Forum - View topic(The) Shy Hero and the Assassin Princesses (TV).
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Edjwald
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(The) Shy Hero and the Assassin Princesses (TV) Source: Manga (ongoing @ 11 volumes, written by Norishiro-chan, illustrated by Yukiji Setsuda) Demographic: Shounen Animation Studio: Connect Genres: action, adventure, comedy, fantasy, romance Themes: assassins, demons, ecchi, medieval, monsters, social anxiety, sorcery, superpowers Plot Summary: The hero Toto is strong but very shy and has trouble forming a party. One day, three beautiful women - Ciel, Anemone, and Gore - approach Toto to form a party. However, their secret goal is to assassinate him. Air Date & Platform: July 05, 2025 (Saturday) Available on: Crunchyroll Episode Count / Runtime: Pending [EDIT: Fancy opener stuff edited. -TK] |
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smurky turkey
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I liked the first episode a fair bit more than I expected to given the plot summary. That is in large part due to the chemistry between the characters. There is the hero trying to be more social and then you have the girls who do not really want to kill the hero but took on the challenge to achieve their individual goals. It seems that all the characters will grow and change due to the interactions between them.
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Edjwald
Posts: 3507 |
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I liked this more than I thought I would too, mainly because the three assassins are at complicated crossroad purposes, and they all have distinct personalities. That's fun. The hero is just an excuse for them coming together right now - maybe he'll become more than a doorknob at some point...maybe an electrical door sensor, for example, or a flap for pets to go in and out of...but it's going to be a good while before he becomes anywhere near as interesting as the killer trio.
Still skeptical, but it's definitely worth giving a chance. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#1
Well, I think I've found my fantasy comedy entry for this quarter. I watched the trailer some time back, and I thought the concept was absurd to the extreme. That said, this adaptation has the potential to surprise viewers because the core hook of a common target for three assassins who have no interest in sharing credit for the kill yet cannot bring themselves to do the job because of emotions and the target's unique ability to withstand attacks of all kinds can go places depending on how the writing goes. I can't see much of a central storyline beyond Toto actually making it to Ciel's home and doing what he set out to do, so there has to be some order to the chaos of this pilot episode. First up is the titular unconscious hero Toto. Stronger and more durable than most, he has zero tolerance to female contact and next to no social skills. Effectively a doormat for most of the episode unless his party members are about to come to harm, then he responds and does what he does best. He's not completely invincible, since the left side of his face has a burn scar. Depending on how this adaptation goes, he can either stay as a doormat and play the role of the series' running gag for its entirety, or we might learn more about him and find out if he can evolve and develop resistance to the opposite sex through shock therapy with his new party members (assuming they or something else doesn't do him in before the quarter is up) Ciel is the demon mage and the series loli. It also appears she's had an oppressed upbringing by her father the demon lord and is dying to win her independence and fly the nest provided she kills Toto. She lost her best chance of killing him in the pilot episode (why bother summoning a monster when she can just attack him with some kind of direct damage spell?!) but she's also playing the long game as it appears she's the only one who's really aware of what Toto is capable of and what can feasibly kill him. Anemone (shortened to Mone by Goa so that every party member has a name of exactly two syllables) is the contract assassin who surprisingly is more of a romantic than she first appears. Clearly infamous enough that monster slave traders figure out who she is from her weapon even when she's disguised, she's nonetheless strong enough to fend for herself against most threats. Not sure if she changed her mind at the last minute mid-strike against the unconscious Toto or because his defences were strong enough to break the blade she used against him, but she's going to have to play it patient if she wants her bounty before the other two contenders. Goa is the only party members so far who's little more than a stereotype. Biggest bust size and most revealing clothing, coupled with her true identity as the most skilled dominatrix in existence. Easily the least threatening of the three once her hand is exposed, she nonetheless has every chance of claiming Toto as she's the only one who doesn't want him dead (so will actively interfere with the other two who do want to kill him). I expect she'll find ways to improve her poison collection to find something that works on Toto, and the side effect to her improved collection would be to help out the party in more conventional dangerous situations if the needs arises. The ED visuals are interesting, since it reverts the adaptation to a what-if scenario where the series is a dating simulator and Toto gets his choice of outings with the party members. The hero Toto would dearly love to progress to the point where he can go out with them individually and stay conscious throughout (and hold a proper conversation to boot). The VA for Toto has a surprisingly tough job for this role, since he needs the range to go from socially inept shut-in to a dandy who hits on women as confidently as possible. Whether or not he needs more than that just for the comedy value remains to be seen. |
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b-dragon
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I definitely enjoyed the first episode. Our killer trio is an interesting mix of eclectic personalities and deceit, and its pretty engaging to watch. I'm most curious about Anemone's setup- why do folks want to pay to kill a hero with a lot of strength but few achievements to his name? And why does she need to be masquerading as a priest? I can certainly run a few theories, but I hope we do circle back to those threads.
My primary concern is unaddressed- what kind of legs does this premise have? But that was always unlikely to be answered in episode one, and for now I'm on board. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4990 |
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Given the second episode I can see why those kill contracts were given. Toto is ridiculously strong and even opponents that should cancel out his crazy strength have no real chance against him. The ironic thing is that those kill contracts have resulted in Toto getting a party to work with and that will motivate him to become an even stronger hero than he already is.
Despite trying to kill him the girls are growing more fond of the hero too and I think it is only a matter of time before their attempts become half-hearted. It was fun to have a bit of questing. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#2
Where have I seen the template for Toto before? Only uses his fists, has superhuman strength and endurance, bone marrow that can churn out blood for days without drying out, achieved his current physical prowess through weight training alone? That's right. This is Saitama from One Punch Man but without Saitama's self-confidence and has zero self esteem. The OP song is really ditzy, keeping with the tone of this series when the ladies are pretending to fawn over him. That said, the visuals aren't top notch for this season and budget is saved for action sequences like Toto vs. slimes of various types. Good thing this is a character-based comedy with action thrown in as a bonus. I have to give it to Toto. The only reason why he became an adventurer and aims to topple the Demon Lord is purely to develop his self-confidence. Probably the most outlandish yet entirely reasonable selfish motive he could give (and from what we know he can't even lie because he doesn't have the social skills to do so). Strangely enough, it resonates with Ciel who appears to have the same drive to prove herself but for slightly different reasons. Her older peers/siblings have long since passed the test she is currently undertaking, and she wants nothing more than her freedom. Even if she's enjoying it now as a conditional parole from her usual confinement, she still prioritises her mission even if she's starting to empathise with her target. The three females actually get along despite their cattiness. They surprisingly agreed to sharing out the opportunities to kill Toto, although it's partially forced since they've got a taste of what he's capable of. This episode reinforces the inkling they had that he's not the soft target he initially makes himself out to be (despite bleeding enough cc to make any blood donation centre happy in both episodes, he isn't going into septic shock anytime soon). Ciel's approach is perfectly logical, having figured out Toto's weaknesses in his preference for unarmed combat. Unfortunately they didn't count on his strengths being so overwhelming either. I don't think I've ever seen slimes defeated in the way Toto has (using his vocal chords alone!). No surprise she'd be depressed; even demons don't take kindly to unpleasant shocks. The oblivious Toto completes his first commission, so it looks like we have a holding pattern of each female getting one day to kill him while they're out on quests and finding out he's not really vulnerable to their schemes. I expect this to continue for at least two weeks as Anemone and Goa get their turns respectively, but is there a main storyline to this comedy? |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3507 |
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Don't have much to say that's different from what I said about the first week, but since I liked the first week that's not a bad thing. I do like that the demon princess used her brain and got creative when she tried to assassinate Lloyd, because it suggests that the other assassin princesses are going to bring their A-game in entertaining ways too. And, t's good for the series chances of longevity that Demon Princess isn't just a joke character.
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4990 |
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As of the third episode I am pleasantly surprised by the show. It is no masterpiece but for a party that was thrown together and has the kill contract thing going on there is some solid chemistry on display. They actually are a reliable party in a weird way and they are all growing closing together while also showing some character progression. Toto for example still crashes out but he is getting better at hanging in there and conversing. Finally, all four seem to have a less than happy past.
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Edjwald
Posts: 3507 |
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It looks like they're at least making some effort for having the assassin princesses gradually shifting attitudes being believable, or if not believable, at least making their reasons differ a bit. For example, Not-so-Tiny Dancer's obsession with enslaving men seems to be linked to some pretty severe abandonment issues. So her being moved by the hero's refusal to abandon her despite not being affected by her powers has some logic to it.
And we don't know the *exact* specifics of Anemone's damage, but it's about 99.5 percent likely that she was a child slave since she kills slavers on sight and has stated that her whole reason for wanting to make an insane amount of money is to mount a massive attack on slavery as an institution. So even though she scoffs and reacts to Toto's story by saying at least *he* had a family to lose, the idea that he's working so hard to try to keep other people from dealing with the same kind of loss probably resonates at least a bit. And Toto is still a walking, sometimes talking excuse for the three main characters to interact at this point, and the idea of these particular females falling for a doorknob who can't take a compliment without passing out is a ridiculous conceit, but hear me out for a second. For a while, there was this annoying cliche going around where smug OP harem protagonists would use the line "I will protect your smile" and make harem candidates fall in insta-love. The idea that Tot's issues revolve around survivor's guilt after his village was destroyed isn't new, but again, it does give his obsession with making new connections and then protecting them at all costs a certain logic. It's like Toto got stuck emotionally at the worst moment of his life when he was...8? 12? And he embarked on the One Punch Man training method because he doesn't have the emotional skills to do anything else, so he's kept trying and trying and trying and trying at the only thing he knew how to do without making any progress. There's a certain poignancy to that as long as you keep it on a fable level, and again, I'm not saying it's a deep show, but it does make a certain amount of sense that Toto's damage might reach the particular brands of damage the females are carrying around. I guess what I'm saying is, it's a ridiculous show and isn't meant to be realistic or taken seriously, but I still appreciate the anime making an effort to have it's own internal logic so that I can enjoy the ridiculous antics without being completely ashamed of myself. Last edited by Edjwald on Sun Jul 20, 2025 6:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#3
To be honest, the template for this episode was telegraphed from last week. Ciel got roughly half an episode's airtime to herself to try and kill Toto without revealing herself to him, so naturally Anemone and Goa get the same opportunity. While they're at it, we learn a little more about Goa (Anemone had her turn during the pilot) and more about Toto. The running joke isn't wearing itself too thin either, since we find out Toto in RPG terms is far more challenging a target than the three could have imagined. Goa's "hobby" of drugs is usually her main weapon, but her real skill of mind control works better against males because she's had more practice against them. Considering her lonely childhood, it's not surprising she's come to view other humans as toys which she wants to keep on hand as an emotional blanket. Toto's response to her second direct attempt to mind control him is likely something she's never experienced before, so like the other two her opinion of him as more than just a hapless (albeit invulnerable) target has risen. If Anemone's skill is what she says it is, then the Demon Lord has a very good reason to want Toto dead. She claims the record for her limited use bomb is 30cm; Toto effectively created a thermonuclear device which she had to disengage prematurely. Of the three attempts to kill him so far, she had the best chance to gain information as she should have asked exactly what monster it was which gave him the scar. Who knows? Perhaps it's the one lingering weakness he still has before he engaged in his daily physical training regimen which made him into the franchise's One Punch Man. Toto's level aside, our three heroines are no slouches either. We already know Ciel is definitely high level because of her magic abilities, but Goa's ability to charm just about anyone who isn't resistant to status ailments makes her the "weakest" in terms of combat ability but the team's ace negotiator. Anemone herself is well-known as an assassin, so my guess is Anemone and Ciel being at least A rank with Goa at C in terms of combat ability after taking her drugs and skill into consideration. The ex-B rank bandit being tossed around like a rag doll is an illustration of what our heroines are capable of, and a nice lead into next week's episode as the team go dungeon delving for a promotion. |
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smurky turkey
Posts: 4990 |
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I was going to say that the 4th episode had the gang working together while simultaneously working against one another yet still growing closer through the chaotic process. That was until the end of the episode and things seem to be getting a bit more serious. I suppose it makes sense that at some point there would be questions as to why the hero is not dead yet. Said hero did beat that buffed guild employee so who knows where his limits are.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#4
I don't think I'll ever see an episode like this ever again. You have a party that is cooperating in name only, somehow getting through the challenges despite each female member backstabbing the other's attempts to kill off Toto, and then Toto overcoming the final challenge designed to bring the covert operations out into the open through instinct and sheer luck. Unsurprisingly, Toto is too strong a target to be taken down by Ciel's subterfuge and Goa's empowered hallucinations, and the look of shock on the three when their magic buffs to the examiner ended up working against them when Toto decides to get serious/ get lucky with his usual one-punch finishers. Perhaps it's just me, but I sense Toto IS getting better at dealing with his party members. If you compared what it took to knock him out this week and last compared to the pilot episode, he's slowly but surely adapting to his female teammates. He's also capable of speaking to them more naturally, albeit still halting in his speech manner. Considering he could barely utter a word when the trio first approached him, that's definite progress he's making. The after-party is quite telling. Only Goa is capable of holding her alcohol (no surprise given her hobby), but alcohol is also a great leveller. Both Anemone and Ciel would never have said so much about themselves in such an unguarded way had the alcohol not loosened their tongues. And despite themselves it's clear the three of them are actually enjoying themselves despite their continued failure to finish their main quests. Because all three of them are surprisingly just as lonely as Toto was at the start of the adaptation, it's no wonder that feeling of kindred spirits is unconsciously bringing them together despite their best intentions. And just as it seems the party is subconsciously beginning to come together as a real party, Ciel's background is thrust back into focus. She's being watched on her quest and it seems her minder has decided to make a move. More information on her background coming up, and she'll be hard pressed to keep her cover if the direct order is made to attack Toto openly. Toto being who he is (oblivious but well meaning) will somehow contribute to resolving this impasse, but the how is going to be interested since a lot of the adaptation hinges on keeping him blissfully ignorant of what the three of them are really up to. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 3443 |
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#5
Ciel's background is predictable given she telegraphed it in advance, regardless she is now finding out that demons are just as susceptible to the very human pleasures of companionship without strings attached and genuine, unbiased concern for her well being. Ciel is also fortunate that the harpy instructor dispatched to monitor her progress also has a soft spot for her despite a well-established reputation as a harsh taskmaster. Her educator background isn't just limited to the standard magic curriculum; she also sees her student's emotional and social development as within her job scope. One of the few demons who knows more than most about Ciel's complex and struggles, she's taken a hands-off approach but has actively intervened in Ciel's favour and done it without shirking her responsibilities. Just like Toto, Ciel has changed compared to episode one and has mellowed out considerably. Having missed this golden opportunity to take out Toto when he was wide open AND vulnerable to attacks for once, she's going to find it even harder moving forward as Goa and Mone aren't resting on their laurels. That said, what kind of resilience does Toto have?! 90% defence debuff, and that monster scythe Ciel summoned could only give him the equivalent of a deep paper cut. He's so thick that he'd never stop to think that the death rats he and Ciel set out to annihilate would never inflict a wound so specific, yet he's developed sufficiently (not just his resistance to women) to become aware of his comrade's emotional state and show concern for them (even if he still lacks the courage to ask them personally). I don't think he'll ever pluck up enough courage to execute the mental scenarios he comes up with when dealing with the opposite sex (since it would make it so much easier to motivate his three companions into actually killing/enslaving him), but he'll shed his unwanted moniker to some extent by the end of the adaptation at the rate he's going. Looks like the focus is shifting back to Anemone for next week. Toto will get another crash course of fanservice to build up his resistance, his party members will prepare for their expedition while continuing to scheme towards his demise. The adaptation continues to move at its own pace, but episodes like this are more than welcome going forward. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 3507 |
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Of the three assassins, Anemone is my favorite. Don't have a real point there, just felt like saying it. I like that all three assassin princesses have their own personalities and drives, but the way Anemone curses and smokes and drinks while pretending to be a holy maiden is pretty fun, and her ultimate goal being good even if its led her down an "end justifies the means" path is kind of interesting.
Looks like our MC isn't quite Saito (One Punch Man) as he was in actual danger this episode and has some legit weaknesses being revealed under constant probing, but he's pretty damn close, and with just as little logical explanation. I like that he's slowly (very slowly) starting to build up some resistance or immunity to his shyness shutdowns. Remains a fun show for me. |
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