Overlord III ⬢ The Series Continues Its Great Success

Original Run: July 10, 2018 - October 2, 2018
Number of Episodes: 13
Genre: Action, Fantasy, Isekai
Based on the Series Created By: Kugane Maruyama and
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***Warning, the following may contain spoilers for Overlord III. Reader discretion is advised.***

Series Synopsis

With all the pieces finally in place, the unassailable fortress Nazarick is ready to declare itself to the world. With an army of undead, an arsenal of god-tier weapons, and a team of loyal subordinates, the Lord of Nazarick Ainz Ooal Gown (voiced by Satoshi Hino) is a force unlike which this parallel world has ever seen.

Many foolishly stand before the might of Nazarick. Although it may be easy to challenge Lord Ainz, it is impossible to lay a finger on him.

Defeat at the hands of the Supreme Overlord is absolute.

Series Positives

Right off the bat, I can tell you what became of that increased animation budget seen in Overlord II. It stayed in Overlord II.

I’m not sure what happened, but there were moments in Overlord III where the visual quality took a massive hit. And seeing how seasons two and three were part of a spit-cour release (a series which aired in two non-consecutive yearly release seasons), it would have been hard not to notice the downgrade even if you watched the show weekly.

Also, Overlord III was my least favorite of the Overlord installments (as of 2021). Be that as it may, I would not put too much stock into that statement. After all, one of them had to have that title.

So, what happened?

Overlord III found itself in the same position its predecessor did; this season wasn’t as technically sound as Overlord I. Furthermore, this third chapter didn’t quite reach the same level as the second because the epically badass moments were less frequent.

Nevertheless, this was an Overlord season as we have come to expect them to be. Overlord III was thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end. Thus, it would not be difficult for someone to watch from the first episode of season one through to the final episode of season three (39 episodes in total) in a single marathon session. Hell, if I didn’t have other responsibilities that required my attention, that’s what I would have done.

Overlord III was the culmination of all the groundwork this season’s two predecessors laid down; this was the installment where Lord Ainz and Nazarick announced themselves to the broader world. There was less working in the shadows and more we-are-here-to-ruin-your-day encounters. Therefore, you could consider season three to be the conclusion of the Overlord introductory arc. Where the story might go from here, I can only imagine.

And seeing how Overlord III was, fundamental, every bit as outstanding as the first two seasons, the review could end right here. Except, I don’t want to do that. Instead, I want to focus on a few points that are relevant to the overall franchise, but I have failed to mention.

First, and shame on me for waiting so long to say this, Mr. Satoshi Hino, the voice of Ainz Ooal Gown, has done a phenomenal job as the titular overlord.

It took me a while to accept that Mr. Hino provided the voice for Lord Ainz and Player Momonga. The two personalities were so different.

Lord Ainz was wise, dominating, and formidable. His voice could command the attention of an entire army, and his demeanor was exactly what you would imagine a supreme ruler to have. Lord Aniz was a character that others either legitimately fear, thoroughly respected, or both.

In contrast, Momonga was originally a non-imposing Japanese office worker. Although he had the strategic mind of a veteran RPG player, Momonga was more prone to exhaustion. He could be overwhelmed, as well as hilariously reactionary.

To the everlasting credit of Mr. Hino, he could effortlessly transition from the two extremes. As a result, Lord Ainz was often as intimidating as he was funny. Mr. Hino, through his performance, gave emotion to a faceless skeleton. It is no exaggeration to say that much of Overlord’s success is thanks to Mr. Hino.

An excellent illustration of Mr. Hino’s talent came when Lord Aniz realized his servants were trying to help him take over the world. If you remember from season one, Lord Aniz, in passing, mentioned how the idea of world domination could be fun. His lieutenants took that off-handed remark quite literally. Lord Aniz did not know this, and his finding out led to one of the funniest exchanges of the entire series.

Let’s not kid ourselves; Overlord I, II, and III knew how to balance comedy and darkness. Overlord III, in particular, got pretty damn dark. A lot, and I mean, A LOT of people died. Still, this season and the rest of the series weren’t devoid of humor despite the more borderline-horror moments.

If you wonder how Lord Ainz and his servants can remain incredibly likable even after committing some horrifically brutal acts, the answer is probably Overlord’s greatest strength.

Lord Aniz and Nazarick were fair. Untouchably powerful, yes, but always fair. If someone could get past the terrifying presence of Lord Aniz, they could reason with him. Lord Aniz respected will and determination. As long as an opponent demonstrated great heart and courage, he would give plenty of outs. When Lord Aniz appeared, no one had to die.

A person was only in real trouble if they insulted the things Lord Aniz cared most about, mainly his servants and friends who built Nazarick with him.

In Overlord III, a party of adventurers broke into Nazarick. Had Lord Aniz met them on the road or anywhere else, he might have befriended them. However, this group had the nerve to desecrate a place that was important to him. Therefore, the invading party suffered and suffered greatly. Keep in mind, these adventurers most likely would have been the hero party in any other fantasy story, and Overlord III was not shy about twisting that knife.

In short, Overlord III needed to conclude this three-season section of the story while setting up what is to come next. In that respect, it was mission accomplished.

Now the question becomes, will we be getting an Overlord IV?

Given this series quality and continued exposure with the ongoing crossover series Isekai Quartet, I have to think a season four is inevitable. Here’s hoping since I really don’t want this to be the last time we see Lord Ainz and Nazarick. Yes, Overlord III was fun, entertaining, and satisfying, but so much more can be done.

Series Negatives

Overlord III was the first of the season to dive headfirst into silly territory. Although comedy has been a consistent quality of the series, goofiness had been avoided.

That was until we got the goblin army.

This scene just kept going and got progressively more ridiculous. The idea behind this moment might have been neat, and it did fit in with the overpowered nature of Nazarick. Still, it was dangerously close to becoming incredibly dumb.

And the terrible CGI animation did not offer any favors.  

In fact, that was sort of the sticking point.

Every time this series wanted to go big and flashy, the animations and the visuals put a damper on the effect. Fortunately, the event itself was more than enough to maintain the gravity of any given situation.

There was a scene in Overlord III when Lord Ainz decimated an entire army with a single spell. I’m not going to lie; visually, this moment looked like crap. You could tell the show simply copy-and-pasted the same soldier model over and over again. It looked cheap and lazy, and I probably should have stayed as such had it not been for Lord Ainz insta-killing 70,000 men in the blink of an eye. At that scale, the message was received.

To conclude, a series’ third installment must be doing pretty damn well for itself if its animation is the only subpar aspect.

I can even begin to imagine how amazing it would be if Overlord’s visuals were given the budget they deserve.

Regardless, Overlord has done plenty to solidify itself as one of the best isekai anime ever to come out. And that is no small feat.

Final Thoughts

It’s hard to get one season worth remembering. It’s a miracle when we get three.

If the first two installments had your eyes glued to the screen, this one is not going to let you go either. With everything you have come to expect – a great story, fun characters, and exciting action – you might find yourself in a long but satisfying marathon.

Here’s hoping the series continues.

Overlord III has earned a recommendation.

But these are my thoughts; what are yours? Have you seen this show; how would you advise Overlord III? Leave a comment below because I would love to hear what you have to say.

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