still listen to the Made in Abyss, Tower of God, and Shield Hero soundtracks frequently, and they're all so incredible in different ways. But yeah, music in Made in Abyss, out of this world. It's also very impressive that he kept the same quality and consistency in s2 as he did in previous seasons.

What a legend

Character: 9/10

I think the character designs are really unique in this show. If you see a certain character, you can recognize immediately that it's a Made in Abyss character. Each individual character is very distinct and has their own personality. Riko is very rash and doesn't think things through, she's quick to make decisions and that often ends up backfiring for her. Reg is a logical thinker, and often times keeps Riko in check and protects her, but he can be a scared cat for the smallest things. Nanachi is just the best fluffy furball and I love them so much. Naaaaa~

I think some of these character traits might get resolved over time (specifically Riko and Reg's), but if not, oh well. They aren't annoying or anything, but I can see them repeating the same behaviors getting old.

Those are the characters we're familiar with, but season 2 introduces some new characters to us, a lot of them being note worthy.

The first one I wanted to bring up is Vuelo. Not much is known about her, besides the fact that she got abused in the past and she also happens to be seasick. She seems rather shy and quiet, perhaps because of things that happened in her past. Anyways, she seems like a very promising character, so I do want to see her meet up with Riko and the others, because that could definitely lead to some interesting interactions.

The next one I'm going to talk about is Faputa. I mentioned her briefly earlier, but she's basically the Princess of Hollows, and it looks like she rules over the Hollow City, as well as governs things there. She's also currently in the process of messing with Riko, Reg, and Nanachi so I hope they confront her sooner rather than later because I have a bad feeling about her.

Wazukyan just seems like a massive asshole and a trash guy, nothing else to say really. Oh yeah, and he's very disgusting.

Belaf looks and acts like a badass, I also really like his character design, so I hope they do cool things with him, because I think that would be an interesting addition to the story.

Those are pretty much all of the notable new characters, I mentioned Majikaja earlier so I won't go in depth on him.

Overall, the characters in Made in Abyss are great, but they aren't the main appeal of the show. At least, not for me.

Enjoyment: 8/10

You guys might be surprised, but I actually think the enjoyment is the weakest part of this show. Let me explain why. "Well, ArEn'T yOU sUpPosSeD tO WaTcH AnImE fOr FuN?" Generally yes, but here, no. Made in Abyss isn't fun. It's not fun and games. It's the complete opposite. I do enjoy all of the elements that go into making this incredible anime, but I'd be completely lying if I said I was having a blast while I watched this show. Made in Abyss is a serious show. It's the show that turns boys into men. It doesn't hold back, and it's not afraid of going where very few anime go. The first few episodes of a season might be fun, playful, and chill, and the next thing you know a character is on the verge of death. I think the chibi artstyle of this anime definitely fooled people into thinking "it's for kids" or "it's a wholesome, fun anime". Like I said, it's anything but. And people who have seen all of season 1 and the movie know exactly what I'm talking about. Season 2 is starting off similar to how season 1 started. Set the stage for what's to come. Build this new, unexplored area up and then when you're all "prepared" thrust you fully in, no turning back, and then you just sit there watching the most messed up of events folding in front of your eyes. I've talked to a few manga readers, and I'm obviously not gonna spoil anything, but they said that season 2 might end up being just as sad, if not more depressing than season 1.

That scares me.

Anyways, for now, the season is chill, but I know all too well that out of nowhere, it's going to take a dark turn real quick, and there's going to be no turning back.

Overall: 9.5/10

This show is a one of a kind, and it's absolutely a modern masterpiece. I actually have this in my top 3 anime of all time. The only reason why I didn't give it a 10/10 is because: I want more.

I want more episodes. I want more answers. Why does everything in the Golden City turn to gold? How did all of the Hollows even end up here in the first place? What's gonna end up happening to Prushka? What else lies in the sixth (and eventually) seventh layers? Will Riko, Reg, and Nanachi ever meet Lyza? If so, how will those interactions play out?

I know some of these questions won't be answered by the end of the season (especially the seventh layer and Lyza ones), but I do really want more answers and I want to uncover more secrets of the Abyss, and most of all, of this fascinating world.

Is this anime worth a watch? 100%

It started off strong, and it only got better and better over time. For me, this is one of those must watch series that is executed perfectly and you should not sleep on this one just because of the artstyle or because it's getting overshadowed by other anime this season.

I know I'm going to give this a 10/10 by the end of the season.

I think season 2 has the potential to be one of the best things we have ever witnessed.

I've never posted a review for anything in my life. Not movies, steam games, restaurants, google reviews, whatever.

I have come here today for the first time after watching episode 3 to say that this is a literal masterpiece created by the descendants of god himself. If the rest of the season continues like this, this will become my new favorite anime, topping hunter hunter which I also considered to be a creation that transcends the mortal realm.

The sense of mystery and wander I get while watching is indescribable. The immersion is incredible, nothing else comes close to making me feel like I myself ... am part of a world as this show does, except maybe some other masterpieces like LOTR. I am so goddamn HYPED to see more episodes, if anybody's reading this have a great day.

I've never been this astonished and upset with a show I used to love. All the makings of a 10/10 squandered by the biggest sack of shit suffer porn I have ever seen. This is too much. I've been robbed of my empathy. I can't invest myself in the main cast without feeling like I'm participating in one big predictably fetishistic narrative. It wasn't always this way.

Made in Abyss' first season set up a story full of hope, grit and unparalleled intrigue. Its setup might just be the best in any anime and the characters were instant favourites for me. Later episodes hit like a ... ton of bricks, I couldn't take my eyes away from it. The ending, after 14 stellar episodes, was equal parts heartwrenching and beautiful. One of the most memorable pieces of media I have ever experienced and probably ever will.

Here's where we're at now:
The visuals are still great, the soundtrack is still stunning, the world building and character design work never ceases to entertain and every once in a while, there are moments of absolute brilliance. Tragically, the movie prior to this season has taken any tonal surprises out of the plot's sails. We went from shockingly poignant to edgy boarding on fanfiction territory in the span of one arc. Along with this came indefensible moments of cringey character interactions that make me feel wrong for ever having thought the uncomfortable parts of season 1 are additive to the experience. Take everything I just wrote, make the worst aspects of the movie even more unbearable and you have The Golden City of the Scorching Sun arc. Trusting the writing to handle anything with a level of subtlety is a lost cause at this point and fooling anyone a third time will take a whole lot more than another new cast of captivating characters.

Ultimately, the further down into the abyss I go, the more obvious it is that this will never be the show I wanted. Through denial, anger and disappointment, I’ve finally arrived at acceptance. No matter how many complaints warrant being thrown at the state of Made in Abyss, you can’t say it doesn’t leave a seriously strong impression. Even if it’s no longer for me, I’m glad more seasons are still being made and that true fans of the manga are getting a masterful adaptation of the adventure they love.

Season 2 returns with a strong OP/ED combo that complements the Golden City of the Scorching Sun arc very well, and I start by mentioning this because the OP in particular gives a solid impression of how different this season is compared to the original. Unlike the S1 OP that was little more than a summary of the first episode, this one crosscuts frequently between two different sets of characters exploring the Abyss. The closing is rather abstract, bringing to mind the oceanic depths presented at the end of the 5th layer, which we observed in the 3rd movie, and the vastness and mystery it ... evokes is a great note to close on.

S2 manages to finally slow down, and it weaves together an even darker atmosphere with deeper storytelling and world building. Enjoyable as it was, S1 always seemed a bit too brisk, like the author had ants in his pants or ADHD, and sometimes there would be nary an event before Riko and Reg shot through a layer like it was almost nothing, which kind of dampens the impact and undersells the anomalous nature of the abyss.

The main characters, Riko, Reg, and Nanachi don't receive nearly as much focus here. They all get separated for most of the series around episode 4. Riko has to fend for herself and doesn't have the luxury of being babysat the whole time and explores a bit on her own. Nanachi revisits the past again, and while I kind of thought this seemed unnecessary on my first exposure to her scenes in the manga, it makes sense; sometimes we expect a character arc to be cleanly resolved and then the character has moved on, but that doesn't tend to be how the mind really works. Reg regains some of his memories and meets the new character Faputa, whose character development is quite strong, because directly and indirectly, much of the 12 episodes actually serve as the backstory and arc for her character, and there are many bittersweet moments due to her complex relationship to the village and its inhabitants.

Perhaps the OP oversells the finesse with which the staff weave the Ganja crew's journey through the abyss and our familiar trio of protagonists, but a sizable chunk of this season concerns the Ganja's background and their foundation of the Village of Ilblu, the history of the abyss, and its lore—and while the manga delivered most of this information in one lengthy flashback, the anime wisely chose to mix it up a bit more. Instead of the large scope of season 1, spanning multiple layers, this season opts to instead flesh-out a singular location in the 6th layer, providing plenty of flashbacks as well. Most detractors have complained about this difference between the two seasons, so that is a mental adjustment that will need to be made to fully enjoy this installment.

There's always been a layer of scrutiny about this or that element that's questionable or objectionable or whatever throughout MiA's run, but season 2 appears to be a more controversial entry to the franchise than the first season or the 3rd movie. S2 has delved deeper (pun intended?) into territory most are not exposed to often: scatological sojourns and a bit o' butt gut plopping. Get ready to wince with the latter activity! I was eating when they found the "charms." Not fun (this scene and the Meinya scene are more graphic in the anime).

I don't feel a need to condemn or justify any specific content. It's true: MiA could have been a very satisfying story without the more macabre, disturbing, or weird elements—the plot wouldn't even have to be reworked all that much, with the main difference being a greater reliance on implying or keeping vague certain "unsavory" aspects rather than showing everything in so much detail. The tone and impact would be a lot different, but either approach would be sufficient with good enough writing and execution.

Yet I will say that these "uncomfortable" elements, for better or worse, add a lot of realism, and with realism comes a greater sense of danger for the characters and immersion into their world. This is a dark fantasy involving children embarking on a high-stakes journey through unforgiving terrain that is infested with strange and malevolent creatures and an onslaught of unknown perils.

Whether art should conform to this reality of realistic situations and disturbing content in the context of children or not is its own separate question, however, MiA is at least honest compared to other syrupy fantasy anime and series featuring children embarking on their lonesome without adult supervision.

Hole in the Ground City from S1 is not quite like the pampered western world; children are pushed to become "adults" sooner, as we can see with Riko (as well as children much younger than her) apprenticing as a cave raider. It could even be argued that modern civilization has an infantilizing effect, as children are brainwashed in public schools when they could be capable of much more. Of course, the adult world can be a dark one, and being pushed to perform as such can lead to harrowing experiences. Think of what horrors might have occurred during the Children's Crusade, where many died or were enslaved during their journey—or even modern migration patterns (the Children's Crusade is a contentious event and not all of them were children).

MiA evokes the feeling of an aged fairy tale in its undiluted form before it could be sanitized for children. The colorful child-like atmosphere and the antics of the children clash with dark undercurrents and adult themes, and while I wouldn't go as far as to say this is a deconstruction of any particular genre, it certainly does take what looks to be childish and injects a strand of realism into it, and under the circumstances, there is really nothing else we should expect, unless we want to be lied to. Just as Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica points out all of the lies and inconsistencies inherent in the magical girl genre, so too MiA tackles the naivety of the coming of age adventure and fantasy stories.

There is a palpable sense of vulnerability and dread that always surrounds the characters, further accentuated by how alien and strange the various layers are. Just when the Village of Ilblu starts to seem warm, cozy, colorful, and Ghibli-esque, our characters let their guard down, and all of a sudden there's an "attempted rape" (?) in a back alley that ranks as one of the more disconcerting scenes of that nature because we can't even understand the hollows at all as they tower over the characters, though we can easily assume various intentions—there's even enough ambiguity to suggest more innocent intentions from the denizens. That, of course, brings to mind the distinct language and thought-out culture Ilblu possesses, with a whole host of peculiar customs, and only a few villagers speaking Riko's language.

Far too often, the plot armor in a series is tremendous, and while there is technically always a little bit for a story to function, the characters in this have gone through a considerably greater amount of hardship and mental shocks to the point that I'm uncertain of what to expect by the end. Even if they don't die, one wonders what can be expected of their mental state, or if they will even remain "themselves," once we've been introduced to the bizarre narehate forms of the former Ganja crew and various cave raiders who happened upon Ilblu afterwards. There's also no turning back due to the curse mechanism. It's all or nothing.

To better underline just how dark the atmosphere is, there is an often fleshy, organic appearance to many of the structures and body horror imagery is used copiously here, some have even reasonably likened MiA to being a much different spin on cosmic horror. I would say MiA also compares very favorably to and acts as a spiritual successor to the Strugatsky brothers' Roadside Picnic novel, which also concerns anomalous environments, with the Zone being similar to the Abyss, artifacts that grant wishes or confer powers, and there is even an equivalent to the curse mechanic. Certainly, MiA is a much greater spiritual successor to the themes of the novel than an on the nose and mediocre spoof like Otherside Picnic, while exploring a much different story and thematic content.

Lavishly depicted and benefitting from an art director/background artist known for working with Ghibli, the Village of Ilblu is blessed (cursed?) by intriguing mechanics, where value—of a person and their belongings—is ascertained by an arcane process. It also sports one of the most wildly variegated assortment of critters I've ever seen in a village in any fantasy story ever, as it has an unusual backstory as well; the villagers were not born as they were, their shape, appearance, and abilities are based on their desires, which adds an interesting psychological component, and you might even be able to draw some conclusions about their past and present behaviors to better understand their forms. The body horror is ramped up to the highest levels here, with the village and the villagers having a peculiar symbiotic relationship and a horrible past.

On the topic of disturbing elements, the village is doubly so compared to just about anything else in the series, save for Bondrewd's experiments, and there don't appear to be any boundaries that can't be crossed, so long as the value system is respected. One can sell his or her body parts: it's easy to compare the possible outcomes to various forms of slavery and trafficking and even organ harvesting. This system of balancing and value is a large part of what leads to many of the most unsettling and emotional moments of the season.

Unlike 2021's Tone-Deaf to Your Eternity, MiA actually does have a sense for emotional beats, and much of this comes from the fact that while the narehate of Ilblu look like they were all aliens gathered from a different planet and don't quite form a coherent community in the way that humans would, they were once human, with common human desires, and most of them were once similar to Riko and had the same undying will to explore deep into the abyss, they just got lost along the way or had no other means of continuing their journey. The time Riko's party spends with the villagers is short, but the scripting and timing make it feel as if they'd been together much longer. Oddly enough, it's somewhat like the sense of kinship one feels on a brief encounter with someone of the same nationality when happening upon one another in a foreign land—this sounds paradoxical when considering the context, but the narehate have two "selves" in some sense, both at odds with one another. Even just small scenes like Majikaja silencing Riko from forming a disastrous contract or the scenes with Meinya and Maaa or Belaf's guilt are surprisingly impactful.

Probably the most interesting aspect of the season is the basic relationship between Riko's party and other adventures with the villagers and the three sages. Vueko is an empathetic character with a close mother-daughter-like relationship in lieu of the focus on Lyza-Riko from previous installments and functions as a solid narrator. However, the two shining lights of the Ganja crew are clearly Belaf and Wazukyan.

Wazukyan is not a character I would consider an antagonist per se—certainly not a villain—but he could be said to be similar to Bondrewd in a sense, just a much lighter, more positive shade. Both are ambitious and will do whatever it takes to achieve their desires. Without people like them, we'd be unlikely to see advancements, though Bondrewd's quest is of a much more edgy and extreme nature.

On the other hand, Wazukyan led a band of people without a homeland into uncharted territory, and he did anything and everything he could to maintain his crew and continue the adventure. I personally think he made all the right choices given the circumstances, and one would be lucky to have such a resolute leader. While they ended up losing their humanity, it's unlikely they would have survived otherwise. Despite the outcome at first appearing to be for the best, any wish granted is always double-edged.

Though Ilblu may look festive and wondrous, the inhabitants sequestered there lost sight of their dreams, and their "homeland" becomes little more than a decadent economic hub. I mentioned the psychological aspect before, and by looking at Belaf and Wazukyan, they have quite useful abilities, are seemingly powerful, and even grandiose in form. That's... not the case for quite a few of the villagers, many of whom seem squishy, small, and weak, though a few may appear imposing or strong. The segment with the toilet could easily be dismissed as a gross gag scene, but aside from highlighting the truly alien nature of the abyss, the most disturbing aspect is that this toilet is alive and is clearly a narehate. There's another narehate that has a flat appearance and he likes to have people step on him. Quite a few others seem to be psychosexual in nature. This is a reflection of their desires—especially the base, lower ones. Fetishism, perversion, etc. The rest are concerned with various trinkets and consumerism and just about every character fetishizes the flesh of children and would like to purchase one from the market if they could.

As odd and dehumanized as they are, they are also in many ways quite human and imbued with both positive and negative traits. The proceedings were very obviously meant to portray a downtrodden people that lost the same ambition and luster for life as Riko, though there are other plot conceits pertaining to Faputa and the village's past. Wazukyan ceases to lead because there is nothing to lead, though an ambition lingers inside of him. In many ways, MiA is deeply about these competing drives, but we rarely see the other side of the same coin. We spend most of our time with Riko and other delvers, all who possess that spirit of exploration and discovery. Those of Ilblu had consigned themselves to the warm darkness like so many do and lost sight of the elusive light that dwells somewhere deep within the Abyss. Ilblu is the first instance where we see any kind of inertia, and, finally, a reinvigoration.

It can easily be said that this third arc is the best so far since it brings development of a new abyss layer through a less passive way. This season also introduces characters who have their importance and charisma. I really didn't regret reading Manga since it is the first time I'm both reading and watching a Series which draw so much attention from audiance. From a manga reader perspective, Made in Abyss can get even better in its anime journey. There is a thing that I didn't like a lot which was CGI applied to some characters. However it's kind of acceptable since it ... add a tone of mischievous and mistery.
There are still amazing soundtracks combined to epic horror scenes, good pacing and easy show to enjoy for most of the public. People usually don't regret to watch, it is a good choice and you can like it.
If you have never ever watched Made in Abyss, it also would be cool to watch its movies instead Series. That's why they are almost the same than all episodes but packed together in a easier way to watch.

Made in Abyss: Retsujitsu no Ougonkyou is an abysmal continuation to what could have been an interesting story.
The first season showcased fascinating worldbuildind, captivating the viewer with enchanting atmospheres and the promise of a journey in search of the knowledge at the end of the abyss, all qualities this season completely failed in carry on. The movie foreshadowed the shortcomings of the second season, but there the detachment from the strong points of the plot (dynamism of the journey, discovery of the abyss) was excused by the events that were essential for the continuation of the plot. Here the story becomes static once again ... and is abruptly interrupted by what feels like a 12-episode long filler episode, which is, by definition useless plot wise.

We learn nothing more of the abyss, the real protagonist of the story, or of our old characters, with the exception of Reg; can we truly say, though, to have learnt something new about Reg's past? The objective of the new season is the introduction of a new character who is goint to join the original trio of delvers: this is a major goal, but not at the expense of halting the story for an entire narrative arc.

Furthermore, said character's story is complicated and strange in a manner that feels exhibitionist: the gore and the gruesome forms of the beings did not feel organic with the canonic elements. Indeed, the story is quite simple but it seems as if the author's intention was to show off his grisly imagination: it is as if the story was written just to appear strange, as if asking you "Am I not quirky? Am I not incredibly original and different from all the other stories?", just like those people who try to appear eccentric just to set themselves apart from the others.

Some character's design was well-thought-out and respected their personality, but it was not sufficient considering this was true only for two out of a dozen characters. I understand the intention behind the introduction of other languages but the constant repetition of some locutions (yes, I am talking about "Sosu") is annoying and migraine-triggering, especially so when we consider the explanation behind it.
In conclusion, the creepy,nauseating and perverse scenes, that make this whole work feel like someone's fetish come true, would be excusable, as they were in the first season, if it wasn't for a plot that can only be described as boring and insignificant.

The only reason the rate is not 1 is because of Kevin Penkin's Soundtrack, which is, as always, evocative and much more emotional than the plot wanted to be.
If you find yourself at the end of this too long review, just know that it is not born out of hatred for the original story but from the disappointment of what it could have been.

I'm really disappointed with this season.
The flow of the story was really good in the first season, but the work became inclined toward unjustified darkness and bloodiness, with many manipulative scenes being shown that tended to be a psychological illness, and for everyone who thinks that this might add to the plot of the story, I would like to tell you that the author He really exaggerated in showing completely unjustified scenes and some disgusting scenes.
However, it contained clearly offensive matters, and I am truly sorry for what I am about to say, but it is With suspicion of pedophilia.
In conclusion, I am really disappointed ... in what I thought was a unique work worth watching, and I am truly thankful to you for continuing reading to the end.

As a story, Made in Abyss is made up of three core elements: alien but ultimately enchanting world-building, decently strong character writing, and… uncomfortable moments, be that through horror-writing, the downright gleeful torture of minors, or the somewhat alarming tendency to fetishize children. As our heroes go further down the abyss, the enchanting parts of the world give way to more and more uncomfortable moments, especially in this second season. And that’s not surprising: it’s an abyss, after all, so it should be dark. But as someone who didn’t bat an eye at the horrific scenes in the first season or the movie, I felt ... physically ill watching MULTIPLE parts of this second season (Even though I liked it overall).

This is a quality of Made in Abyss that I admire—it takes guts to create a story as viscerally uncomfortable and disturbing as this one. But, it’s also a quality that saddens me, because at this point, I can’t fully recommend the second season. If you felt uncomfortable about anything in Made in Abyss’s first season or the movie, you very well might not make it through this second season… or you might make it through but come out hating the franchise, which I definitely don’t want for you. So, only read further if you’re genuinely invested in Reg, Riko, and Nanachi’s plight, and have all the masochism and immunity to child fetishization you need to watch this second season in the first place (as I apparently do).

Now, to details. Much like the movie, the second season covers a single arc in a single location. Overall, I think the plot and pacing are impressive, especially given the fact that Riko, Reg, and Nanachi are almost never in the same location this time around. On top of that, the second season throws in a LOT of new characters, as well as a new storyline that runs in parallel thematically, but in the past chronologically. The season juggles all these elements quite well, and although I would have loved a little more time to dive into backstories and side stories, it still gets you invested and emotional when you need to be.

Unfortunately, I think the character writing suffers this season. Irumyuui, a crucial character to this season’s plot, isn’t developed much beyond “cute girl who goes through shit.” Wazukyan, while an interesting character, feels like a minor downgrade after Bondrewd. Belaf (#bestboy) holds an incredible amount of symbolic interest, but isn’t present enough for the season to explain his contradictory actions, which ultimately harms his character. Riko only rehashes character beats we already know from the first season, while Nanachi regresses, essentially reliving an arc from the first season after all the stellar development they got in the movie (At least Reg gets some interesting developments and backstory this season). But these are more nitpicks than anything; as I said before, the show still gets the job done and gets you invested and emotional when needed.

Visually, the second season is basically just as stunning as everything else the franchise has to offer. Some might be offended by the heavier use of CGI this season, but narratively, I think it works, and even emphasizes how unnatural and out-of-place certain elements of the Abyss are. The soundtrack is also excellently utilized, and builds upon the solid foundation provided by the first season. The OP is both narratively impactful and gorgeous to look at—definitely my favorite opening of the summer season. From a production standpoint, there’s nothing not to like here.

If you plan to watch the second season, I’d say binge it. It might help you get through the uncomfortable moments and gloss over the problems in character writing. It’ll also help you keep track of the (admittedly) numerous plot and character threads the season juggles. If you think you can handle extreme conceptual discomfort, binge and enjoy—I certainly did.

Made in Abyss is a great series. I just don’t think Layer 6 is all that interesting.

Season 1 and the movie, in other words Layers 1 to 5, were very interesting and I have no problem with giving them a 9 or 10. However, that is not the case with Season 2 aka Layer 6.

What layer 6’s story amounts to is “exploring a village”. It is far from the adventure that was Season 1, or the dynamic battle with a white whistler lord that was the movie.

The backstory of Ilmyuii (I don’t know her English spelling because I read the series in ... Japanese and watched it in Japanese) is not that interesting. Oh so she got cursed and had to (spoilders) so sad etc… I don’t feel the way I did when Mitty died or Prushka died because we (Rico and Reg) didn’t spend much time with her. Now they’re just going for shock value but it was underwhelming compared to season 1 and the movie.

Layer 6 itself isn’t all that interesting either. It is basically just a goddamn village. Might as well call it “the village arc”. Like I said before, there is no “adventure” here. Just meeting people. Sure, the movie didn’t have much “adventure” either, but there was a dynamic climactic battle that supplemented that. But we don’t have that either in layer 6. There’s not much adventure or dynamic action. Just talking to people like a chore quest from an RPG.

Layer 6 was the longest arc in the manga too, and the most boring arc. I’m afraid it is the same for the anime. This is not a bad anime. This is a good anime. It is a solid 7/10. It’s just not as good as season 1 or the movie, so I am giving it a “mixed feelings” rating. It definitely does not deserve a higher score than the movie or the first season. I am not hating on this anime. I’m just being honest with my disappointment for the Layer 6 Arc. I hope Layer 7 (season 3 of the anime) will be better.

Updated at episode 10: This is the anime that finally broke me. Damn, each episode is just 10 times more of the last in everything. Excitement. Emotion. Horror. Understanding. It makes me feel nostalgia, hope and depression all at once.

In season two, all the mysteries are resolved one by one, helping us to understand more about the history of The Abyss and why it is just as dangerous as it is enticing. A lot of the conflicts and character are also resolved as our main cast is forced to confront their past and motivations.

It is as heartbreaking of a story as it is beautiful.

As with ... the first season, the music, animation, art and plot are all amazing. Made in Abyss was already one of my favourite anime of all time and continues to become better with each new episode. Overall 10/10 for me.

Be warned: Somehow they managed to increase the gore within the story, as well as the traumatic nature of the background stories of the characters, as well as the situations they find themselves in. This one is not for the faint of heart, even more so than the first season.

Made in Abyss: a series which in my heart, I really wanted to love, but in the end was tragically disappointed by.

To be clear, I think this show is quite competent. The world building and concepts were fascinating. I loved the 7 different layers, and the corresponding illnesses that came from ascending in each one. The sense of foreboding and mystery was incredible in the first season, with the praying corpses, scattered relics, etc. It made me excited to learn more about the abyss as a place, and how such a harsh environment had even come to exist. But unfortunately, beyond all of that, that’s ... all Made in Abyss turned out to be: a list of cool ideas, stunted by underwhelming execution.

Problems with S1:
To reiterate, S1’s strengths were in the world itself. The first three episodes were set up perfectly—creating an apprehensive sense of dread around what awaited Riko and Reg in the unknown of the abyss. I felt genuinely afraid, and I loved it. It wasn’t until the main characters actually began their descent when I started to notice some negative patterns in the narrative’s storytelling.

My main qualms lied with Riko and Reg. Aside from behaving in ways that felt out of place for 12-year-olds, Riko’s consistent disregard for her own safety and lack of self-preservation got tiring very quickly. She experienced little in terms of character development, and seemed to be used primarily for “cute bait”—existing only for the purpose of being viciously mutilated when the plot wanted higher stakes.
(Also this is a side note, but I noticed an alarming amount of scenes where these *twelve-year-olds* had sexually questionable interactions, moments of nudity, or expulsion of bodily fluids. I can understand the desire to raise the story’s tension, but the ways these elements were used only ever felt uncomfortable and fetishy, and had very little relevance to the plot.)

Despite these factors though, what made S1 special was Nanachi’s arc. Her arc was the first time Made in Abyss presented conflict in a way that was not only dark, but grounded. She had lasting psychological repercussions that made her hesitant to trust others, and behaved in ways that logically aligned with her character motivations. She was flawed, and her complex desires and maturity of knowing when to back down from a fight made her much more compelling than Reg and Riko; who struggled to learn these basic survival principles up until the end of the season.
Season 1 would’ve had so much more gravity to it if the characters actually responded in an appropriate way to the abominations they witnessed. I was expecting to watch as the MCs slowly lose their grasp on their sanity—to witness them struggling to maintain their vigor with each layer they descended. I wanted to see them second-guess themselves and question their desires, only to eventually resign themselves to their choice; crossing the point of no return. Of course, I recognize a lot of this is my own opinion, but I still stand by the fact that keeping the tone cheerful despite the horrors Riko and Reg experienced was the very thing that undermined Made in Abyss as a story.

Problems with S2:
Basically, add up everything in season 1, plus a myriad of questionably written story beats, and you have season 2. The story introduces the Golden City: a location in layer six where hollows have been dwelling in peace for centuries. It was an interesting idea at first, but in order to make way for all of these new characters’ tragic backstories, Riko, Reg, and Nanachi are unfortunately forced to take a distant backseat.
The characters Faputa and Vueko were alright in terms of development, but were introduced in a way that felt way too abrupt. We hadn’t received any prior implications or foreshadowing about the Golden City in S1, so rather than watching satisfying lore elements click into place in S2, we were overwhelmed by a loosely related side-quest which the main characters merely stood by and witnessed. Everything felt jarringly out of place as a result, and the conclusion was unsatisfying because of how little anything changed afterward. (Which, I can’t help but observe that Faputa basically committed immense war crimes to accomplish her goals by the end, yet was painted as a hero despite that due to her self-proclaimed “noble cause”. That’s not really an ideal message to be sending…)
In the end, season 2 wasn’t terrible, but it just didn’t mesh well with the original plot. It would’ve made more sense as a movie rather than an entire arc of the story.

6/10: excessive suffering, and inconsistent, convoluted plot elements. I miss the sense of foreboding from season 1.

(Also Nanachi had a severe lack of screen time. She got done so dirty, and no one talks about it enough.)

Made in Abyss is a Dark Fantasy show so ridiculously good, I'm almost convinced Tsukushi-sensei (the author) is an actual God amongst men, who possesses divine insight and creativity the likes of which no mortal can ever hope to attain. How a show can be so tremendously f*cked-up and dark, and yet remain so incredibly human and touching at the same time, is a mystery the likes of which I'll never truly be able to comprehend. Almost every single aspect of this show is great: the world, the characters, the plot, the voice actors, the music, the production value... It's so good, I can scarcely ... think of a single negative thing to say here, other than the fact that you have to be able to stomach some truly gut-wrenching stuff.

The only reason I would ever hold off on recommending this to anyone, is that once you've seen Made in Abyss, there is precious little in the anime world, and perhaps in all of fiction, that can ever hope to match it. This season, much like the first one, is an absolute masterpiece, and a must-watch for any anime fan.

So set forth, Cave Raider, into the depths of the Netherworld once more; for it is through the Abyss that we are connected. But remain wary - for there are horrors lurking in its bowels that us humans were never meant to discover.

For the very first time, an anime brought tears to my eyes. Certain moments reached into the depths of my emotions, unleashing a torrent of tears. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all – this anime features breathtaking landscapes and includes scenes of both beauty and gore, accompanied by an exceptional soundtrack. Its narrative is emotionally stirring, founded on an unprecedented concept. The characters are intricately crafted, each with their own unique history. What sets it apart is that the plot is unpredictable and far from monotonous. Moreover, the art style perfectly complements the story.

Story - 10/10
Soundtrack - 10/10
Character development - 10/10

When you think of "New Gen Anime" the first thing that usually comes to people's minds are Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, Fire Force etc. Ya know, the basic mainstream shonens. Yea no, fuck that. When you think of New Gen Anime you should be thinking of Made In Abyss. Made In Abyss is a perfect example of being one of those "hidden gems" that people overlook because it doesn't have insane fight scenes or animation when in reality it's much better than any show that have the latter. The fantasy aspect of this show is almost unrivaled and it nails the true nature of, well, ... nature. Nature isn't just vast landscapes and beautiful scenery, it's harsh, unfiltered natural ways of life. I think Made In Abyss is spot on when it portrays nature as one of the scariest and also most precious things humans have ever come across.

Story: 7.5

The story isn't as grand as the settings and characters that live within it but it sets up a plot where those aspects can grow. We follow a young girl named Riko and a robotic kid named Reg as they descend ever so slowly into the Abyss to find Riko's mother who has since disappeared into the void. That's all there really is to the story but what keeps the show flowing in a beautiful manner is the settings and fantastic use of imagery Made In Abyss creates. Each layer of the Abyss is a completely fresh and new aspect with new plants/animals with different ways of life. And with that, also new ways to kill people. I think most fantasy shows either go too far into the beauty of it while others go too far into the dark fantasy genre and become gloomy. Made In Abyss masterfully combines those genres and makes the story such a breath of fresh air. I was completely hooked to how each layer of the Abyss also adds a new layer to the story. The Dante's Inferno style of descent into the Abyss was such a cool take on a show and I loved every second of it. Overall, go fucking watch this show now.

Art: 10

Like I said before, what makes this show shine is the beauty and complex scenery Made In Abyss creates. At first you think this show is just another peaceful laidback eye candy series and then people start getting eaten and die from a disease slowly and the art complements each side of the spectrum perfectly.

Sound: 7.5

Loved the use of sounds in the show and the openings are fantastic.

Characters: 8

Riko is adorable and can hold her own and Reg is right along with her. This duo back one another up as they slowly go down the Abyss and their interactions are so realistic and raw. They show genuine fear when fear is to be expected and passion when they see the vastness and beauty of the void. They are soon joined by Nanachi, a victim of the lower layers. Humans become irrelevant and we start seeing humans turned into a shell of their former selves. As the void gets darker so do the people residing within like Bondrewd. He is a such a fascinating antagonist that does what he wants and ignores the repercussions of his actions because who exactly is going to stop him in such a place? The characters flow just as easily as the story does and they are perfect fits for what Made In Abyss is meant to be.

Enjoyment: 8.5

I sat down and thought I would have a fun time watching 2 kids discover the secrets of a vast void filled with treasure or whatever. Then all of sudden people are getting eaten alive and people are gushing blood from their eyes and mouths and it completely caught me off guard. This show does not hold anything back when portraying the not nice aspects of nature and that just hooked me even more. Finally a fantasy show that isn't just all cutesy or too gloomy and is able to give me a dose of both at the same time. Such a fantastic way to present a show and I loved every minute of what I experienced.

Overall: 9

I said what needed to be said. Go experience what truly should be the spotlight of New Gen.

Right from the opening scenes, it’s clear these characters are destined for a horror. They shall descend, not just down a literal abyss, but an emotional and psychological one as well. And so to- will the viewer.

This reviewer fell in love with the original series about 3 years ago; its entire world: the bright light and sharp shadow, the wonderous scenery, the determined characters, the shocking violence and brutality. But most of all- the music. No soundtrack to any movie or tv show ever had such a strong effect and ultimately changed my listening habits forever, opening up the world of modern orchestral music. ... Kevin Penkin’s OST is a stroke of pure genius, with all its quirks and its beauty. I watched the compilation movies out of obligation, and then Dawn of the Deep Soul… It didn’t seem possible for this series to get more gruesome, but the sadism began to cross over into a realm of insanity that I honestly haven’t seen in any anime. By the end I was so upset I had literal chest pain. The first season had some difficult moments, but it didn’t take things so far that I wouldn’t want to share it with others. You were in for a heart breaking ride- but it had a tearful and hauntingly rewarding ending.

I bothered to mention all that- because this 2nd Season is where everything goes over the edge with Made in Abyss. What was intriguing, at times disturbing back in 2017 is now downright disgusting. There are scenes of characters’ innards being squeezed out, their rectal areas being examined… and the number of times this sort of sick crap occurs hints at there being some kind of fetishistic motivation. This show seems constantly determined to up-the-ante with the cruelty and torture, to the point it begins to become comical- only to then become outright repulsive. The casual abuse, the random torture- this show isn’t fascinatingly beautiful or interesting or surprising anymore. It’s become sick.
In the first series Ozen was kind of a jerk- but she was still a caring woman with a kind heart. The monsters they fought were brutal, but they didn’t torture- and we didn’t have to see inside their under areas. Even the music has lost the magic it once had.
I only watched it every week out of a belief that somehow all would be put right- there had to be some reason I was being subjected to such visuals- some meaning behind it all. But it just got worse and worse; the blood gushing and bodily mutilation stretching beyond any conceivable meaning and just becoming a twisted, meaningless VORE FEST. After episode 11 I had truly had enough- I made it that far; and if you’ve read this far- I will say right here and now that I strongly recommend AGAINST watching this anime and REGRET that I saw as much as I did.

I have never had such a strong reaction to an anime before. I’ve seen dumb light novel shows that I laughed at plenty of times, and enough trash-genre premiers; and I’ve seen a lot of amazing anime in 40 odd years. But never, not once, have I seen a series so beautifully designed with such a simple story told in such a unique fashion and beautiful music- only to watch it tear its own innards out- colon and all- forcing me to finally resolve that what ever sick crap is going on inside its creators’ heads is no longer something I need to be part of.

This is not just some negative review by some triggered numpty. I really do- or really DID- love the Made in Abyss story and its characters. I love Nanachi, Ozen, Riko, Muruk, and Reg… and wanted to have the same reaction to Vuelo and Faputa- but this second series has utterly ruined it for me, and now I’m broken hearted in a very different way. If you choose to watch it or not, that’s up to you- but I will leave saying this: if something becomes unpleasant to watch; when you find that something you once loved is actually a cause of pain and is not entertaining you anymore- DON’T FORCE YOURSELF to see it through. There’s no reason to watch something so mean and cruel as this, just to prove a point. Just walk away. You’ll be disappointed, but it’s better than seeing more gore that you just don’t want in your mind anymore.

I really liked Made in Abyss season one (I gave the first season 9 out of 10). It was a breath of fresh air. While other shows focused on battles, Made in Abyss focused on survival and discovery. Other shows had characters who were too strong to lose while Riko and Reg were constantly overwhelmed. Then season two came along. In theory, I don’t mind that the show changed, I just don’t like what it changed into. Most of the action and survival elements are gone, replaced with long, boring exposition. Lore can be interesting but it shouldn't be the focus on a show. The ... new characters aren’t interesting (one can literally say only one word). The exploration is nearly gone (it depends on how interesting you find the layer they are currently in), replaced with staying put and learning about a single layer that the group is going to leave eventually anyway (which makes it feel a little pointless). I was looking forward to this one, but I couldn’t even finish the season. It’s a shame to see something I enjoyed so much fall so far.

Well this one is kinda an tricky series though the firts season was good and really set the bases for what could be an outanding one the movie that served as secuel was Sh@@@t to say the least ( if you are more curious i have an review of it) and sadly this one was the same trash if not even worse than his predecesor.


Starting off with the good ones i have to mention the ost and how freaking good tracks are on it, just like the firts season in this aspect still keeps maintaining the same quality and are so emotives and beautiful ... melodies. The backgrounds are stunnings and the lore itselft its really intriging and well though in many ways and although is not used even at their minimun of his poetential i think still its there despite all the mistakes and horrors that makes.

Our main cast of characters emcompassing the protagonism in a beggining were kinda decent and even i could go so fat to say good but since their secuel in the format of the movie and this second season they became just completly stupids and brainless, there are just a couple of things that i could forgive in certain ones like with nanachi and with a really small degree reg ( in this second season).

Riko just went downhill so fast ending up like an innecesary characters that only its there for the sake of moving on with the plot being the other two just following her up, and she expose in every freaking possible situation in such a way that doesnt even questionate a sh@@@t and the worst is that everything just end ups like nothing and she keeps making the same freaking mistakes (like it were an newborn), i cant even call her restless because its just plain dumb as fuck.
Nanachi stills hold a good amount of decency as character after all this even with how shitty was portrayed in the movie so i think its one if not the only salveagable character of the main cast, Reg is just an dog lapdog that do wharever riko says and even with that poor try in adding a little more of interest in him with his past and everything doesnt hold enought to actually bring to light how flat and hollow is.

The writting of this is a joke i mean the pacing itselft wasnt to much of an problem but dude it just doesnt make sense at all some things the development is so BAD handled and you can see just after the two firts episodes how not even the author doesnt know in what direction to go giving priority to many things that doesnt serve to any kind of purpose like the gore that i dont have any problem with it and i kinda get that contrast between that chibi-like desing with all those grotesque scenes but really many times are efimere to what is all about the arc and in the end feels like an guilty-pleasure by the author to please the audience (as if adding gore to an series would improve it) wihtout adding any value to the series.

I like it the new elenct of characters introduced who arrived before and all their backgrounds though still could critize a good amount of them, just in the last batch of episodes it was where started to show up how incoherent were characters like eluko vuelo, belaf or wazukyan that stayed in a kinad gray area quite debatable if actually werent just leave it aside for the sake to fit those 12 episodes or due of pure negligence from part of the author (which wouldnt be a surpraise to this point).

And of course to end with the cherry of the cake that ending... ohhh man that ending its the most anticlimatic thing that i have ever seeing i mean if wasnt enought with all the previous mentioned still managed to make it worse.

I had to force myselft to finish it to being honest, there are just a few of things that felt like an torture and this was one of them, the dialogs, the motivations of the characters , the freaking writting and development of the story, jesus every single thing that plays an rol in the story telling is an disaster my god when i was in the latest episode i could not wait more to end the suffering because the reality is that hurt so much to actually find something so bad in those aspects,

RESUME

Well we have reached a point without return and from now on i have now more than undertand that what in a beggining was an promising story with a possible depth lore accompained with an amaizing ost its at his core an really poor attemp of it, comminting HUGE mistakes in the most importants aspects that any series should have an at least decent lv that are characters development, story and narration. Im dissapointed to being honest i was hoping that could reclaim this time with an at least same quality like the firts one but sadly wasnt the case and although has a couple of things that are pretty good ( im not talking of the gore) starts pretty early coming to light all their flaws that end up making an really dissapointing experience.

What do you think is your purpose for being born?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This review can be read even if you haven’t seen season 1 or the movie.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Made in Abyss Season 2 comes at one of the greatest times for anime to develop dramatically. Most of the animations for Made in Abyss stay relatively consistent to their previous seasons in quality, but its best scenes are greater than even the previous movie in animation. This is in reference to all of the battle scenes that happen in Season 2, referred to as the Golden City of the Scorching Sun Arc. Amazing storytelling, along with a beautifully written character cast, ... my heart feels just as hot as I’d be in the sixth layer. But I’ll get into that later. Let’s talk about the story.

The storytelling has to be one of the best parts of Made in Abyss, just under character writing. It doesn’t need to tell us 100% of the land as we follow along the main cast. The studio and the author show us that through architecture and geography. The animation and stills of such has so much storytelling ingrained into it. This is a much more gruesome environment, and that can be seen from the kinds of creatures and their form of living. Blood, bodies, bones.. If they’re even there for anyone to see. Yet, it doesn’t feel out of place given the context of the previous season and movie. This place is expanded upon through our main cast of course, and it helps having the narration of Riko giving us nice questions on the land. I’d have to say, the greatest addition to the story has to be that they stayed in the same layer, rather than rush it like all the other layers. This is inevitable since.. They can’t really rush that! It helped to give us the background for the civilization that lived there (lives! SPOILeR!!!! But not really). The greatest question out of this season has to be the quote at the beginning of this review. There’s so much of humanity that doesn't realize the depth of others affecting us. This can range from a 9-5 job that takes over our lives, sacrifices made along the way, and sometimes even thinking of the purpose to our birth. Can something really be so definitive that it can have a single answer? This season asks us that question, but the adventure, even then, cannot give an immediate answer. But, it does tell us about the music given from this season.

The soundtrack is phenomenal yet again, as per Kevin Penkin. I had no doubt. Gravity also SLAPS. A harmonious soundtrack that gives off the sense of adventure. The openings and endings are also fantastic, having another MYTH & ROID addition. The ending is a good example that going deeper into the abyss has its light that can be reached. They all have different manners of evoking many amazing emotions in me.. But not as much as the character cast.

Before I get onto that, another question I have to ask is: Can you do anything to survive? The addition to the character cast of Faputa, Vueko, Irumyuui, Belaf, Wazukyan, and many more are added as a part of exploring the sixth layer, and out of these characters, Faputa has to be a new favorite. The amount of backstory put into each character is fleshed out enough for us to see the capabilities of each of them. A person born from nothing, a person of emotion, a person that reaches for the impossible, a person having clairvoyance, a person touched by divinity (and Maaa, a new friend). Their interactions with the main cast, Riko, Reg, and Nanachi, can range from heartwarming to absolute catastrophe. It’s some of my favorites in animation in general. At some point, the actions of these characters aren’t even something that can be stated as inherently right or wrong, and that’s the magic of the abyss that lured them in. Many, /MANY/ times, I had a fight in my head on the actions of the characters, just as much, if not more than I did seeing the previous movie. But I ultimately came to the decision to accept it, even if I don’t find it right, as they always give us the reason. Controversy is a common theme for Made in Abyss, and it’s no different here. And in controversy, a star is born, that star being Faputa. Giving us a fantastic backstory, ultimately stretching back to even season 1, Faputa is the best character addition to the main plot. Faputa’s animations are also so incredibly smooth for her ability to travel. A plethora of questions came about from the addition of Faputa, and they can be answered from the story of the show. Her interactions following the main cast are amazing, to say the least. Animalistic to others, but kind to those that she opened up to. And someone that can understand Faputa more has to be Nanachi, giving us an authentic experience that many of us have felt in the past. And Reg’s experience with Faputa is stellar (despite being so deep in the abyss!). Riko, being the walking exposition dump (but I still find it so interesting!), gives us the interactions of how people live in the sixth layer, even if those people have transformed, and is the pinnacle reason of Faputa’s reaction seeing them together.

As I stick around for another season for Made in Abyss, I have to tell you that it is very much worth seeing. Amazing animation again, as well as another great soundtrack by Kevin Penkin, it all helps to tell the story of the abyss. Another continuation of the faithful adaptation, it’s great to know it doesn’t diminish in value. The fight scenes are so smooth, and the weight of it all can be related to even that of a regular life. Another hour long finale. It saddens me that I need to wait for another season again, but I guess that's the magic Made in Abyss.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sincerely, a great fan. Everyone, see you later.