Over-Analyzing Anime: Danmachi
Over-Analyzing Anime:Danjon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Daro Ka.
Episode #3
Sup! How’s everyone doing tonight!? Good? Well, you’ll have to be good, because this is a pre-recorded podcast and my, like, two listeners- and that’s being generous- can’t respond. ANYWAY, you are listening to Over-Analyzing Anime, the podcast with your host Hannah Pietras.
In this episode of Over-Analyzing Anime we will discuss the themes and symbolisms within the anime, get ready for this one, we’ll be here all week, Danjon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Daro Ka, or, because we all like to breath, better known as Danmachi, or in english, because that title is iconic- why are overly long titles such a fad in Japan right now?- “Is it Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?”
Segment 1: What’s it about?
The city of Orario is the center of the world, due to the Tower of Babel, the behemoth building designed to contain the fount of Orio’s wealth: The Dungeon. Beneath Babel’s stone walls, the labyrinth of the Dungeon births monsters from its depths, made of magic stones that can be harvested to craft magic items and other coveted items, as well as be exchanged for the world’s currency. The brave souls that traverse the Dungeon’s belly, in order to pave a new frontier for humanity and to collect these magic stones by killing monsters, are called Adventurers. Adventurers gain their power from the Gods, who departed from heaven to the lower worlds in search of entertainment, choosing to forgo their heavenly powers to enjoy the perils of the earthly realm to its fullest. The God’s compete with one another to see which of their adventurers, their children as they call them, who fight under the banner of the god who unlocked their falna- their status, which includes ability scores, their level, and special skills- is the strongest and achievements and glory they can bring them with all the possibility of death.
The story follows one Bell Cranel, a fourteen year old boy who dreams of becoming a hero like the ones in the fairytales that his grandfather read to him and having a chance encounter with a girl(preferably by saving her life from a vicious monster, causing her to fall in love with his heroic figure). But Bell quickly learns that he’s out of his depth when a Minotaur escapes from the lower floors and Bell is cornered, prepared for the end. It is in that moment that in the scenario that Bell often daydreamed about, the roles are reversed, and it is Bell who is the Damsel in Distress in need of rescueing, as the one Sword Princess, Aiz Wallenstein- first class adventurer, one of the few levels five that exist in the whole world, and holder of the world record for leveling up to level two from level one in the shortest amount of time- spares him from death and slaughters the beast. Bell is instantly smitten, but discovers that until he becomes strong enough, he will never stand a chance at being at her side. This the story of how Bell became a hero of legends.
Segment 2: Inspiration
- Hestia: The greek goddess of hearth and home.
- Freya: (Old Norse, Freyja, “Lady”)is a renowned goddess of Norse Mythology. Freya was famous for fondness for love, beauty, and fine material possessions, but she’s more than a seeker of passionate thrills, she’s the archetype for volva, seers and sorcessess who practiced seidr, who went from town to town, exchanging their acts of shamanism for lodging, food, and other such resources, and Freya is credited with bringing Seidr to humanity.
- Loki: The trickster god of Norse mythology.
- Role-playing Games.
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