Overlord

Episode 6

The screen shot here was chosen because this moment best exemplifies the themes and spirit of the episode: the camaraderie of adventurers who have formed an adventuring party. It is exemplified in the casual, comfortable behavior of the Swords of Darkness (i.e., the adventuring party which Ains agreed to work with last episode) in their relaxed moments and the close teamwork they shared when the battle was on. The way it evokes memories of Momonga's own guild, and the ache left behind by the absence of his guild mates (which one of the Swords observes is akin to the aura of one who has lost all of his comrades on a battlefield) serves as the counterpoint. That does mean, however, that this is mostly another low-key episode, and no matter how carefully and deliberately the story handles things, some juicier action is eventually going to be needed.

It's not like this episode doesn't have any action to it. Ains, Narbarel, and the Swords of Darkness encounter a raiding party of ogres and goblins while escorting Nphirea on his herb-gathering, which gives them a chance to do battle. Though limited by trying to pass himself off as a warrior, Ains still does just fine against comparatively minor foes, as he quite efficiently slices up a few ogres in what quickly proves to be a very one-sided battle. Narbarel also gets to throw a little offensive magic around herself for the first time, though her scenes are sedate compared to the ones of Ains cutting ogres in half. However, that whole battle is really just a relatively brief interlude, as are a couple of scenes at the end where Clémentine gets to show off that it isn't just her smile and demeanor that are twisted and evil. Her coming to blows with Ains, which should be inevitable given the courses that they are on, cannot come fast enough. Those late scenes also provide the requisite villainous mastermind to be defeated, as they show the necromancer from episode 5 spouting off such a generic “I'm going to kill a lot of people in order to become immortal” plan that I have to wonder if it isn't deliberately intended to promote a classic fantasy RPG feel. (For a close parallel, harken back to Wagnard in Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight.)

The scenes in between, in which Ains has dinner (sort of) with the Swords of Darkness and Nphirea, also reemphasizes that while Momonga is the central character, he's not the only character who matters. Once again we have scenes of associates discussing about Ains in his absence but also contemplating their own situations, such as Nphirea's concern that a local girl he is sweet on might be attracted by Ains' bad-assery instead. And what would an episode of the series be without having at least a little fun with Albedo's perversity? (In this case she has graduated to cuddling with a body pillow of her beloved's skeletal form while sleeping in his bed.)

All-in-all, the episode reinforces that being solid and entertaining, without being spectacular, is the series' status quo.

Rating: B

Overlord is currently streaming on Funimation.