KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!

Has life got you down lately? Between Covid19, economic recessions, and so many more problems, it can be tough to keep your head up these days. In such a scenario, we prescribe an Anime that can bring out a ton of laughs and good times. We are talking about the very epitomes of comedy alongside characters you would love to hate. Yes, you read that right. So without further ado, let’s dive into this crazy world filled with real-life problems and fantastical shenanigans!

“KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!” also goes by the title “Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku o!”. This 10-episode TV Anime series aired from the 14th of January until the 17th of March in Winter 2016. Procedures Half H.P Studio, Nippon Columbia, KlockWorx, Sony Music Communications, Toranoana, 81 Produce, and Kadokawa Media House managed to bring out so much laughter from their audiences via this series. It was licensed by Discotek Media and Crunchyroll, brought to life by Studio Deen, and received a wholesome rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years or older. The series extravagantly boasts the genres of Adventure, Comedy, and Fantasy, alongside the themes of Isekai, Parody, and Reincarnation.

KonoSuba is based on the Light Novel of the same title, adapting the first two Volumes for its first season. It ran for 17 Volumes from the 1st of October 2013 until the 1st of May 2020, thanks to the masterful work of Author Akatsuki Natsume and Artist Mishima Kurone. A single OVA episode titled “KonoSuba - God's Blessing on This Wonderful Choker!” was released on the 24th of June 2016 and was bundled with the 9th volume of the Light Novel. Yen Press has handled the English publication since the 21st of February 2017.

The beloved characters of KonoSuba are also featured in the Isekai Quartet series, bringing in more humor than ever. The sequel TV series “KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 2” was released in Winter 2017, followed by the “KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! - Legend of Crimson” movie in August 2019. “KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3” will grace us in the near future, thanks to Studio Drive. Finally, a Spin-off series titled “Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!” will be released sometime in 2023, centered around the two Crimson Mages Megumin and Yunyun.

We are first introduced to the degenerate MC Kazuma Satou, who is a total NEET. This recluse only leaves his house once in a blue moon and happens to do so to buy a game he wants. On his way back, though, he dies a truly laughable and pathetic death, with due credit given to the almighty Isekai-truck. Now, this High schooler finds himself in front of a beautiful but obnoxious and noisy goddess named Aqua. She gives him two choices: to ascend to heaven or to reincarnate into a Fantasy world, a place akin to every avid gamer's dream!

Being the NEET he is, Kazuma chooses to start a new life in this fantasy world and is immediately burdened with defeating the resident Demon King who is terrorizing the people. But surely, he can’t jump into such a reality unarmed, so he gets to choose any one item set before him to help him on his journey. Already feeling irritated by Aqua, he decides to get back at her by selecting Aqua herself, thinking that such a goddess would be OP in this Isekai world. However, this would become his gravest mistake because Aqua is wholly and utterly useless, and to make things worse, she brought her ego along for the ride!

Unfortunately for Kazuma, his troubles don’t end there either because living in a Fantasy world is far too different from playing it in-game. Forget thrilling adventures, as the unlikely duo must now work just to pay off their living expenses. Their misfortunes have only begun because two more problematic girls are set to join the gang and cause more havoc than ever!

There isn’t much of a story in KonoSuba. This is more like a Slice of Life series set in a fantasy MMORPG world, where all the major and minor events are creative works of art and are downright enjoyable to watch. If you’re a gamer, you’ll find many references here, all of which are hilarious. This show tells you precisely what you're in for within all ten episodes from the first episode itself. With this fantastic and humorous start, they continue to parody numerous mechanics from various games while highlighting the sheer outrageousness of what certain skills are capable of and the randomness and weirdness of some events and quests.

You can also expect a few 4th wall breaks, where parodies of other Anime also enter the picture via the characters’ actions and words. This series is a parody; the characters know it, and you should too! They do such random things that are so outrageously stupid that you can't get mad at them; instead, you just laugh and laugh. Make no mistake, this Anime is amazingly self-aware of its gimmicks, making it even better.

Konosuba is ready to go all the way to make the audience laugh, even if it means going full circle in the name of humor. The show will take the most insane routes possible to reach its destination, and it's as fun as ever to watch, but the plot doesn't go anywhere. You will experience a truckload of outrageous shenanigans, but the story won’t progress an inch. It’s not like nothing happened, though, because you would feel that the characters got closer somehow, strengthening their ridiculous bonds, and this is the progression in an odd sense. So yeah, don't expect a story here; just follow the wild ride...

What would KonoSuba be without the characters? Nothing. They are outrageous to the point that they make and break the show. Each of these masterpieces parodies a certain stereotype, and they do it excellently. Kazuma is intelligent and resourceful but remains talentless, and only his sanity keeps the group alive. His mindset disgracefully matches our own at times, making things even better.

Aqua is clumsy, dumb, and utterly useless but is full of potential. Megumin is the ultimate chuunibyou with the power to match but is rendered immobile after one massive daily attack. Darkness, on the other hand, is an obligatory perverted masochist. This gang goes to the extreme of their tropes, and we love them for it! The interactions are even better because they feel natural and flow while remaining unpredictable. Together, they make the comedy aspect of this Anime perfect!

KonoSuba has high-budget Art and Animation. Overall, expect very bright, vivid, and lovable art! The character designs embody the stereotypes they portray and even give a slight nudge to other Anime characters. The Animation is excellent but lacks consistency in typical Studio Deen fashion. This is fine because KonoSuba actually benefits from its bad visuals at the correct times, making things much more comical.

The Opening theme is "fantastic dreamer" by Machico, which is very catchy and fitting for the show. The Ending theme is "Chiisana Boukensha" by Sora Amamiya, Rie Takahashi, and Ai Kayano, which is very soothing and likable. The OSTs are pretty good, too, serving to enhance each moment. The actual groundbreaking factor is the Voice Acting, though! There is no better VAs to voice these characters, as they deliver their lines with passion and matching energy. All their jokes hit home, as the timing and vibes are perfect! Expect a lot of laughing, screaming, and yelling, constantly.

Overall, KonoSuba is a highly recommended masterpiece that should not be missed. It is incredibly refreshing, comedic, and fun to watch. Trust me, this is one of the epitomes of good Comedy Anime and is definitely worth a shot (even though there isn’t much plot)! You don’t have to think about anything, just sit back, relax and enjoy the show.