Saihate no Paladin: Tetsusabi no Yama no Ou

When I think of a solid fantasy anime, this anime often comes to mind. While the plot has some issues, specially in the anime, where much that happens is not covered properly or outright not explained (I'm looking at you, Valacirca fight...) it is a very good take on fantasy and isekai genre, with some well put Tolkien references.

Yes, it is Isekai, but no, it doesn't revolve around MC's constantly remember his life prior to his reincarnation. The story itself understands that the MC was something in his past life that he is not very proud, then he uses that feeling as fuel to become ... a better person and that is pretty much it. Like many other Isekai titles where MC is outright OP due to retaining memories and mentality of someone older from previous life, it felt that in Saihate no Paladin, he used that maturity to overcome issues and to learn about the world he now lives in, nevertheless he is pretty damn strong, more than average for sure.

Overall, story progression felt good, all characters seemed to have purpose and were well written, the artstyle was very nice (though in manga is way better) and definetely recommend it, specially for Tolkien and Fantasy fans.

Season 1 was a captivating story of a lad coming of age and beginning his journey.
Season 2 continues the story of William G Maryblood as a Lord and Paladin.

Main issues I find as the story continues is that as the story progresses, William's motives and drive becomes much more whimsical and fictional. A fantasy character with no flaws. He becomes less human as the story progresses. A device to drive the story rather than an actual character with strife and challenges. A mythical hero that's been embellished so much so that they don't seem to actually exist like the songs written about him.

Despite the mountain ... of responsibilities he is shoulders with, he just accepts it and just continues to do as he is told. Like a doll. Endlessly repeating the difference between being dead and not being alive as if that's enough to disregard his lack of actual desires. He lives on railroad tracks. A man of god supposedly, but the way he acts is almost robotic.

It is the downfall of the series as a whole. Will isn't real. A fictional hero with fictional desires and fictional wants. That is why he is loved by the gods. He shouldn't exist because he lacks the human element.

Mary and Blood carried season 1. Season 2 is just generic. Bring back Mary and Blood please.

If someone where to ask a ChatGPT to combine all generic old children tales to an anime, and make it as predictable and bland as humanly possible, this must be it.

I've never written a review on this site before, but I feel like I need to ward people so that they do not get fooled by the decent ratings of this show. This is the most generic, cliché, unoriginal anime I've ever watched. Maybe it is actually made for young children. The fights are boring and interrupted with even more boring and insanely predictable dialogue. The characters are as bland as they can get. ... Everything is just so... boring.

Do yourself a favor and watch literally anything else.