Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion is the franchise's inaugural theatrical film, positioned chronologically after the events of the first anime season. The narrative commences during the New Moon Festival, an ancient celebration predating the existence of the gods themselves within the world of Orario. Bell Cranel, the unassuming protagonist and the sole active member of the Hestia Familia, finds himself drawn into a legendary competition orchestrated by the god Hermes. This challenge, mirroring the myth of King Arthur, involves an adventurer attempting to extract a mystical, celestial spear from a crystalline pedestal. Against all expectations, Bell succeeds where countless veteran adventurers have failed, securing the sacred artifact. This success immediately captures the attention of the goddess Artemis, the true sponsor behind the festival. Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and chastity, reveals that she urgently requires Bell's assistance to counter a looming existential threat: Antares, a devastating monster that is laying waste to the Ruins of Ersos and generating hordes of unprecedented, highly resilient creatures that threaten surrounding settlements outside Orario’s protective walls. Under the pseudonym 'Orion,' Bell, accompanied by his loyal companions—the supporter Liliruca Arde, the blacksmith Welf Crozzo, and his Goddess Hestia—embarks on a dangerous global expedition. The journey takes them far from the familiar labyrinth of the Dungeon. Along the way, the group allies with Ryuu Lyon and members of the Hermes Familia, engaging in intense battles against the self-regenerating and continuously evolving monsters. As the core team infiltrates the deepest parts of the monster nest, chaos simultaneously erupts back in Orario, hinting at a far wider conspiracy. The film masterfully blends high-stakes action sequences with deeper character development, exploring themes of extraordinary courage, the bonds of companionship, and the vast, largely unexplored world that exists beyond the city-state of Orario. It successfully maintains the series' signature mix of high fantasy adventure and lighthearted interpersonal comedy.

Arrow of the Orion functions effectively as a major cinematic expansion of the DanMachi universe, successfully translating the established fantasy setting onto the big screen. A key strength of the production is the commitment by J.C.Staff to maintaining high-quality animation standards, particularly evident in the dynamic and expansive action sequences. The battles against the new breeds of monsters outside Orario are fluidly executed, offering impressive visual scale and showcasing the distinct properties of the legendary spear Bell acquires. The overall world-building is commendable, providing viewers with rich, previously unseen geographical and ecological details hinted at throughout the main series. Regarding audio performance, the voice acting ensemble delivers consistent and professional portrayals. Takuma Terashima provides the expected earnestness for Bell Cranel, while Rie Takahashi effectively captures the complex vulnerability and determination required for the pivotal role of Artemis. However, the film's narrative ambition occasionally exceeds its capacity for deep characterization within the runtime. While Artemis is central to the plot catalyst, her emotional arc feels rushed and insufficiently developed, leaving her motivations feeling somewhat externalized rather than deeply integrated. Pacing is generally swift, necessary for an action-adventure film, but this occasionally sacrifices moments required for the thematic depth surrounding sacrifice and divine duty to fully resonate. Furthermore, the decision to maintain the safety of Orario during the climax somewhat dilutes the intended global threat level, reducing the overall sense of pervasive danger. Ultimately, the film is expertly crafted for the established fanbase, offering compelling adventure and desired character interactions, yet its reliance on prior knowledge and a slightly underdeveloped central conflict prevent it from achieving true standalone critical excellence.