It's pretty hard these days to make anything original. I get it, most everything has been done and there are quite a few derivative Anime from the Isekai/Reincarnation/VR genre. However, what sets The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody (Shijou Saikyou no Daimaou, Murabito A ni Tensei suru) apart, is just how little effort was put forth to make it anything more than a retread of already derivative works. Something that is seemingly becoming all too common in Anime today. Especially when considering Isekai/Reincarnation/VR genre.
That said, this Anime might have ranked appalling, except the story at the end had just a hint of an interesting twist. It was unexpected, but not a surprise. After all, it has been done before. I just expected a different outcome based on perceived foreshadowing that didn't deliver. Anyway, The characters are boring and strictly cut and paste jobs from [insert another Anime in this genre]. The first two villains are lame. The first appears in episode four, proclaimed a big bad, but doesn't survive beyond the very next episode. The second shows up in episode six, for no other reason than the need for a bad guy, oh and as a red herring for the final four episodes. Defeated, in fact, in episode eight. Now the third was unexpected, but not nearly as interesting as they could have been. After all, we've all wondered what we would do if we could change past events knowing things we now know (or could learn). The plot and story were very, very, very derivative after all. The art was sub-par at times. At others, the art looked like an asset flip from a halfway decent VN engine or RPG maker. Some of the visual effects for the magic circles was good, if a bit too retrowave neon. The sound was forgettable. The opening an closing tunes were a bit catchy if you are into J-Pop. What can I say, I'm not.
It could have been better with a little effort. At least it isn't as bad as (what I've seen of), In Another World With My Smartphone (Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni). That story is far more facile. Then again, perhaps The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody (Shijou Saikyou no Daimaou, Murabito A ni Tensei suru) is exactly what it was supposed to be. An Anime to test those like me. Can we watch till the very end, to see just how bad it gets? Or will we give up out of boredom, like I did with In Another World With My Smartphone? All I can say now is, I think I might be a masochist (/s)? I really wish I had given up and watched something else.
