This KonoSuba spin-off (not season 3) is a prequel of the main series that, as stated in the very first scene, shows Megumin's (the most beloved character in this series) origin story, from the moment she fell in love with Explosion Magic until she finally meet a certain shut-in NEET and an useless self-proclaimed goddess.
Story: 7,5/10
Not gonna lie: it is slow in the first 3 episodes, I'm genuinely surprised episode 3 content was adapted. It still has some really funny moments, but this series just starts getting better (and better each episode) starting from episode 4 (so, please, make an exception on the 3 Episodes rule in this case).
The story, like Konosuba in general, is almost a slice of life, just showing the everyday life of those quirky characters. I don't think most people actually watch KonoSuba to see an action plot, full of thrills and twists, at this point. But I can't keep talking about the plot without talking about the main attraction in KonoSuba: their...
Characters: 10,0/10 (Can I raise it to an eleven?)
The thing about spin-offs is they usually aren't like the main series. Their proposal is to pick those side characters and give them a proper development, and maybe create something unique and entertaining in its own way, and that is what this series does. So, instead of that chaotic quartet, this series main focus is Megumin, the arch wizard with a goofy obsession with a useless spell (that isn't actually that goofy at all), and her bestie... I mean, rival, Yunyun. Because of this MCs' change, instead of a chaotic comedy, we get a cute (and in the final, kinda touching) comedy about a couple of friends' journey on this wonderful world blessed by God (although Konosuba trademark humor is still very present).
The cast was always Konosuba strength, and in this spin-off we get a chance to know them better. We learn more about Megumin, her trash personality (almost Kazuma's soul mate) and her background (not just her Explosion obsession, but even her outfit gets a deeper meaning in this series), and that Yunyun is not just a precious friend to Megumin (it is a shame she is too tsundere to admit it), but a precious human being that must be protected by all cost (usually by Megumin).
But it is not this main duo that gets a amazing development. Even those minor characters from the main series get a good development, which results in a great world-building, showing how lively that world is when Kazuma and his gang aren't around. From the chuuniNEET Crimson Demons, the worthless adventurers of Axel, to even the Axis Order lunatic followers (with 2 new and really funny characters I hope we met in the main series in the future), everybody gets a proper screentime to show more about themselves and even the reason why some of them are the way they are in the main series.
This series was actually written by the main series author, so it gets a lot of fun connections with the main series, including some long-awaited cameos.
Sound: 8,5/10
The music seems fine. The main attraction here is the voice acting, excellent as always. Both the VAs from the main series as the new VAs did a wonderful job (I can't imagine those people not having such a good time dubbing it). About those new VAs, it is worth mentioning Fairouz Ai as the crazy Axis Order priest Cecily, and Sachiko Kojima as the villain Arnes, who... is actually a decent person who did anything wrong?! Are you sure KonoSuba MCs are the good guys?...
Animation: 9,0/10
Although we got a studio change (we know what this usually means), the animation actually got better with Drive. The staff is basically the same from the main series (that produced this spin-off alongside the actual season 3), but with a more polished feature, unlike the famous Studio Deen quality standard (but keeping the low-budget comic expressions we love).
Conclusion:
If you are a fan of Konosuba main series, and you want to know more about the world the main series takes place, and the people who live there, all your prayers (to Eris, I hope so...) have been answered. I even recommend to at least search about what happened in this spin-off, because it sounds like it will reflect in the main series in the near future, since unlike other spin-offs, this one sure isn't a filler one.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I can't finish this review without an 💥
