- - - - Animation - - - -
For something as basic as an medieval isekai, the artistry is very good and the creative direction with certain scenes and spell makes the effects seem impactful. The display of gore is also very strong, which is a big added plus. Nothing much to say other than it's good.
8/10
- - - - Story - - - -
I won't go to far into the story, but in short the MC Saitou get hit / almost hit by a truck and is transported to a medieval magical world. That the basic overview of it. But within this cookie-cutter setting lies little sprinkles of romance, tragedy, and comedy. In the first few episodes, I assumed it would be like the long factory line of isekai animes and it gave me vibes of In Another World With My Smartphone with its scattered pacing and storytelling. But once the first few episodes conclude and you learn about what seem to be pointless, one-off characters that serve no purpose, the plot forwards into a more linear, shonen anime approach. The random characters and side stories come together at a point and start a massive fight that bring out much needed story elements and character development. Then, during what I like to call the "Morlock's Shlong" arc, the show has you going all over the place in terms of emotion and awe. The comedy comes out of nowhere, and while some people discredit the dick jokes, they are funny when delivered in random and unexpected situations.
9/10
- - - - Characters - - - -
All of the characters here are actually amazing. The main cast, and even the side, one-off characters are well-written and add their own flavor to the show. The MC's, Saitou, skill set is that he can pick locks, repair things, and do odd jobs (because he's a handyman). I enjoy Saitou's character because he's not a insanely overpowered guy like some of these animes that make simple plebs turn into actual goliaths of strength. Saitou is what you would think if you put a normal, modern ass handyman into a monster-filled dungeon world. His relationship with Raelza, while seeming cliche, is very interestingly written and his vow to Morlock is extremely touching. The character building is the absolute best part of this show. There is a character named Power Wizard who gets about 10 minutes of screentime throughout the show yet during every scene involving him, he creates a hilarious situation. Morlock should get a section to himself because of how actually GOATED he is, but I'm too lazy. Not all the characters are masterfully written, so I can't give it a ten, but it's damn close.
9.5/10
- - - - Overall - - - -
In the heaps of clutter, Handyman Saitou stands as a beacon on how to make a overused and generic idea into something that stands shining from the crowd. Its strong foundation of animation, well-planned walls of story, and adept roof of character building really brings this isekai over the edge.
9/10
