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EP. REVIEW: Overlord


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Saffire



Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 1255
Location: Iowa, USA
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:42 am Reply with quote
I'm enjoying Overlord quite a bit. As someone who has been playing MMOs and MUDs for well over a decade, the opening bit where Momonga is sitting in the guild hall bemoaning the lost days when his guild was a powerhouse full of people was a surprisingly resonant bit of storytelling. At the same time, I thought it was interesting that he struggles to remember the guild commands at first, which suggests that maybe he himself hasn't been particularly attentive to the game or the guild as well.

I'm also intrigued by the suggestions that his emotions and maybe even mental state are being manipulated by an outside force. I think it's possible that like how the NPCs personalities are based on their background stories, Momonga himself is also being forced to adopt a personality similar to how he would have played in game instead of being able to act like himself.
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Hameyadea



Joined: 23 Jun 2014
Posts: 3679
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:57 am Reply with quote
Episodes #1-2:

I enjoyed the first 2 episodes greatly; they had a good amount of comedy and world-building, without it feeling overencumbered.

I also liked how the ED stills were drawn by the LN illustrator, so-bin.

In his Review of episodes #1-2, Theron Martin wrote:
(He should definitely be wary of Albedo, though, as the just-for-kicks tweak that he did to her programming right before the game ended has caused her to put up all sorts of yandere flags.)


The biggest flag
=


Last edited by Hameyadea on Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:43 pm; edited 5 times in total
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Lemonchest



Joined: 18 Mar 2015
Posts: 1771
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 9:58 am Reply with quote
So the joke is that he's a loser virgin irl? Is it another one of those? It sounds like another one of those.
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TarsTarkas



Joined: 20 Dec 2007
Posts: 5821
Location: Virginia, United States
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:09 am Reply with quote
Lemonchest wrote:
So the joke is that he's a loser virgin irl? Is it another one of those? It sounds like another one of those.


Doesn't sound like it yet. But you never know. Just the subject matter itself interests me, so if it does get that fan servicey as you think, I will still go along with the ride.
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Sahmbahdeh



Joined: 05 May 2015
Posts: 712
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:22 am Reply with quote
Definitely a lot of potential here. My favorite parts of both episodes are actually the more quiet, introspective moments that Momonga has. I'm really digging Momonga as a character, and I'd be inclined to watch the show for him alone, but fortunately I don't think I'll have to. Cocytus was surprisingly funny and the NPCs acting on their own was interesting as well. I'm not really feeling Albedo or Shelltear, though. We'll see if that aspect improves.
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John Thacker



Joined: 28 Oct 2013
Posts: 1006
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:38 am Reply with quote
Slow, methodical, and thorough makes it sound as if the better comparison is to Log Horizon than SAO, speaking as someone who enjoys both of those very different shows.
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Via_01



Joined: 24 Aug 2014
Posts: 551
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:40 am Reply with quote
It's been enjoyable so far. I find Momonga's relationship with his subordinates to be one of the better qualities of this show. For example, the twin's amazement to how kind he is, or how all of them seem to be self aware about how they were created by the supreme beings/players, and other small pieces of information that make it quite an interesting show.
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Saffire



Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 1255
Location: Iowa, USA
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:44 am Reply with quote
John Thacker wrote:
Slow, methodical, and thorough makes it sound as if the better comparison is to Log Horizon than SAO, speaking as someone who enjoys both of those very different shows.
Overlord is definitely much closer to Log Horizon than SAO.
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Merida



Joined: 21 Feb 2012
Posts: 1945
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:46 am Reply with quote
Good lord, this show is taking "otaku power fantasy" to an entirely new level. Well, the title should probably have warned me, but i didn't expect it to be quite so shameless.

So our MC is a "surpreme being" and the NPCs quite litterally worship the ground he walks on, hot females are falling over themselves to get into his pants etc. etc...this should annoy the hell out of me, so why do i find it so amusing?! Perhaps it's the contrast between the MC's role as overlord and his inner voice?

Next to Prison School, this is the 2nd series i'm following this season which "shouldn't really be to my tastes"...perhaps my tastes are (d)evolving in a strange direction? Scary...Laughing
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SpacemanHardy



Joined: 03 Jan 2012
Posts: 2509
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 10:49 am Reply with quote
Saffire wrote:
John Thacker wrote:
Slow, methodical, and thorough makes it sound as if the better comparison is to Log Horizon than SAO, speaking as someone who enjoys both of those very different shows.
Overlord is definitely much closer to Log Horizon than SAO.


Mainly because I can actually sit through an episode of Log Horizon or Overlord without wanting to bash my skull in from all the stupid. Mad
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Stark700



Joined: 30 Jan 2012
Posts: 11762
Location: Earth
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 11:29 am Reply with quote
This is a hit or miss show for me, more so on the miss so far because of the slow pacing. Hopefully it picks up although I do have to say that the humor aspect of it so far is quite amusing.

The MMORPG part of it is also welcoming.
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Calsolum



Joined: 11 May 2010
Posts: 898
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 11:42 am Reply with quote
Lemonchest wrote:
So the joke is that he's a loser virgin irl? Is it another one of those? It sounds like another one of those.


I dont really think this is really a 'spoiler' since its not really that important but ill tag it anyway but spoiler[I've read a bit of the LN and while I dont know if he's a virgin he's not a 'loser', he's just incredibly plain and boring. he has a normal job, but no family or relatives, he's not miserable... but he isnt exactly a fun person either]

@Merida lmao Prison school is... prison school. Words cant really explain what captivates me about prison school its one of those things where you either hate it or bust a gut laughing after watching it. Im the latter of course
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Metal Fennrir



Joined: 03 May 2015
Posts: 70
Location: Costa Rica
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 11:49 am Reply with quote
I mean, sure, the first 2 (maybe even 3) episodes can be compared to Log Horizon or SAO... but eventually the big difference is gonna set in and then it's a whole other creature we're gonna be facing here

And I'll love every minute of it
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18135
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 11:57 am Reply with quote
Merida wrote:
So our MC is a "surpreme being" and the NPCs quite litterally worship the ground he walks on, hot females are falling over themselves to get into his pants etc. etc...this should annoy the hell out of me, so why do i find it so amusing?! Perhaps it's the contrast between the MC's role as overlord and his inner voice?

Yes, I think that's exactly what make Momonga work as a character so far, where other "power fantasy" leads wouldn't. I'll make a point to look at that in future reviews.

SpacemanHardy wrote:
Saffire wrote:
Overlord is definitely much closer to Log Horizon than SAO.


Mainly because I can actually sit through an episode of Log Horizon or Overlord without wanting to bash my skull in from all the stupid. Mad

Curiously, I get this same feeling when dealing with SAO haters. Rolling Eyes
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itachi06103570



Joined: 21 Feb 2013
Posts: 200
PostPosted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:17 pm Reply with quote
Calsolum wrote:
Lemonchest wrote:
So the joke is that he's a loser virgin irl? Is it another one of those? It sounds like another one of those.


I don't really think this is really a 'spoiler' since its not really that important but ill tag it anyway but spoiler[I've read a bit of the LN and while I don't know if he's a virgin he's not a 'loser', he's just incredibly plain and boring. he has a normal job, but no family or relatives, he's not miserable... but he isnt exactly a fun person either]

@Merida lmao Prison school is... prison school. Words can't really explain what captivates me about prison school its one of those things where you either hate it or bust a gut laughing after watching it. Im the latter of course
For overlord it doesn't seem too terribly over the top and it gets the point across to me about mom's since I just recently got into those myself so I can actually relate to them now and the MC momonga is really plain compared to what's her face with the white dress (forgot the daemon's name). She looks like she'll go nuts over any little thing he does for her so it'll be fun to watch.

For prison school I speed read that in like two days and I can tell you that show/manga in my opinion just escalates with each chapter and doesn't stop climbing that level of ridiculousness each chapter. Recently I've taken a liking to hana for obvious reasons in the manga and the MC too so I'll love to see what prison school can get away with on TV. It'll be interesting to see for sure.
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