My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's

Episodes 1-3

I was surprised to see that My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's would be getting weekly reviews—but not that surprised. When it comes down to it, this anime has its fair share of retro anime appeal. You don't have to look any further than how it's drawn. Far from the hyper-saturated (or simply bland) color pallets of most modern anime, there's a lot more done with shadows, highlights, and lowlights—evoking the feel of high-budget OVAs or films from the 80s and 90s (looking at you, Record of Lodoss War). Yet, the classic feel is more than just skin deep.

The story itself feels like it's ignoring the fact that isekai stories have been booming for over a decade at this point. It follows some cliches, ignores others, and always treats the material with complete seriousness. This is why these first three episodes work as well as they do.

This series has a double-twist on the normal isekai formula. The first is the entire class being transported to another world. The second is that the main character, Akira, quickly figures out that this whole “summoning heroes from another world to fight the Demon Lord” thing is a bit fishy while his classmates revel in the empowerment fantasy. But even as he discovers his worries are well-warranted, he grapples with the simple fact that he is a stranger in a strange land. Sure, as the title points out, he is more powerful than the hero, but so what? His strength won't get him home, and he won't be able to survive in this world alone.

This is where Saran comes into the story. While he's only around for an episode and a half, the anime does a great job of forming a powerful friendship between the two men. And so when Saran is killed and Akira framed for the murder, we are completely behind him—understanding both his short-term goal (get stronger in the dungeon) and long-term goal (getting revenge for his friend).

But just as Akira is truly alone for the first time in this fantasy world, he comes across Amelia, whom he saves in the dungeon and nurses back to health. While not exactly instant friends, their relationship works well because, thanks to their appraisal skills, they know that neither is a threat. As both characters are on the run, having someone they don't need to be guarded around is a luxury—and so as long as they are heading in the same direction, it makes sense to go together.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Yoru, the third member of Akira's little party. It's not that the shapeshifting cat joins Akira that's the problem; it's what Akira is willing to risk to get her to do so. Yoru is a dungeon boss—one Akira and Amelia just finished fighting. Undergoing a risky magic spell that either works or kills you outright on an enemy seems much dumber than Akira's usual actions. Moreover, we don't yet know enough of Akira's backstory to understand why he'd take such a risk so suddenly—especially when he has a lot to live for.

The reason this doesn't quite work may be a direct result of the anime's main looming issue: its pace. While the story is understandable and most of the emotional moments hit, there are times where certain things fall through the cracks—be they plot-related or character-related. Hopefully, things will slow down a tad now that the status quo and characters have all been introduced.

While it no doubt contributes to the rushed feeling of these three episodes, I also wanted to give a shoutout to the series' B-plot following the Hero and the other students who have managed to escape the King's mind control. While not much now, their adventures should do a lot to flesh out this fantasy world and how it works. While Akira moves through the shadows, dealing with the persecuted non-human races, the Hero Party will walk in the light, so to speak—contrasting and giving additional context to what Akira and friends are dealing with. It's a great narrative choice.

All in all, this anime is off to a solid start, and I'm excited to see where Akira's adventures lead—be that the Elves' forest or beyond.

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My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.