Qoutas

This present has by no means precisely been an animation powerhouse. In truth, it has been hobbling alongside since a minimum of episode two, principally getting by on comedic timing whereas the manufacturing repeatedly degraded. That wasn’t a complete deal breaker when this was primarily a comedy with solely the illusion of a dramatic plot, however now that The Legendary Hero is Dead! is attempting to be a minimum of reasonably severe about itself, the poor animation and modifying are severely damaging its capacity to inform a narrative.

The central battle of this episode is an efficient instance. On paper, this can be a intelligent battle of wits between Touka and an equally conniving enemy common, utilizing soiled tips and hidden strikes to outmaneuver each other till one celebration manages to drag one over on their opponent. In apply, it is a rushed and poorly edited time sink that takes longer to clarify than it does to play out, and there is by no means a lot as a second of pressure. Fights with no sense of urgency or spatial continuity have been serviceable sufficient once they have been simply automobiles for punchlines, however now these are a minimum of considerably severe bouts with a ticking clock hooked up, so “simply sufficient to inform a joke” cannot minimize it anymore.

It additionally coincides with the present’s backsliding in its humor. You’d suppose the most recent enemy being Touka’s former mentor, who taught him the artwork of traps and tips, would add to his character or a minimum of construct on high of his newer good flip. As a substitute, we get a load of exposition to backfill their relationship earlier than Touka jumps proper to sexually humiliating her. When the again half of the episode tries as soon as once more to prop up Touka’s heroic traits, it is solely undercut by him sneaking off to stay Yuna’s physique in stockings once more as a result of he would possibly care about her sufficient to battle the armies of hell, however not sufficient to respect her bodily autonomy. Add in that Ethel’s huge bouncing badonkeroos feed into Fieri’s stale groping jokes, and it is like we’re proper again to the unbearable, hack comedy of the early episodes.

It is a disgrace as a result of there are components right here that also work, if solely in remoted moments. Touka and Estel being scumbag peas on a pod are fairly humorous, and the 2 of them selecting that lock to interrupt into the magical craftsman’s residence received a good chuckle out of me. The gag of the outdated man pouring tea on everybody’s head is fairly rote, however watching Airi timidly sit in place, ready for her flip, wanting each scared and resigned, was price a giggle. Touka lastly dealing with an opponent who’s as devious as him is a cool twist that would have simply been the present’s spotlight up to now if it have been executed higher.

But that is not what we received, and as bizarre as it’s, I really feel upset to see the sequence regress like this. It might by no means be a favourite, however the earlier episodes held some promise. Seeing a lot of that potential spoiled so swiftly is a giant letdown.

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The Legendary Hero is Lifeless! is at the moment streaming on
Crunchyroll.