Nanatsu no Taizai: Imashime no Fukkatsu (The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of The Commandments)
There are quite a few anime and manga series that use the personification of mankind’s Seven Deadly Sins as main characters, but few did a better job than Nanatsu no Taizai.
Season 1 followed Elizabeth, a princess who sought out to find the seven individuals known as The Seven Deadly Sins to save her kingdom. These seven were known for their overwhelming power, but were labeled criminals after they killed one of the leaders of the Holy Knights, powerful magical warriors that defend the realm. However, Elizabeth learns that the Holy Knights plot to overthrow her father’s kingdom, so she seeks the service of The Seven Deadly Sins to stop their rebellion.
On Elizabeth’s journey she finds Meliodas, the demonic Sin of Wrath, Diane, the giantess Sin of Envy, Ban, the immortal Sin of Greed, King, the fairy Sin of Sloth, Gowther, the emotionless Sin of Lust, and Merlin, the magical Sin of Gluttony. Season 1 ends with the Holy Knight plot foiled, and both Elizabeth and the audience knowing how Meliodas, Ban, and King “earned” their sins. Season 2 will pick up with the group in search of the final sin, Pride, which will lead to their encounter with the ones who are the personification of the biblical Ten Commandments.
Nanatsu no Taizai is the perfect watch for fans of action and comedy. There are some ecchi themes thrown in there too, but the show prides itself on wowing audiences with its impressive battles and ridiculous comedy. The story is nothing to scoff at either. Admittedly, it follows a few tropes and most of the reveals are pretty easy to guess, like the wizard that helps King Author in Season 1 secretly being Merlin. However, this show’s heroes each have their own rich backstory. The audience ends up cheering for them in the end, but it’s easy to see why each one is also considered a sin against humanity. These are not good people, and their choice to help their kingdom is more a result of repentance than responsibility. Learning why each of the Seven Deadly Sins do what they do and how they became Sins is the highlight of the show. So, although it will be cool to see humanity’s greatest sins battle against God’s strictest laws, the true draw of this upcoming season will be learning the backstories for Diane, Gowther, Merlin, and, hopefully, The Sin of Pride.
