Hello there! Welcome for another week of anime reviews! This week we are taking a look at an anime series that I have just recently began watching, so this will be more of a first take or first impression review. I am currently five episodes into the series, and have a good grasp on what is going on in the story. Before you say it, yes, it's another one of those fantasy, RPG-like anime series. I like them, so sue me!
Our story follows that of a teenager named Kazuma. He is your typical gamer, usually shuts himself inside of his room playing games all day, you know, the works. However, on this certain day, he decides that he will go on a journey. A magnificent journey that will take over five hours on a round trip bus in order to grab a very valuable possession... a new game, but a limited edition one! Upon exiting the bus, new game in hand, we see our main protagonist walking down the street and passing by a girl. After a few steps he turns around to see her about to get hit by a vehicle. Uncharacteristically, and he even says so himself, he pushes her out of the way to meet his untimely demise.
Enter Aqua. Aqua is a goddess that, "will help arrivals of an untimely end make a choice." What's that choice? Well, in her words, you can make your way up to heaven if you want, but it's quite boring. However, she could also reincarnate you into a fantasy-like world! A parallel world if you would. She makes a smart remark about the population going down due to an evil king, which is quite funny. To sweeten the deal, Aqua tells our main hero that he can choose one thing that he can bring with him to this new world!
Obviously, that requires a lot of thought. The goddess soon becomes bored as she snacks on some chips and hackles Kazuma to decide faster. Fed up with her already, Kazuma announces that he would take her with him. First she thinks it's a joke, then when another goddess comes to take her place, she sets into panic. Together, the two are sent into this fantasy world!
So that's the basis, pretty generic stuff right? I know. I am actually still quite on the fence about this anime just because of that, but I am trying to keep an open mind. I mind it is a story that follows the same pattern as most lately. Just like all series, this one has its own little flare to it, which I can't decide if I like it or not. It differs itself from Sword Art Online and Log Horizon as they are not trapped in a game, they are simply in a world that is like a game. It's certainly no Grimgar, since this has a light, happen tone whereas Grimgar was dark and... well, grim.
I would say the one it has most similarity with would be Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? Yeah, that's a mouth full. They are both set in a real world that just had fantasy, RPG elements to it. Like skills, in both anime series the characters learn skills through leveling up and such. This anime, again, will differentiate itself based on the characters. Like most fantasy series, it has a harem sense to it, but not your typical one. The main male and female protagonists never share a romantic bond together, I know this since I looked forward in light novels to see they keep a platonic relationship, which is refreshing. As far as the other two that make up the harem, the main has nothing to do with them. So it's nice to see this series step away from the fan service and cliche romance a bit, even if the female knight practically has an orgasm every fight... You'll see what I mean if you watch it. It's a little unnerving.
Wrapping all of this babbling up, it is your typical fantasy anime. Boy is suddenly stuck in a fantasy, game-like world where he is the main protagonist, plus a lump sum of females. However, when you look deeper into it, it really takes its own path, even if it is just a slightly different path that is parallel to that of your typical fantasy anime. This little difference is what is keeping me intrigued in this anime series, and I hope it doesn't let me down.