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| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
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 Stretch
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[series:4864#628] | ||||||
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(Eight episodes watched): I watched the opening scene--a rapid pastiche of images with the theme of 2001 A Space Odyssey playing in the background--twice and still couldn't be sure exactly what had happened, just that Kenichi concludes that he has been transferred to another world. The premise of this show reminds me of Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement or Sasaki to Pii-chan, except here it is less elaborate, as if one element of the premise of Sasaki- had been borrowed to serve as pretty much the entire premise of this one. Once Kenichi realizes he can still order stuff online, he decides that he'll order things from Japan and, just like Sasaki, sell them for a profit in this world with medieval level technology (and magic, of course). He does briefly wonder how and why this has all happened, which is more than most isekai characters do. Kenichi ascertains that he is now in the city of Dahlia in the Kingdom of Kadan. We meet no less than nine additional characters before episode one is over, possibly the entire cast of the show judging from the ED sequence. It also makes clear that there will be fighting against some sort of ghosts or something at some point (already, Kenichi has used quickly purchased modern goods to ward of some weird wolf-like creatures). I guess I will watch another episode, but being the knock-off that it is this show hasn't excited me and the jokes are about as funny as with most anime, that is, not very. In episode two the neat stuff Kenichi has to sell catches the attention of Primura, the daughter of the biggest local merchant, and she arranges a meeting between Kenichi and her father. A deal is made by which this merchant's company will buy the stuff Kenichi imports and resell it. Kenichi introduces the cat men he has met to modern Japanese cuisine and they love it. He also sets about building a nice home for himself outside the city, and already buys an elaborate piece of construction equipment to deal with tree stumps. No real surprises to speak of other than this purchase. This show was amusing but lightweight. In episode three Kenichi completes his prefabricated cabin and outfits it with all sorts of comforts--he would need a prefabricated warehouse to hold all the stuff he has ordered if he couldn't store it magically. Primura likes to borrow his heated bath and is making little secret of the fact that she has fallen in love with him despite being around half his age. Also Kenichi adopts an injured purple 'Bobcat'. What was really intriguing about episode three was Kenichi's discovery of hints that he may not be the only person who is able to import modern day merchandise to this world. A revelation like this when we are only three episodes into this story! Most shows would waste a lot of time before introducing such a daring plot twist. In episode four shocking news arrives: Primura has been kidnapped by a powerful and feared bandit gang. Nobody else will do anything, so Kenichi (who has no experience as a fighter, even in videogames) slaps together a party of himself and his closest friends and purchases weapons and equipment for them. I thought the fight could have been made much more believable and exciting than it actually was, but it was adequate. Kenichi finds that he and his friends have rescued not just Primura but a good number of captive women, including Anemone, the blue-haired girl. In episode five Kenichi and his fighters take stock of their rewards. Anemone basically wants to be adopted by him and Primura wants to marry him. But Kenichi's actions have caught the attention of some powerful group--possibly the nobility, or maybe an 'anti-monarchist' faction (yet again, a plot element of a previous Isekai series). After an attempt is made to abduct him, Kenichi decides it is time to move on (this is easy since he has a 'magic box' that can hold all of his stuff). Anemone and Bobcat accompany him, but Primura is heartbroken. The three move to the shore of a lake near another city and set up shop there. Kenichi takes up another line of work, namely printing picture books which are easy to understand even to those who speak a different language. Before long (episode 6) he gets into a quarrel with the local spice trading guild. I can't help feeling that before long he will return to Dahlia, since that's where a number of well established characters remain. Anemone makes a new friend, Mary, but Mary falls sick with a life threatening illness that can only be cured by a rare flower that only grows at an obscure spring. Kenichi uses his motorcycle to race to the spot, but is ambushed by enemies of Mary's father. Primura shows up and basically begs Kenichi to deflower her, which he apparently does. That doesn't happen everyday in anime. This show isn't brilliant but I find that I modestly look forward to new episodes—perhaps exploring new ways of changing the usual sword & sorcery situation via modern day technology is fun, sort of like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. In episode eight Primura familiarizes herself with the new life Kenichi has created and recognizes all sorts of opportunities to make money. Another catwoman, Nyamena, is hired as a security guard and works her way into living at Kenichi's place. There's another (brief) mention of there being someone else who has access to modern goods, though apparently this person hasn't done nearly as much with them as Kenichi has. Meanwhile, high ranking people have heard of Kenichi and are taking an interest in him. Last updated Friday, March 07 2025. Created Tuesday, January 14 2025. | ||||||||
