It's been a long while since we've ever anticipated anything new about Overlord...well, ANYTHING besides the Isekai Quartet "spin-off" chibi series that for some reason, has progressed much faster in the 4-year gap since Season 3 came out. YES, you heard me right. Season 1 came out in Summer 2015, EXACTLY 7 years ago, and then Seasons 2 and 3 in quick succession in Winter and Summer 2018, which was a terrible mistake for Madhouse since it was basically crunch time that ultimately landed on subpar production values that are abysmal for Overlord standards. The Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown ONLY demands the best of the best, and thankfully, after 4 long years of abstinence that Madhouse is entering a new revival, the production team has pulled a 180 on us to say that "Thou aren't gonna be on par with You-Zitsu Season 2's standards where all mistakes shall dolt continue!" and learnt from their missteps to finally give us Season 4, which could arguably be the most important and exhilarating season of Overlord to date.
So, with Season 4, we enter Volumes 10 (The Ruler of Conspiracy), 11 (The Craftsman of Dwarf) and 14 (The Witch of the Falling Kingdom) of novelist Kugane Maruyama's LN with Ains Ooal Gown's coronation as the Sorcerer Kingdom's Sorcerer King, ready to transform his kingdom into a utopia, a thriving world with various races that will submit to his authority. On that note, you might be wondering why Volumes 12 and 13 were skipped entirely, and that's because both volumes focus on The Paladin of the Holy Kingdom arc, which was announced last year that alongside Season 4, the series would get its 3rd film that would adapt both volumes. So, think of it as sorta like a canon event that happened before the 2nd half of Season 4, but again like the actual season itself, has been some of the most brutal and devilish moments of the source material yet.
Nevertheless, it's pretty much assumed that LN readers were dying to see these moments animated as the Sorcerer King Ains lays his plan of his own ideal utopia, seeing that his own Sorcerer Kingdom was severely lacking resources and adventurers. And the next target he's locking his eyes onto are those that aren't seen by the wayside (the creatures not yet tapped upon) to the bigger fish that is the Re-Estize Holy Kingdom (not the Slane Theocracy as Crunchyroll somehow messed up the translation). The return of Ains and his Floor Guardians are always the highlights of Overlord, but also not forgetting people like the Blue Rose adventurers and the people of the Holy Kingdom as they play a part on Ains's puzzle-piecing plan to make his name known all over the world. Failure to do so, then death is imminent either way. This is truly Overlord at its best, and it's a great return to form.
That return to form is supported by Madhouse getting better at their craft, especially on the CGI front that after Season 3's heinous job done, it becomes more tolerable and isn't jarring to look at, a good job on that. Also, Season 4 has just about the improvement made back to the usual Overlord standards of visually looking at its very best. It's the same story on the musical front as OxT is back for another OP, and it sounds just as fantastic as it should be. Things get more impressive for former MYTH & ROID member Mayu Maeshima, as "No Man's Dawn" could potentially be the best ED ever in Overlord's entire OST.
It's a no-brainer at this point if you're already deeply ingrained into the Overlord franchise that's now 3 seasons and 2 movies in, plus the Isekai Quartet chibi series. Every season feels like a bloodbath, and it only gets bigger and better one after the another, all culminating into a huge battle fest that is Season 4. Ainz Ooal Gown's story is badder than life, and glory to Nazarick and the Sorcerer King.
