Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights Of The Apocalypse Might Be Better Than The Original (2024)

When The Seven Deadly Sins came out in 2014, it quickly garnered attention as an interesting shonen anime with humorous characters and unique character designs, such as the muscular powerhouse Escanor, the gigantic Diane, the aloof but perpetually perplexing Gowther, and the immortal Ban. Each of the seven Sins' unique abilities enables the anime to keep viewers on their toes and open the series up to unique twists and turns.

This season, the eponymous follow-up to the popular series, The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse, made its Japanese release. The new anime expansion focuses on Percival, a young adult who embarks on a journey to find his father, Ironside. While the anime shares a lot in common with its predecessor, Four Knights of the Apocalypse features a promising story, and a more consistent and higher-quality animation that gives it an edge over the original.

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What's Four Knights Of The Apocalypse About?

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The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse begins 16 years after the final events of the original The Seven Deadly Sins. In this sequel expansion, Seven Deadly Sins' focus shifts from Meliodas, Elizabeth and the other Sins to a young man called Percival. Early on in the series, Percival sets off on an adventure to find his father, Ironside, as he travels towards Liones. Slowly, Percival meets a group of characters who decide to join him on his adventure. While the close bond that he shares with his companions plays a similar role to the original Seven Deadly Sins, the two anime diverge in numerous ways.

Percival, unlike Meliodas, isn't aware of his profound powers at the series' start, even if he upholds the belief of protecting those who are weaker than himself. The new lead character is an aloof, well-intentioned individual, who is willing to jump into battle without hesitation. Percival makes split-second decisions if there is a chance that he can protect someone from getting hurt. The contrast between Percival's small size, cute appearance, and innocent personality is humorously subverted during moments when he suddenly displays profound strength and shocks those around him. The fights and action scenes, which play important roles in Four Knights of the Apocalypse, share a lot in common with The Seven Deadly Sins and have been similarly well executed in the sequel.

Why It May Be Better Than The Original Seven Deadly Sins

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The Seven Deadly Sins is a satisfying fantasy action anime that features interesting characters where each one has their own unique powers and fighting styles. Meliodas, Ban, Escanor, Gowther, Elizabeth, Diane, King, and Merlin are all given their own moments to shine throughout the anime. This guarantees that battles stay varied and engaging as they switch between different characters without losing any of the intensity or suspense. This structure naturally facilitates fan debates over who is the strongest of the Sins. Escanor and Meliodas fluctuate back and forth when it comes to top strength in The Seven Deadly Sins.

Currently, Four Knights of the Apocalypse has only introduced one of its main characters, while the other three knights are still waiting in the wings. Nevertheless, the anime's world-building and character development are off to a stronger start than the original The Seven Deadly Sins. Percival, the protagonist, has a more interesting backstory than Meliodas, but he is also an equally capable fighter. What really sets these two heroes apart is Percival's endearing heart-on-his-sleeve personality and his naïvety, both of which give him a vulnerable underdog vibe that naturally puts viewers on his side.

One of the more glaring issues that The Seven Deadly Sins faced during its initial release were occasional dips in animation quality, which could even occur during key battles. These concessions ultimately detract from the fights and lessen the anime's overall experience. A-1 Pictures, who produced The Seven Deadly Sins during its first two seasons, dropped the property during season three in order to focus on other anime. Four Knights of the Apocalypse is still early into its run, but the animation has surpassed expectations. Four Knights of the Apocalypse looks vibrant, crisp, and a level above anything that was seen in the previous Seven Deadly Sins anime. Percival's battle against a giant wolf features a moment where he slaps it across the jaw, which causes its eyes to bulge out and its skin to ripple outwards. It's a beautifully intricate sequence that not only emphasizes the anime's impressive animation, but also its stronger grasp on humor and character beats.

Where Can I Watch Four Knights Of The Apocalypse?

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Currently, The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse is not available to stream in English. Previously, Netflix was responsible for The Seven Deadly Sins' release. The Seven Deadly Sins was Netflix's second anime exclusive when it was first streamed back in 2015, following their release of Knights of Sidonia. On October 16, 2023, Netflix proudly made the announcement that Four Knights of the Apocalypse will receive an international release in selected regions.

Curiously, this update did not specify when or which regions would receive a release. While viewers wait for the release of the series, the Four Knights of the Apocalypse manga is still available to read online and can also be purchased on online manga outlets like Amazon. There are more than 124 manga chapters available to read since the Seven Deadly Sins follow-up manga entered publication in January 2021. While it is unfortunate that The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypseis currently only available in Japan, it is hard to imagine that the series won't eventually receive a full international release just like its popular predecessor. Four Knights of the Apocalypse is a promising anime that has shown a lot of potential during its first story arc.

The new Four Knights of the Apocalypse anime feels like a remix of the original The Seven Deadly Sins, but one that actively improves upon the original series' problematic areas through more consistent animation, a tighter story, and a more likable main character. In doing so, Four Knights of the Apocalypse is already a substantial step up from many of the lazier and more reductive sequel series and legacy reboots that have entered the industry over the past decade. Four Knights of the Apocalypse faces an uphill battle to surpass the original series. However, much like Percival, it looks ready to face any challenge that presents itself.