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Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Episode 13

by Rebecca Silverman,

Here ends the anime of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?. It isn't the best and most definitive ending, but it does answer at least one very important question that makes Bell seem like less of Gary Stu figure, although that has never been a particular issue with the series. Had it not been so well done, that specter may have raised its head, but regardless of how Bell's amazing battle prowess and speedy rise in rank are handled, it turns out that he has a very good reason for them. While I will not spoil that here, it certainly explains not only his skill, but also the way other characters (gods, specifically) treat him. It also strengthens the story's tie to Classical mythology in a way that, while it is unexpected, probably shouldn't have been.

Almost the entire episode is centered around the fight against Frankenstein's Titan, the monster we saw descending at the end of episode twelve. The creature is quickly dubbed the floor boss as the previously safe zone is overrun with monsters. Bell being who he is, he quickly rallies his party to help defend those caught unawares. Since at this point that party includes Ryu, it's a pretty formidable alliance, but the monster has some qualities that make it nigh impossible to beat, even with everyone's combined powers. As the crisis grows, we see that the Hermes Familia has been keeping some secrets, as has the town of the eighteenth floor. Just how they know each other isn't certain, but there has certainly been some sort of alliance in the past that is now called upon. In an interesting decision, only the non-divine people fight; the gods stay completely out of the battle, although Hestia does help with triage.

While this is a great episode in terms of excitement and the actual fight, it nevertheless suffers from a surfeit of unanswered questions and small contradictions. Just why gods aren't allowed in the dungeon appears to have been completely dropped (although what might be a hint is provided, it isn't explicitly stated or explained), and we don't really see any aftermath of battle, which might have given the show a chance to explain things a bit better, such as what brought on the floor boss in the first place and whether or not this had ever happened before. We're also left hanging as to Freya's full motives, although what we learn about Bell really does serve as a legit reason for her interest. In a strange moment of poor research on someone's part, Hermes at one point makes reference to Uranus, the Roman name for Ouranos. This is the sole usage of the Roman name for one of the gods and it is at odds with the Greek names used otherwise, making it stand out awkwardly.

These issues aside, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? ends on a strong note. Bell's mystery revealed, heroic status proven and well on the way to improving, and the successful conclusion of a pretty epic battle all combine to make this a satisfying finale. That Bell's heritage also can serve as an explanation for the reason he's apparently irresistible to women feels like icing on the cake; more interesting is the Classical parallels we can read into it, leaving space for more story. While it would be wonderful to have that further story in animated format, the fact that we at least have legal access to the novels in English is a consolation, because it's clear that Bell's tale is far from over.

If you stop to really think about it, nothing is truly resolved by the end of this episode. We still have a lot of questions and Bell is pretty much in the same place he was before, just more powerful and with more friends. Hestia still has a tiny familia and an oblivious crush, and not all that much has visibly changed with the world. But somehow it still feels like we've taken a long journey with the characters, and there is a lot of satisfaction in seeing them end the series happy. It may not be the perfect ending, but it really works for this show, and now all we have to do is hope that the show's success is enough to bring us another season.

Rating: B+

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Rebecca Silverman is ANN's senior manga critic.


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