What Seven Deadly Sins Taught Me

Taking it back to 2016 when I was first introduced to The Boar Hat and its owners, I was very skeptical about this show. A fetus in the anime world, this show was a jarring experience from the Western animation I was accustomed to at that point. It changed my mind almost instantly. A show that, a first glance, gives you the vibe of "lighthearted foolishness" but slowly revealed its dramatic underbelly. Seven Deadly Sins is a Netflix special that took way too long to tell but was worth every second of the journey. Let's find out why this boob-loving captain and his crew are anything but ordinary and why their story should be known by all.

The Seven Deadly Sins Anime

Who are the Seven Deadly Sins?

The Seven Deadly Sins is a manga and anime series that has recently ended on Netflix back at the end of 2021. Though I have not read the manga, the anime story follows our girl, Elizabeth, as she sets out on a journey to find all the Seven Deadly Sins. This unravels into heart-stopping battles, backstories that make you bawl, and a cast of characters that complement each other so well, the last episode will have you in disbelief that you have to say goodbye.

NOTE: This is a serialized show, so skipping even one episode will leave you lost and confused. Throughout this article, there may be times that you feel that an explanation is a bit vague or the topic discussed is shrouded in mystery. This is to leave out the juicy spoilers that are revealed throughout the show. If you want the good stuff, you're just going to have to watch it or read it yourself. But I digress...

Though Elizabeth is a big part of the story, she is not the only main character. Meliodas, Bon, and the rest of the crew are key pillars throughout the story. Their bond of friendship and loyalty is what makes this show so great. Nothing says rip your heart out like friends fighting side by side for the greater good.

Lesson #1: Fight for the One You Love

If you haven't already guessed, when the main characters of most animations have a love interest, it's not uncommon for me to go middle-grade fangirl crazy over them. BUT, this is not one of those times. Every relationship in this show, no matter the character, will fight to the literal death to be with them. The Sin of Greed, Ban, has a love for his girl that is so strong it is the spine of his entire character throughout the show. The love between Elizabeth and Meliodas is the essence of the show and goes so much deeper than I had ever imagined. It's the kind of thing that inspires you to super hug the one you love the most and tell them you love them at the top of your lungs. Needless to say, these characters are inspiring when it comes to fighting to be together, even when the Gods are against them. Even if you guys are different sizes, different races, and you're so small to the point you can sit in her boobs like a Polypocket, you still have a chance at love.

Lesson #2: Friendship Can Span Lifetimes

Speaking of Ban and Meliodas, these two have been friends for thousands of years. It is hilariously stupid how long these two have been friends and how many times they have died for each other. This is the kind of friendship that deserves a high place on the shelf. Here's a shortlist of the lessons of friendship so I don't write a fifteen-minute long rant about the greatness of these best friends:

• Respect each other's choices (even when the path they choose to walk is hard)

• Save them from themselves (and make sure not to lose yourself in the process)

• Beat them senseless when they don't listen (but buy em a drink after)

• At least one of you has to know how to cook, otherwise, you'll starve.

Lesson #3: Never Give Up

Okay, I am going to give a shout-out to my boy, Sin of Sloth & King of the Fairies, King, real quick. When this whole story began my boy was just that, a boy. He had a decent defense and a decent attack, but compared to the other sins, he was in desperate need of a glow-up. His consistent embarrassment would prevent him from doing anything from doing well in battle to talking to Diane in full sentences. And despite all of that, he continued to try and prevail. He protected his friends and the ones he loved. I will admit it was a bit annoying to push through the overall arch of the growth, but once it happened it was worth the wait. Which is the lesson in itself isn't it? Pushing forward is messy, hard, and complicated. It feels like it isn't worth it and most days it's a struggle to just get out of bed. But if you never give up, you too can one day be King of the Faries (or something equally awesome and sensible for modern society).

I'm not even going to lie, I didn't like this show at first. I kept getting lost and the breaks in the seasons made me even more confused. Nonetheless, I was nothing short of bawling during the last episode when I knew that there was nothing left to say but goodbye.

The Seven Deadly Sins is available to watch on Netflix and read wherever manga is sold. If you have not watched this show and you love anime as much as I do, you need to give this show a chance. Have a favorite animation that I haven't written about yet? Let me know in the comments below!

I hope to see you soon in whatever form I appear. Until next time!