Spoilers for DanMachi IV Part 1 ahead.
This past summer,Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon, orDanMachifor short, came back with a vengeance and saw the Hestia Familia face off against new horrors. Fans of the novels promised this would be the darkest season, and from gruesome deaths to a persistent sense of dread at a coming calamity, those claims were certainly accurate.
When last audiences saw Bell and the gang,Bell pursued Ryu Lion to find outif she truly was the culprit behind a series of grisly murders, only to figure out she was pursuing the true culprit. But once cornered, Jura, the man Ryu had hunted, triggered the release of a monster the likes of which no adventurer was prepared to face. After a whirlwind of a battle, Bell and Ryu ended up in The White Palace, a deep part of the dungeon that not even the best adventurers are skilled enough to trek unscathed. Meanwhile, the rest of the Hestia Familia was no better off, cornered by a floor boss that wasn’t supposed to spawn, anothercruel twist of fate according to Cassandra’s premonition.
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The Worst Case Scenario
It seems oddly fitting that the trailer for Season 4.5 begins with Bell’s pained scream, begging Ryu to open her eyes, so they can come up with some semblance of a plan. The series has put plenty of seemingly insurmountable threats in Bell’s way and despite his incredible feats of ability, it never feels like he’s completely invulnerable.
It’s part of why Bell works so well as a protagonist and whyDanMachihas remained such an entertaining story that keeps deepening its own world. And never before has the story put Bell or any of the other characters in such a state of disarray, with clothes torn and limbs covered in blood. After the steady descent into madness last time, 4.5 looks like the point from whichthey’ll have to pick themselves up.
Cassandra Ilion spent an entire half of a season desperately trying to stop a prophecy from coming true, only to have the dungeon’s rules contorted and for the conditions of the vision to come true. And even then, it’s uncertain how many more evils the party will face until fate is satisfied, and they are all dead.
The trailer shows them fending off the twin-headed dragon that emerged at the end of Episode 11, a battle that is likely to last several episodes. The desperation keeps mounting, and the performances seem to be giving it everything they’ve got, but then the trailer completely changes the tone.
The Story of Astraea Familia
In previous episode reviews ofDanMachi IV, it was speculatedwhether the audience would be treated to flashbackselaborating Ryu’s past and the tragedy that befell her familiar. When it didn’t happen, it seemed because Ryu the important details were already told, but it seems fans will finally witness the origins of one of the show’s best girls.
The newest poster shows her front and center, alongside other members of the Astraea Familia before its fall, and the decision to introduce this flashback now is probably a very smart one. It breaks up the pacing of the events in the present day, which stops things from getting stale. However, while the flashbacks are more colorful, it comes with some unfortunate foreknowledge of where it’s all leading.
When the trailer returns to the present, Bell and Ryu have to get crafty to survive, patching up their wounds, forging new attire, andusing what weapons and magic they have left. Some part of their escape lies in Ryu’s past, one that turned her into the badass she is in the present. And lest anyone forget, not only will it reveal the power she holds that can save them, but perhaps what makes her a part of Cassandra’s horrid prophecy.
It’s important to remember that one of the biggest reasons thatDanMachi IVstarted so strong was because it made it very clear that the characters can thrive even without Bell. The second half already looks to have a heavy focus on Bell’s friends and letting them conquer not only the monsters but a fate determined to end them.
From the wonderful music to the direction that makes the most of a modestly budgeted series,DanMachirarely fails to present a fun and ever-expanding fantasy. The characters can be simple, butthe moments built around them are crafted with careand often land some critical hits on the heartstrings thanks to fine execution. And we can’t wait for the rest of Season 4 to torment us more.
DanMachi IV Part 2Premieres June 26, 2025. The series is available to stream on HiDive.
