While there is a slowly growing number of anime series based on players being trapped in, or otherwise experiencing an unnatural occurrence within an online game, very few have managed to impress me as much as Log Horizon has. It may not have the strong backing or more than a decade’s worth of video games like .hack// has, or the high production values found in Sword Art Online – the first season of Log Horizon impressed me. This was through its continually growing tale which maintained a solid balance between MMORPG concepts, character development and narrative; all the while working with the foundation of its characters both building a society in this now sentient world and investigating the many mysteries/dilemmas which arise.
More than a year has passed since Volume 1 and Volume 2 of Log Horizon were published in Australia by Madman Entertainment. Although available via AnimeLab for some time now, the Australian anime publisher have finally brought its second season – Log Horizon II – to DVD and Blu-ray.
A Quick Recap
For those who have not yet watched season one, Log Horizon takes place in an online game known as Elder Tale, which at the time was the world’s largest online game. One of its more notable features is that the game takes place in a world where Earth’s land mass is replicated on a half-scale. Millions of players across the globe play on various interlinked servers, with each local server primarily taking up its respective country. An event described as the “Catastrophe” occurs when the game’s twelfth expansion pack “Homesteading the Noosphere” goes live, trapping 30,000 Japanese players and potentially several hundred thousand others worldwide in the game. Formerly a game which required no direct interaction with the world, players now find themselves alone in in the game, without any indication of why they are trapped there. With the AI becoming sentient, there being no sign of any nefarious force holding them hostage, and death not being the end of one’s life… the players are given free rein to adapt to this new world.
Season One offered a solid start to the series, where viewers were introduced to Shiroe and his growing band of companions in the guild ‘Log Horizon’. We were given a look at how the players trapped in Elder Sphere adapted to their situation, with some attempting to seize power, others essentially trying to undertake slavery of newer players, and others seeking to lay down the foundation of civil society. This is all the while new opportunities arise for the players – from the creation of modern-day items well outside the bounds of the original game, to the formation of alliances and diplomatic discussions with the former NPCs known as “People of the Land”.
Storyline / Character Development
Although there are a few scattered episodes which could be considered standalone, most of Log Horizon 2 can be broken down into several different arcs. These arcs cover Volumes 6-10 of Mamare Touno’s original light novel. Not only does this second season remain faithful to its source material, but it also brings the anime up-to-date with the light novel chapters available in printed form. The season doesn’t spare much time before breaking into its first two arcs which, run simultaneously, have a heavy focus on Shiroe and Akatsuki.
As the story goes, the city of Akihabara and its Round Table Conference are finding the sheer cost of maintaining the buildings and populace impossible to handle long-term. A mysterious faction known as the Kunie Clan potentially holds the key to solving this issue – but getting their aid is no easy task. Shiroe and Naotsugu leave in secret to undertake this new and brutal type of raid away from the prying eyes of spies. But while this pair is away, a spate of safe-zone murders sees Akatsuki and co face off against another deadly threat. The latter half of the season sees more emerge about the inhabitants of the neighbouring Adventurer City Minami – as the younger members of Log Horizon set out on their own to complete their first long-distance mission.
The fundamentals of Log Horizon 2 are once again solid, with the show delivering in terms of narrative, character development and world building. The now realistic world of Elder Tale keeps being built upon as each episode progresses, whether it is through the tense yet growing relationship between Adventurers and People of the Land, new facts emerging about the lore of the world, or the progressive appearance of new “gameplay mechanics” that threaten the peace which Shiroe and others have worked hard to attain. There are lots of elements which make up the world present in Log Horizon, and it is great to see that the creative team have not only delivered in terms of content, but also given themselves a lot of episodes to do it in – without needing to go on too many significant anime-exclusive tangents.
There are several “raids” and other smaller-scale battles split throughout the season, and these deliver some pretty good action. This is not so much through the intense and visually spectacular scenes you would find in Sword Art Online, but instead offer a more reserved and logical approach to battling – as the characters work out ways to smartly take out the dangerous enemies which lie ahead of them. Granted, these scenes don’t always deliver something overly impressive in the design department and the strategies are often rushed over without the trial/error and long vocal planning sessions one might find in a typical MMORPG –but it is nice to see characters not just run headfirst into battle, with raids taking place over many episodes rather than half an episode.
With a large cast of secondary characters to work with, some which were more prominent in the first season have been given a lesser role in the second, while others are given their chance to shine slightly more in Log Horizon II. Ultimately, character development for those outside of the core cast tends to be pretty hit-or miss. Although the same can be for the members of Log Horizon as well. While the younger members of Log Horizon (+ Serara) alongside the original trio do receive their time to shine – Nyanta (once again) and newcomer Tetora had less of a role on-screen in my opinion.
The ongoing love triangle and relationship issues pop up sporadically in Log Horizon II, and in my opinion, don’t add much to the show. However, I acknowledge this might be more noteworthy to others, and may come down to personal taste. Outside of this aspect, I did find there were a few episodes which provided an overload of dialogue and narrative. While I did for the most part enjoy the story weaved in Log Horizon II, there were occasions where I felt bogged down by content.
Design / Music / Voice Acting
There has been a steady shift between the two seasons of Log Horizon. Animation studio Satelight (Bodacious Space Pirates, Croisee in a Foreign Labyrinth) did not end up working on the second season of Log Horizon. Instead, animation work was conducted by Studio Deen (Rozen Maiden: Zurückspulen, Higurashi no Naku Koro ni). The shift in studio wasn’t all that noticeable, and while there are better designed and animated series on the market, Log Horizon II still warranted a Blu-ray release in my opinion. In terms of design, there aren’t any major changes from my perspective, with viewers still treated to some nice fantasy-MMO environments. One noticeable difference between the seasons is that many characters receive a change of apparel. The most notable of these changes is with the younger Log Horizon members, representing their increase in level and change of equipment.
Although I don’t believe anyone should base their first impressions of an anime from its opening sequence, a great song and animation combo can leave you feeling pumped for the series ahead. Season One chose an intense and attention-grabbing song titled “database”, which had a theme (Both tune and lyrics) which was very fitting for the show. Rather than go with something new, the song is reused with a new animation. There were no complaints from me about this. Log Horizon II also features a soundtrack which includes both returning and brand new songs – including Log Horizon” Main Theme 2014 ver. – an intense recreation of the show’s main theme song which paired well with battles. Many of the songs both new and old suit the fantasy-MMORPG setting, with tunes to suit almost every occasion.
Like the first season, North American anime publisher Sentai Filmworks commissioned an English dub for Log Horizon II. The original voice cast all make a return, from Mike Yager who shines as the intellectual and more serious Shiroe, to Jovan Jackson who matches the cool, down-to-earth and calm personality of Nyanta. With dozens of characters both main and secondary, Log Horizon II has provided at least small voice acting opportunities for many VA’s – with highlights including Kelley Peters as Roe2 and Chelsea McCurdy as new Log Horizon member Tetora.
Extra On-Disc Content
There isn’t all that much in terms of on-disc extra content across either Volume 1 or Volume 2 of Log Horizon 2. The only thing of much note was clean opening and ending sequences. This is a shame, as I would love to hear a cast commentary of an episode or two – especially since the voice cast is now 50 episodes into Log Horizon.
Final Words on Log Horizon II
While I wouldn’t say it impressed me any more than the first season did, Log Horizon II has proven to be a strong anime adaptation in my opinion, which has stayed fairly true to its source material. There are some pacing issues, and long drawn-out romantic stories which, from my perspective, attempt to keep things light and fluffy but instead detracts from the events at hand. Yet despite this, it still presents an intriguing “online game turned reality” scenario, which is not only about fighting against a system to escape, but to try surviving alongside those who could once have been considered NPCs. However, the end of season two makes the anime pretty much up-to-date with the light novel volumes brought to paperback. With no attempt made at writing an anime-exclusive ending, time will tell when or even if we will see a third season in the future. For now though… I am content.
Acknowledgement: Madman Entertainment, for providing review copies of Log Horizon II – Volumes 1 & 2
