Ansatsusha de Aru Ore no Status ga Yuusha yori mo Akiraka ni Tsuyoi no da ga

Now that the last episode is finally out, I feel like I have to say something about this anime. So, if you’re planning on watching it and aren’t sure whether it’s worth your time — definitely WATCH it. I honestly can’t believe how underrated this anime is.

Firstly, unlike other isekai anime I’ve watched over the years, I’ve never come across anything quite like this. Summoning students into another world is the closest thing to Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari, but here we actually get a bit more of the main character’s backstory (at times it even reminded me of Solo Leveling). The art is beautiful ... — every detail of the scenery stands out — the animation is very solid, and the characters are incredibly pretty, possibly some of the prettiest I’ve seen in anime (especially long-haired characters, but also Akira). Oh, Saran, my beloved...

Speaking of characters, none of the “good guys” annoyed or bothered me, which is honestly rare. Each character has distinct traits, and many of them undergo meaningful character development. The relationship between the two main characters is one of the stronger aspects of the show, and Akira himself stands out from the usual protagonist archetype (written by men). To me, he feels like a character written by a woman (I’m not actually sure about the author’s gender), and I absolutely loved that.

To clarify, Akira is generally very indifferent, but at times he clearly shows how much he cares about other people, especially Amelia. He isn’t perverted at all, which again reminds me a bit of Naofumi. However, unlike Naofumi, he openly shows his affection and love for the FL.

Secondly, there were many unexpected twists that I genuinely didn’t see coming. I won’t go into detail because I don’t want to spoil anything — this is an anime best experienced without prior knowledge. Furthermore, the fan service was minimal and nowhere near the level seen in many other popular (overhyped) anime that came out recently.

The world-building stands out as a solid element of the anime. While it may not be groundbreaking, the division of countries and how each of them has its own king and princess is clearly presented and interesting. Also, the Demon Lord and the idea that demons can be both good and bad add some depth to the story. With the last episode of the first season, this anime truly gave me exactly what I needed.

This is the first review I felt compelled to write because I was genuinely surprised by how many negative reactions this anime received. After reading other reviews,I noticed that people who don't recommend this anime have either never watched anything worse or have questionable taste, whereas I enjoyed it so much that I binge-watched the entire series without hesitation.

All in all, this anime is not a masterpiece, but it’s great to watch when you’re in the mood for something enjoyable and easy to follow, with lots of interesting characters and a level of meaningful dialogue that’s often missing in other anime (communication is key!). Overall, it’s easily an 8/10 anime.

The Good:
- The show is visually pretty. It's not STUNNING but there are some very good visuals to keep it entertaining.
- The world is reasonably well established compared to a lot of isekai.
- The hero is not alone in a vacuum, there are other people from his world that are brought in with him and they are actually effective.

The bad:
- The story is the weakest part, it's so paint by numbers cliche that it is almost a parody.
- Things move a little too fast. The studio and director clearly had a specific point they wanted to reach and they ... ran to get there.
- Most of the build up to big events and fights leaves them feeling anticlimactic.

Overall the show is just kind of there. It takes itself too seriously to be funny but does not lean into the dirty world it is built in. Do I think I will ever find myself wanting to watch the series again? No. Will mean I stop someone else from watching it? Also no. Want something from this same year that is funnier? Let this Grieving Soul Retire. Something that actually embraces the characters and their grit and issues? Clevantess.

(Preliminary review)

What began as a compelling tale of assassination, betrayal, and subterfuge dwindled into a lackadaisical journey of melodrama, angst, and leisure.

I'd peg the story's fall-off happening around episode 4. Most of the major plot points are planted by then, but then each take a backseat. "A backseat to what?" you may ask. Nonsense and filler, mostly. A character or relationship here or there may progress marginally, but nothing of consequence really happens. My dopamine receptors aren't frayed to the point of only allowing my experience of gratification to occur from action; that said, when I come for a show premised on significant action, I ... seek action. Of action, there is very little. There is, however, an abundance of dialogue that is largely superfluous. Much of it I yawned my way through.

Among the latest batch of isekai, this seemed the most promising, particularly thanks to the animation quality/style. While the animation seems consistently above-average, it's not enough for me to favor this show above others. The one that seems to stand out this season is A Wild Last Boss Appeared! Which, speaking of, is a good reference that highlights the intrigue of characters who aren't one-dimensional. Not a single character in this show has surprised me, which is unfortunate. While preliminary, I do not think the final episode will raise my overall view of this going from a "fine" 6 to a "good" 7.

(Final review)

Edit: Well... wow. My expectations were low, but holy hell. The finale's climax recycled the opening fight and the MC went through a pseudo-revelation about killing being rough. It was genuinely bad, almost to the extent of bumping my overall rating down 2 numbers to a 4. Instead, I'll settle with giving it an "average" 5 as there are some redeeming qualities. I will change my recommendation from "mixed feelings" to "not recommended" because this show disappoints on its primary promises and then some. Again, wow. Talk about an awful way to conclude a promising show.