Review of Overlord II

Contrary to majority opinion, this sequel series makes noticeable improvements upon the first season by firmly aligning the viewers’ interest with those of the less powerful NPCs in the world at large. The Lizard men arc, while rightly criticised for its lack of depth, raises interesting questions like ‘what is it like to be omnipotent’, ‘how should an all-powerful being act’, and ‘what might such beings desire for themselves or the world and lesser beings over whom they reign’. These questions have certain philosophical implications whose superficiality in the anime does not detract from their validity. In particular, the conversation between theprotagonist and his crustacean commander reveals that perhaps there is meaning to the madness, an end to be gained. Here, that end seems to involve the NPCs' sense of autonomy and ability to use their own judgement that transcends their zealously loyal programming. This of course is a far cry from a sort of similar idea that was executed in Westworld, but adds a certain amount of interest to the series.

The second half of the season, however, reverts back to the worn out formula of pretend villainy followed by some seemingly heroic intervention purely to increase renown for the protagonist himself. These schemes seem myopic and childish for our OP dread lord when compared to the struggles of everyday humans and lower tier adventurers alike. I suppose the contrast between the actions of people who fight for a true cause but lack the power, and those of people who have plenty of power but lack a legitimate cause makes for an interesting juxtaposition, although I suspect that is hardly the intent here. Moreover, the arc feels annoyingly under-elaborated, such that when the schemes finally come to fruition and the loose ends are brought together, the viewer is left perplexed and grasping for more. Overall, a frustrating second season that, while palpably better than the first, still falls short of its potential.