Overlord
Dark fantasy anime has lots of action, sexual content.
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Overlord
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Overlord is a fantasy anime series based on the Overlord light novel series. It centers around a powerful overlord's struggle to take over a new virtual world. Expect to see fantasy violence (blood and gore, use of weapons, fighting, dead bodies, dismemberment, and decapitation). There are lots of bloody battles scenes where characters and monsters get slashed, stabbed, and killed by medieval weapons and magic. There is also sexual content throughout. A clothed woman's breasts get fondled while she suggestively moans. A character asks to have sex. Female characters talk about their breasts and "getting wet." A male character wears skirts and is called a cross dresser. Language includes "idiot," "damn," "bastard," "hell," "bitch," and "f--king."
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
OVERLORD is set in the future in the year 2138. Advanced video games called DMMO-RPGs allow players to connect their brains to computers and experience games as if they were real life. YGGDRASIL is a popular DDMO-RPG set to be terminated after being online for 12 years. Momonga (voiced by Chris Guerrero) is the last player in YGGDRASIL during the game's last day. He decides to remain in the game until the server finally shuts off and forces him to log out. However, it doesn't shut off, but instead transfers Momonga to a new world where he is unable to exit the game. He decides to live in this new world, striving to overtake it and create a world of his own design.
Is It Any Good?
This dark fantasy series is best for video game fans. Overlord follows the story of Momonga, a DMMO-RPG player who falls asleep in his favorite game as it's being shut down. The plot tries to differentiate itself from others by showing the perspective of someone who decides to become a villain instead of a hero. Since Momonga's video game character was a villain, in this new world he acts as one, siding with monsters over humans. It's a unique perspective to base a story around, and a bit edgy.
The video game references are fun in the beginning, especially if you're familiar with the MMO genre. However, the game concept is quickly dropped and doesn't add much to the story outside of the initial setup. Momonga rarely, if ever, references the real world outside of the game. This leaves viewers wondering about the point of the video game setting outside of the initial setup and a few jokes. Overall, Overlord might be enjoyable for video game fans, but it doesn't quite do enough with this idea to stay interesting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the impact that viewing sexual content can have. What kind of messages about sex is this anime trying to convey? Are these perspectives healthy?
Families can also talk about the graphic violence in this anime. How intense is it? How do depictions of animated violence compare to depictions of live action violence?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 7, 2015
- Cast: Felecia Angelle
- Networks: Hulu, Funimation
- Genre: Action
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: March 19, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
-
Sword Art Online
Highbrow anime series has dark themes, many deaths.
-
Death Note
Dark psychological anime mixes sci-fi, drama.
-
One-Punch Man
Funny anime superhero series is violent, has some language.
For kids who love anime
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate