One of the things I loved about seasons one and two of this show was how they both had a very unique feel to them and season three is no different. Where the first two seasons overall had a lighthearted tone that spanned multiple stories in the season, season three takes a darker turn in a singular story spanning the entire season. In this season the story told is much more elaborate and really expands the world of this anime as we know it. I won’t say too many spoilers but I do have to point out one big detail revealed in the first episode for a lot of what I have to say to make sense so I’ll give a mild spoiler warning because of that detail.

The season starts on a normal day in the dungeon but it quickly changes into something Bell and the rest of the party will never forget. As they fight off monsters they discover a girl is in danger and they fight to protect her only to find this girl is another monster herself. This girl is very different as she is able to feel and communicate, unlike the monsters we’ve seen in the past. This sets the stage for the darker elements of the show. Bell does not hesitate to take care of this monster because to him she is just another innocent life in distress, but because of this, we get a lot of arguments about right versus wrong throughout the entire season.

The first two seasons showed us very little about the monsters themselves so this season really came as a shocker and it was really interesting to see these normally upbeat characters discuss the dark conversation on what is right when the monsters they hunt suddenly express the ability to feel just like they do. This leads to a ton of discovery over what happens to monsters when they die and the revelation that the monsters and the dungeon itself actually have a ton of lore behind it and we’ve only scratched the surface of it.

Some really high notes for this season included fights between characters we haven’t seen engaged in a real fight with each other. The lore building was amazing as there was so much seen that I would say the lore in season three at least matches if not surpasses the lore explained in seasons one and two combined. The emotional roller coaster was unlike anything we’ve seen in this show to date and was a very fun change of pace. The fight scenes were for the most part ok as this was more of a story-driven season rather than a combat-centered one, but the fight at the end of the season was magnificent and hands down one of the best fights in the show.

In every season Bell has had to overcome great struggles but they were unlike the ones he endured in this season. Because his actions were seen as universally accepted in the eyes of the people in the anime he was easily able to garner a ton of support for his goals; however, this is his first attempt at dealing with a controversial topic and his allies really had to do some soul searching to find where they stand on this issue. This season really dives into the deep philosophical beliefs of the characters and we get a clear grasp of their beliefs on what is wright and what is wrong to make for a season that packs a huge punch to the audience.

The emotions are all over the place in this season and watching it I was full of laughter, excitement, tears and a lot of anxiety but it was a wonderful story. Season three ends on a note that I would put between seasons one and two. Season one ended right after the defeat of a powerful monster and it was just a climactic finish but season two ended on a lackluster note. Season three manages to do a little of both as the last episode has a very and I mean very intense fight for Bell at the end but then afterward they show the resolution of the actions for the season and things just go back to normal, or as normal as possible anyways. It was a good ending but it’s hard to compare to how season one ended.