Well, it's a tough call. The light novel gives you a deeper dive into the story, but the anime has the advantage of dynamic visuals and sound. Some people prefer the depth of the novel, while others enjoy the immersive experience of the anime.
The light novel that the Overlord anime originates from is the creation of Kugane Maruyama. It has gained significant popularity and has a rich and detailed story.
It's hard to say which one is more popular in an absolute sense. The anime has a wide reach as it appeals to those who prefer visual media. It can attract a large audience through its animation quality, voice acting, and the overall visual spectacle. For example, the epic battles and the detailed character designs in the anime draw in a lot of viewers.
There are some significant differences. The light novel might have more detailed character development and storylines that aren't fully explored in the anime.
It ends around a specific volume, but it varies depending on the adaptation decisions. You might have to check the official sources or dedicated fan communities for the exact details.
The ending point of the Overlord anime in the light novel is not straightforward. It roughly aligns with a specific volume, but the light novel provides a more comprehensive and elaborate narrative that expands on the events shown in the anime.
The anime covers a significant portion of the light novel, but not all of it. Some storylines and details might be skipped or condensed for the adaptation.
One major difference is that the light novel often has more side stories and extra content that doesn't always make it into the anime. This extra content can add more depth to the overall story. For instance, there might be more backstories about the minor characters in the light novel. In the anime, they might only show the main plotlines related to the major characters like Ainz. And the way the magic is described in the light novel is sometimes more detailed and technical compared to the anime which may just show the visual effects of the magic.
After the anime's end in the light novel, Ainz undertakes more elaborate schemes. He delves deeper into the mysteries of the New World. The light novel reveals more about the backstories of some of the side characters as well. It also shows how Ainz's actions start to have far - reaching consequences not just on a local scale but across the entire New World.
The anime often has to condense the story. For example, some minor plot details and character backstories in the light novel might be cut in the anime to fit the time limit. Also, the visual representation in the anime can sometimes be different from how you might have imagined it while reading the light novel.