Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire

In the conflict between a lifelong servant of the kingdom longing for personal freedom and the potential loss of one's sense of justice and kindness, the question arises: does pursuing personal desires quickly lead to a selfish disposition? This tale delves into the dilemma of choosing to live on one's own terms and potentially forsaking the values that define one's humanity.

"Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire," also known as "Eiyuuou, Bu wo Kiwameru Tame Tenseisu: Soshite, Sekai Saikyou no Minarai Kishi," is an anime series that Naoyuki Kuzuya is in charge of directing. Reiichirō Ōfuji handled the character designs, Mitsutaka Hirota wrote the scripts, and Kenta Higashiohji created the music for the series.

It originally aired on TV Tokyo and other networks from the 10th of January to the 28th of March, 2023. Crunchyroll secured the license for the series outside of Asia, while Muse Communication obtained the license for the Asia-Pacific region. This is a 12-episode anime series based on the light novel of the same name and falls under the genres of action and fantasy, with a central theme of reincarnation. Each episode lasts approximately 23 minutes and is suitable for viewers aged 13 or older, carrying a PG-13 rating.

On the Shsetsuka ni Nar website, the Hayaken and Nagu-written light novel series started serializing in March 2019. Hobby Japan later picked up the series, and starting in November 2019, they began to publish eleven volumes under their HJ Bunko imprint.

Hobby Japan's Comic Fire website has also published five tankbon volumes of a manga adaptation with illustrations by Moto Kuromura. J-Novel Club holds the digital license for the light novels and manga in North America, while Yen Press handles the print distribution. A two-episode mini-anime adaptation premiered on Comic Fire's Twitter account from November 7th to November 14th, 2020.

The hero king, Inglis, who dedicated his life to his country, is nearing death. This is when the goddess Alistia appears to grant him one wish as recognition for his noble deeds. Inglis, who has never been skilled in swordsmanship, asks to be reincarnated to fulfill that desire.

Thus, in an instant, he is reborn in a distant future as the daughter of the noble Eucus family. At age six, they discover that she cannot use runes, the source of magic in that era, making her ineligible to become a knight. However, this aligns with Inglis' original plan, as she chooses to become a squire for her cousin, Rafinha Bilford, allowing her to focus on pushing her limits. For the reincarnated Inglis, the challenges of this familiar yet different world become opportunities to sharpen her skills and become an exceptional squire.

The plot is relatively straightforward. After being reborn, Inglis yearns to master her skills with the blade while avoiding political entanglements that burdened her in her previous life. This anime stands out in three notable ways compared to other reincarnation/fantasy shows. Firstly, there is the gender swap element, as Inglis was originally an older man but is now reincarnated as an attractive female character.

Secondly, Inglis possesses a deep passion for challenging strong opponents. Third, she exhibits a determined and combative nature, reminiscent of characters like Goku but with added intelligence and charm. However, this anime needs to catch up to its potential. While it could have been a decent Isekai series, it needs more depth in the world where Inglis is reborn.

The dialogue often feels unnecessary, and numerous characters are introduced without proper development. Additionally, the animation quality declines as the episodes progress, and there is an excessive amount of irrelevant ecchi content that does not contribute to the overall story.

The portrayal of the main character in this anime raises uncomfortable issues. Despite being reincarnated as a young girl, the protagonist retains the thought process of an older man and frequently compares present situations to their past life. This becomes problematic and creepy, especially in fanservice scenes involving other female characters, particularly during bath scenes.

The character fails to apply the wisdom and empathy gained from their previous life, instead quickly immersing themselves in the teenage girl's body without much thought. The excessive focus on the protagonist admiring their own “sexiness” in the mirror adds further insult to injury.

However, the main character, Inglis, brings an exciting twist to the story by prioritizing her desires over typical heroic quests such as saving the world or defeating demon lords. Her main goal is to live a humble life as her cousin's squire, avoiding the spotlight that followed him relentlessly in his previous life. However, due to her lack of a magic crest, she faces discrimination in a society that values social class.

Despite these challenges, she possesses incredible power, making her overpowered in a traditional fantasy sense once again. These moments showcasing her strength create exciting and memorable scenes, adding positivity to this show. It's satisfying to witness the surprised expressions on people's faces when they underestimate Inglis, only to face a devastating defeat at her hands.

Having learned from the consequences of her decisions in her past life as a king, she is determined to avoid repeating those mistakes. Some critics may label her as a "bad" main character or criticize the writing. Still, her actions and nonchalant attitude towards certain events are consistent with her established character from the beginning of the series. She breaks the mold of a typical protagonist, which is honestly refreshing.

In addition to the main character, the story also has other vital characters. Inglis's best friend, Rafinha, who has grown up alongside her, is equally endearing and likable. While Rafinha may be slightly less wild, she still possesses her charm. The companions surrounding our MC represent typical harem archetypes, including the sweet one, the tsundere with a kind side, and the insecure yet kind-hearted one. It is anticipated that more characters will be introduced, allowing for both love and hate to develop towards them.

As stated earlier, this show had a lot of potential in terms of world-building because it feels like it ran out of time to explain everything adequately. If they somehow answered all the viewers’ questions without exposition dumps, this show would be much more beloved. The world was fascinating from the get-go, but it was not expanded, and that’s pretty frustrating.

For example, the kingdom that Inglis ruled in the past significantly differed from what we have today. One of the central mysteries of the story is how and why it was that way, but it is never explained. Other mysteries got teased, possibly for future installments, but were never expanded. I understand their issues with runtime, but it felt like they dangled the carrot in front of us and never gave it, even by the end. But I commend Inglis and Rafinha Dor for consistently being such a dynamic duo, which was one of my favorite moments.

The show's animation quality is lacking, possibly due to budget and staffing limitations. Some action scenes are poorly executed, which is a significant issue for a series centered around battles. Although it's not as extreme, some people have compared the art style to Hentai. Not everyone may appreciate this distinctive look, but some might enjoy it. It's unclear if the adaptation skipped significant content from the light novel, but the anime maintained a satisfying pace.

One peculiar aspect is the choice of music, particularly the opening theme. While I enjoy the song “DAY1” by AUO featuring Win Morisaki, it doesn't seem to blend seamlessly with the show's overall themes and atmosphere.

Initially, I questioned the alignment between the song and the show's essence. However, as time passed, I grew accustomed to it, and it turned out decent. For Yui Nishio, this marks her second Anisong since the debut of "Beautiful Day" as the opening theme for Fall 2021's "Shin no Nakama." The ending theme, "Self-Hug Big Love," follows a similar calm yet slightly upbeat style, showcasing Nishio's unique musical trend. Overall, both songs are good in their own right.

In summary, this anime is average, featuring a straightforward storyline. I recommend it if you're willing to overlook excessive information dumping that doesn't take itself seriously. It has its strengths and weaknesses, so only venture in if you enjoy the pros.

However, it may prove to be intolerable if you're expecting a series that you can genuinely invest in, particularly within the isekai/fantasy genre. “Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire” is not everyone’s cup of tea, so don’t waste your time on it if the cons mentioned irk you.