There were things to love and things to chalk up to formula with the first episode of Dungeon (the abbreviated form of the title). Overall though it interested me enough to come back for more. Unfortunately the charming qualities of the first episode aren’t present with this second episode. Monster Festival is an event held by the god Ganesha and with that the other gods attend a party. Hestia decides that she’s going to help Bell get stronger even if he’s doing it for a woman that’s not her. What her plan is, we do not know at the moment. Bell is left alone for a few days and he pays his bar tab that he ran out on. The owner and bar maids are all very nice about it because the Syr has a very obvious crush on him. Though I have no idea why the story felt the need to introduce two crushes in his life since it’s not going to do anything for the story or why they put this much thought and detail into this particular “crush.”
I’m fine with the harem trope, but at some point as a viewer I just start writing characters off. Syr does nothing for the story and we already know that Bell is never, ever, ever going to attempt a relationship with her. So anything involving her now is just wasted story. At least Hestia plays a role in the plot even if she’s in the exact same boat. It’s the harem trope done wrong if you ask me and the story doesn’t even need it. The world is interesting enough without this crap.
Eventually some shit goes down at Monsterfhilia and another god who I guess we’re not supposed to suspect, but we totally do, has interest in Bell and so she releases a fucked up gorilla to attack Hestia and of course Bell won’t let anything happen to her. BUT DOES SHE GIVEN HIM THE FUCKING KNIFE SHE HELPED MAKE!?!?!? HELL NO.
I fucking hate that in animes because it defies all logic.
“Oh I want to give you this knife to help you..." "Oh your knife broke...” “Oh you won’t let me get involved in the battle so I’ve forgotten TO GIVE YOU THE KNIFE!”
If it wasn’t already the end of the episode I would have turned it off, it was that fucking dumb.
I liked this story. This world is interesting, but it’s being weighed down too much by tropes and the well-worn formula of the many, many, many, many, many other stories that used it before. Formulas are okay as long as you bring something new or different to the table. You have to find that angle that makes it work for you in a fresh way and I’m afraid that Dungeon isn’t trying to do that. The story feels like it’s playing it safe and just eek by with fan service and character design.
The animation is still really strong, but when hardly anything happens in the episode it’s hard to compliment it. Also they used a lot of tropes of the art form that weren’t in the first episode and brought this series down to being more common than before. All in the name of a boob joke that wasn’t even funny.
There was a lot to be unimpressed by in this second episode and the third is just around the corner. Usually I stay until episode six on a show, but I’m already feeling myself not care about Dungeon and especially the main character Bell. He’s a bit too much of the formula underdog hero for me to really care and worse yet root for.
Score: 1/5
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? 1.2 “Monster Festival (Monsterphilia)” Official Website