The real issues with Wrath of the Gods animation in my eyes.
No memes. No easy potshots.
To start with, I think that it would've benefited them if the split the 24 episodes production wise. One to be released at the start of a year and the other at the tail end of autumn. And yes, that includes the cliffhangers if only to drive up hype. Let them focus their efforts on one batch at a time before loosening up.
That said, it feels like the switch over to Studio Deen was a mighty hasty decision. A-1 Pictures likely had their reasons for backing out. Hell, it's immense restraint with how many studios are trying to put out more than what their workforce can reasonably manage.
Even then, I think what hurt the look of Season 3 was a lack of directional flair or problem solving tricks. A lot of shots often have the characters are distance, often contributing to the rather rough artstyle (you know the one, "Meguca" fans). This is compounded by the choice to linger on them, even when a shot is crowded.
There are times like when the Sins gather to hear Meliodas's explain the curse on him and Elizabeth where there are many shots that crowd in everybody into focus. It feels like we could close up on those speaking rather than trying to let it go on for so long.
Then there's where Chandler teleports into the Boar Hat and Diane, all giant and on the roof, vaults down to save Elizabeth and Mel. It's all an external shot that ends only when King comes in to help but it feels... weird. Like we should've seen Diane vault over the roof but then cut to her hand breaking in to grab her friends and the back to her outside making sure they're safe.
And this isn't an isolated incident. When Gilthunder goes in to embrace Margret, the Arkangel possessed princess walks past him as a real red flag. However, the shot starts with Gilthunder going off-screen towards Ludociel and has us here the cold passing-by off screen before he/she comes on-screen in the same frame. It feels like whatever was supposed to be edited in between wasn't done in time.
Something I think that could've justified them drawing the characters in less detail were comedic scenes. When the Sins are gathered and are overlooking Bartra, they could've shown the king's esasperation via exagerated expressions that Anime is often known for. Maybe get way cartoony with chibis.
It just feels like outside of the egrigious art work moments, the animation direction is... serviceable yet also biting off more than what they could chew. It ends up very "just do the bare minimum and shove out product as fast as you can" in a sort of cynicism.
That's the real issue with Studio Deen's approach to their run beyond what shot looks weird. And it feels like they wanted to later, in gaming terms, patch it with far more polished shots. Evidenced by how the season starts with censoring excessive blood for the TV broadcast.
It's a shame because Cursed By Light really afforded them the chance to well and truly cook as the kids say, flexing for what was the Seven Deadly Sins' grand finale. The CGi on the Supreme Diety was immaculate.
