Like the majority, I also stumbled upon Danmachi, swayed by the title. Although my first impression of it was another generic fantasy harem with plenty of fanservice. However, there existed a subtle distinction: a consistent drive for improvement, setting it apart from the rest. From Storytelling to Cinematography, every single element improved gradually. And it all shone cohesively in S4, Achieving feats that seemed impossible in earlier seasons.

The very first change came from the plotline, where the focus shifted from the politics among familias to survival. Picking up where S4 P1 left, Bell & Ryu found themselves on the deep floors after getting dragged by that snake monster(can’t recall the name) and barely escaping the Juggernaut. The atmosphere was quite brutal and gruesome as they had no hope of making it through the White Palace (37th floor). Despite being emotionally distraught, Ryu decided she would at least help Bell to make it out alive. Generally, we see OP protagonist fall into an extremely dire situation and lose all means of staying alive, then miraculously making it back with some kind of hidden power or any other way which at times defies common sense and if there is another person (typically potential love interest) with him/her, they end up becoming a sole spectator. But here on this one, death lurks just around the corner for both Bell & Ryu when they can hardly breathe. Bell can’t protect Ryu and Ryu can’t save Bell but they can push forward by forming a somewhat cooperative relationship. I will elaborate on this part later in the character section. On the other hand, we have the allied famillia party struggling against the 25th floor boss. Seeing-sawing between gaining the upper hand and losing, here we get to see some of the most anticipated character developments. Not only Welf & Lilli but also side characters like Aisha, Mikoto, and Haruhime got a fair share of the spotlight. For the allied famillia party, their battle against the 25th floor boss was probably the culmination of their adventure, everything afterward didn’t hit that hard. However, one aspect of this series I was partly dissatisfied with was the lack of nerve-wracking moments involving other side characters which was brilliantly carried out in this part. Besides the main nail-biter of S4 started right after the boss fight, that is Bell & Ryu’s treacherous venture.

If you ask me the best thing about S4, I will probably say the world-building. I was always grumbling about how they were cutting corners on a crucial element of the fantasy genre. The white palace and The great fall floors kinda reminded me of Made in Abyss albeit it was far from being that detailed. While the white palace didn’t live up to its notorious expectations (excluding the colosseum) as initially told, there was still a considerable amount of suspense compared to the prior seasons. Another problem I had with Danmachi was the pacing (especially S2). At times it felt like they were dragging the arc for no good reason while on some occasions the arc was over before I could grasp the plotline. However, the pacing was right on track this time. From exploring the floors to fleshing out characters, they took their sweet time and it worked out perfectly.

Let’s talk about character development while we are at it. I don’t know if it's JC staff or the LN but the reluctance in giving out proper characterization is insane. Introducing new characters when the main characters barely got any spotlight. From S1-S3 it suffered terribly because of this stupidity. I was getting déjà vu when Marie first appeared but hopefully, they didn’t repeat this feat. On the other hand, most of the characters present in their party were fairly characterized. Despite that Bell, Welf & Ryu stand out distinctly. Although I couldn’t quite resonate with Welf’s ambition and circumstances, largely due to brushing off his development at S1. As for Bell & Ryu, they are the stars of S4, more precisely Ryu.

Bell & Ryu symbolized the idealist hero and the realist jerk respectively. While Bell was positive about making it to the surface with both of them and eventually surviving. Ryu on the contrary, was seeking redemption for her past atrocities. But then at episode 9 which was so far, arguably the best episode of the series, we get to delve into her past where she implicitly killed her companions, which has haunted her ever since. Subsequently, Bell expresses his admiration towards Ryu, telling him he always saw her as a hero of justice. Ironically this sentiment overlapped with one of her deceased comrades, that is to believe in her justice and follow her heart.

On the other hand, there was also Ryu’s passionate feelings towards Bell. Honestly, this is the first time in a fantasy/isekai show where I am genuinely rooting for a girl. It wasn’t rushed nor did they use the rescue trope to make her fond of Bell. Trivial things like the embarrassment of drinking from the same cup, wholesome pinkie promise, warming up beside each other, and opening up her heart it was those subtle feelings that did the trick. And to wrap it up with a confession like “You’re human worthy of respect”, it couldn’t be any better. She is no doubt the best character of Danmachi unless Ais gets a more compelling character arc than her.

JC Staff always had their eyes on Danmachi and S4 was no different. The animation was consistent throughout the series ~~lets ignore the floor boss CGI~~ whereas cinematography during the 25th floor boss fight reached peak. Not to mention the dark and eerie atmosphere of the white palace always kept me at the edge of my seat, you get the feeling something ominous is going to happen soon. Intercutting between Bell and Hestia familia also added complexity and created a sense of suspense which significantly boosted the viewer experience.

And the seiyuu? Idk if it was a coincidence but my favorite male seiyuu (tsugu san) and female seiyuu (hayamin) just happen to be the VA of Bell and Ryu. So even if I am being biased they really nailed it. The op Shiko by Hayamin and the ed Kirikizu by Sajou no Hana flawlessly portrayed the pessimistic Ryu and optimistic Bell. Though I listened to the op a few times, the ed didn’t impress me that much.

Finally, Danmachi is improving by leaps and bounds every season and I have a feeling it will only get better. Though this season might be a disaster for those who enjoyed the goofy and whimsical atmosphere it initially had.

And I repeat RYU IS THE BEST GIRL.