The second set of episodes have just been released for The Legend of Vox Machina; I would like to take this time to revise my initial review. I was correct in assuming that it was too early to tell whether or not this show was any good, but I was right in saying that it was heading in the right direction. With this new set of episodes, the writers show important moments of character growth, and I for one am here for it!
This show is casual fantasy. It has enough fantasy elements to satisfy any hardcore fantasy enthusiast, but it doesn’t isolate those who just want something else to watch. As of now, you do not need to know and follow different tribes or houses. You do not need to keep track of different races or their languages. You do need to know who the main characters are and track the subtle nuances of their character development: their backstory, goals, and how they change over the adventure. This show does a great job at creating these moments of character growth without making members of Vox Machina overpowered and boring.
The strongest aspect of this show is its main cast. Vox Machina is crude, imperfect, and they struggle a lot. This struggle is important this early because it is in their failures and what they learn from them that the story happens. Despite Vox Machina’s poor reputation, the show does a great job establishing that they are still above average. There are moments in the show where an enemy easily overpowers guards or heroes, yet somehow Vox Machina holds its own. This helps establish Vox Machina as heroes without making them overpowered. They still struggle to win against these enemies, but just barely. They still have much to learn, which is perfect because it means more story for us!
I still believe that some knowledge of the Critical Role and D&D would help with the experience, although it isn’t necessary. There are a few inside jokes only accessible to fans of the show, and I as a fan enjoyed them thoroughly.
Lastly, this show also does a great job at translating tabletop to animated series. I like the way they handle skill checks and magic., but I can see it going over people’s heads. It helps to understand why a spell doesn’t go off or why a scene ends the way it does.
Excellent categorization — casual fantasy. Probably one of the first times I’ve seen this critique as part of a review.
Thanks. I feel like fantasy has this a negative connotations because people think of Tolkien where you have to follow all these threads and factions to understand the story line. Vox Machina doesn’t have too much of this, and it has modern elements that might pull a more diverse audience. I wanted to capture that accessibility in my review.
Too many people put too much stake in Tolkien comparisons. Too many gate keepers in fantasy have caused it to stagnate in literary circles. It’s good to see creativity in the anime and gaming sub genres.
I agree. I want there to be different stories. Not all fantasy has to be orcs vs. humans or long walks to wherever. I have been disappointed by enough LOTR or GOT clones that I happily accept anything different. I appreciate that I can get that from gaming and anime like you say, but I wish there was more.
Hopefully, things will open up more. Perhaps the new D&D golden age will usher in more creativity and less stuffiness in fantasy lit.
The growing popularity of D&D has me very hopeful. There is a new book rule or adventure book being released every other month it feels like. It is easy as heck to find players now whereas before I had to hide the fact that I played. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out for sure.
Trying to get my wife to watch. She rather enjoyed Wheel of Time without reading the books. I need to see how she responds to Vox Machina.
I’m trying to convince my wife too. Wheel of time is a bit heavier on the fantasy side so this might be an easier sell, but the chaotic and crude tone might be a turn off. At least it is for my wife. But it is a lot easier to follow so who knows. Good luck!