The raid begins!
Episode 10 returns to the core elements of what made Log Horizon so good; that is, the essence of an MMORPG. As Ereinus begins his assault on Akiba, the entire city has been transformed into a raid dungeon.
But as everyone soon learns, this is not an ordinary raid. Minori and the rest of the low-level players—including a weakened Akatsuki due to the Teacher System—have been separated from the veteran Adventurers, leaving them to fend for themselves without guidance. Meanwhile, Shiroe and the others suffer from the crippling effect of the dungeon: their levels are lowered and their abilities reduced.
However, these are veteran players. And very soon we see all of them working together to gather information despite their handicaps. Tieze proves herself a capable leader and strategist once more, becoming pivotal in the group’s quest to learn about their enemies. Thus, Shiroe deduces that Ereinus is using the rules of Elder Tale to his advantage.
Unfortunately, there is a problem. Since the veterans are in a separate dungeon instance, there will be no chance for them to assist Minori and the low-level players. Fortunately, the Mofur sisters are not affected by the handicap, and in a surprising revelation, we learn that they remember every quest associated with them and truly feels guilty for all their blunders. This finally allows Shiroe to hand them a crucial mission: deliver the information to Minor, an in turn, help her and the others defeat Ereinus.
Overall, episode 10 is action-packed with some character developments. Now that Shiroe and the gang are taking a backseat from the fight, it is time for Minori and the young players to prove themselves and conquer their first raid dungeon.
Episode score: 7.5/10.