KonoSuba: Mega Review

It’s not unusual for me to talk about a show as a whole when I catch up on years of content, but this one was quite a bit. 3 seasons consisting of 31 episodes, 2 additional OVA episodes, a movie, and some of the spin-off show. Altogether it’s about 16 hours of content, and I watched it all over the course of about 5 days Now obviously this means I liked it, but hopefully you’re here to learn more about what I liked and what problems I may have had.

Starting off with the first season, it’s a solid start from the get-go. Now I haven’t really watched too many isekais, but I think I get the general tropes. This one quickly subverts them as we learn our MC Kazuma died a rather embarrassing death, which the goddess Aqua laughs at. As revenge, he chooses to bring her as his special item as he’s reborn into a world in need of a hero. Not receiving a cheat skill or anything else, Kazuma instead has many comedic misadventures with his party as he tries to make a living. Rounding out the party are Megumin, a wizard who speaks like a chunibyo and can only use explosion magic once per day, and Darkness, a masochistic crusader who can’t hit anything.

The first season definitely provides laughs, but it’s also clear they skip over some parts from the source material which is annoying. The first OVA, which depending where you watch might get paired with the first season, also skips ahead of where season 2 picks up, which is again mildly annoying. This first OVA is also a good place to give the horny warning. In general Kazuma, whether on purpose or not (usually on purpose) is a pervert. However, his behavior generally has negative consequences for him. This makes it land more in the funny camp for me but consider this your warning.

Season 2 I would say is an improvement over season 1, feeling a bit more cohesive and also breaking at least a little out of the cycle established in season 1, taking us to a few new locations. While there isn’t much character development, it does also feel like we get some advancement here. Of course if you aren’t on board with the format of the show by this point don’t expect a significant change; it’s largely random adventures that slowly get the party closer to an end goal.

The second season also gives us a more proper introduction to Yunyun, another Crimson Demon wizard like Megumin, which leads us into the movie that focuses on their village and saving it. If you were a fan of the chunibyo behavior and wanted to see more people act stupid, then this will be a treat. The movie mostly maintains the same format as the show, so you could likely avoid watching it in one sitting. It is also needed for the continuity, not just being some random side adventure.

What you can likely skip is a spin-off centered on Megumin, titled KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World! that released between the movie and season 3. It’s a prequel that focuses on her school years and the time leading up to the start of the main series. It’s not bad, but it certainly has a different vibe and Megumin doesn’t feel entirely like the same character. At its core it’s a more serious show. If anything it’s more suited to someone who doesn’t like the main series.

Now season 3 came out fairly recently, airing in Spring 2024. Being this released 5 years after the movie, I’m sorry for any fans who were left waiting in that time. However, the wait seems to have been worth it, as season 3 provides more of the laughs. This is also the first season that really feels like it has more of a plot as well as character development. It’s not extensive, but it’s unwelcome either. However, this does also mean that compared to previous entries the show feels more incomplete, and so I hope that a new season is announced sooner than later.

So now that I’ve rambled for a few paragraphs, what should you actually take away? This show is funny. There are so many setups that land just right, recurring jokes that don’t get old, and innuendos that may make or break the show for some. If you want to see a group of idiots stumble their way to success, this show is for you, and if the latest season is any indication there may be some more story and character moments to look forward to. I may just have to go read the light novels, because I’m not sure I can wait for more.