I have a confession to make. When watching a show of the fantasy genre, I’d often try to picture myself as the protagonist. In this series, it’s almost impossible for me to do with a guy like Kazuma. Why? Because he’s stuck with three characters who are all troublesome in their own ways and that’s something I’d find a hard time dealing with. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo (also known as Konosuba!) is a show based on the light novel that’s a bit unusual for a fantasy story.
On paper, the show feels like the generic type of stuff we see based on light novel adaptations. Kazuma is a hikikomori and he ends up dead after trying to save a girl. I’m sure we’ve probably heard of this a million times before. Soon, he encounters Aqua, a goddess and is given a chance to be reincarnated in his current body with memories and apparently mission to defeat the Demon King. The first episode quickly establishes the essence of the story and it’s pretty straightforward. That is..until you realize the show is seemingly a parody of itself.
Every episode, there are segments when the characters are self-aware about their surroundings. If you don’t believe me, just ask Kazuma. As a guy with a vast knowledge about otaku culture, there’s no question that the show often makes fun of him. The interactions and relationships he forges with others is also mostly comedic. Kazuma and Aqua’s relationship stands out as the idiot duo. It’s pretty easy to see that they aren’t very compatible especially with Kazuma’s self-interests. In essence, he isn’t a hero that fights for others but mostly for himself. In the meantime, Aqua is often useless with her skills and low intelligence despite having the status of a Goddess. Often or not, the two shares a relationship that stands along the firm line of “two people basically forced to cooperate with each other”. It doesn’t stop there though. Megumin, a mage with chunnibyou-like personality and Darkness, a masochist knight also joins them on the quest. Together, they make up the Adventurer’s Guild.
For those who are familiar with Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai, Megumin will probably feel similar to the character, Rika. Her over exaggerated speeches and chuunibyou behavior are the highlights of her character. And adding to her arsenal of tricks, she’s got explosive magic which apparently has a limit before she collapses in comedic fashion. Then, there’s Darkness. She’s both an honorable knight and masochist. Yeah, you heard that right. For some peculiar reason, the show also makes her look like a jobber as she often misses her attacks in comedic fashion. When examining these two characters, it’s easy to say that the party is doomed to fail. How are they supposed to defeat the Demon King with this pool of talent? The answer might be Kazuma but his thieving skills doesn’t help much either except for stripping others of their panties. Nonetheless, the show makes it clear that the quest isn’t meant to be taken seriously. Each episode divides segments in their fantasy world and show what Kazuma’s party is capable of. Unfortunately for them, it often ends up with disastrous moments like being swallowed by oversized toads, being assaulted by armies of cabbages, trapped by alligators, etc. You get the general idea. In retrospect, the show is self-aware of its intentions and almost makes us pity the protagonists for their pathetic worthiness.
However, that’s what actually makes the series stand out as enjoyable. It’s fun with all the comedic factors with Darkness’ machoism or Aqua being useless during their adventure. Kazuma’s character is more of a deconstruction of the hero trope and his death is even portrayed as a parody. And while it seems like he may have a “harem”, there’s actually a lot more emphasis on Kazuma trying to escape from the trio. However, there’s development in their connection as well. While the girls sees him as a useless leader of the group, they do trust him more and more throughout the show. Similarly, Kazuma does begin rely on his party more as times goes on. However, their quest results are often pretty predictable where they manage to defeat the boss, but not without getting a lot of humiliation in between.
To sum it up, this show will probably be a hit or miss for the audience. It will really depend on how you take in the humor as the show sells its comedy. At times, it’s genuinely funny while other times may feel like it’s forced down our throats. However, I’d say that the show handled its comedy aspects right. The protagonists may feel irritating to watch but also very entertaining because of how much they fail. It’s subverted to the point where we have to wonder if they are legitimate adventurers. As a fantasy-adventure show, it’s also interesting to see how far it extends its concepts. It follows a lot of standards like game currency, completing quests, guilds, and fighting bosses. Just don’t take the show seriously because of the quests themselves are more of a joke than anything else. It’s still a legitimate fantasy series but unlike some fantasy shows such as Hai to Grimgar, it’s all about more having fun rather than surviving.
On the lesser fun note, the artwork is a really downside produced by studio DEEN. The previews weren’t impressive so I had low expectations from the start. After watching the series, my mind didn’t change much in terms of technical visuals. The characters look like they are cut from a potato with minimal effort. There’s not much details poured into the characters besides the character designs (minus Kazuma as he always looks dull). Backgrounds looks moderate although convincing for the fantasy setting while the action is more or less exciting. Oh and of course, there’s some fan service. From suggestive camera angles to masochism, it’s there.
When examining the soundtrack, it’s actually fairly well done. While the OP and ED theme songs aren’t spectacular, it’s constructed with a clear amount of fantasy details and highlights of the main protagonists. The show also retains a lighthearted OST soundtrack because the series really isn’t meant to be taken seriously. And finally, I have to give some praise to the main characters’ voice acting. All of the characters are fun to watch by voice talent as they are able to sell their comedic expressions. From character interactions to fighting against bosses, it’s quite entertaining to see how they react during near-death moments. Oh and who can forget about Darkness’ masochistic behavior?
This show is actually surprising. That is, it’s surprising at how the idea of ‘being trapped in a fantasy world’ can be so much fun. From the endless parodies, self-awareness, and character expressions, it’s easy to say that Konosuba is more than just about completing quests. This is probably going to be a deciding factor for most viewers as the comedy will not appeal to everyone. It sometimes can feel too forced or repetitive. Also, it doesn’t help with the minimal amount of characterization as the show itself makes fun of its character cast. The art department also seems to put poor effort into constructing the series as a whole. However, I’d still advise giving Konosuba a try. It took me a little time to get used to the comedy as well but in the end, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Oh and Season 2 was announced today. Here we go again (soon)!
