If you’ve been following the Sins since the early days of the Boar Hat, you know the journey hasn't exactly been a smooth ride in terms of animation quality. We all remember the "Meliodas vs. Escanor" debacle from the TV series. It was rough. But when Netflix dropped The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 2 in 2023, something felt different. It wasn’t just another side story meant to bridge a gap; it was a full-blown passing of the torch that felt surprisingly personal.
Honestly, the shift to 3D CGI was a massive gamble for Nakaba Suzuki’s world. Fans are protective. We like our hand-drawn lines, even when they’re wonky. Yet, by the time the credits rolled on Part 2, it became clear that this wasn't just a movie. It was the definitive prologue for Four Knights of the Apocalypse.
Tristan Liones is a weird kid. He’s got the Goddess blood from Elizabeth and the Demon spark from Meliodas, and he’s terrified of both. That’s the core of the 2023 sequel. It’s about a boy who is scared of his own hands.
The Messy, Beautiful Transition of The Seven Deadly Sins Grudge of Edinburgh Part 2 2023
Let’s talk about that CGI. Produced by Alfred Imageworks and Marvy Jack, the visual style of The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 2 2023 is polarizing. Some people hate it. Others, like me, kinda grew to appreciate how it allowed for camera angles that 2D TV budgets just can't touch. The fight scenes in the second half of this film are kinetic. They move with a weight that the later seasons of the main anime lacked.
The story picks up exactly where the first cliffhanger left us. Tristan and Lancelot (disguised as "Deathpierce's fairy friend") are trekking toward Edinburgh to save Elizabeth from a curse. It’s a classic rescue mission, but the emotional stakes are actually about the friendship—or lack thereof—between the two princes.
Lancelot is the standout. Seeing Ban’s son act as the cool-headed, slightly arrogant foil to Tristan’s neurotic energy is great. He doesn't just help Tristan fight; he bullies him into accepting his own power. It’s peak "son of Ban" energy.
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Deathpierce and the Problem of Revenge
Deathpierce is a fascinating villain because he isn't some cosmic horror or an ancient god. He’s just a guy who is tired of being a pawn in Holy Wars. His grudge against the non-human races is grounded in the trauma of the original series. It makes him pathetic but also dangerous.
In Part 2, his transformation into a literal monster via the Staff of Cernunnos serves as a visual metaphor for what hate does to a person. He becomes the very thing he despises. Tristan’s struggle to defeat him isn't just about physical strength; it's about Tristan finally realizing that using Demon powers doesn't make him a monster. It’s how you use them.
The battle sequences in the castle are frantic. You’ve got these sweeping aerial shots that really showcase the scale of the Edinburgh ruins.
Why the Ending of Part 2 Matters for the Future
The final act of The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 2 2023 delivers the fan service we all secretly wanted. Seeing Meliodas and Elizabeth together, not as the main protagonists but as worried parents, adds a layer of maturity to the franchise. Meliodas isn't the invincible captain here; he’s a dad who has to trust his son to handle his own mess.
And then there’s the Lancelot reveal.
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If you didn’t know he was Ban’s son going in, the movie does a decent job of hinting at it, but the payoff is satisfying. It sets the stage perfectly for the Four Knights of the Apocalypse anime. It’s essentially an origin story for the New Generation. Tristan’s dual-wielding style—mixing Mael's techniques with Meliodas's raw aggression—is visually distinct and sets him apart from his father. He’s not a clone. He’s his own character.
A Quick Look at the Production Specs
For the nerds who care about the technical side:
- Director: Bob Shirahata
- Writer: Rintarō Ikeda (who also worked on Seven Deadly Sins: Cursed by Light)
- Runtime: A lean 50-odd minutes.
- Platform: Netflix Original.
The short runtime is actually a blessing. There’s no filler. No long-winded flashbacks to things we already saw in Season 3. It’s just momentum.
What Most Fans Get Wrong About the 2023 Release
A lot of people skipped this because of the "Part 1" and "Part 2" split. They thought it was a cash grab. But if you watch them back-to-back, it’s basically a feature-length film that was split for the algorithm. Part 2 is where the meat is. It’s where the character arcs actually resolve.
Also, some critics argued that the CGI takes away from the "soul" of the characters. I’d argue the opposite. The facial expressions on Tristan when he’s losing control are more nuanced than anything we saw in the "static image" era of the Sins' final seasons.
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Is it perfect? No. Some of the background textures look like a PS3 game. But the core—the heart of the characters—is 100% Nakaba Suzuki.
Moving Forward with the Sins
If you’ve just finished Part 2, don’t stop there. The natural next step is to dive straight into the Four Knights of the Apocalypse manga or anime. You’ll see exactly how the events in Edinburgh shaped Tristan’s reputation among the other Knights.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Re-watch the final 10 minutes: Specifically pay attention to the dialogue between Lancelot and Tristan; it contains direct foreshadowing for their dynamic in the sequel series.
- Check out the "Four Knights of the Apocalypse" Anime: It returns to a more traditional 2D style if the CGI wasn't your thing, but it carries the same emotional weight.
- Contrast the fighting styles: Look at how Tristan uses his swords compared to Meliodas. It’s a subtle bit of character work that shows he’s trying to be a "Holy Knight" rather than a "Demon."
The Seven Deadly Sins franchise is massive and messy, but The Seven Deadly Sins: Grudge of Edinburgh Part 2 2023 proved there’s still plenty of gas in the tank. It’s a bridge between the old legends and the new ones, and it handles that transition with more grace than most long-running shonen properties ever manage.