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Banished From The Heroes' Party (TV).


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Tony K.
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Joined: 18 Nov 2003
Posts: 11265
Location: Frisco, TX
PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 1:29 am Reply with quote


Season 01: Banished From The Heroes' Party (TV)
Season 02: Banished From The Heroes' Party (TV 2)

Source: Light Novel (ongoing @ 12 volumes, written by Zappon, illustrated by Yasumo)

Demographic: Shounen

Animation Studio:
Season 01: Wolfsbane
Season 02: Studio Flad

Genres: action, adventure, fantasy, romance

Themes:

Plot Summary: Red was born with incredible powers, and he seemed like the perfect candidate to join the front lines in the fight to save the world—but before he could, he was told this wasn't where he belonged. Instead, he finds his destiny in an apothecary.

Air Date & Platform:
Season 01: October 6, 2021 (Wednesday)
Available on: Crunchyroll

Season 02: January 7, 2024 (Sunday)
Available on: Crunchyroll

Episode Count / Runtime:
Season 01: 13 episodes
Season 02: Pending

Total: 13 episodes


Last edited by Tony K. on Mon Jan 08, 2024 9:14 pm; edited 2 times in total
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15433
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:22 am Reply with quote
Episode 1

I think that is my first time seeing an owlbear in anime, my surprise going further because I am quite sure that it is a Dungeons & Dragons specific monster. They are notorious in D&D for being pretty dangerous to lower level parties.

I am otherwise interested in the slice of life styled fantasy RPG story. They can be a bit hit or miss, but I liked the first episode.
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camseyeview140



Joined: 26 Jan 2021
Posts: 206
PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2021 4:58 pm Reply with quote
I'm really down for this one. It has the same vibe as Saint's Magic from two seasons ago.
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DuskyPredator



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 15433
Location: Brisbane, Australia
PostPosted: Thu Dec 30, 2021 2:28 am Reply with quote
Episode 13 (finale)

Does feel a little bit like no consequences for what just happened, being able to break the mind control and heal fatal wounds straight away. I otherwise liked how things ended, with I liking Tisse I was happy she wasn't dead. And also very much like a lot of the finishing plot about personal choice, that they don't, or at least shouldn't, be beholden to destinies that others might throw onto them. That if something would make them happier, a person should be allowed to choose that, regardless of what ideas of nature are thrown at them.

I would say that it was kind of nice as it was that Red and Rit could get together through the show, rather than characters not being allowed to say anything. With Red going so far to say he had no interest in going off to be a hero (part of the party), because he just wants to be with his GF.

As a fantasy nerd, there was something I was not super keen on, and would be the non entities being a fantasy race was kind of played in the show. Not that I don't think there should be a way an elf has to be forced to a type of character, especially in a story about defying ideas of nature, but they are missed opportunities to not do things with fantasy cultures, and there was like nothing of that here. Being an orc was apparently just a skin to put on a character, rather than say what it might like to be raised as an orc and treated as one in this setting. A bit of a missed opportunity when other themes could have played in well together, the sort of thing of there being more to a character than just their race, class and background.

The series wasn't bad, with I would certainly raise it a little higher than some other fantasy shows with adventurer settings. It did start faster than Faraway Paladin, but show did more of the focus that I enjoy. Sure, throw in an owlbear, but I want a bit more than big boobed warrior lady that likes the protagonist, and his kuudere sister. At least it otherwise didn't do much that made me feel offended, as long as it wasn't forcing to keep watching crazy sage guy. My rating is going to be Good (7/10).
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Edjwald



Joined: 03 Aug 2017
Posts: 1022
PostPosted: Sun Jan 07, 2024 12:06 pm Reply with quote
So season 1 took a while to grow on me (I've never understood why that expression is supposed to signify a good thing, but whatever) but by the end of the season I really liked it. Many of the supporting characters were either frustrating or had murky motives, but I really liked the relationship between Rit and Red - it seems unusually mature for fantasy anime - and I really felt sympathy for Ruti.

And I'll say this for season 2, rarely have I seen a sequel season pick up this effortlessly and smoothly. It took all the stuff I liked that the show had achieved by the end of season 1 and kept running with it, and it avoided a lot of the "Setting up the plot mechanics and establishing the world" stuff that often got annoying or confusing. Like mulled cider it was, at least in my opinion.
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smurky turkey



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
Posts: 1768
PostPosted: Sun Jan 07, 2024 12:50 pm Reply with quote
Good and interesting first episode. It is indeed an amazing episode in how it just continues from where the previous season left of without it feeling artificial at all. It also looks and feels very charming and the quest to get some gemstones seems like something that will turn into a grand adventure.

As for the blessing aspect, that has always been the thing that has fascinated me most about the show. Sure, your blessing gives you a path to follow and by getting xp you become stronger, yet it is also a form of enslavement where you are either heavily influenced to follow the chosen path, or in the case of blessings like the hero, straight up forced with no will of your own. The new hero seems to be the embodiment of that system.
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Edjwald



Joined: 03 Aug 2017
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 11:58 am Reply with quote
A few observations

- Welp, at least Ruti's declaration of unfilial love was played for humorous effect, as in, she's completely out of touch with human norms and common sense, which has a logical basis. The emphasis seems to be that she's going to be a chaos causing runaway train rather than an Oreimo situation. Geez.

I have to say that monster gave me traumatizing flashbacks to the giant turtle from season 2 of Shield Hero. But I bore with it.

And there's something up with that new hero. The Hero blessing is supposed to cut the bearer off from human emotion, right? From experiencing physical sensations too if I recall. This new hero doesn't exactly seem to fall in line with that. I can't help but wonder if he's faking the emotion, or if they've faked his blessing, or if the writing is just a skosh sloppy here and there.
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smurky turkey



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 14, 2024 12:48 pm Reply with quote
An interesting episode. Given the writing on the monster and how it had multiple blessings and needed those to survive there is something weird/off about it (it feels artificial). The same can indeed be said for the new hero. Ruti was basically a work only zombie due her blessing while the new guy is very eager and lively. It may be that he is a fake hero in order to inspire hope and continue on with the quest.

Otherwise the episode had some solid character interactions, the Zoltan family has gotten a bit bigger while problems are on the way.
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b-dragon



Joined: 21 Apr 2021
Posts: 430
PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2024 9:53 am Reply with quote
The new hero's inconsistency bugs me as well- though I have theories! He could have gotten the blessing later in life- as sort of response to Ruti forcing her retirement. That would be highly unusual of course- but if an active Hero is a mandatory constant for the world- or the Goddess took a direct hand- it could be possible. That would perhaps mean he had a better chance to establish his own personality prior to having the blessing, which Ruti never did.
An accompanying idea- that he's actively embracing the blessing could mean it doesn't have to kill his personality as much.

Only theories, admittedly. We'll see how they shake out. I just hope its not oversight/retcon.
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Edjwald



Joined: 03 Aug 2017
Posts: 1022
PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:15 am Reply with quote
I wonder if the hero's blessing really is a random gift from the heavens, or if someone in charge of maintaining this weird conspiracy/hero vs demon lord dynamic has the power to tailor make some blessings?

It seems pretty clear that the god behind the blessing isn't God with a capital G. Or that anyhow, "God;s will" isn't really the will of a divine, all knowing, all powerful, always right deity. Which means on some level, the underlying principle of blessings is a lie..

My memory is a little blurry here, but it seems to me that at the end of season 1, the person who was urging Ruti to take up a holy sword and end the reign of demons was a demon. And there was more than one holy sword, as if they were being made and stored in some bargain bin. All of which suggests that this scenario where the hero slays the demon lord is some complicated ritual or scenario like that Cabin in the Woods thing where the good guys conquering evil was a rigged game.

Anyhow, if the hero's blessing isn't random, maybe it was modified to make the bearer more enthusiastic and driven given Ruti's rebellion?

(I knew I'd figure out my point eventually)
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b-dragon



Joined: 21 Apr 2021
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:31 am Reply with quote
@Edjwald

I think my memory of last season mostly agrees with yours. Additionally, Yarandarala (I feel fairly sure I misspelled that,) mentions that the hero "system", for lack of a better term, seems designed to fail. Or maybe just stalemate. Unsure.
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smurky turkey



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:53 pm Reply with quote
Given how systematic and artficial it all feels I am more inclined to say administrator rather than god. The whole demon lord versus hero thing is basically one big act and we have both monsters and people who are forced to go along with what blessings they have been burdened with. The crystal monster turtle is an extreme example in that it is not even a viable form of life without its blessings. Given all that I doubt that there is a random element to it all. So yeah, a Cabin in the Woods type thing would make sense.
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Edjwald



Joined: 03 Aug 2017
Posts: 1022
PostPosted: Sun Jan 21, 2024 12:50 pm Reply with quote
I'm glad to see that the anime isn't abandoning the slice of life stuff that is one of my favorite aspects of the show. I enjoyed this episode on that basis alone.

And...holy crap...unless I'm reading into things, Red and Rit got some!

On the other hand, the way the anime took the time to touch base with so many old faces - did they leave anybody who survived season 1 out? - makes me feel like the show is about to embark on a verrry big storyline that's going to move beyond Zoltan. Maybe I'm wrong about that, and I wouldn't be disappointed if I was, cause like I said, I like the slice of life stuff.

But I get the feeling that the rollercoaster is going tik-tik-tik-tik-tik-tik while moving slowly here.
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Edjwald



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PostPosted: Sun Jan 28, 2024 11:59 am Reply with quote
Gotta say, I like seeing Ruiti's OPness and social cluelessness being used for humorous effect rather than tragic atmosphere.

More ruminations of character being shaped by blessings. I can't remember from first season if this ever happened or not...are there cases where pacifists are given warrior blessings or vegetarians are given hunter blessings and so on?

And boy howdy, that cardinal guy just screams dedicated servant of goodness with nothing but humanitarian ambitions doesn't he?
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smurky turkey



Joined: 30 Jan 2022
Posts: 1768
PostPosted: Sun Jan 28, 2024 12:33 pm Reply with quote
Yeah, the cardinal does not at all seem like the type to be shady and use underhanded actions to get him ahead in life.....

As for the blessings, given the strong impulse (especially at the start) they give you to follow along and how you are generally pushed into making the most of your blessing by your environment, it makes sense. In most places you are forced to go along with your blessing, regardless of what you truly want.

Finally, I wondered why the OP focuses so much on Ruti and Tisse. I initially assumed it to be because they are popular characters, but now I am wondering if they are the true mc's of the season. It seems like Red and Rit are more like supporting characters this time.
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