Overlord II

Episode 4

Overlord has always had a slower pace compared to most other isekai series because it tends to be much more methodical in its approach, with almost every move being carefully considered. In that respect, this is a typical episode for the series, which doesn't push the pace along at all even when it probably should. As a result, the lizard man arc looks like it's going to continue at least well into next episode.

Not that I'm complaining much, as the story of the lizard men has been great so far. It's been carried by numerous eminently-likable characters who aren't (yet) slavishly loyal to Ains, and their development shows quite clearly in this episode. Whether it's practical-mind Zaryusu and his chieftain brother, life-loving Zenberu, or bold little Crusch, they have been fun to watch interact, fall in love, and fight together. This time around, Crusch gets the best moment with her incredibly forward declaration to Zaryusu at the end of the episode, but even simple scenes are entertaining, like the agitation she displays with her wonderfully expressive tail at being sidelined for the upcoming fight (because she has to lead the people in the event that the others fall).

By comparison, Ains' return to the spotlight is actually a bit of a disappointment. The revelation that he was testing Cocytus more than testing the lizard men was unexpected, as I was assuming that he had planned to bring the lizard men into the fold. Still, things are definitely now moving in that direction now thanks to Demiurge's suggestion. So basically we have another sequence where Ains talks to his subordinates, they chat amongst themselves after he leaves, he privately laments his own incompetence, and then he makes a big show of impressing someone. Ho hum. At least we get some variety with his showy demonstration and the promise of seeing another of Nazarick's floor guardians go into earnest action. Aside from the incident with Shalltear, displays of power from Nazarick's servants have been lacking so far. We also finally get to see Victim, one of the floor guardians who's been mentioned but not yet appeared, and it's possibly even weirder than any of the others. We get a few hints about his name when we learn that he possesses some power that only activates when he dies, which he seems more than eager to deploy.

For the most part, the series still looks pretty good, with quality control remaining consistent. We get a new design for the CG skeleton warriors to handle the mass troop movements, but in this case it stands out a little too much. The hulking creature who threw the stone – Gargantua, I'd assume – looks sharper, but then Ains' portrayal of his entourage comes off looking like a motley collection of fanart creations that don't always look impressive despite their actual power. At least Rororo, the hydra-like creature, is still surprisingly endearing.

Despite the pacing being slower than I'd like to see, the episode is still sufficiently entertaining and promises some meatier developments next episode.

Rating: B-

Overlord II is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.