(CR) KONOSUBA - God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Season 3

[Infinite Zenith]

Originally Posted by Frontier

I feel like the Megumin spinoff adds a lot of context to Megumin and Yunyun's friendship and on expanding on some of the stuff you'll see in season 3.

The spinoff absolutely has merit. @frubam Just because one person thinks it's not very good doesn't mean it's something that should be skipped.

[ryllharu]

Originally Posted by Infinite Zenith

The spinoff absolutely has merit. @frubam Just because one person thinks it's not very good doesn't mean it's something that should be skipped.

I'll second the stance that it is optional at best. I couldn't get through the third or fourth episode and I like the franchise.

It's lore flavor, but not a particularly well-composed one.

When the balance of the main party is off, KonoSuba doesn't work that well. You actually need all four of them for the comedy to work correctly. It's something that Akatsuki Natsume's work suffers in a lot of his other properties, including the Megumin spinoff.

[Infinite Zenith]

The backstory gives Megumin's journey in the main series additional weight, it's well composed for showing how Megumin has similar traits as Kazuma and therefore, did have a place with their party.

[GDB]

You don't need her spinoff to see why she "has a place in their party". You can figure that out in the first few episodes she appears in the series itself. All the spinoff really does is give some context to the other random characters who show up in the movie, and ultimately that doesn't even matter since the movie came out first so clearly it isn't necessary.

[Frontier]

I think it added a lot of depth to Megumin and Yunyun's dynamic and the context leading up to when Megumin joined Kazuma's party.

[Shadow5YA]

Some of the characters introduced in the spinoff show up later in the main series, but it's not like you'll be lost even if you don't watch the spinoff.

It's a comedy first and foremost and its lore is relatively light anyway.

[kagato3]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

Some of the characters introduced in the spinoff show up later in the main series, but it's not like you'll be lost even if you don't watch the spinoff.

It's a comedy first and foremost and its lore is relatively light anyway.

Though knowing what's up with the cat will make this season a bit funnier

[frubam]

Originally Posted by Infinite Zenith

The spinoff absolutely has merit. @frubam Just because one person thinks it's not very good doesn't mean it's something that should be skipped.

While I would generally agree with you, I do agree with Kanon's stances in other threads, so I figured that would be enough to go off of. I did actually try to watch the first 2 episodes when it aired, and I didn't find it to be that enjoyable. I took the stance similar to what ryllharu said:

Originally Posted by ryllharu

When the balance of the main party is off, KonoSuba doesn't work that well. You actually need all four of them for the comedy to work correctly.

Maybe it needed more time to bake, but I wasn't motivated to find out. If everyone said it was absolute canon, like the movie, then I'd suffer through it, but despite the sprinkles of flavor that the spinoff would provide, I'm resolved to just skip it, and revisit it if I deem it necessary.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by frubam

If everyone said it was absolute canon, like the movie, then I'd suffer through it, but despite the sprinkles of flavor that the spinoff would provide, I'm resolved to just skip it, and revisit it if I deem it necessary.

Canon and mandatory are two different things.
If you're just talking about canon then both the movie and the Megumin spinoff are. It's not like the series is pretending it didn't happen.

The movie takes place in between season 2 and season 3 while the Megumin spinoff is a prequel that takes place before the beginning of the series up until she joins Kazuma's party.

[frubam]

Originally Posted by Shadow5YA

Canon and mandatory are two different things.
If you're just talking about canon then both the movie and the Megumin spinoff are. It's not like the series is pretending it didn't happen.

The movie takes place in between season 2 and season 3 while the Megumin spinoff is a prequel that takes place before the beginning of the series up until she joins Kazuma's party.

My apologies, my communication skills are subpar. Yes, I mean "mandatory", as in "if I don't watch it I will be completely lost as to what is going on".

[Frontier]

Kazuma is already making himself at home at the castle! And corrupt...I mean, entertaining Princess Iris with lewd and embrassing stories about his party. Especially, of course, Lalatina .

I could listen to Rain read a phonebook with a voice so serene and sensual .

Honestly getting to live the cushy and comfortable life living at a castle and being a playmate to a princess seems like a dream job. Especially when you can call a butler Sebastian even when it's not his name or making poor maid Mary do your bed while you're still lounging in it...now if he could just make sure he's wearing clothes around the princess .

Iris has lived a very sheltered and lonely life having to act the part of a princess and not really having anyone her own age to hang out with or will be straight with her, which makes Kazuma a priceless companion. Especially when he reminds her of her older brother...and she hits Kazuma where it hurts in the "Big Brother" department and he can't resist her charms any longer. Kazuma has gained a little sister !

I guess it was inevitable the gang would show up trying to drag him back, and of course they catch him without clothes on and flexing how much he's going to harass a poor maid .

Iris is such a sweetheart! She knew full well that it was too selfish to keep Kazuma to herself and was willing to let him go back...but Kazuma doesn't WANT To go back. He wants her to be selfish and let him get away from his obligations and from his party permanently! Failing that, though, why not throw a going-away party ?

Aw, Megumin couldn't sleep thinking of Kazuma. And of course Aqua was only thinking about how she wants to be the one living in a castle .

Lalatina is a popular girl! Especially with noble men. Even our old buddy Lord Alderp can't help but comment on her romantic prospects...though I do wonder about Iris' actual elder brother, prince Jatice, though Lalatina defintiely doesn't seem into the idea of marrying him. Luckily Kazuma knows the best way to ease the tension is by making it seem like he and Lalatina are lewd lovers and embarrass her .

How can Kazuma stay by Iris' side? Why, by hunting down a thief playing robin hood and catching them! He's even got all the totally non-corrupt nobles on his side! Only instead of staying in the castle he gets stuck with Alderp. This plan is going swimmingly .

Oh hey, Sylvia! AND SHE'S TOUCHING YOU ON PURPOSE !!!

[scififan]

Originally Posted by frubam

My apologies, my communication skills are subpar. Yes, I mean "mandatory", as in "if I don't watch it I will be completely lost as to what is going on".

There are characters showed up in the Megumin TV anime referenced in the movie. Those characters will show up in the later episode. By skipping the Megumin TV and the movie, you only feel why some characters appeared out of no where, and why everybody know what happened already. Anime shows tend to have backstory not animated. So, you get still grasp what happened from reading interviews and publication.

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[BWTraveller]

I'd say the movie is mandatory, as it plays a big part in relationships and development and is literally an arc from the LN in between the last arc in Season 2 and the contents of the new season. As for Megumin's series, while it is canon, it is also a spinoff made to elaborate on her background. The majority of us fans only saw/read it after the contents of the first two seasons, more if we were following the books. So yeah, Explosion does add some extra material to flesh various things out, but it's not necessary.

Anyway, I should've known Kazuma would go cringe, like he always does when he gets the slightest amount of praise or luxury. Still, the interplay between him and Iris is certainly adorable. And I loved the bit about Megumin getting so upset without him nearby that she stopped sleeping.

[Kanon]

A defense often brought up for Megumin's show (in this very thread in fact) is that Konosuba only works when the cast is all together. After this episode, I'm 100% convinced Kazuma could carry a show on his own, unlike Megumin. He manages to be effortlessly hilarious in just about any situation and around anyone. The first 15 minutes of this episode were funnier than Megumin's entire show. I was dying during the wake up scene.

That said, I do agree the show is better when the whole cast is around, just saying Kazuma is on another level.

Iris was very cute and I hope we'll see her again. But now, it's thief hunting time. Let's see... a thief who steals from corrupt nobles and donates everything to orphanages belonging to Eris' church. The culprit is pretty obvious.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Iris was very cute and I hope we'll see her again. But now, it's thief hunting time. Let's see... a thief who steals from corrupt nobles and donates everything to orphanages belonging to Eris' church. The culprit is pretty obvious.

And who better to catch them than the person who routinely steals their panties ?

[Master_Yoma]

Kazuma proofing that he an ass just taking advantage of everyone in that castle

Aqua & Megumin stuffing there face at the party while Darkness just being hounded by all those nobles

[BWTraveller]

Originally Posted by Frontier

And who better to catch them than the person who routinely steals their panties ?

And what better way to catch her?

[FlareKnight]

Kazuma can really only manage to be a decent person for a few minutes at a time. As soon as things start going his way he naturally tends to turn into a worthless scumbag.

Iris does have some cute moments in the episode though. And she's certainly been doing her best to behave overall with a crisis being far more important than getting what she wants. And while the capital is obviously well defended she does seemingly have to sit there and endure the uncertainty of one attack after another. At least she did get some good moments out of this.

For the sake of that poor maid I'm glad Kazuma got what he had coming later on . Having everyone show up to just shame the hell out of him! Not often that Darkness gets to play the role of the sadist and unleash some humiliation . She did have some trouble (and kind of helped out) later. Though again Kazuma('s arms) definitely paid for that one!

Poor Megumin though. While Kazuma was slothfully enjoying himself she was clearly having a rough time. Really fell for the wrong guy .

[Chosen_Hero]

Originally Posted by Kanon

A defense often brought up for Megumin's show (in this very thread in fact) is that Konosuba only works when the cast is all together. After this episode, I'm 100% convinced Kazuma could carry a show on his own, unlike Megumin. He manages to be effortlessly hilarious in just about any situation and around anyone. The first 15 minutes of this episode were funnier than Megumin's entire show. I was dying during the wake up scene.

That said, I do agree the show is better when the whole cast is around, just saying Kazuma is on another level.

Iris was very cute and I hope we'll see her again. But now, it's thief hunting time. Let's see... a thief who steals from corrupt nobles and donates everything to orphanages belonging to Eris' church. The culprit is pretty obvious.

I mean, Megumin is essentially just a one note character that is only popular because of her explosion magic, it doesn't help that her entire race is also just as one note with their chunnibyou syndrome, she works only because she is around the others and her people only worked for the one movie, focusing on them and expecting variety was always doomed to fail.

Meanwhile, you have Kazuma over here who is enough of a character by himself that if any of the others weren't around he would just be equally as entertaining no matter who the cast surrounding his was, this show could have easily been about him joining the Demon Lords army as one of its soldiers or generals and it would have been equally as hilarious, heck, this entire show could have taken place back on Earth and been set in his school and it would still be hilarious to follow him around.

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by Chosen_Hero

I mean, Megumin is essentially just a one note character that is only popular because of her explosion magic, it doesn't help that her entire race is also just as one note with their chunnibyou syndrome, she works only because she is around the others and her people only worked for the one movie, focusing on them and expecting variety was always doomed to fail.

Meanwhile, you have Kazuma over here who is enough of a character by himself that if any of the others weren't around he would just be equally as entertaining no matter who the cast surrounding his was, this show could have easily been about him joining the Demon Lords army as one of its soldiers or generals and it would have been equally as hilarious, heck, this entire show could have taken place back on Earth and been set in his school and it would still be hilarious to follow him around.

If you're talking about the first character poll where Megumin won, that was held between December 2015 and January 2016.

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1st chatacter popularity poll

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At the the time, there were 8 LN volumes out (vol. 8 released in Japan on 1/1/2016) and only 2~3 episodes aired.

The Crimson Magic village arc (volume 5) was popular, so both Megumin and Yunyun got a huge boost from that (you can see Komekko placed relatively well too).
The Megumin spinoff came out a few months before that.

Volume 6 is the current arc where Iris gets introduced.
Chris gets some spotlight here too and Eris gets some more in volume 8.