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Why do I the feeling that the series or 'a series with this kind of theme' for that matter (because every single one seems to do this) would be so much better if they would just STOP with the stupid, annoying harem and clueless main character bullshit? Jeez... It's get hard too watch at some point and doesn't add anything then pointless filler-time that could be used on the actual story and theme. >_>
It's so much fun to watch a idiot of a main character stumble into his luck every single time instead of actually improving as a character on his own btw. /s
He doesn't learn anything that way, how can his personality progress in a meaningful if he gets rare equipment, skills and chances (and excuse my language here) shoved up his a** by 'lucky' coincidences while being a naive moron about everything from start to finish?
At this point it seems more like he isn't the main character, just a clueless guy running around doing his stuff while the actual story happens around him by chance and he isn't noticing or understanding anything at all.
DancingJackApr 24, 2015 3:59 PM
"The fool who believed in miracles now walks among the dead." ~ Blade of the Phantom Master
I guess that this series is pretty cliche. I don't know. Seems like everything follows something that I'd be able to predict. But even though its cliche im still satisfied with the episode
I really enjoyed this episode! The series still has a 10/10 for me because of how refreshing it is to watch. There's not a single character I dislike or get annoyed with (which is rare for me).
I don't even consider it "harem-y" because Eina actually said she "kept her private and work life separate" and the only girls even close enough to being possible love interests for Bell are Hestia and Aiz. The others seem to be pretty unrequited. Also, I love Bell so it doesn't even bother me :~~~)
I was surprised I ended up liking Lilli since it was so obvious at the beginning that she had some kind of ulterior motive. Bell's kindess has already gotten through to her. I have a feeling (more like a theory) she might join the Hestia Familia later on. Either way, her and Bell are going to be very close I can tell.
LN readers can you clarify? In the manga Syr wasn't just warning Lili, she had an outright sinister smile on her when she went to go speak with Lili. In the anime as we can all see it was more like a light scolding, can someone who reads the LN clarify? What is Syr's game? Who is she and is she a sinister character or more akin to Siesta from Zero no Tsukaima?
Liked the episode. I was wondering when the little girl was going to get introduced, now all that's left is the red-haired guy. Still, it's hard to believe Bell needs only half an episode to woo any girl. Lili with that massive backpack is actually really cute, so if she just stops trying to steal from her new employer, everything will be dandy. Bet she didn't expect to get half of the money they earned.
I hope I'm not wrong, but there seems to be a sub-plot concerning what seems to be an economic crisis that's hit Lili's guild, so it'd be great if that gets explored. Also, the sex goddess will be making her move.
Ryu is the most badass girl we've seen thus far, but she also has a bashful side. *Sigh*, me and my soft spot for side characters. It's actually a damn wonder how I don't dislike any of the many females, but that's probably because there aren't any tsunderes.
clannadlover said: LN readers can you clarify? In the manga Syr wasn't just warning Lili, she had an outright sinister smile on her when she went to go speak with Lili. In the anime as we can all see it was more like a light scolding, can someone who reads the LN clarify? What is Syr's game? Who is she and is she a sinister character or more akin to Siesta from Zero no Tsukaima?
Here is the scene from the novel
Syr quietly watched the girl from between the two paper bags in her arms.
With the situation resolved, Lyu and Syr needed to finish their shopping. Bell said another thank-you to the both of them. Lyu did a slight head bow in response; Syr chuckled softly and said she hadn’t done anything to be thanked for.
Bell stepped out of their way as Lyu and Syr started back into the alleyway.
It was as they were leaving that Syr bent down and whispered into Lilly’s ear.
“— No more mischief from you, all right?”
“!!”
A cold chill shot through Lilly’s skin.
Her tiny body shook pitifully.
Syr stood up as if nothing had happened and joined the stern-faced Lyu as they went into the backstreet again.
“Lilly, what did Syr say just now?”
“N-nothing… Um, Mr. Bell?”
“Yes?”
“Who are those two?”
“They’re waitresses at a bar. It’s called The Benevolent Mistress. It’s pretty popular— have you heard of it?”
“… Mr. Bell.”
“Yeah?”
“Never, ever take Lilly there, okay?”
“Uh, er, okay…” was all Bell could say to the half-laughing, half-crying Lilly. He could tell that something was still wrong with her, and quietly broke a sweat.
With the sun setting in the west, Main Street had finally calmed down and returned to normal. Bell and Lilly stood there for a moment, a strange air between them.
We are progressing faster than I thought. I can't wait to see when Lili becomes a full fledged member of Bell's party. That Soma familia seems shady as hell.
Spell in the next preview? Maybe Bell will get his own magic!
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hestia, eina, syr, ryu, freya, aiz, lili. so many girls :(
the harem elements getting really strong each episode it hurts..
was ok episode for me bc less hestia on screen damn.
Im not interested on lili but she has uchida maaya's voice kyaaa <3.
and bell-kun you're just too kind (ˇ○ˇ) still hestia is bestia. <3
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Turning into harem with some fanservice..... hope they expand more on the fantasy and world building part of the story. Excellent episode, though, overall. A lot of great character building and Soma.... supposedly "a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the subsequent Vedic and greater Persian cultures". Very intriguing.....
<In the ghost town of our love
there is a player piano
trying to prove it can make music
without being touched.
My fingertips miss her so much.>
i dunno most thing i was excited from this episode was bell-kun getting some new swag armor was wondering if he was gonna be wearing that scrubby coat and backpack the whole time
and did the second line of the book at the end say PVP??
I found that funny when she tried to sell Bell's knife. Well, Lili is adorable in a way. I guess there's financial problems in her current familia. Not long now she'll join the Hestia familia as well.
To put into words i think i am in bit abnormal when it comes to this series cause i am not feeling the overall enjoyment and entertainment levels as much as most people are enjoying this. I actually find this strange as well cause it has a lot of the stuff i really like in a series,,,it has the fantasy setting of SAO with the gaming mechanics, The Haremish atmosphere of Outbreak Company, The series plot progression like Log Horizon and the global setting like NO GAME NO LIFE yet i am just not feeling it as much as other people.
Maybe it is because i have gone a bit tired of it,,,lately i have been switching to other genres when it comes to series....cause as much as u might like a genre from time to time u feel u might want a change....so it might be that...
I also cannot understand the hype for Hestia , the fans for her character skyrocket and now has practically become th e poster girl for the spring season. Although despite this i am still being pulled back into it...it has something that for some reason makes you want to see it and enjoy even for people who might not like this sort of stuff....I think someone might have placed on a spell on it..HAHA joke.
Lili is cute but she's a conniving brat. I'm not sure how to feel. She reminds me of Bell Hydra from Blood Lad because of that huge backpack. Nevertheless, a cute episode.
Bell's skill isn't boosted stat growth. It's boosted harem growth.
So now we see the supporter... Hmm it kinda gets to me how oblivious Bell can be but since that's how he is supposed to be I guess.. I wonder if Lili is going to try something again (I think she will...)
I wonder if Bell's armour has some history to it? Maybe it was made or used by a really well-known person or something?
I am not fond of this stranger-is-actually-a-thief trope, so yeah not my fav episode. Gotta love the green-haired girl, she is badass. Please give her a bigger role.
Bel is a little too naive, but whatever. 26000 vailes is awesome.
The ED is great, I think I have said this before but well.
Oh god Lilli's voice annoyed me to no boundaries and the OP and ED are really throwing me off my game, but this episode was okay, overally. The whole thing felt like a RPG though, with the level ups and dungeons with different floors aka levels and buying items(???) lol right now I'm just watching for fun. Also I feel like all these girls are falling for him for like no reason at all.
And why in the bloody hell have so many people done reviews for this already, couldn't they
just wait till the anime finishes airing? We've barely known any significant characters and the story's just building up so why writing reviews NOW??
I decided to put in the spoiler the full scene of Freya from the novel that the anime very quickly skipped over since I thought it was something they should of not skipped and it had important information about things.
“So, you’ve gotten even stronger.”
A voice from above whispered.
Below, a white shadow, running after another shadow and getting farther away.
A woman’s excited eyes followed this shadow with the utmost intensity.
Clouds in the night sky shifted, flooding the woman’s room with moonlight.
The entire outer wall of the room was made of glass. The woman standing next to the glass wall was so clearly illuminated it was as though the moon were casting a spotlight on her.
Her thin yet luscious body was wrapped in a sheer black nightgown.
Her fair, light skin gave off a mysterious air as it was bathed in the lunar glow.
Silver hair reaching almost to her waist sparkled as if made of ice.
“That’s wonderful. You must shine even more…”
Clap. The woman— Freya— put her hands together, her outrageously beautiful figure reflecting off the glass.
It was the highest floor of Babel Tower.
Freya resided in the highest, most glamorous room in the whole building. She watched Bell from her window wall.
“More, more, shine even brighter, child. It’s your duty, now that you have my attention.”
A deep love was in her eyes, along with the absolute authority of rank.
Freya was obsessed with the boy, with Bell. Obsessed enough to ignore other trifling things and to be caught up in a burning passion of love. The goddess of beauty was entranced by him.
Freya possessed the Eyes of Insight, an ability that allowed her to see the truth inside the souls of the people of the mortal world.
This was a natural gift of hers, not one of the abilities known as Arkanam. The gods had an agreement forbidding the use of these powers on Gekai, but Freya’s Eyes of Insight weren’t affected. She had once used those eyes to judge souls of dead people that came to her temple in Tenkai, especially the souls of warriors who fell in battle, and to transport them.
Into her collection, that is.
Freya could determine the nature of a soul faster than any other god, and she quickly embraced her favorites.
Souls who received her judgment after death were the lucky ones.
Those who caught her eye as they were dying were extremely fortunate.
This is because they would be loved by the goddess of beauty for all eternity.
Even if they were forever restrained and denied their freedom.
Freya controlled both love and beauty.
For better or worse, she was a wild and cruel goddess.
“Grow stronger, grow more befitting of me… That is your task.”
Like many other gods, Freya had left her temple and Tenkai itself to come down to Gekai, but that didn’t mean her “hobbies” had changed. She used her eyes to see the true colors of the children and to add the most talented, brightest souls to her own Familia.
No one refused her. No one could refuse her.
No one had ever been able to resist the magic that was her beauty.
For that reason, members of Freya Familia had strength and power completely separate from those around them. Even among the powerful Familias of the Labyrinth City, Freya Familia stood apart in its might.
The goddess Loki knew perfectly well about Freya’s eyes, and called it the “rot in hell, you lousy cheater” power.
“I just happen to like strong men.”
She had discovered Bell by coincidence.
It was early one morning. Her silver eyes spotted him walking down West Main.
—I want that.
That emotion went through her at first sight.
It had been a long time since she felt like that. Her whole body lightly shook in anticipation; her stomach jumped; a breath of euphoria escaped her lips. Just as it had always happened with her, she became no better than a child who’d found a new toy in a toy store. A pure but ugly urge to possess him consumed her.
Bell’s soul was a color that Freya’s eyes had never seen before: clear.
What color would he become? Or would he stay clear? Anything with an element of uncertainty could keep a god interested indefinitely.
That’s why she couldn’t stop.
So she decided to wait and watch. It would be fun to turn him into her own color, but she felt as though there would be plenty of time to do that later.
“I can’t wait. How strong will you get? How bright will you shine? What color will you become?”
There was indeed love in her silver eyes as she watched the boy from her room, but it was a corrupt love.
She placed a finger on her full lips and playfully bit the tip. For a moment, a provocative scent filled the room.
“What’s this…? …Ha-ha-ha, noticed again, did you?”
The boy was already quite small in the distance, but he had come to a complete stop and was looking around.
It was as though he’d lost something and was frantically searching the area to find it. Freya’s eyes closed slightly as a large grin enveloped her face.
He’d done the same thing the first time she saw him on West Main. He noticed her gaze when she focused on him with all the excitement built up in her body. His perception was better than she thought.
Almost as if her gaze had been too strong.
He doesn’t have the talents of other children before him… Why, then? Could everything be due to his growth? Mmm… very intriguing.
Looking back on that moment, she should have made her move.
She felt like she could have easily controlled him like a puppet as she’d watched him speak with some familiarity to a girl on the street. Even though he had another god’s blessing, she had no doubt she could have persuaded him.
She restrained herself because she didn’t know which Familia he belonged to— which god would move to protect him. She didn’t want to quarrel with someone like Loki and her Familia. That, and—
After seeing his innocent smile, her urges waned, and she didn’t feel like it.
I’ll have to remove Hestia from the picture… but that boy is mine.
But for now, changing the plan and watching him from the shadows wasn’t such a bad thing. Freya nodded to herself.
One would tire of always having a cat in one’s lap. It was good to let it play to its heart’s content outside in the garden from time to time.
After all, it was her garden.
She could retrieve him at any time.
“I will wait for a while before I make you mine… It’s strange, part of me doesn’t want you to come. Now might be the time when thoughts of you dance in my mind the most.”
Just like everyone before him, once he became hers, she would lose interest over time. He would become a favorite toy on a shelf, one of the dolls sitting in a row. Occasionally she would remember him, take him off the shelf to play, and then put him back.
The hope and excitement of the first moments would always fade away. Emotion deteriorated.
The same was true of love. Once it hits its peak, it was fated to crumble. No one longed for a love that had gone cold.
However, Freya didn’t feel that it was pointless.
That was simply the nature of love, and she was the goddess of love.
She felt that having a collection on the shelf that was a little too big was somehow just right.
She hooked a few strands of hair that had fallen to her cheek with her finger, and pulled them back behind her ear.
Her bare shoulders were showered in moonlight.
Looking like a girl falling in love for the first time, she continued watching Bell with loving eyes.
“… However, yes. It might be about time for you to learn magic.”
Tap. She hit her finger on her chin as she thought out loud.
After tilting her neck, deep in thought, something came to mind. She took her eyes off the boy far below and walked away from the window.
Freya’s Eyes of Insight couldn’t decipher statuses given by other gods or goddesses, but she could infer their strengths and abilities by their color and brightness.
She could tell by looking at Bell that he had no magic. Freya felt this was a flaw.
She decided to act, and quickly.
“I wonder if this will do?”
A heavily adorned bookcase stood in the corner of her room. It was very wide and tall, so much so that it would cover her body if it fell over.
Her thin finger reached for the middle shelf and pulled out a thick book by the spine. It fell into her waiting arm with a thud.
Thumbing through the pages, Freya made a satisfied nod.
“Ottar.”
“Ma’am.”
A rigid voice responded to Freya’s call.
A person had either been standing inside the room the entire time or was just outside the main door.
Boar-like ears stood out above short, rust-colored hair. This male animal person stood more than two meters tall and had a body as solid as a rock.
He stood like a statue next to Freya, a guard dog waiting for his master’s commands.
“I want you to take this book…”
She was about to hold out the book when her words trailed off.
Closing her mouth, she looked down at the book in her arms.
“Does something trouble you?”
“Hee-hee, no, it’s nothing. Please forget it.”
“Ma’am.”
Ottar gave a short nod and took a step back as Freya smiled at the book.
That’s right. It wasn’t necessary for her treasured servant to deliver the book directly.
Plus, if this behemoth were to show up silently in front of Bell and attempt to give him a book, the boy would be terrified. While entertaining to think about, it wouldn’t do.
There was no need to place it in his hands. He merely had to take it.
She knew just where to leave it.
It would be right where she first saw him, on the big street where they’d “met.”
There was a certain bar very close.
If the book were there, it would end up in his hands for sure.
In the dark stillness of the room, her servant watched as Freya turned to the window wall, laughing quietly to herself.
There was also some information about what the Gods jobs were in heaven and what happens to people when they die this was during the scene between Lili and Bell just before the Freya scene but was also cut down so i will put it in the spoiler as well because of length again.
Soon, many gods and goddesses began appearing on Gekai— the lower world, to them— and created the groups known as Familias in many places around the world. Their worshipper– worshippee relationship continued as Babel was built higher and higher to represent the gods’ influence on Gekai.
Babel Tower grew to its current height as a result, as well as gained the image of a shrine to the power of the gods.
“I think I understand… Whenever I hear stories about the gods, I can’t help but wonder just how boring their world is. They’d have to be bored enough to want to leave the heavens and come down here, right?”
“Maybe they hated their jobs enough to run away?”
Bell had been looking at the tower during their conversation, but these words got his attention and he turned to face Lilly.
“Lilly’s heard that the gods had many responsibilities in Tenkai— the upper world. Their most important one is taking care of us, their children, when we go to eternal sleep.”
“Isn’t that…?”
“Yes. They’re in charge of guiding people after they die.”
Hearing those words, Bell felt his heart speed up a little.
That was not the typical reaction to this topic, but he sensed his destiny in Lilly’s voice.
Lilly’s point, in short, was that the gods would decide what happened to mortals after death.
To put it another way, they judged everyone’s souls.
The treatment of a soul could vary wildly, depending on the god responsible for it. It might be allowed to live on in Tenkai, or it could suffer unimaginable pain, or be forced into endless, meaningless hard labor… If one were to begin listing the possibilities, the list would never end.
The fate of all the souls released from the bonds of Gekai hinged on the caprices of the gods. The concept of being a good or bad person during life didn’t enter into it.
The gods either liked you or they didn’t. Their mood determined heaven or hell.
A “judgment” free of rules and regulations, instead based on whims and opinions, awaited them.
“Then again, most souls just get reincarnated anyway… Since there is all this work to be done, the gods still up in Tenkai have to pick up the slack left behind by the gods living down here. They’re overworked with no time to rest. They’d be angry, wouldn’t they? The next ones to come here will have a very intense ‘discussion’ to determine the order they leave.”
I don’t wanna go there… I don’t wanna die… Bell was deep in thought.
If he were to go up there now, they’d put him through to hell. For fun.
As if she could see where Bell thoughts were taking him, Lilly reached up and shook his shoulder.
He snapped out of it and gave her an embarrassed smile.
Something was off.
“… But there was a time when Lilly longed for death.”
That was it.
Those words were like a punch in the gut.
“… eh?”
“If Lilly went before the gods… if Lilly could be reborn… the new Lilly would surely be better than the current one…”
Lilly stared at the top of Babel— no, farther out into the heavens as she spoke.
Her hood folded back as she looked up, exposing her chestnut hair and big, round eyes. They were blank.
It seemed like she was looking into the sky, yearning to go home.
“L-Lilly!!”
Bell suddenly yelled.
He felt like if he didn’t, Lilly might just disappear.
Lilly slowly closed her eyes, breaking off her staring contest with the stars, and looked up at Bell with her eyes hidden behind her bangs.
“Sorry for saying such an odd thing.”
“……”
“That was a long time ago. Please don’t take Lilly seriously. Lilly’s stronger now. Lilly doesn’t have those thoughts anymore.”
Bell couldn’t say anything.
She had to be telling the truth. Lilly puffed out her chest with a small grunt, and there was no sadness in her body language whatsoever. She must have recovered from something in her past.
That was yet another reason Bell couldn’t put his emotions into words or action.
“Well, it’s already very late, Mr. Bell. Let’s hurry on home. Lilly has to go back to her Familia tonight, too.”
A bright and cheerful Lilly turned her back to the tower. She moved away from it, taking little steps.
Bell glanced down at her shoulders, shoulders that were much too small to be carrying that much weight.
He watched her carry that backpack, unnaturally large on the girl’s tiny frame, with a heavy heart. A moment later, he ran after her.
Lili so cute damn :3, wonder why the Soma are so desperate.
Poor Hestia never gets a break lol.
Nice new armor there Bell c:
Starting to get into this series.
I love the new armor, and the whole red line throughout it is badass. I really like Bell now, at first I wasn't a big fan but now that he is coming into his own I'm liking him more and more, Also Please be over the whole Love Aiz, there are soooo many better girls joining his "Harem"
I died laughing at the scene where Lili told Bell to take responsibility for rubbing her ear's then he make that little girl sound. AMAZING
Also then when Syr was making the jealous expression's when Ryu handed back his knife.
I will be buying the Manga/Novel for this when I can..It's in my top 10 for sure (Maybe TOP 5)
I like the episode but idk its like turning into a harem like SAO everyone the MC meets insta fell for him... But I like it tho... the battles and Liliruca soo cute(as always sry for the bad english kaka).
Now, Bell as added to his harem a semi-elf, a spooky and hot maid and an oppai loli dog girl?! What is this madness? How does he do this?! It must be Kirito power flowing through him...
«Time is passing so quickly. Right now, I feel like complaining to Einstein. Whether time is slow or fast depends on perception. Relativity theory is so romantic. And so sad.» - Kurisu Makise a.k.a. The Zombie