At long last, DanMachi is back! And boy, right off the bat they really set the tone of what to expect this season with how much they emphasized on the sheer amount of preparation, as well as the ominous foreboding, warning us of what lurks as they go deeper into the dungeon. It was a solid prelude of building up the anticipation, ending it with a chilling scene that screams things are bound to be more gruesome this season. I suppose that is only to be expected though, as the further along they progress through the dungeon, higher the stakes and enviably, the darker the series is bound to get.
The Hestia Familia has been entrusted a mission to embark on an expedition to gather a number of items requested. It will require going uncharted territory, which is why Hestia’s Familia has sought out a co-op with their closest allies (Takemikazuchi and Miach), by recruiting Mikoto, Chigusa, Ouka, Cassandra, Daphne to join them for their expedition. They also unexpectedly got an additional member when Aisha brazenly showed up at their door, insisting that they have her tag along with them. And frankly they ought to be glad for it, after-all having her on the team is definitely in their best interest considering the more Level 4 Adventurers among them, the better. Additionally, thanks to her involvement, she already made a significant contribution to their preparation by ensuring that Haruhime expanded her magical skill-set beyond relying on a single ability that can only do so much.
Speaking of which, of the entire lot I would say it’s probably Lili who is bearing the weight of the mission on her shoulders. That isn’t to say Bell or anyone else isn’t, but as it was pointed out today, Lili is still only a Level 1 Support. It is incredibly dangerous for someone her level to be trekking as far down as they are going. However despite her low-level, there is a role that she as a knack for, and that is being the team’s strategist. Someone who can keep track of the biggest picture, giving directives on what needs to be covered and how to respond to the crisis. It was Daphenne who had pointed that out and offered to teach her the basics as she recognized her talent for it. Although the upcoming crises will certainly push Lili to her limits, I am excited to see how she will cope and tackle the challenges.
Welf has also been hard at work (and goodness his poor hands), forging new armor and weapons for the team. Bell is looking fancy in his new armor, and received a pretty new dagger, Hakugen, made out of unicorn horn. Hopefully his near gear will have enough durability to cope with the level of opponents they will be facing this season, haha… Welf also found himself with an extra commission to do when Ouka sought him out to make him a reliable weapon to protect everyone. As Welf says, his services don’t come cheap and hilariously Ouka had the nerve to ask for a discount– to which Welf naturally refused, but it appears they were able to come to a compromise. I have doubt in my mind that Welf is probably going to be glad that he went ahead and made it at some point down the line.
And then of course, there is our lovable Bell. After everything that has happened, it goes without saying that you can really see and even feel just how much Bell has grown and matured as an Adventurer. The timid, sheepish boy we met in season 1 is nowhere to be seen. Now at Level 4, we are looking at a leader, with the strong resolve to carry out his convictions. We got to see how extensively Bell is preparation for this expedition, by taking all of the wisdom that has been given to him and going as far as doing his own research to be equipped with knowledge that could and will undoubtedly be the key to their survival. Notably, one of the monsters that were touched upon to appear near the Great falls is a flying monster called Inguazu, also known as “the invisible monster” or “the flash” because of how fast it moves. It’s recommended that adventurers flee at all cost, even if it means ditching their belongings— which certainly raises the alarm of just how dangerous that thing must be if it’s recommended to just run for it.
Bearing that in mind, just before they were to embark on their expedition, Cassandra suggested they should probably call it off after she had a terrible dream of a disgusting moss monster swallowing people up. And her concerns are certainly not unfounded as she does have a track record where we we have seen how her visions do come true (such as the fall of the Apollo Familia). That said, she will still be joining them, but it would be in everyone’s best interest at heart to heed caution of her premonition.
And finally, it was nice to see the matter of the Xenos brought up today. I wasn’t entirely sure what would become of them after their arc had concluded. In all fairness there isn’t much to be done at this point, as just as Fels pointed out, the only way to open up a path to co-existence between Humanity and the Xenos is to conquer the deepest part of the dungeon. And supposedly wait awaits them at the bottom of it all is a covenant that was forged, and a certain conclusion. What that entails remains a mystery.
Admittedly, as excited I am for the season, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit anxious about what’s to come. That bit at the end made me queasy seeing that the adventurer that was being dragged off was missing their leg and was bleeding out of it. I’m grateful for J.C. Staff darkening it as much as possible, as they have done in the past, but I do feel like they have also been gradually making the blood a bit more vivid and graphic each season– or maybe that’s just me who thinks that. Frankly I didn’t want to spoil myself for what’s to come, but considering the whole vibe I’m getting, perhaps it would have been wiser to catch up to the novels so I’d have a good idea for when I should be covering my eyes for any upcoming gruesome scenes. I have always been torn about whether to read ahead or experience it through the anime first, especially since I do like the element of surprise. It seems this series in particular always has me going back and forth every season on whether I should or shouldn’t read ahead, hahaha! But I also have myself to blame for putting off the backlog, oops.
That said, as I already decided this would be the only title I will be picking up this season, I am pretty determined to see this through! I am looking forward to it! 😀
Possibility of Blogging: Guaranteed
Extra Note: If you need to jog your memory, Episode 0 that aired two weeks ago is basically a recap of everything that has happened up until this point, so it’d nifty for those who need a refresh.
