On August 27th, Maruyama Kuganethe author of the popular light novel series “Supreme Lord“, shared his impressions after watching an advance screening of the film “Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom”. Through his Twitter account, Maruyama surprised his followers by expressing his amazement at the quality of the adaptation.

“I don't remember ever writing such a good story.“commented Maruyama, adding: “Did Ainz really say such a good line?“. These statements have sparked speculation among fans, who wonder whether the film presents significant modifications to the original narrative or whether the cast's performances elevated the material in an exceptional way.

The film, which adapts volumes 12 and 13 of the original light novelstakes place in the Holy Kingdom, a place that enjoyed a long peace thanks to a colossal wall built after a historical tragedy. However, this peace is threatened when the terrible demon Jaldabaoth leads an army of monstrous tribes in a devastating attack. With the kingdom's existence at stake, the leaders of the Holy Kingdom are forced to take desperate measures, including potentially allying themselves with Ainz Ooal Gown, the undead king of the Dark Nation.

“Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom” will officially open in Japanese theaters on September 20with a special IMAX screening scheduled for September 13. Fans of the series are already expressing their excitement to see how this crucial part of the story has been adapted, especially after Maruyama's surprising statements.

• «It's a good story because Ainz-sama rescues Neia, who was being bullied, and becomes friends with Shizu (from the perspective of the Kingdom of Sorcery)».
• «I assume the production team made several changes because the original story, which the author wrote seriously, was very unpleasant and would not have been a box office success if it had been adapted as is.».
• «I saw this at the special screening of the film, and the thing is that the story is told mainly from Neia's perspective, which adds to that feeling that it's a "good story."».
• «That would be a problem. I'd like to see people get mad when they announce that it's a heartwarming masterpiece starring Rengoku's voice actor, and then go to the movies.».
• «The bad thing about the movie is that it will be shorter».
• «Equivalent to 7 episodes of the TV series».
• «The bonus novel should be interesting. Kugane-sensei cuts out the unnecessary in 350-400 page stories, making them easier to read and well-paced. But when he's left to write without restraint, like in the Sacred Kingdom arc or volume 14 with the elves, it becomes tedious and terrible.».
• «I would like someone else to continue the story, keeping only the world he created, someone who really “knows how to write”. They could leave the author with additional stories for the movies or albums, and that would be nice.».
• «I think that since it's a movie the scenes will be more explicit than in the TV version, but I don't think it will be as graphic. It's only 3 weeks away. I'm excited!».

The Overlord franchise has been a phenomenon in both literature and animation, with its dark and captivating focus on a protagonist who rules over a vast empire of the undead. Volumes 12 and 13 are especially significant, as they explore the political and military tensions that arise when the Holy Kingdom faces the threat of total annihilation.

The film promises to be not only a faithful adaptation, but a work that could offer an even more enriching experience than reading the novels, thanks to the work of the voice actors and the film's direction. Maruyama concluded his comment by saying: “I think that whoever sees the film will have feelings similar to mine…“, which raised expectations among fans.

Source: Yahoo! News Japan