A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero
“The Temu Solo Leveling”
Solo Leveling came out earlier this year, and from the get-go, it was the hottest anime on the internet. Everyone knew that would happen, given its popularity over the last few years. But we're not here today to talk about that. A couple of months after Solo Leveling went off the air, ‘A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero’ saw this as the perfect opportunity to cash in on the ‘dungeon exploration’ setting that fans worldwide were discussing. We already had 'Danmachi' coming out later this year, but 'A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero' decided to steal the spotlight.
Sadly, it didn't work at all, and the title just ended as one of the worst series that 2024 has punished us with. The show has no direction, and even the concept it introduces is executed so poorly that you're bound to question your love for the whole exploration genre because of it. Let's look at what this show is all about and why it probably didn't manage to leave a mark on the anime and manga community.
Failed Execution
Before all these people came to know about ‘Solo Leveling,’ they didn't know about stuff like ‘Magi’ and ‘Danmachi’ that used this dungeon exploration setting as their bread and butter. But it's better late than never, and with everyone head over heels for this exploration-themed setting, we're bound to get many more titles based on this genre blend in the future. But it's effortless to mess this setting up, and ‘A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero’ shows us how. Kaito Takagi is similar to someone quite notorious in the isekai genre. We all know who that is, right? Yeah, I figured that myself. He is weak, as if that were not obvious enough, and defeating slimes to become the big boss one day is the guy's life goal, his sole reason for existing.
But as they say, these dungeons are full of surprises, and Kaito Takagi runs into one after defeating 100 slimes. Blessed with a super rare item, a summon that can have Lolis appear out of thin air, he made every other Lolicon's day, don't you think? Well, the cherry on top is that these lolis are a lot stronger than yours, truly right here. Combine that with Kaito Takagi's drive to explore the dungeon using any means necessary, and you have the perfect recipe for disaster! The story is heading in a different direction throughout the series. The rom-com elements here and there need to be better done, too, and it looks like a half-baked dessert that no one asked for in the first place. I have to give them credit for their confidence; they did not delay the release date and decided to proceed even though Solo Leveling was taking over the internet. Of course, that was also after it had ended about three months ago.
Forgettable Characters
Sure, these isekai or fantasy-themed anime series feature characters that aren't that different from each other. But ‘A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero’ features faces that are hard to keep track of, given they don't have any personality. Each character chooses this generic character persona and keeps up with it throughout the show's runtime, not budging an inch even after we're halfway done with the show.
The ‘summons’ aren't attractive either, and other than the whole combat/exploration part that does end up making the anime save some face, there isn't much going on here. Plus, this is noticeable from the get-go, and because of that, sitting through 7 or 8 episodes seems to become like a drag, with the viewer dropping the show long before they hit that 4 or 5 episode mark. Plus, the way the anime ended, I don't have a lot of hope for a second season, let alone from a second season, given this isn't going to become more noticeable anytime soon. The only people I can imagine enjoying this are the ones who are such die-hard fans of this setting that they've watched ‘Danmachi,’ ‘Magi,’ and Solo Leveling’ a million times already and can't satiate that hunger. This void comes into play whenever they're done watching those shows. Well, you're in luck since after watching ‘A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero,’ you're sure to call it quits and take a break for good!
Recycling, Even in Anime?
I get it; it's not efficient or best for the staff to ensure everything's new and that no single frame is reused or repeated throughout an anime's runtime. But ‘A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero’ ensures we can see the recycled frames, as they tend to reuse them more than just a couple of times in the same episode, too! I don't know if they think we can't see through their tricks. Just look at how hard of a bashing ‘Blue Lock’ has gotten over the last couple of weeks, and trust me, that PowerPoint slideshow looks a lot better than what we've got right here. The combat could be more fluid, and the action could be the show's strongest point. But in an anime that strives on the ‘dungeon exploration’ setting with combat, making it shine here and there will be affected by some sub-par combat, right? Yeah, that's precisely what happens here, and that piling on top of the million other problems that the anime suffers from makes it known that the anime didn't have a lot of ‘budget’ to begin with.
Anyone could see that without me spelling it out for you. I want to know what the studio was thinking before putting this anime out. We can learn much from their confidence, courage, and bravery here. The animation looks average, even below average at times. The studio behind the title is ‘Gekkou,’ and the only memorable title they’ve put out is ‘Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again.’ Honestly, that title was a hidden gem from this spring and way better than what we’ve gotten from the studio. The soundtrack doesn't stand out either, and the anime doesn't have a lot of sound to work with. The opening theme is okayish, and that's what it is about if you ask me.
‘A Nobody's Way Up to an Exploration Hero’ is not a good anime. The series suffers from an identity crisis. While taking all these different concepts and ideas from these big titles, it fails to incorporate them well together, which just spells death for the series right after 5 minutes of the first episode. I think the series could’ve been way better if they focused only on the dungeon or the school setting, one of the two. Still, they decided they’d be able to make this blend work even when repeatedly proven that such a show would be challenging to nail even if you give it all your days and nights.
I wouldn’t recommend watching it since you’ll get bored soon. Instead of the 3-episode litmus test, I suggest you limit that count to the first 10 minutes of the series and see if something clicks with you because if it doesn’t, it won’t even after you’re done. For the rating, I’d be modest and give it a 4.5. The series is below average, and you’re better off not wasting your time with this title. There are a lot of better anime out there that deserve your time, so watch them. Otherwise, if you’re craving something similar to ‘Solo Leveling’ before ‘Arise’ or are just waiting for Danmachii’ to end this season, you can pick this up and go through the first episode. Who knows what ends up happening, right?
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