DanMachi Season V — Well Worth the Hype

Do you remember a few years back when the “get me that” guy was all over social media? Apply that same down-bad energy to Freya, sprinkle in some #toptenanimebetrayals, and you have DanMachi Season V.

What Happened in DanMachi Season V

The only acceptable way of wooing someone is by sending them unsolicited lewd pics. Nothing good ever comes from receiving a love letter. Likewise, nothing good comes from opening the door if you’re not expecting company. Bell could have easily avoided all the drama this season by being a NEET or having Syr text him. “Home alone. Want to come over and play with my cat?”

But this being a shonen show, you know it will drag out the drama in the dumbest way possible. And so, Syr spends the first couple of episodes of DanMachi Season V trying to wow Bell-kun. Unfortunately for our kawaii damsel (ALL MY BROS KNOW, SYR > FREYA), her suitor rejected her, and she did not handle it well.

Realizing that the only way to get Bell is through non-con means, Freya pulls a yandere move in which she brainwashes all of Orario to isolate Bell. Unfortunately, as much as she tried to force him into the Freya Familia, it didn’t work. But right when Bell thinks he’s free of that old hag’s embrace, Freya decides that if the goddess can’t have Bell’s virginity, then no one can. So, she YOLOs it and declares a war game against the Hestia Familia.

After a full-on brawl, Bell and the Hestia Familia (with the backing of an allied army) declared victory. At this point, Freya gives up her divinity and familia and fully embraces her life as Syr without a slap on the wrist. Sure, it may be predictable, but there’s still a lot to ponder, and the entire season had me eagerly anticipating each episode. So, let’s dive in!

Where DanMachi Season V Shines

By far, the portrayal of Bell’s pain and Freya’s obsession were this season’s strongest points.

A gripe I’ve always had with anime is how it portrays “sacrificing yourself for your dreams.” It either hypes up the bare minimum as a gargantuan task. Worst still are the depictions of characters with the people skills of a dead tilapia getting a pass because they’re “working toward their dreams” (usually studying for university).

And that’s completely bullocks. Do you want to know what sacrificing everything for your dreams looks like? Watch Yosuga No Sora. Sora’s willingness to throw away her entire life to be with Haru — that’s what chasing a dream by any means necessary looks like. Unless you’re willing to trample and beat down others, you’re not doing “all you can” for a dream.

I bring that up because Freya’s unhinge pursuit of her dream, while deeply flawed, is still worth admiring due to the lengths she’d go to. She’s so obsessed with Bell that she’d risk everything to get him. That’s a hard feeling to convey, but DanMachi Season V eloquently captured it. Her mood swings, madness, and fawning never felt overdone or exaggerated—it was perfectly insanity.

But an antagonist’s work only ever matters concerning the protagonist, and Bell complimented Freya’s delusions perfectly. Not once did he falter in his love for Hestia and his familia. He never let his admiration for Wallenwhatshername go. Yet, this love and admiration caused him the most pain. We should celebrate J.C. Staff for artfully demonstrating that.

Character Development

No one’s going to claim that DanMachi is renowned for complex characters. However, that doesn’t mean no personal conflict or noteworthy development exists. While many characters only briefly state their ulterior motives, their actions vividly show them throughout the season.

Case in point: Hedin’s betrayal. While his mutiny during the war game and attack on Heith and the rest of his familia seemed unprecedented, we had hints. Hedin mentioned wanting to free his goddess from the shackles that bound her when Syr and Bell were on a date. Likewise, Ottarl keeps up with Hedin looking after Freya/Syr by pulling his punches and conceding the fight.

While many often portray the rest of the Freya Familia as fanatical hooligans, Hedin and Ottarl don’t observe the blind devotion that the rest of the familia shows. They go against their goddess’s wishes should their betrayals ease her suffering.

Where DanMachi Season V Flops

Retribution is lacking in this series. I understand that shows like this like to drive the “power of friendship,” but come on. I know people close to you will overlook and justify your deviant behavior. But it’s insulting that Fujino Ōmori looked us in the eyes and made it look like one in Orario wants Freya’s head? At the very least, I’d shank someone with a tent peg if they brainwashed me. Yet Freya got off relatively unscathed.

And then, there’s Bell. Bell is like that one dude who complains about constant diarrhea but only ever eats Taco Bell and chugs Mountain Dew. At some point, one can only blame themselves for their misfortunes. And after everything that happened, this white-haired dimwit is still going to tell Syr (Freya) he’ll be there for her. As much as Freya deserved a punch at the end of DanMachi Season V, Bell deserved one too.

But Did the Action Make Up for the Shortcomings?

I’d argue that despite its glaring issues and failing to surpass Season IV, DanMachi Season V shined. There was action, suspense, and action to keep people invested. The fact that the show faced several production delays and still received positive feedback proves the value of the investment. Usually, extended production delays kill any hype associated with a show — that wasn’t the case here. All that said, I’d give the show a solid four stars out of five.

DanMachi Season V Production Details

The show’s overall animation could be better. I’m not saying it’s egregious, but one does catch the slip-ups. The production breaks added some extra zing to the show, which the audience appreciated. The final fights, especially Hedin going berserk and Mia/Bell/Ryu/Hedin brawling against Ottarl, were enough to satisfy. The scene in which Ryu dodges Ottarl’s sword and sees her reflection in his sword had me creaming like Magia Baiser when she’s bullying Magia Azur.

The voice cast for DanMachi rarely disappoints. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Bell), Inori Minase (Hestia), Saori Hayami (Ryu), and Nobunaga Shimazaki (Hedin) do such a stellar job with their roles that I can’t imagine anyone else voicing them.

HIDIVE streams DanMachi in its entirety, including the past movies and OVAs.

Oh, by the way. Can I interest you in this ELEGANT Hestia figure if you have a few hundred dollars to spare?

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