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Overlord is one of those anime series that perhaps didn’t have a lot of necessary promotion but deserved a lot more than what it got. This is mainly due to the fact that it has a very interesting premise where the main character is a demon lord and actively works as a villain. The narrative takes place in a very different setting than most traditional anime series, which is very appealing.
In that regard, Overlord is an Isekai that plays with a lot of the tropes of the genre but does so with charisma, excellent animation, and source material that serves as a very good basis for what is a very interesting and fun story. It may be a little cliche at times, but there is something alluring about the plot.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Overlord anime series.
Exploring Overlord and the many different concepts of the series
What is it about?
Overlord is a series of light novels written by author Kugane Maruyama and drawn by artist so-bin, with the anime adaptation running from 2015 to 2022 in four different seasons.
The series follows the story of Momonga, a DMMO-RPG player whose favorite game is shut down while he is asleep, only for him to find out that he has been transferred to another reality. This, as a result, grants him a new look, powers, and abilities that make him a very dangerous and capable individual.
However, another change that happens is that Momonga loses his moral compass and has no problem with killing or torturing to get what he wants, thus giving the series a focus on him being the villain and gathering a lot of like-minded individuals for his journey across this new reality.
What's the appeal of Overlord?
The appeal of playing the villain is always going to be there for a wide variety of viewers out there. This is due to the fact that it takes a very unconventional approach to storytelling and frequently necessitates a plethora of skills, both of which Kagune Maruyama happily possesses. As a result, the story as a whole gains gravitas and impact.
Overlord is fun and outrageous, and it definitely works as a twist on a lot of Isekai tropes, which is something worth taking into account for a wide variety of reasons. The main one is that it adds a lot more value to the plot, makes it more dynamic, and makes it really engaging from beginning to end.
It can feel a bit formulaic, but considering that this is a story where the main character is a demon lord, it can be said that the premise as a whole is already a huge selling point. It is also worth pointing out that the great animation of Madhouse, mainly known for its work with Hunter X Hunter, was really good and highlighted a lot of the key moments that were adapted from the light novels.
Final thoughts
Overall, Overlord is a very engaging experience with a lot of interesting characters, a fascinating world that has a multitude of different elements that are worth exploring, a very dynamic animation that lives up to the expectations created by the source material, and a main character that offers something very different and compelling when compared to a lot of protagonists that anime as a whole tends to offer.
At just 52 episodes, it makes for a super fun watch on weekends.
