Saihate no Paladin

This anime series had me pretty hooked from the very first episode. I was hooked because I was caught off guard by the gentle, slower pace and remembered that the last time they introduced a main male protagonist in such a nice way was in Mushoku Tensei. However, this show was less fun, and a bit more stretched out, or maybe more tired. The first couple of episodes were mostly about building relationships and developing the main protagonist to make the big turning point in the middle pack an emotional punch. To be honest, it worked for me, especially the post-credits scene that closed the first part of the narrative in such a poignant way. It affected me in a similar way as chopping up an onion would. Therefore, I think the first half of the season worked; it was a respectable introduction to the plot, getting to know the main protagonist and some of the lore of the world it is set in. What bothered me a bit was the fact that this anime series pulls out the big guns, and the game between the most powerful characters happens too early, ruining the narrative's steady flow and development, in my opinion. Plus, the main male protagonist wins when usually only boring OP protagonists of (sub-)standard isekai win; thus, in my opinion, the show eliminates the fear for him. Fortunately, it at least leaves me worried about the supporting characters, which (since there is no one I dislike) is actually enough to make the show more enjoyable for me (I mean the suspense). After the first couple of episodes, I was quite worried about the second half of the season. I had no idea where they would take the main male protagonist and his goals and, therefore, the content of this anime series overall. Even the pace of the narrative in the second part was erratic for me at first, and at times the whole thing was a bit uninteresting. However, things got better as the characters around the main male protagonist got better. It showed that the anime's creators were going to start building relationships again and try some more psychological aspects in developing the characters and their bonds with each other. They even managed to use some pretty believable strategies in the fight scenes. By the very end, things were picking up nicely again for me; I found myself enjoying several characters, following some of the mysterious fantasy narratives, and guessing what was behind them. I saw how the main male protagonist's character developed continuously and enjoyed that there was at least one aspect where I could worry about him. The battles with the monsters were not completely pointless either, though it certainly was not the most powerful aspect of this anime series. The strategies to defeat some of the monsters were interesting, even though the graphic design of the actual combat was mediocre at best, and the fight scenes somehow did not have any juice, in my opinion. In addition, now, after the twelfth episode, I am again uneasy about where the show will be heading in the second season. Although the main male protagonist has outlined his noble plans, I still do not know if they can make this show more interesting. Likewise, I am not sure if it will continue down more of a "hero's journey" as it has been, or if some of that society-building like they did with Rimuru Tempest will start to show through. However, I am going to wait and see. I find this anime series intriguing, it has its undeniable positive sides, and it is a likable show that I enjoyed overall. It does have its weaknesses, though, which prevent me from giving it the highest rating for now, although then again, they do not irritate me enough to consider an average rating. 7.5/10. (04.07.2023) (minder) (meer)