KonoSuba: God’s blessing on this wonderful world! (Episode 7) – A Second Death in This Freezing Season!
It’s winter and the stable is not a fun place to sleep. Kazuma is fed up and doesn’t know how much more he can take. Luckily, there are loads of quests now that the Dullahan is dead and all the other adventurers got their rewards.
What happened?
Everyone involved in the battle against the Dullahan received a reward, however, it was only Kazuma’s party that bore the brunt of the damages that Aqua caused. Part of their reward is held back from every quest they complete and that’s making things harder. They need to earn some money fast so it’s time to check the quest board.
After refusing several impossible sounding missions, Kazuma settles on killing Snow Sprites for one-hundred-thousand Eris a piece. It sounds easy and is easy. The Sprites are harmless and not that hard to catch, however, there’s something else to worry about.
A Winter Shogun arrives and he doesn’t like the Sprites being harmed. However, he’s actually a manifestation of the thoughts of another reincarnated soul from Japan. The Sprites latch onto mental energy and this is the result. Aqua prostrates herself and asks for forgiveness, Megumin plays dead, but Darkness cannot allow herself to beg.
Kazuma charges forward and makes Darkness concede, pushing her face against the cold snow. He’s so cruel, the way he makes her submit… huh, huh, huh! Anyhow, everyone seems to be good, but then Aqua points out that Kazuma is still holding his sword. Before he can react, the Winter Shogun attacks.
Kazuma wakes in a familiar place and finds a goddess sitting opposite him. She’s the complete opposite of Aqua and offers to have him reborn in Japan to a wealthy family. Kazuma can’t believe his luck, but for some reason, he misses the others. Then, Aqua revives him, which is against the rules, but she doesn’t care.
What did you think?
I loved this episode. It built on a lot of the things that we’ve seen through the first six episodes and that was great. For example, we continued to see Kazuma responding to the girls in the same manner. Whenever they say his name, he simply responds with yes, I’m Kazuma. I wonder if this is down to the difference in the way cultures use names.
In England, it’s not that common to use peoples names that you know in conversation. It’s much more common when you are making a point or telling someone off. However, in Canada, everyone uses people names much more frequently and I often feel like I’m being told off or spoken down to, which isn’t the case, but that’s the way my brain has been trained. I would need some input from someone more familiar with the process in Japan, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this was down to a cultural practice.
Also, and I’ve been thinking this for a while, I’m quite jealous of Kazuma and the crazy adventures he gets to have. I keep watching things and can’t help but wish I was there. So, seeing Kazuma getting frustrated at his situation was a little puzzling, however, once that was almost taken away from him, he finally got it. It’s not an easy life, but it’s far better than the NEET existence he was so used to.
What have you learnt?
I think developing a relationship between the characters and the audience is one of the most important things in storytelling. Sure, you can have a great plot and intricate details, but if the audience can’t connect with the characters, it really won’t hold the same appeal. So, adding things that the audience can relate to is helpful, but I think if you can create a situation where the audience not only resonates with the situation but wishes to be there, then you have won. The connection between the audience and the character is king!
What is Aqua wearing?
In episode seven of Konosuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World!, I was unable to find any evidence, however, they were out in the snow and still Aqua had her legs exposed and a short skirt/jacket combination. You’d have to imagine things are going to get chilly down there unless of course, she’s used to it! At some point, I hope to uncover the truth, but sadly that day is not today. Also, this image looks far worse without any context… so, I’m not going to give any…
Other reviews in the series
Series Information
| English Title | KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! |
| Japanese Title | Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! |
| Genres | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Isekai, Parody |
| Demographic | Seinen |
Anime
Season One
Season One – OVA
| English Title | God’s Blessings On This Wonderful Choker! |
| Japanese Title | Kono Subarashii Choker ni Shukufuku wo! |
| Released | Winter 2016 |
| Animation Studios | Studio Deen |
Season Two
Season Two – OVA
| English Title | God’s Blessings on These Wonderful Works of Art! |
| Japanese Title | Kono Subarashii Geijutsu ni Shukufuku wo! |
| Released | Winter 2017 |
| Animation Studios | Studio Deen |
Movie
| English Title | Legend of Crimson |
| Japanese Title | Kurenai Densetsu |
| Released | Summer 2019 |
| Animation Studios | J.C.Staff |
Season Three
