Overlord Movie: Ple Ple Pleiades

Volluble Essential

劇場版ぷれぷれぷれあです

Anime2017Finished

Overview

Overlord Movie: Ple Ple Pleiades is a pair of short chibi comedy specials, roughly thirteen minutes total, that were bundled with the Japanese home video releases of the two Overlord compilation films in 2017. It is not a theatrical feature and not a condensed retelling of the main story. Instead, it takes the recognizable cast of the Overlord anime and drops them into simplified, playful gag scenarios where the appeal comes from watching familiar characters behave in ways the serious narrative would never allow. The exaggerated proportions and loosened animation style signal immediately that this is optional, affectionate extra material rather than a chapter of the primary plot.

What makes this special worth a look is the contrast it offers. The main Overlord story is defined by grim power dynamics, elaborate strategy, and a protagonist whose overwhelming strength carries unsettling implications. Ple Ple Pleiades deliberately deflates that atmosphere, using the same setting and cast for quick comedic beats. For viewers who enjoy the franchise's world but want a lighter, low-stakes way to spend a few minutes with it, the shorts deliver that without asking for any emotional investment.

Approachability depends entirely on prior familiarity. Because the humor rests on knowing who these characters are and how they normally behave, this is a poor entry point and a satisfying extra for those already following the series. Anyone who has finished the first season of the anime, or watched the compilation films it accompanied, can enjoy it as a brief side amusement. Viewers who prefer their fantasy action straight and serious can comfortably skip it, since nothing here carries forward into the main storyline.

Synopsis

Overlord Movie: Ple Ple Pleiades is a pair of short comedy specials released in 2017 alongside the two Overlord compilation films. Instead of continuing the main story, it shrinks the cast of the Great Tomb of Nazarick into simplified chibi form and drops them into brief, self-contained gags. Each episode runs only a few minutes, and the animation leans into exaggerated expressions and slapstick rather than the scale and menace of the parent series.

The central figure is still Ainz Ooal Gown, the skeletal overlord who rules Nazarick, though here his grandeur is constantly undercut by the miniature art style and the small domestic problems around him. He is surrounded by his loyal floor guardians, among them the dark elf twins Aura and Mare, and by the Pleiades battle maids whose name supplies the title's playfulness. These retainers keep their devotion to their master, but that devotion is directed at chores, snacks, and minor squabbles instead of warfare.

The conflict stays deliberately light: Ainz tries to preserve the dignity of his position while his subordinates turn ordinary moments into chaos, and the humor comes from the contrast between their fearsome reputation and their tiny, ridiculous behavior. No major revelations or story developments occur, so the specials work as optional side viewing for those already familiar with the main Overlord narrative.

Promo

Should You Watch It?

Watch it if you enjoy

  • Watch if you already know Overlord and want a light, low-stakes chibi comedy with Ainz and Nazarick's cast.
  • Try it if you enjoy seeing fearsome characters handle chores, snacks, and minor squabbles instead of warfare.
  • It works as a short bonus companion to the Overlord compilation films or first-season home video extras.

It may not suit you if

  • May not suit viewers seeking a main-story continuation, new plot, or serious Overlord narrative.
  • Not ideal as an introduction to the franchise; the humor assumes familiarity with the cast and setting.
  • May disappoint if you dislike chibi designs, slapstick, or very brief gag episodes.
Volluble Test Drive Try 1 episode About 13 minutes

This automatic starting point balances the series length, pacing, time commitment, and available Volluble research data. Editors can override it when firsthand knowledge suggests a better entry point.

Why It Connects With Audiences

Why people love it

  • The short format and chibi art offer a quick tonal contrast to Overlord's grim power dynamics and strategy.
  • Familiar floor guardians and Pleiades maids keep their devotion, but it is redirected to domestic comedy.
  • As affectionate extra material, it lets fans spend a few minutes with the world without emotional investment.

Common criticisms

  • It is optional bundled bonus content rather than a theatrical feature or condensed retelling of the main story.
  • The special does not advance the primary narrative and can be skipped without affecting the main plot.
  • Its gags lean heavily on prior knowledge of Overlord characters and their reputations, so impact may vary.
  • At roughly thirteen minutes total, it may feel too slight for viewers wanting substantial new content.

Volluble DNA

A quick profile of the title’s dominant storytelling ingredients.

Action
15
Comedy
95
Emotion
20
Mystery
5
Romance
5
Horror
5
Philosophy
5
Anime/Manga Convention Intensity
55
Characters and Voice Actors10 characters

Momonga

Main character
  • Japanese: Satoshi Hino

Narberal Gamma

Main character
  • Japanese: Manami Numakura

Pandora’s Actor

Main character
  • Japanese: Mamoru Miyano

Shizu Delta

Main character
  • Japanese: Asami Seto

Hamusuke

Main character
  • Japanese: Akeno Watanabe

Albedo

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Yumi Hara

Solution Epsilon

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Ayane Sakura

Entoma Vasilissa Zeta

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Kei Shindou

Lupusregina Beta

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Mikako Komatsu

Yuri Alpha

Supporting character
  • Japanese: Hiromi Igarashi
Production and Staff3 credits
Animation StudioMADHOUSE
Original StoryKugane Maruyama
Original Character Designso-bin

Production Background

Overlord Movie: Ple Ple Pleiades is a two episode anime special from 2017, with a runtime listed at 13 minutes. It was not made as a standalone broadcast or theatrical feature. The shorts were distributed alongside the Blu-ray and DVD editions of the two Overlord compilation films that recapped the anime's first season, and those films reached Japanese audiences earlier in 2017. That places this special as home video bonus material tied to those releases rather than as a new chapter of the main story.

The special uses reduced, chibi-style character designs and plays as comedy, which gives it a visual and tonal identity distinct from the main anime. It was produced within the broader Overlord project, a property that started as a light novel series by Kugane Maruyama with illustrations by So-bin before expanding into manga and an anime adaptation by Madhouse. Because it accompanied the compilation films' home video editions, it reached viewers as an extra rather than through a conventional season or feature rollout.

Its Japanese release date is listed as September 13, 2017, with the same date marking both the start and the end of its run, which fits its short, contained format. The special carries Action, Comedy and Fantasy genres and is tagged with themes including isekai and twins. It does not adapt a separate light novel volume and was not positioned as a continuation of the primary narrative. Its role is supplementary: a brief comedic companion to the compilation films, best understood as part of the franchise's bonus shorts rather than as an entry point or a main installment.

Franchise Context

Overlord Movie: Ple Ple Pleiades is a side special within the larger Overlord franchise, not a starting point or a main-story continuation. The franchise began as a light novel series by Kugane Maruyama with illustrations by So-bin, then expanded into manga and anime. The main anime television series launched in 2015, and two compilation films recapping its first season were released in 2017. This special is tied to those films as bundled bonus content rather than as a new theatrical feature or a fresh season.

As a spin-off special, it occupies a supplementary place in the franchise. It uses simplified, chibi-style animation and short comedic episodes, making it best suited to viewers who already know the main Overlord story. It does not adapt a separate light novel volume or advance the primary narrative. Instead, it belongs alongside the franchise's other bonus shorts and connected extras, complementing the compilation films while remaining distinct from the core series.

Where This Fits in Overlord

A spoiler-light guide to where this exact work fits within the broader Overlord franchise.

  1. Step 1
    Begin with the main Overlord story in the light novels or the Overlord anime television series, since this special is a side comedy tied to the franchise, not a standalone starting point.
  2. Step 2
    If you are following the anime, finish the first season before watching these shorts; the two Overlord compilation films recapping that season are the release context for this bundled special.
  3. Step 3
    Treat Overlord Movie: Ple Ple Pleiades as optional alternate viewing. It uses simplified chibi animation for short comedy, so it can be skipped without affecting the main plot.
  4. Step 4
    After the first season or the compilation films, continue with the main anime's later seasons or the corresponding light novel volumes, which carry the primary story forward.

Franchise Path

  1. Start with the main Overlord anime or light novels; this special is optional side comedy.
  2. If following the anime, finish Overlord season 1 or the compilation films first, then watch these bundled shorts.

After You Finish

Continue with

  • After these shorts, continue the main Overlord anime with Season 2 or read the corresponding light novel volumes.
  • No direct sequel continues this special; the primary franchise resumes with Overlord's main seasons and novels.

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Sources2 sources
  1. AniList - Overlord Movie: Ple Ple Pleiades
  2. Wikipedia: Overlord (novel series)

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