ButaLiver appears to be a typical isekai of the 2020s (this time the twist is that the protagonist is reincarnated as a pig), but rather than giving him some kind of overpowered skill that allows him to cruise along the plot with ease, the setting puts our hero in a difficult spot with very little to work with. The heroine (unfortunately) still falls back into a stereotypical mold and is way too comfortable to put up with the hero's oftentimes wildly inappropriate inner thoughts. He simply came across as crass and his monologues were rough, blatant attempts at meta-humor and self-deprecation. Still, he made the most of the bad hand he was dealt with and became somewhat more likable and endearing with time as he overcame challenges alongside our heroine. I was not expecting this level of character development from the "pig isekai".
The show also felt strangely dissonant. At some moments, we're getting some playful slice-of-life content with bland fanservice, while at others we get some heavier exposition into the much darker backstory of this world. The tonal shifts can be abrupt and offputting. Still, one can appreciate how the story stands out from other similar ones in being crafted to have an overarching goal that our protagonists genuinely sought to achieve while overcoming real crises along the way. The story also remembers that there was a "real world" besides the isekai (what an innovation in this day and age!) and the protagonist remains tied to his pre-isekai past. Without going into spoilers, the ending (which viewers were made to wait for) and how it linked to the real world was a pleasantly surprising twist, if roughly executed.
The emotional high notes in this story also somehow resonated despite the tonal dissonance of the direction and lack of production value. Perhaps it is the bleak setup of the world; the sheer insurmountability of the challenge that laid before our protagonists; and the marvelous talent and skill of the main voice actors.
ButaLiver was a bumpy but interesting ride. It wouldn't hurt to savor a different flavor of isekai among today's bland offerings, even if somewhat undercooked.
