Konosuba is about a guy who dies, in a pretty darn humiliating way. As in Yu Yu Hakusho, he is granted a second life by a blue-haired deity. However, this second life will be in a different parallel world of the dungeons and demons sort where he must fight to defeat the demon lord. To aid him, he is allowed to bring one thing of his choice, be it a possession or ability. To spite the nonchalant yet condescending god, he decides to bring her along and thus we have our show- a NEET turned adventurer and his pet god who only complains and causes trouble like the girlfriend out a hell.
Animation:
The show is drawn in a relatively simple manner with relatively light shading and detailing (I'm comparing against Phantom World, which is of the same season). The bright colors and high saturation make for a light and casual atmosphere, which is perfect considering where the plot goes. Backgrounds are mostly simplistic and blurred though there are occasionally scenes with nice detailing and backgrounds. There's a multitude of characters both primary and secondary in fitting, medieval garb, which makes our tracksuit-donning protagonist stick out humorously. All the characters are unique in both appearance and abilities and are rather all on the lively side. Emotions are often very strong and overstated in the show, fittingly so.
This show has a fair amount of action though the stakes are often raised to extremely dire levels only to be resolved in a rather ridiculous manner. Expect a lot of flashy explosions (literally) and effects to complement the magical nature of the show. Don't expect too much in terms of choreography or swordplay as this show is much too light for any of that. Opponents are occasionally rather humorous and include an assortment of haro-like flying cabbages, giant toads, a headless knight, and a monkeylord. There is also a fair amount of ecchi in the show ranging from an ability to steal objects (such as panties) to open bath scenes with well-placed washcloths and sparkly lights. There's also a fair amount of implied ecchi thanks to the masochistic nature of Darkness.
Sound:
The show starts with an energetic, light pop piece with a fair melody and ends with a really slow piece sung by the VA gals, with fitting instrumentation given the setting. The BGM isn't anything amazing but does sound reasonable for the genre; just don't expect SAO level production here. The most notable tune is obviously the ominous preparation song whenever Megumin prepares to use explosion.
The VA cast delivers with strong personalities in this show. Ai Kayano does a great job voicing darkness and though Sora Amamiya's character is hella annoying, it's an interesting and convincing departure from her more quiet previous roles. You also have Rie Takahashi from Sore ga Seiyuu playing the crazy chuunibyo wizard. Finally, you also get a bit of Yui Horie in the latter episodes as well, feels like a cameo almost.
Story:
Kazuma had, from an outsider's perspective, a horrible life filled with games and otherwise being a drag on human society. Luckily, in his second life, he now has a chance to defeat the demon lord and bring a parallel world to a happier era- or so the story hints. Unfortunately, he is doomed by countless, sometimes hilarious, setbacks and ends up just having a good time making friends.
The show doesn't have a strong central plot pull, as it's more about characters goofing off while slowly leveling up RPG style. There are countless mini climax moments but no arc stood out in particular, mostly because they're often contained within a single episode. In the end, they don't really make all that much progress, though it's already known that there will be a season two. If they continue at the current pace though they won't make it to the demon lord until season twelve.
Character:
The characters in the show have a lot of personality. Each of the main cast has their strengths and their often laughable weaknesses. For instance, Aqua has strong magical abilities but it is offset by her naive personality and absurdly bad luck. However, the team of Kazuma and his misfit harem works pretty well together and successfully completes various quests. The group has some fun interactions though most of them are between Kazuma and the individual gals. Don't expect any romance or deep relationships in this light piece.
Value:
Konosuba isn't a masterpiece; it knows it and makes fun of itself knowing it- that's what sets this show apart from so many others in the fantasy realm. If you're just looking for a laid back show to enjoy, you've found it. If you want something more tense or story-driven, SAO is still my highest recommendation with No Game No Life close on its tail.
