Overlord ep 4 [ Summary Misrepresentation ]

When I read the summary for Overlord is incorrectly described this show as being a generic show about someone being trapped in the world of a video game. That is completely incorrect: Overlord is a show about a human who, in the last hours of his favorite video game being online, is transported to a world different even than his familiar RPG. There he must try to discover if anyone from the world of Yggdrisil has come with him to this new land, while also realizing the character he created and himself might not be separate anymore.

[HorribleSubs] OverLord - 04 [720p].mkv_20150729_160147.531

The transformation of Momonga in the episodes we see are just absolutely stunning. Namely because he realizes he and the undead character he made are no longer different. It’s easy for him to see violence against humans, killing people no longer makes him feel – the things that made his existence in the human world as sensitive as it was are no longer present. He still holds values and memories from when he was human, clearly, but he is the Overlord.

[HorribleSubs] OverLord - 04 [720p].mkv_20150729_155816.265

What’s interesting to me with this is that he still cares about his minions. He is still invested in his empire, he still shows concern, and he ultimately wants to find people from his world. He isn’t just a hulking emporer with no soul- underneath it, he is partially Momonga. The pinnacle of this episode was his decision to announce to all of his minions that his name is now Ains Ooal Gown. This means that his true goal remains the same, he is the Overlord that wishes to find the people who meant a lot to him before. I think if the show can keep a part of him that always desires to be reconnected to what made him human, it will remain and interesting and moving show.

[HorribleSubs] OverLord - 04 [720p].mkv_20150729_155915.687

I’m happy to be covering a show that shows the villain in the light it does. The strangest thing is that the description was so wrong. This is nothing like Sword Art, Log Horizon, or Dot Hack. This show is so genuinely unique and is not about an online world: this show is about a fantasy world. If this were a normal fantasy story it would be impossible to show the villain in the same light that he is shown. It’s already clear that the undead have no remorse for the living, but this one is different. He USED to be human.

[HorribleSubs] OverLord - 04 [720p].mkv_20150729_155849.468

The best part about the online world is that it was a backstory. Every show like this one has made the online world the key element. Stories since Outlander have been trying to set up situations where people from the future are sent to other times in order to make an impact, and this was easily the best one. I wish the summary had done it justice because this is easily my favorite anime of the season. This is a story about someone from the future being sent to a fantasy world with an array of magic he created through a fictional life in a fictional world. Now he has to deal with the repercussions of losing his humanity as well as wielding powers he had only wielded in a nonexistent world before.

[HorribleSubs] OverLord - 04 [720p].mkv_20150729_160055.578

I have a feeling Momonga will lose much of his humanity and find he wants to conquer the world for his own reasons. Much like his name, I’m hoping he finds something that always stations him within reason. I love every character and plot introduced so far and I love the very clear implications that the villain of this show will likely be someone else from Yggdrisil.

[HorribleSubs] OverLord - 04 [720p].mkv_20150729_160109.437

If you’re hesitating to watch this show because you think it will be like all the others- change your mind fast. There is nothing more provocative, engaging, mysterious, and overall enjoyable in the Summer season. And trust me, this season is already amazing, I don’t say that lightly! Stay tuned for the world domination by the Overlord, Ains Ooal Gown. I sure will be.

Oki

This Post Has 8 Comments

  1. Mekem July 29, 2015

    This review really hits the nail on the head of why I love this show. I avoid those trapped-in-an-RPG shows like a plague, but when I heard the main character wasn’t going to be human and was also the villain, I had to jump on board. Is Momonga an OP protagonist? Yes, but more than that he has significant flaws and a real internal conflict that manage to differentiate himself from those perfect never-do-wrong cardboard cutouts that we usually get for mains.

    And let’s face it, chaos is fun! I love a show that gives me chances to use my evil laugh.

    1. Oki July 29, 2015

      He is so unique, I absolutely love it.

  2. Nawdir July 30, 2015

    regarding world domination, did you miss the after-ending scene? just to make sure

    1. Oki July 30, 2015

      Noooope, the glorious glorious ‘let’s give him this world hgahahaha!!!!’

  3. Shiki July 30, 2015

    It’s such a wonderful anime, turning it’s back on mainstream.
    Stuck in a game, fear of dying and want to go home asap? – Nope.
    Beeing a human? – Less and less
    Good always wins? – Oh please
    God mode OP main character? – Not really, weak past, casual real life, no harem, many flaws and you will see more of it later

    1. Oki July 30, 2015

      I’m anticipating that! Hope it will be good. 🙂

  4. Sarnik July 30, 2015

    While I agree that characterization is one of the biggest strengths of this anime, I don’t think that it was the focus for this particular episode.

    Personally, I think that this episode was great because of the fight scene – not so much the exchange of blows between the parties involved (or the CG robot angels for that matter), but the excellent use of color and camera shots. The use of a setting sun was especially compelling, setting up the mood perfectly and made the scenes way more enjoyable than I had initially expected.

    Now I’m really looking forward to how Madhouse sets up future fights for the show.

    1. Oki July 30, 2015

      I feel like it was. We saw a side of Momonga that was no longer human- that was genuinely conceited, powerful, and cocky. That was an entirely new take and I feel ignoring that just to look at the fantastic and amazing animation loses some of the nuances of the show. The show never focuses on just one theme. When they were introducing the world they were also introducing the true nature of the NPCs- now as conscious individuals. That goes for this too, we learned how far Albedo’s hatred for humans goes, how far into the ‘Overlord’ act Momonga was willing to go, and how people view him now. . .but how will that change?

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