First I want to point out: They just KNEW that they would never be able to top Database, so they just used it again for the opening but with different visuals, like Hunter x Hunter. And I think that’s awesome and hilarious. It’s such a great song, man.
What a wait for this one. I know that settings with characters stuck in a game is getting tiring, but when it’s done right, it’s DONE RIGHT. Except, this is more like they were sent to another world that resembles the game Elder Tale. It proves to be true when you see the ending of the episode which really confused me, but I’ll get to that in a bit.
Akihabara is holding an event called “After-Halloween”, planned by our lovely Marie. After a Halloween event where enemies would drop pumpkins when defeated, and them accumulating a lot of pumpkin, they would be given out as prizes. And make a lot of food with them. Everyone’s having a grand time and we see all of the Log Horizon guild members along with others. The community is peaceful as always, but of course, not everyone from Log Horizon is there. As usual, Shiroe is off doing work, with Naotsugu and Henrietta waiting for him to finish negotiations. Shiroe has really done great things when it’s come to the community. He’s driven out those that have caused trouble for the players, got rid of thieves, created businesses, and just made Akihabara a prosperous area. But it looks like the Round Table has met with some money issues. The Round Table has bought the Guild Building, Cathedral, Trade Building, and many other buildings in order to not have enemies take control of them and ruining their order. In all, the total comes to 10 million gold a month. Yeah, that’s a lot. If they don’t get money somewhere, they’re going to go broke. There’s also rumors of the South they have to worry about.
Shiroe decides to leave Akihabara, with Naotsugu tagging along. Akatsuki had wanted to go, but Shiroe told her to stay. She still isn’t on best terms with Minori after that whole date thing last season, and she’s trying her best to be more by Shiroe’s side and, well, get noticed. But I think it’s a good idea that she didn’t go. Akatsuki is always known as Shiroe’s ninja, his right hand. We know her, but we don’t really know her. So I think it’s important that she becomes her own person, other than Shiroe’s ninja.
Anyway, they go to a cabin in the middle of seemingly nowhere. We also see that Regan, the sage of Miral Lake, is also there. There, they meet to 
make negotiations again with the representative of the Kunie Clan, Kinjou. The Kunie Clan controls the banks in the world, along with other important things, so it’s no surprise Shiroe would seek help from them. But no matter how much they talk, Kinjou explains that loaning money would go against an ancient treaty. So it’s a bust. Shiroe mentions they can get money another way. The monsters in this world drop money when they’re defeated. How do those monsters get the money? From the Kunie Clan. Where’s all the money? In an underground pit. Kinjou gives them a proposal, saying Shiroe should bring along many people to that area and see if they can face the challenges there, where they’ll meet and a decision will be made.
This is what I love about Shiroe. He could have never said anything, and just steal the gold from the pit. But he doesn’t want to do anything drastic that could possibly start a war or something. He doesn’t want to fight the Kunie Clan. He’s telling Kinjou this so they could be on good terms, and he could possibly make more allies. It’s just that Shiroe isn’t the best of talkers. But he’s just brilliant.
Now…haha. What in the world? I get it. They’re not actually in the game. It’s a different world that’s like the game the
y’re trapped in. We see Shiroe and Akatsuki in regular clothes, standing on a different planet, looking off at Earth. Akatsuki saying she was defeated, and Shiroe…died. CREDITS. Now this puts things into a different perspective. Well, what does that even mean and what was that? I thought they couldn’t die. Does that mean the adventures we’re watching right now are their memories before their demise? And from what? This episode went back to it’s world building aspect, but what happened to that black fox girl Shiroe was talking to in last season’s finale, and knowing how to escape back to the real world? That’s pretty important, and they just swept it to the side and I was really anticipating it. I know keeping Akihabara in tip-top shape is important to them, but I don’t think they should bring up a very important topic like finding a way back to the real world, introduce another character, and then just not talk about it again. Then again, this is just the first episode so we’ll just have to wait and see. Blogging this show should be fun.
I want to talk about the animation, because Studio DEEN is now in charge of it, though I don’t know why. I could note the differences straight away. I don’t know if it’s just me, but the colors seem to be brighter. They still retain the same art style, but they made it seem a little more…sharper? Log Horizon never had the best of animation, but for a show that doesn’t dabble with action all too much, it was never that big of a problem to me. I’m not too sure how I feel about the change in companies, it more or less had the same feel to it. I just know that it’s different.
Database Database
Just living in the Database Wow Wow~
GOD I LOVE THAT SONG. It was actually a smart thing to keep it as I don’t know about you- but CHILLS OF NOSTALGIA THOUGH IT HAS ONLY BEEN A YEAR OR EVEN LESS THAN THAT!
I would say that Studio DEEN did a fairly good job following the Satelight designs from the first season, but I definitely agree- it is a lot more vibrant. I just cross my fingers that they won’t make the animation sloppy just because there isn’t always a lot of action going on. Speaking of which I am curious to see whether or not it will continue being passive with the economics factor. Now that money is coming into serious play, it certainly brews a potential for more conflicts against opposing parties in the future.
I’m not gonna lie, I did become a bit nervous when Shiroe and Akatsuki claimed they were defeated and were looking at Earth. Hopefully it’s more like they are waiting to be resurrected than actually dying. Worse case scenario, the adventurers will find themselves no longer immortal in the future.
Database has become iconic for Log Horizon. That doesn’t always happen, even with popular series that have really good OPs. But in this case the song is… a PART of the series. Any other OP they tried to use, no matter how good it might be, would have to face a massive up hill battle for acceptance.
“Well, what does that even mean and what was that? I thought they couldn’t die. Does that mean the adventures we’re watching right now are their memories before their demise? ”
Non non. Actually, I don’t know if anyone knows the main characters’ conditoin in relation to the “real” world, but that’s not what this is about, I believe. I think that’s merely an intermediate step between in-game death, and resurrection at the Cathedral. And the world they’re looking down on is the world of Elder Tale, not the real Earth, as well.
I’m not sure why they felt the need to add future-teasers at both the beginning AND the end of the episode. It makes things feel a bit confusing.
DEEN taking things over has led to changes in many character’s appearances. Relatively minor, but noticeable.
I’m still trying to get used to the character design of Kanami, the leader of Tea Party who’s on her way back to Yamato from the European server. They really cannot filled out this season without the reverse Journey from the West tale. I really like the character design from last season, and this one character who’s going to get more screen time really throws me off.
I was completely thrown off with Kanami’s design as well.
Why? She looks like she always did. Except for her costume, which is official. http://loghorizonfunfacts.tumblr.com/image/98997696757
She’s just being Kanami. Calling her “shameless” would probably be appropriate.
It’s more of her breasts size that is blown out of proportion (unless it is an animation flaw or is deliberate/part of the change(???)
SEASON 1:
SEASON 2:
I mean even in that official img you provided, doesn’t make them look like balloons.
I didn’t even realize that was her. They really…sized her up.
Her assets are fairly significant in the official art, but comparing directly it does appear that they’ve bumped her up 3 or 4 cup sizes, there. I’m guessing this tells us something about the tastes of the people at DEEN who are drawing season 2.
To be fair, they’re actually different character. Kanami from season one is flashback from when DTP is still raiding. She’s a Swashbuckler (dual wielding weapon dpser) who happens to dressed like a monk. A big reason why DTP falls apart is Kanami moving to Europe, thus cannot play on Yamato server. She re-rolled in European server, and this time, actually rolled a Monk. So I suppose she wanted a more filled character.
I CAN’T BELIEVE IT… THAT BALLOON GIRL WAS HER?!………………
I was basically like “Oh god this girl is adorable, but those boobs must hurt”. Now I’m like…oh, it’s that girl from the other guild. WHAT.