Down to the Second Level – Made in Abyss Midseason

Riko and Reg started their descent into the abyss and made it to the camp at the second level. This show is really shaping up to be the best drama/adventure anime of the season and it’s still somehow flying under so many peoples radar. While it does feel like a fairly typical adventure, the universe is filled with intrigue and so many mysteries that keep you watching and wanting to learn more.

Let me go more in depth about the abyss than I did in my first look. A giant hole was discovered on a remote island which contained artifacts of a previous era. As the world grew more and more curious, a town of cave raiders started growing around the abyss and many have made it their life goal to discover the mysteries of the depths of the abyss. The only danger for descending the abyss is the various creatures and hazardous terrain. Ascending the abyss is where the “Curse of the Abyss” kicks in. The curse is signified by physical and mental illness which not very many can endure. Moreover, the curse is strongest the closer to the center of the abyss the raider is located, which is why the seeker camp is located along a wall of the abyss. This curse is why so few have been able to bring back information about the deepest layers of the abyss.

Last I wrote about this show, Riko and Reg were just getting started with their descent. Riko has seen the first level of the abyss, but here she and Reg needed to make it to the second level before a search party finds them and brings them back to the surface. After escaping to the second level with the help of a friend of Riko’s mother, we now see what dangers are in the second floor’s inverted forest. We witness a new monster called a fleshweaver who imitates the cries for help its caught prey makes in order to lure more prey to their location. This world is scary as hell.

Making it to the seeker camp, we see a different side of the abyss. In the seeker camp are various blue whistle and above cave raiders, including one Ozen the Immovable. Ozen is one of the cave raiders that helped get Riko to the surface after she was born in the abyss. Ozen has some mysteries around her, especially with her dislike for Riko. She’s highly against Riko’s adventure into the depths of the abyss, even going so far as to say her mother is dead and there’s no point in finding her. But Ozen has more mysteries up her sleeve, such as what that white box is in her quarters.

Made in Abyss has definitely become my favorite anime of this season already. Everything with it comes naturally and the world just gets you wanting more and more each episode. If you haven’t picked it up yet, why not? It’s definitely one of the more serious shows this year and will definitely be a good watch. Let me know what you think in the comments.