Banished from the Hero's Party

Banished from the Hero's Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside is a fantasy adventure that tries to sort of be a slice-of-life anime series and has a pretty believable love story. Still, somehow the atmosphere, the narrative style, and everything else, despite a lot of pretty good ideas, does not particularly work. I liked the subject matter and the whole reasoning around predestination and its meaning as opposed to free will. It is just that while this anime series knew the message it wanted to convey, it did not portray it in a compelling or interesting enough way. Somehow, I do not think it managed to combine that peaceful village life with the supposedly convoluted backstory (especially with its developments) or successfully convey the idea that you just cannot escape something inevitable. Plus, all the flashbacks felt kind of weird, and the narrative overall was kind of very shallow. That is kind of a bummer because of all the untapped potential that was there. I just think that in many ways, more could have been wrung out of it; it could have been fleshed out better. There are some interesting hints that there could be some more elaboration in a follow-up. After all, there are the odd remains of and some open-ended plotlines to expand on; however, thanks to the lukewarm approach to the narrative (and the conclusion itself, which just made my head spin), I am not sure I would watch it. Although I guess that actually I probably would, because I still subconsciously see the potential there. 5.5/10. (24/09/2023)

The second season left me with mixed feelings. What irked me the most? It's probably the series' heavy focus on Ruti. I mean, even the entire opening seemed like it was just Ruti fanservice. I was eager to dive into more adventures with Rit and  Red, envisioning how their relationship would blossom in the countryside with friends. Instead, I found myself mostly immersed in Ruti's societal integration and more Ruti-fanservice, which honestly didn't quite resonate with me. The main couple only came to the focus in the last episode, which felt a bit overdue. What did I enjoy? The entire storyline revolving around the hero Van was a standout, showcasing the true essence of a hero in this world. I was quite satisfied with how that arc concluded. The final episode, in my opinion, was a triumph; it finally delivered what I'd been yearning for throughout the series and served as a fitting conclusion, possibly even for the entire series. With the rollercoaster of emotions I experienced while watching — my interest and disinterest taking turns — I land on a solid, average rating. Thanks to the last episode, which I genuinely enjoyed, I'll bump it up by half a point. 5.5/10 (25/03/2024)