This (what I consider 3rd) season of God Only Knows came as a surprise to me. I kept thinking to myself "yes they have a good formula but really a third season?" Yes, indeed a third season, and what a season it is. I started out my review of the second season by pointing out how they recycled the approach from the original show. The Goddess arc is very different, and I think the fact that they didn't name it "The God Only Knows 3" is a hint of that. Gone is the single-girl capture and repeat process, replaced by a single, growing story that elaborates a lot on the actual world order as well as bringing back some old familiar faces (and introducing some new ones, which I hear are given a full explication in the manga).
The Goddess arc is my favorite season out of this franchise yet. It is a good combination of comedy, action, and drama spiced with entertaining, dynamic characters. Be aware that unlike the predecessors, this season is very chain heavy (I finished it in two nights). If you've enjoyed previous iterations of the God Only Knows, this is a strong recommendation. If not, try out the Tenri Arc OVA first (which really ought to be watched before this for proper context anyways) and move on to this if you like it.
Animation:
If you've watched the Tenri arc, you can expect similar levels of quality here. Stylistically, it is very similar to the rest of the franchise with bright, full colorization. The level of detail and effects aren't best in class by today's standards but still reasonably good. Given the nature of the story, you'll see a lot of familiar faces if you've been following the series from the beginning. Though there are a few fresh faces (if you haven't been following the manga) it's manageable overall.
One deviation from previous iterations of the show is an increased focus on action. Expect there to be a lot more action sequences and, similarly, an increase in special effects. As with previous iterations, expect relatively low levels of ecchi but quite a few kissing scenes.
Sound:
The show continues the tradition of Engrish OPs by the same singer. The lyrics are custom-designed for the show but the tune isn't particularly catchy. There is a primary ED, which is sung by various cast members along the way. Certain episodes focus on a particular heroine and thus there are some special EDs. As with the second season, expect a lot of insert songs as well (including a lot of Kanon songs). The BGM is supportive and familiar to viewers of the previous seasons.
The VA roles are quite demanding in this show as the primary heroines essentially have multiple personalities; the VAs do a great job of delivering different personalities and tonalities. Luckily, the strong, veteran VA cast handle the roles very well. I really liked Saori Hayami and her increased role as Haqua in this season.
Story:
The events of the goddess arc take place sometime after the events in Tenri Arc. It seems that Tenri's case of a goddess hiding within a person like a loose soul is not unique, and there are other goddesses as well. It soon becomes imperative that Keima find these goddesses to advert catastrophic disaster. Will our flag-following protagonist be able to step up to the challenge?
The first season of the God Only Knows had a bit of tension due to the fact that Keima's neck collar would behead him if he failed in his role as a loose soul squad partner. This fact became buried and by the second season pretty much forgotten. In the Goddess Arc, a much more immediate danger is quickly introduced that gives the show a much needed intensity boost. From that point on, this show is a rocket ship; it is similar in nature to previous seasons but with a greater urgency and immediate consequence for failure. The show has a few cliffhangers along the way as well as some significant plot twists. It eventually builds to an exciting, though foreseeable, climax. The resolution is appropriate though a few loose ends are left unanswered.
While there is a lot of plot in this show, it's well executed and most of the events feel pretty natural. I liked how some of the latter plot twists gave the series a bit more realism though I questioned some of Keima's decisions, and he apparently is reflective at points as well. Overall, this is the most focused and most entertaining story yet for this show.
Character:
Likeable, interesting characters have been the hallmark of the series so far and the producers came up with an interest way to capitalize on the established character base. I get the feeling that Elsie's goofy, somewhat-carefree enthusiasm isn't terribly popular as Haqua plays a much more significant role in this season (feels similar to how Index got phased out of the Toaru franchise). I'm actually totally okay with this as Haqua's character has much more depth.
This is definitely a character-interaction driven show with a lot of dialogue. Expect the same high-quality character development as in previous seasons with an interesting twist. More so than previous seasons, this feels a bit like a harem at times. Regardless, Keima is still the calm, collected self that we've come to know him for. He does voice his thoughts a bit more than in previous seasons, and it feels like they've worked on his humor a bit as well. This wasn't quite the perfect work as some of the supporting characters and antagonists don't feel utilized to their full potential and some other characters appear to just have cameo appearances (perhaps Easter eggs for manga readers). This wasn't overly distracting as there was plenty of wholesome development with the primary heroines.
Value:
I had high expectations coming into this show and it delivered and then some. If you're looking for an innovative show with a new take on an already interesting idea, definitely check this out. While certain parts of the show were a bit sullied by some of Keima's decisions, the overall work comes across as entertaining and royally engaging. Regardless of whether or not you agree with Keima's logic that the real world is a bad game, you'll probably find this to be a fun, if temporary, diversion.
