“DanMachi,” Earned Growth, and Motivating Others
For years I have wanted to write about DanMachi and the significance the series has had on me. However, I was overwhelmed with deciding where to start because there were so many topics about it that I wanted to tackle. I could talk until I am blue in the face about its masterful English dub. Maybe I could gush about how perfect this fantasy setting clicks in a way that makes it stand out in a crowd of tired, bland fantasy landscapes. I could share that my first tattoo is about to be the Hestia familia crest. The list goes on and on.
Where I initially landed on for this discussion, however, was the series’ protagonist, Bell Cranel. At first glance, it may appear that this anime is merely about a Mary Sue-esque character who gets power-crept and blindly loved by every female character. What we get, however, is a character who not only is likable, but, because he is so likeable, it makes watching his growth worthwhile. Whereas some anime pull a one-time show of their main character doing something nice for someone as the justification for them being beloved by all, Bell’s character has more nuance to the writing. As recent as the fourth season of DanMachi, we see Bell noticing distress in others, kneeling down beside them, and validating their concerns. Bell openly cries at conflict, expresses frustration for others’ situations, and is vocal in defense of others.
Regarding his growth, we see Bell fail and stumble many times. People openly mock him for failing to defeat monsters, he gets sent flying across breathtaking cityscapes, and even temporarily loses a limb or two. Its in these moments we see a very human part of this character. Bell Cranel doesn’t curse to himself about “showing all of them” or “I’ll be the best.” From the beginning of his adventuring, Bell is propelled by a concern for others and a desire to show dividends for the faith others place in him. He also shows motivation to become like these others whom have risked their lives to help him succeed. Indeed, from his goddess Hestia to the swordswoman Ais Wallenstein, Bell’s fire to grow is showcased by the impact others have had on him. I believe that, because of this, it makes seeing him defeat fearsome beasts and being recognized for his actions and concerns for others all the more satisfyingly as a viewer.
There is another layer to Bell’s character that DanMachi excels at highlighting in both subtle and moving ways. Often times, we may appreciate being motivated by others but fail to see/consider the ways we may motivate these same individuals in return. When I talk about the motivation Bell has from others, the anime smartly explores the ways motivation is reciprocated. The most overt example for many may be best found in the spin-off anime, Sword Oratoria, where we see that Ais Wallenstein, Bell’s biggest motivator, also strives to improve herself in good faith after seeing just how much Bell himself has grown. Another, more subtle example, comes when Bell finds himself outcasted by the town for wanting to protect talking monsters. Welf, the Hestia familia’s blacksmith, locks himself in his armory for days to work on ways to help Bell and the others. He later states that this is “(his) way of doing what (he) can for everyone.”
We also see ways Bell motivates others through dark moments without ever being on screen. A massive plotline of season 2 of the anime follows Liliruca Arde as she builds resolve to abandon her past and vices for her new life with Bell, Hestia, Welf, and the others in the Hestia familia. A striking visual of this plotline involves the Soma familia having individuals who are addicted to this mythological drink that carries the same name of the god Soma. In Lili’s case, she is presented the temptation of this drink to test her resolve. I found this to be a breathtaking, albeit very dark, show of motivation for change. In many ways, Soma is being compared to alcohol or other addictive drugs. What motivates Lili to change comes from the experience she has seeing others push through to change themselves to help those they care about in turn.
Overall, I think there is a lot to love about DanMachi, but I completely understand it won’t necessarily stand out to everyone. Maybe it comes from a main character who really speaks to me as a person, or maybe I’m just stubborn, but I think there is more to this anime than meets the eye. If you like English dubs, I could not recommend this dub enough for you to check out. The first season is available dubbed on Netflix in the US and seasons 2–4 are dubbed on HIDIVE. You can also check out the subtitled version of all four seasons on Crunchyroll.
