|
|
||||||||||
| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unevaluated |
 Stretch
|
[series:4935#628] | ||||||
|
(Ten episodes watched): Yet another 'I didn't get the appreciation I deserved while playing a MMORPG, but I showed everyone' show—but this one seems to have some sophistication and complexity that most are lacking, and I am intrigued. Apparently as a result of his habit of reading isekai novels back in Japan, Akira has a good idea of what's going on and can tell that there's something odd with people's 'stat numbers'. He makes good use of his 'cancel presence' ability to do some snooping around learns that the King and Princess haven't been honest with his classmates and there's something funny going on (it was obvious from the Princess' glassy eyes that she couldn't be trusted!). There's the dashing Saran Mithray, a Retice knight who claims to be plotting a coup against the King and might be an ally—but the plot of this show isn't simplistic, so we can't be sure, which is one reason it is entertaining. The King “is willing to pay a horrific price to change the rules of our world” Saran says. He also says Akira can be an assassin who won't have to actually kill anyone, which makes me worry a little. Everybody expects class president Tsukasa Satou, who was admired in every way at school and has been assessed to have the class of 'Hero', to be just that. So far he hasn't done anything that would suggest he's actually a fake, which again keeps things relatively sophisticated and I appreciate. In episode two we get a shock when something we weren't expecting happens. Everybody knows that in anime a character that has gotten a fair amount of development is safe until the final episode or so, but that's not what happens here. It looks like Saran's aide, Giles, will be playing a major part from here on. The King and Princess attempt to frame Akira, who goes into hiding/trains in the dungeon—two birds killed with one stone. Just what the King is up to remains a mystery. A half dozen or so of Akira's classmates intend to defeat the Demon King on their own, since that seems the only way to get back to Japan. Akira meets exiled elf princess Amelia and escorts her back to her homeland. She's both the heir to the throne and despised, especially by her twin sister, for supposedly bringing misfortune to the land—kind of confusing. I noticed in episode four that I was having a hard time keeping track of where the plot as a whole was going; what about the deception by the King and princess who summoned these Japanese teens? In episode five Akira, Amelia and Night (the cat) take a long sea voyage to the beastfolk continent; I think they are headed to meet the Demon King (to kill him? Negotiate with him?). But they're in no hurry and seem to get involved in a conflict with a local power broker named Gram (or something like that). The thought occurred to me that another distraction from the main plot like this was about the last thing I wanted to have happen, and maybe this show, which had seemed one of the best of the season when it first began, should be dropped altogether. I watched episode six nevertheless. Amelia needs rescuing, which is done. Akira and Night mention that they don't for a minute believe that the King really summoned the Japanese teens to fight the Demon Lord, but apparently have no idea why he did. One season will never be enough time to wrap things up with the plot wandering about as it does. However, episode seven pleasantly surprised me. I had assumed that, as in most isekai anime, Amelia was little more than a trophy for Akira—a brainless but hot girl who would be inexorably attracted to him. And who he could bonk at any time (though he won't) without making the slightest emotional sacrifice himself. But this episode made it clear that that isn't actually the case. There's a problem in their relationship--she learns he intends to return to Japan without her. Much to my surprise Akira makes it clear that he considers her to be more than a trophy. Also, he meets the other Japanese teens again (and we learn of another one), which hopefully puts the plot back on track. The fight with a semi-demon in the first half of the episode didn't excite me much, but the rest was much better. At the beginning of episode eight Akira makes clear to his fellow Japanese teens that he thinks there's nothing they can possibly do to help him in his crusade to—actually, I forget exactly what he's trying to do. This makes them attempt to break up a kidnapping ring in order to earn his respect. They happen to meet 'Nelly', who is no less than the daughter of the Demon King, and come into conflict with Gram. In episode nine Akira is pressured by the local beastfolk King to assassinate Gram, which he initially refuses to do, leading to a predictable duel between him and a headstrong Royal guard. It had seemed to me that Akira would jump at the offer rather than refuse it, since Gram is already clearly not a good person. And he later learns of something even worse that Gram has done. Akira's status as an assassin is confusing—he is actually extremely <i.>reluctant</i> to kill anyone; an assassin with impeccable morals, if that makes any sense. In episode ten Akira struggles with his decision to kill or not to kill. He worries about how he would ever face his mother and sister if he ever made it back to Japan. Has he killed any human or semi-human as of yet? I guess not. Unless this is a two-season show a climax of sorts ought to be building, but that isn't quite clear. Last updated Saturday, December 20 2025. Created Sunday, October 19 2025. | ||||||||
