The adventure isn’t over yet! In fact, for some, it’s only just begun!

EvilBob: Hey, Voyager.

Voyager: What?

EvilBob: The time has come.

Voyager: …you know you already lost this bracket, right?

EvilBob: Oh. Yeah…

Voyager: See, these conversations are the reasons my brain cells run and hide for their dear lives whenever you and I speak.

EvilBob: Well, tell ’em to come back. We gotta finish off this bracket!

Voyager: …

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OPINIONS

EvilBob: Why didn’t it do this sooner? They had 3 episodes of almost nothing just to get to this one and it was amazing. Granted Vinland Saga has already lost but if every episode had been like this round one would’ve at least looked like a competition… Now let me talk out of character, real quick. DanMachi is amazing. I didn’t expect to see the war game end in a single episode but wow that was great.

Voyager: Now let me talk out of character for a bit. Vinland Saga’s latest episode was great. Genuinely. It was an excellent payoff to what was an overlong period of buildup. It utilized its every strength to the fullest that could be expected of it, this early on… BUT DanMachi, tho. That episode. Was amazing. Period. Full Stop. You wanna talk about payoff? THAT was a payoff.

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EvilBob: So. Thors is awesome. And dead. And his kid is mad.

Voyager: …that’s it?

EvilBob: I mean… do you think you can say anything else about it?

Voyager: Frankly, yes. The brain cells I still have hiding under a desk did manage to come up with some things they could say. Unfortunately, they’d need to communicate with those that’ve vacated the premises in order to voice them.

EvilBob: Well… could ya go fetch them? We’re kinda pressed for time, here?

Voyager: (why in the world must I do your job for you?) Fine. Yes, Thors is awesome and dead, but the thing that really drove home the character came from his actions throughout the course of these events. What he decided to do. We can get into the actual fighting part, later. But I just think it was exceptionally great, getting to see this honorable warrior side of him really in action for the first time. Thorfinn, though… yeah, he’s just kind of an annoying brat, to be honest. But that’s the point, at the moment. So I’ve nothing to really say about him.

EvilBob: Wait, so… does that mean I win this catego-

Voyager: HA! …oh wait. You were serious.

EvilBob: N-no. I was joking!

Voyager: Let’s get real, here. There is pretty much no competition in this category. Yeah, sure, it doesn’t go as far in depth with any individual character, this episode. But it makes up for it by letting every major character play a key role and have their own crowning moment. All of which, mind, are also key moments of character development for them. But we’ll come back to that. Also, there is no character in Vinland Saga even remotely as entertaining as Hestia. Nor has any real character chemistry been established in Vinland Saga as of yet.

EvilBob: But Thors-!

Voyager: Is now dead. And while his going out the way he did was awesome, it juuust doesn’t compare. Point: DanMachi

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EvilBob: This is it. The one I can finally win. I can finally put a point on the board in this battle!

Voyager: Uh-huh.

EvilBob: You don’t sound worried. Why don’t you sound worried?

Voyager: ’cause I’m not worried.

EvilBob: …well could you be?

Voyager: Nah.

EvilBob: Hey, Vinland Saga is gorgeous! The animation, especially in this episode, is so smooth. And the fight choreography is amazing. Plus it did a really good job at portraying character expressions. Anguish and grief, rage, remorse, the whole nine yards.

Voyager: Yup.

EvilBob: …please be worried.

Voyager: To be fair, animation doesn’t need to be incredibly fluid in order to be good. Often times, that’s a style thing. That being said, the animation of DanMachi is incredibly satisfying to watch in action. It’s bright, colorful, really flows nicely, comes with great effects, and allows them to be a lot more expressive in their own way. They can show us anguish and heartache as well as any other show. But the less realistic style means they can constantly exaggerate expressions and body movements in such a way that makes it really engaging and entertaining to behold.

EvilBob: But… but… but fight scene!

Voyager: Also, the setting was a lot more dynamic and fun to move through than just being in a dark ravine, the whole time. And the fight choreography, while less realistic, was really creative and fun.

EvilBob: …

Voyager: Hey, Bob.

EvilBob: What?

Voyager: Got a gift for you.

EvilBob: Don’t you do it.

Voyager: I’mma do it.

EvilBob: Don’t you do it!

Voyager:

EvilBob: Dang it!

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Voyager: And this category-

EvilBob: Just finish it quickly.

Voyager: As you wish. This episode was basically the perfect payoff to everything built up so far throughout the season and a good follow-up on all of the character arcs we’ve seen, up to this point. Especially Lili’s, with her aiding Bell in two major ways during the War Game and Mikoto with her self-sacrificing attack, given what she and her party did to Bell and his in the first season of the show. All-in-all, a fantastic conclusion to this mini-arc that advances all of the characters in several ways and even manages to establish a new status quo for the party, overall. Good stuff. There. Was that quick enough for you?

EvilBob: But unfortunately nowhere near painless.

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CONCLUSION

Voyager: So. Vinland Saga failed to put a single point on the board during the entire stage, huh?

EvilBob: …y’know, I’d really appreciate it if all your brain cells could go hide again.

Voyager: Ouch. My feelings.

EvilBob: Oh, shut up.

Voyager: Sooo. What do you guys at home think? Was Vinland Saga done a dirty?

EvilBob: YES.

Voyager: No one asked you. OR did DanMachi take this win fair and square? Let us know, down below!

EvilBob: Thanks for watching me waste my time, people…

Voyager: Keep up the Awesome!

EvilBob: And Keep it Classy.

Voyager: Take Care!