English Dub Review: Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon II “Apollo”

Overview (Spoilers Below)

The Hestia Family is making a run for it from the Apollos who eventually surround Bell and beat the shit out of him while trying to help get Hestia out of here. Back up arrives and allows Bell and Hestia to show up to the Apollo HQ and accept the War Game. Problem is Lilliruca is forced to return to the Soma family and Bell’s gotta do a bunch of training to get ready for the next battle.

Our Take

HiDive’s answer to Black Clover is taking shape with the series firmly reminding viewers who the overbearing antagonists are. Best way to do that? Have them beat the ever-loving shout out of the hero for the story. It’s a common trope for fantasy shonen and it works well here. Apollo is not unlike most anime villains you’ve seen before, in fact, neither his nor anybody else’s character designs are going to blow you away with originality. That said, the action sequences are fun and the RPG elements of the game are starting to salt and pepper all over the anime that should please an ardent fan base.

The art/animation direction is on another level here, clearly, in a league with some of the higher-quality fare you’d eventually see end up on Toonami. It’s the type of impressive IP that HiDive can clearly take advantage of in gaining additional clout in an uncertain future that may or may not include VRV.