Introduction
Few things in the anime world were anticipated like Sword Oratoria was when it was announced. Danmachi has proven to be a very popular series even though we are still waiting for more. Sure, things like One Punch Man 2, Overlord 2, and others are very popular and very much desired, Danmachi is one of those series that everyone seems to love. Indeed, it is very rare to find someone who dislikes it because there are just too many things about the series to like. Sword Oratoria was looking a bit risky at first since the series shifted the successful focus from Bell and Hestia to Aiz and the Loki Familia. However, what we have been given so far has not only blown our expectations away, but has really pulled in a lot of fans into the series. Danmachi Sword Oratoria is able to stand on it’s on without having to rely too much on the original parent story and today, we are going to talk about how and why it is doing it! Note: This will have some mild spoilers to talk about the plot, so proceed ahead at your own risk.
The Story Almost Entirely Focuses on Aiz, Lefiya, and the Loki Familia
It is not as if there is a plethora of anime side stories out there that we can compare Danmachi Sword Oratoria to, but what we can look at and talk about is how well done the series is. While it may be set in the same town and focus on characters that we met through the original Danmachi, Sword Oratoria only gives us glimpses of Bell and will only briefly talk about him. Rather than leaning on the crutch of the fame of season one, we are getting almost entirely new, diverse characters that are not only easily likeable, but there is a character for everyone in the story. Speaking of characters, we are getting a story centered around mostly Lefiya, Aiz, Tiona and Tione. There are other characters sure, but we are getting more storylines that are still deeply connected, but different enough that these are new characters in the Danmachi universe that we can come to enjoy. However, you still do get brief mentions and scenes of Bell to make sure that you do not forget that the two are connected.
2. There Are So Many Diverse Moments
This is probably the strongest plus that Danmachi Sword Oratoria has to its benefit. While Oratoria is considered an action, fantasy, and adventure anime, the series touches on many other excellent themes and genres. There are comedic moments that will make you burst out laughing like with Tiona and her… umm… development issues when compared to Tione. And the fact that Aiz threatens to cut Loki when Loki says she is going to grope her. There are smooth, slice of life moments that are also fantastic to see among the members of the Loki Familia. There are also plenty of moments of fan service among the familia that viewers can enjoy if that is your thing too. The other benefit too, is that there can be rapid changes within the story which, while it does feel a bit episodic in the beginning with the mysterious plant monsters, if you keep watching you know that there is something sinister/evil in the shadows and they are confirmed later.
3. It Almost Feels Like Its Own Anime
This point ties into the first in that, other than the flashbacks connecting Bell to the story and the few scenes that he does appear, there are lots of times where you simply forget the fact that this is set in the same town and dungeon. That honestly, is a big bonus to this series because, while we can want more of the same story because we like the original, the benefit is that this story is expanding the whole universe inside Danmachi by leaps and bounds making all the more interesting. Ask yourself if you want to watch “Bell trying to do things 2.0”, or if you want to see something that expands the story further. I think if you think about it even briefly, and of course we do want more of the parent story, watching the same thing again would eventually become boring and we would lose interest. This way, with Sword Oratoria being so divergent, we are getting a great story that not only stands on its own, it tells the story so well, that you forget that this is the side story of a different group of characters.
Final Thoughts
It is for those main reasons, and there are many, many more, that we feel as if the story for Danmachi Sword Oratoria not only stands on its own, but is a well-thought-out and interesting anime for this season. What are your thoughts? Is Danmachi Sword Oratoria hitting the bar or missing it? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Author: Nagareboshi
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