Benriya Saitou-san, Isekai ni Iku

I think this is getting such high scores based on the last 4 episodes. This series starts off disjointed, with horrible pacing, bad character introductions, no setup, and essentially a hot mess. It continues this way for the first 6 episodes. Then you get 2 "not quite as bad" episodes, by this point you sort of know who everyone-everywhere is but a lot of them you just don't give a damn about. Then the last 4 episodes are actually decent. Probably worth a 7.5 rating. But it isn't worth sitting through 8 episodes of hot mess to get there. The animation itself is fine, there's no problem there, and the opening and ending music is generic but there's no problem with it, nothing that would detract from the show. (Not that I really note the credit sequences and music as part of the rating for a show, more as a side-note if they're really good and worth paying attention too). I get the feeling that whoever was adapting this for animation story was dropped in at the deep end, or else they just slavishly copied a manga that allowed more exposition or a different style. Whatever they did it doesn't work as episodic anime. For me I advise a hard pass, if you're a mature person watching this. Your 12-13 year olds might like it if they're just looking for some occasional cheap laughs and 2-dimensional characters with bright colours.

This was truly an unexpected gem of the Winter season. It was a surprisingly funny, yet emotional and epic anime for sure. It takes a while to really pick up, but once it does, it never looks back. Studio C2C have been quietly doing a great job with some of their recent works, such as Majo no Tabitabi, Tensei shitara Ken Deshita, and now this anime, which showcased some very impressive and sharpened animation and fight scenes that could make some of the elite studios quiver in their boots just a little bit. I think this show nails tonal shifts very well, and it kind of reminds me of Golden Kamuy, where one scene they could be making the lewdest of lewd jokes, but the next scene, people are being murdered. It’s really quite something. The story isn’t very special, as it’s about a Handyman called Saitou, reincarnated into another world where unlike in his original world, the people treat him with much more respect, and he feels more needed. He uses his handyman skills to help out his party with lock-picking, opening treasure chests, a lot of practical things. The first few episodes are very comedy-based, with somewhat disconnected skits to introduce the characters, and while some of the jokes hit real good, it was definitely the weakest part of the series. It shifts into a more plot-based story after that, and boy, it really got good after that. It went through a full 180, but it worked out in the end with some very meaningful and emotional backstories, along with some solid character writing in the process. It doesn’t hold back in any way, whether it’s the jokes, the action, or even the gore. The cast is quite the goofy bunch, but they’re a very solid cast of characters. Apart from Saitou, we have an old magician who forgets his spells every so often called Morlock, a healing fairy called Lafanpan, and a strong Knight in Raelza. Their interactions can be comedy gold, but can also be very emotional. They’re a very tight knit party who clearly care about each other, and form great friendships and relationships that made for great dynamics. The side characters and antagonists also were decent, as each character had a certain degree of depth, some more than others, and it’s always a breath of fresh air when the villains have a backstory of their own instead of just being evil for the sake of being evil. The animation is good overall, but when the plot gets serious, the animation goes up to another level. Some of the fight scenes were very well animated, and got me on the edge of my seat with how epic they were. The OST also accompanies the atmospheres very nicely, although the OP and ED weren’t all that great. Overall, this show encompasses goofy and epic all in one package, and if there was one isekai besides MagiRevo that I would recommend people to check out, it would be this one. Genuinely, one of the better shows of the season, and it came as a very pleasant surprise. Do give this one a chance.

You know what? If there is a studio that I can trust being assigned to produce quality Isekai shows in this day and age, it's C2C: the studio's name moniker of "Challenge 2 Challenge" is truly a fitting name for the studio itself, challenging itself by pumping out some great Isekai/fantasy shows of the last few years. Seriously, fuck grinding levels. Fuck OP protagonists. And furthermore, fuck harems. Because for all intents and purposes, other than MagiRevo being the top Isekai for me this Winter 2023 season, mangaka Kazutomo Ichitomo's Benriya Saitou-san, Isekai ni Iku a.k.a. Handyman Saito in Another World, it's the slice-of-life adventure comedy fantasy Isekai show that I never thought I've needed until now, being to me, the best sleeper hit of the slew of many Isekai shows, and the show that's one of the most underrated ones that you should ought to pay most attention to this season. Let's cover from the bad to the good sides of the show, and also extending to its manga counterpart. Written by Kazutomo Ichitomo, Benriya Saitou-san, Isekai ni Iku a.k.a. Handyman Saito in Another World is yet another Isekai fantasy show like the many that came before and after it, and the manga itself is presented in a 4-koma a.k.a 4-panel page (like most CGDCT works) format, essentially short stories that don't make for a cohesive story. But when you consider the world at large, it makes sense since there's a lot of POV sequences pertaining to the main squad of Handyman Saitou and his party of mercenaries. Though there is not much of a story to tell, there is a semblance of a plot that starts with the Japanese handyman Saito himself being summoned to another world, he's designed to do just one thing and one thing only: he's professionally skilled in appraising and repairing items and picking locks. That's the sole reason why the series' title is as such. Where the show shines, it's in the characters involved in what is supposedly a normal endeavour to explore the fantasy world and form the world-building all at once. Obviously, the weakest link is Saitou himself, the young handyman from Japan, who's feeling inadequate in his job despite the skills developed, and in his dejection over getting fired by his unappreciative boss, accidentally gets himself Truck-kun-ed into the fantasy world, where he was taken in by an adventuring party. With the supposed party members' personal quirks hindering their performance, Saitō begins lending them a helping hand by carrying essentials, picking locks and giving them vital reminders, this makes him indispensable to the party he's attached to, finding a sense of purpose that's better than his old life back on Earth. Saitou's party consists of the main figher warrior Raelza, the moonlight fairy Lafanpan and the old geezer mage Morlock. For Raelza, she is the adopted daughter of Morlock, for she was found as a slave girl when he took her in. And despite her strong image, she detests long, slimy creatures, and especially has a self-consciousness, since she has a crush on Saitou, but is admittedly too shy to even confess to him. For Lafanpan, she is the fairy who has healing powers, but this all comes at the cost of charging fees in gold coins from even friends and allies. This has a reason though, because her fairy race was cursed by the Goddess of the Moon to be shrunk down to size, so the gold coins amount to sacrifices made to ensure that the promise is kept. For Morlock, he's the strongest power-fest of the party, but this comes at the cost of his STM, forgetting incantation spells, other than the usual case of elderly bad and breaking bones, and the all-too-familiar womanizer trait. Overall, great diversity amongst the main party, which bar more often than not, bring some hilarity across the table, together with the side cast...which can feel like a lot. Take for example, Franlil and Ninia. The high-elf with the human cleric assistant, both are rather weak with underdeveloped magical abilities, but work hard to measure up to strength for the troubles that come after that. Also, I find it funny that the cleric is all in for Yuri undertones with Franlil, which again, adds diversity in the character cast. Not a single character feels wasted in this "side story" plot that when all comes together, makes for a show that celebrates the adventurer life at its most unglam, yet heartwarming to sit all the way through from start to finish. Throughout the years, C2C is the studio that I can trust when it comes to Isekai/fantasy shows, the most noteworthy being Fall 2020's Majo no Tabitabi a.k.a Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina, Summer 2021's Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy, and the most recent being last season's Tensei Shitara Ken Deshita a.k.a Reincarnated as a Sword. The past 2-3 years was what I feel like the studio has finally found its stride in producing some of the most memorable shows (that is all except PuraOre! Pride of Orange, that idol show was a mistake). Directed by Majo no Tabitabi's director Toshiyuki Kubooka, whom this show is his 2nd Isekai/fantasy rondo, I can feel safe knowing that this show has been done great, and the upcoming Shangri-La Frontier's anime adaptation (also by Kubooka) will be more of the same. The OST, however, feels like a hit or miss. Teary Planet's OP "kaleidoscope" and Konoco's ED "Hidamari no Saido" are songs that I have a mixed reception about being the show's theme songs as it kinda fits and not to varying degrees of suitability. Not to say that these songs are bad, but I kinda wish that there're other songs that would fit this show better and proper. It's the run-of-the-mill Isekai/fantasy, yet it's also Dungeons & Dragons-ish, and that to me, is a marriage made in Isekai land that I seriously didn't know I needed. The show has been a delight overall, and it's just sad that it's very underrated, even flying under the radar for most of the season. But I implore you, if there is an Isekai you NEED to watch this season, make sure it's this one, and it'll set you right in the comfort of your own couch potato with tons of laughter.

Benriya Saitou-san, Isekai ni Iku is quite a serie. Remember watching the initial teaser PV and thinking: “an isekai that will actually focus on its fantasy elements and the development of his main character instead of just being another otaku pandering? That’s something I need to check!”, and surprisingly, it was actually like that… Well, kinda. Saitou is a handyman, and he’s good at it, but being undervalued led him to be not too confident about his own skills and overall utility, and now, after being given another chance in another world, he has to prove to others and himself what he’s very capable of. More than being escapism, it’s about finding our own place where we can feel comfortable with whom we are and what we can do, so it’s normal some people can relate with Saitou in some aspect. A very interesting approach handled in the correct way. Something very peculiar this serie has is its format, similar to short skits stamped on one single anime episode, very unexpected taking into consideration the initial impression. It’s not that every one of these skits are unrelated from each other like in an episodic serie, they’re still part of one big plot, and they actually worked out in some aspects: first, they helped to set the serie’s overall mood as a more lightweight one, with a pretty big amount of comical situations; and second, they managed to introduce the characters, both mains and secondaries, with enough simplicity to get to know all of them without feeling overwhelmed by the big quantity. Worldbuilding is also shown in a very straightforward way thanks to this format; it’s not really that different from your typical fantasy videogame world, where levels and classes exist, and people can even die and get revived if they are on time, but the more we get to know the characters, the more we know about their roles and some of the rules of this world, again, in a very straightforward way so it’s really easy to follow. At the end of the day, this “short episodes” format, while a little controversial, had its good things. Unfortunately, this is also where the serie’s biggest gripes comes out, because the more we dig into the story, all these aspects start to get thicker, and this lightweight format starts to hinder all this serie’s potential. Sooner than later, after all the introductions were done, the first major threat appears, the series turns into a darker route, and the stakes start to raise, and while they managed to keep it in the correct mood most of the time, the high tension that was built fails to be constant. What I mean by saying this is that the serie was able to set a solid base to a very big plot, focused on its characters, their development and how they interact with the world, but the lack of linearity and a strong narrative prevented these aspects to be as solid as they should. Look for example episodes 5-7, we got the first linear arc, where some mysteries were established, good actions sequences, there was space for secondary characters to stand out, good chemistry among them and the main cast, and even some character development for some of them; but at the same time we got some very short and forgettable moments of tension, some bad guys with interesting motivations we could barely care (honestly, I would’ve cared more about Kisurugi and Lavella love story, a very lovely and emotional one, if they would’ve… well… talked each other at least one time?), some forced drama, and flashbacks of a major character past… what was so fleeting it didn’t strike as hard as it should, because it feels it was placed there just to fill a quota. This is all due to the serie’s format, that was jumping from one segment to another, which avoided giving any of them the correct time to set a more solid a linear idea. Now let’s talk about the characters, one of the strongest points of the serie, but also hindered by its problems: >Saitou is pretty interesting character. When the serie focuses on him, we get to know more about his perspective of this new world customs in contrast to the old one, but also his insecurities and how he struggles to put his skills in service of others. Soon he becomes an important part of the team, either by being a locksmith, carrying equipment and helping with the magic, up to the point that he uses his intelligence to strategize and being a leader. Throughout the serie he goes from “I need to find a way to help my team” to “maybe it’s not much, but there are things that only I can do”, subtlety adopting a more confident yet still doubtful personality, which is nice to see. Problem is, this is not as progressive as it should; by the time episode 3 dropped, there was a skit when Saitou got sick and the rest of the party went to the dungeon without him, having a really bad time, and at the end, they and Saitou realized how important he was for them, almost feeling like the serie already fulfilled part of its purpose, even though there was still more of Saitou development to be shown. >Morlock, the old mage, which initially seemed to be the comic relief, ended up being arguably the best character in the serie, giving him a strong personality moved by his tragic past and the mysteries surrounding him. It’s a shame that, again, those aspects were touched in a shallow way, with the flashback of his past stamped in the middle of a fraught fight more like a tearjerk than a way to strengthen his character, although it managed to do that in some extent. >Lafanpan is there just to be a support, both for the team and for every member, either by helping Saitou to gain some confidence or be a friend and a wingman to Raelza. Nothing much to say about her, she’s ok. >Raelza is the warrior of the group. Although she’s likable and fulfills her role well, it’s sad to say that she’s maybe the weakest character in the main group. Her personality revolves mostly about being the protective guardian and being in love with Saitou for no apparent reason. This is another aspect that got harmed by the serie’s inconsistent format, since we saw how their relationship got more serious and ended up in a pleasant happy ending, but at the same time, we never got shown how they built up this relationship, or how they even felt in love each other. This is not a romance story, of course it doesn’t need to be full focused on a slowly build up, but their interaction was almost non-existent aside for the normal party teamwork and some moments of Raelza simping for Saitou. With that being said, I think Benriya Saitou-san, Isekai ni Iku is still a good proof of how this kind of stories still work out with the correct approach. I wouldn’t call this serie “underrated” or “hidden gem” thought, because it got the rate it deserves, something that the serie itself acknowledges. The short skit format, which helps in some aspect, also limits some others, but it’s not that the serie is wasting its own potential; it preferred to keep it like that, being a more lightweight story with a deeper background, but scratching the surface. It’s a serie that is perfectly enjoyable for what it is, but hardly will be remembered except for some few punctual moments, and THIS IS PERFECTLY FINE, the serie is fine by itself…but just that, fine, which at the same time is kind of sad.

Handyman Saitou feels a lot like the author wanted to write an isekai that was different and went from there. The result is, in my opinion, something that feels unique but not special. A lot of people were able to see it as a goofy fantasy that fixed the problems they had with other isekai, and good for them, but for me it was a pretty mediocre collection of skits that eventually became an even more mediocre couple of story arcs. Sometimes the formula is what it is for a reason, and you should have a better idea of what you're doing before trying to deviate from it, because in trying so hard to do its own thing it forgets to do any more than the bare minimum of character development and backstory while it hammers you with Saitou talking about how nice it is to be wanted. It all feels very surface-level, which should be fine for a 4-koma gag manga, but Handyman Saitou clearly wants to be more than that, and it ends up just feeling boring and shallow. I couldn't really get invested in anyone, especially not the perverted old man who is basically the focus of both story arcs. The girls in Saitou's party are cute, yes, and it's nice to see one wear proper armor for a change, but they don't have much more going for them, as they don't actually play major roles in the story and mostly serve to make lucky pervert gags with Saitou and give him someone to romance. Overall, while it was occasionally funny or cute, to me Handyman Saitou really doesn't provide the substance it seems to think it does, and its unique presentation does it no favors.

Usually when I do reviews, I like to talk about the characters and story of a show, kissing upon the border of spoilers while still remaining in the safe zone. I like to tell people about the characters personalities, and loose gist of the story as I find those to be the most interesting inside other reviews. I want to know what kind of people they are and whether or not I should waste 6 hours on the story following them. Handyman Saitou is a unique case where there isn't any story and the characters are at best shallow in their characterization and at worst serve no purpose. Other reviews on here have charitably rated this show higher than a 2, don't get the impression that it is anything more than that dear reader. This show is mostly vignettes with maybe 5 episodes being story arcs that try to convince you to feel bad for bad people or monsters with stock emotional backstories (This doesn't happen, but imagine a bandit going around killing people for money to buy his mother medicine type stuff). The show also tends to waste a lot of time creating backstories for characters and in some instances, these are irrelevant to what's going on. You might think the premise is interesting, but really Saitou's use as a handyman is mostly only shown in a few vignettes at the beginning and some near the end. He's essentially a glorified lockpick who recalls spell incantations for the wizard. The rest of what is going on is the most barebones of a fantasy story. Almost like the author has never played or read a fantasy game/story and knows of it only by osmosis. This is the kind of fantasy story your old middle manager who watches football would write if he was forced to. As for the tone of it, it's not that funny and it's attempts at humor are half-hearted. There's not enough depth for a drama. They don't go anywhere but to the dungeon and back, so it doesn't really fit an adventure. There's action, sure, but it only really gets heavy in a few story moments. It's certainly not a romance and it's too unrelatable and doesn't make you wish you were there day to day to be a slice of life. So what is it? It's a waste of time is what it is, a waste of time anime. Don't waste your time. Avoid it at all cost.

“Handyman Saitou in Another World” is what happens when someone wants to make an anime in tiktok format. It’s a “story” (and I use this word loosely) about a blue collar worker who gets summoned (by accident I may add) to a fantasy world and joins forces with 3 adventurers to survive. Saitou - our main hero and the person who we follow the most. He’s a handyman skilled in lockpicking (and probably locksmithing), simple leather works, repairing items and appraising (somehow). He has a serious case of inferiority complex and once in a while acts like he could have a mild case of a depressive state. He’s a hard worker who desires to be useful to others and wants to find a place where he will be needed and appreciated. He’s also boring. Personality trait wise there is nothing in him that could make him something more than just an avatar for the viewer. This show doesn't have an overarching plot. It’s made in short mini episodes stacking 3 to 5 in one episode. Some of them are a continuation of the previous but the pacing is destroyed. At some point there is a pretty dumb rhythm to the episode. One episode will be about a fight with a powerful enemy, only to show a retrospective in the next just to get back to the fight in the third, then again a retrospective etc. It kills all sense of tension and I can’t say that I like it. For the episode plots themselves they are… cliche AF. There is nothing in here that could be considered original or clever and it relies on his characters to pick up the slack. Raelza - Fighter / tank of the team. She’s proud, for most of the shy, in love with Saitou and… boring. She’s a cardboard cutout of any anime girl in love and even the fact, she’s a competent fighter does nothing to make her interesting. She can be a little bit interesting when she shows some jealousy when Saitou talks with other women or other adventurers try to hog him for themselves. Lafanpan - A moonlight fairy with a capitalistic attitude towards her skills. If she’s going to use her skills for someone, she better get paid (unless it’s a life or death situation). She does have a pretty good reason to be like that and that’s a reason that makes some sense so it makes her a little bit more interesting than Saitou and Raelza. She’s also the party’s cleric that loves to tease Raelza about her crush on Saitou. Morlock - The only actually interesting character of the team. That’s partly because a lot of his backstory is explored during the show but also because she’s actually entertaining. He’s a powerful mage. His magic power is dwarfed only by his libido. He’s a foster father for Raelza but he treats Saito and Lafanpan as his children as well. He has a tragic past but unlike most anime this tragic past is tragic not only for what happens to him, but also that it is really believable. After seeing it You really get a feel that someone like that really could do something like that. Hell… I know a person who would almost 100% make the same mistake. He has problems with memory, both shortterm and longterm. He forgets spell incantations, names, quest goals and even his own status. The best character of the show by far. For a show that is runs fully by his characters the characters are… boring. Except for Morlock like I stated before. The best parts of the show are related to Morlock which is a shame because I really wanted more exploration of the dynamics of all the party members. Despite that, this show is surprisingly enjoyable. As long as You go in without any expectations, or a bottle of whiskey, You can derive enjoyment from it. The dynamic between Saito and Raelza or Saito and Morlock or Raelza and Lafanpan are really interesting despite the little time that they get. I can’t say I don’t recommend this show, the premise is really interesting and right up my alley but the execution makes it hard for me to recommend this with a clear conscience.

With a narrative that's as chopped up as the onion I put into my dinner last night, along with an unhealthy fascination on the male genitalia, Benriya Saitou-san, Isekai ni Iku is a very peculiar isekai... and I'm not sure in a good way. Animation / Art / General Visuals - 7/10 ----------------------------------------------- If there's one aspect of the show to praise, it's probably the visual quality. The animations are pretty good, along with a nice standard art style. The background scenery is pretty boring, but that's probably because the setting of the story didn't really offer anything more interesting to draw. The fights along with spell effects are quite nice to watch in terms of art and animation, though the actual fight scene setup and coordination is pretty poor. Seems like whomever directed the show either didn't have enough detail from the source material or just had no idea what to do with the scenes. So yeah... I'm kinda torn between wanting to praise the artists who actually did the drawing, but at the same time, I want to flame the art director or whomever was responsible for the scene setup in general, because it was lame as hell. Sound / Music / Voice Acting - 7/10 ------------------------------------------ Fairly standard anime stuff. A few nice tracks, but nothing particularly noteworthy. Story - 5/10 ------------- I have watched hundreds of anime in my life and this is the first time I've seen this kind of a narrative. Several episodes are straight up jumbled, garbled, with bits and pieces all over the place. You start with our MC already in the middle of some dungeon crawl with a party, then you flash to some unknown character in the middle of nowhere, then back to the MC's party but now they're chilling in an Inn, then you flash to another new character halfway across the world, then back to the MC and now it's in the past, back to some new characters in the future, back to past, present, MC, random, MC, random. Like HOLY SHIT, there was no narrative continuity or pacing to speak of. It's like someone took the first page from every chapter of a manga and made an anime scene of it, and just sewed them together without any care for coherency. Now, because this is the first time I've seen this, I'm not going to be super critical because maybe some people will like this. But man, it rubbed me the wrong way. Moving on from the narrative mess, the actual story is... terrible. It's an absolutely ridiculously cliche Isekai of Truck-Kun taking another victim. Our MC lands in a fantasy world, becomes an adventurer, finds a shy GF, makes some random friends of every fantasy race imaginable, does some random dungeon crawling, defeats some random ass villain that showed up in the last episode or something, and that's that. The story is just so uninspiring on so many levels. It tries to throw in these mini-arcs of random characters going through some crazy ass traumatic, depressive, tragic shit, in order to give the story and characters some depth, but it feels empty. There's no soul behind it. There's not enough time for us as viewers to care, and the narrative is so all over the place it just makes it worse. Also - there were way too many weird penis jokes for no reason. Did we really need to know that one side character has a 30cm cock, and the MC only has a 15cm one? Do we really need pan to the 25cm tall Fairy to promote our imagination of how big those dicks would be in comparison to her? Do we really need to pan to the MC's romance interest to see how much she cares about the dude's pecker size? And don't get me started on how they had like a 4 episode arc about finding a dude's penis that was eaten by a dog... Like... could we not? Gintama would have trouble making such a topic enjoyable to watch. Characters - 5/10 --------------------- Okay, the score seems rough, but hear me out. The characters themselves aren't all necessarily that bad in essence. BUT HOLY HELL is the writing TERRIBLE. And not just the writing, but the pacing is so off. Characters spout completely random exposition, or say lines that seem on a 5 minute delay, leading to some of the weirdest battle scenes ever. Characters seemingly forget their entire personalities and what they know or what they were doing, just to spout obvious commentary about the situation. It's absolutely bizarre. It feels like the director was given an outline of a scene, aka: "The party fights this monster here. They defeat it like so, but have a hard time. So make it happen, and ummm... write some dialogue for them so we can pad the runtime of the anime a bit." That's what it feels like. Fight scenes are so drawn out, full of so much unnecessary gibberish. I also have a strange feeling that the show inserted a bunch of Gay romance in for no particular reason other than to showcase how liberal they are about sexuality. Like, I'm okay with any sexuality, but they literally made 2 gay characters with no other personality traits other than that they were gay. Like why? That's an insult to people of any sexuality when you make it their entire personality. Like they literally made a girl who partied up with another girl, just so she could heal her wounds and slowly get her to like her. She had nothing else on her mind. Just: "wait until my love interest gets hurt, so that I can heal her and get me some action." Then they had a gay dude who's only trait was to immediately develop a crush on the MC. Which was not explored whatsoever. MC's main female romance interest just blushed once for jealousy and that was it. Like come on. Don't write blanket gay characters into the show just to give them one scene of them being horny. And then forget all about them. That's weird and lame. --- Total - 6/10 --- Benriya Saitou-san, Isekai ni Iku is a pretty decent Isekai in terms of production values, however the story and characters, along with weird ass narrative, pacing, and terrible dialogue really do bring it down a fair bit. Again, maybe it's just me. Maybe this weird, jumping all over the place narrative and a bunch of penis jokes is actually a modern revolution that's gonna take over the world of anime or something, but I didn't care for it and I'd rather never see it again. If you are a big Fantasy Isekai fan, the show is still probably worth a watch.

Do you enjoy extremely boring and bland anime? Well, this one is for you, this anime was created as an experiment by its mangaka, to see if he can truly hit that fine balance of extreme blandness and man, did he achieve it! This anime may as well be the finest of all bland ones out there, it has no drama, it has no conflict, nothing stands out but shockingly there is nothing bad about it either. Its the kind of anime you put on as noise in the background while making dinner and because its pure vanilla, you somehow did not miss a thing!

Tired of overpowered MCs in isekai who can solve every issue in front of them without putting any effort in? Want a normal guy who you can relate to and that doesn’t act like an idiot? You’re in luck, Isekai Saitou is one of the most unique takes on the isekai genre and you will not regret checking this one out! I thought I had seen it all before in anime. I never imagined the day would come when I would watch a literal handyman in another world. What’s so cool about this show is that the MC is an average guy with no special abilities or power ups. It’s just him and the handy tools he’s brought from Earth. He’s forced to rely on his party members for support and using his handy skills to help out. There’s no harem, no usual cliches, just a genuinely good fantasy story here. I really can’t emphasise how much I enjoyed this show’s storytelling methods. It had a really cool style of showing seemingly random characters and arcs and then tying them together later on. I appreciate the show don’t tell style of storytelling a lot so that was a big bonus for me. In addition to the story and cool MC, the show has a great party mechanic. With Saitou being the weakest of his party, he naturally has to rely on his party members for any combat needs. This is a really useful technique that I wish more authors would use. Making your MC OP usually kills the side characters because they will never get opportunity to shine. Making the MC weak forces those other characters to get things done. Every single member of the party is equally useful which is really rare in this genre. Usually you get that token fan-service character who’s only there to look cute, but here everyone matters and without the full squad things would not work. The party members also feel like a genuine family with some really good chemistry between the main cast. The show is largely character driven and it just works with how tight knit this group is. They’re not without their flaws, they do have arguments and fallings-out, but always manage to come back together and I really felt like I was apart of that group with them. No complaints with any of the characters’ writing here. C2C actually really impressed me with the animation quality they brought in the last couple of episodes. There was some genuinely impressive Sakuga in those fights. That wasn’t really the norm for the majority of the series. It wasn’t bad, but just pretty mediocre until that big fight at the end. Maybe they were saving the budget/resources. The art style is actually really nice, it’s a rather muted colour palette that gives off a real fantasy vibe. Character designs are decent too. I’d say if you’re short on time and want one of the more slept on shows this season, this is definitely one of the ones to watch. It’s not your typical isekai and is really good watch with a unique MC, engaging party dynamic and a rich world. I was left wanting more and I think you will be too. Isekai Saitou gets 9 out of 10.

In today's anime industry, you've probably heard of the infamous 'Truck-kun' meme at one point or another. Unless you've been living under a rock, truck-kun has become synonymous with isekai anime, as it is the main catalyst responsible for sending a protagonist to a fantasy world. Don't believe me? Just ask the handyman Saitou. Watching Handyman Saitou in Another World immediately made me keep expectations in check for it represents the standard of isekai anime these days. A short list to cross off includes a main protagonist with a certain set of skills, a party consisting of at least one female protagonist, and a fantasy world with RPG-like elements. Speaking of the protagonist, Saitou is the handyman, who is skilled with tools as the title suggests. So does this anime offer something new to the audience, or is it one of those dumpster fire that follows the popular trend of isekai anime that we've seen endlessly? I don't want to throw this anime out the window and judge it just based on the premise because sometimes, there may be surprising that awaits us in these type of shows. The first episode came and went like most isekai, however. Saitou is a working man who gets hit by a truck and sent to another world. He's a handyman so naturally, he possesses skills related to operating tools. Joining him in his adventures is the swordswoman Raezla, who manages to develop a crush on him. The anime makes it obvious about her feelings although Saitou himself is obvlious. Saitou and Raezla's relationship does reach a peak at one point when they realize how much they need to each other. But do they become an actual couple? Well, this isn't a romance story and it wasn't the author's intention for them to form a family. I'll leave it to your imagination but let's just say that the two are like adventure buddies. Joining them on their adventure includes the wizard Morlock and fairy Lafanpan. Don't be fooled by their appearance because their abiliies are overall invaluable to the team. And to be honest, every main character besides Saitou in the anime has a degree of charisma. Saitou is too normal to get thrilled about his character and borderlines being a sidekick despite being the main protagonist. Sometimes, I feel like the show just wanted a helpful protagonist rather than one that shines like a superstar. However, I do want to praise some of the character chemistry among the cast. Specifically, Saitou and Raezla has shares an unique relationship that is built on companionship. At one point in the show, they declare that they need each other. Sure, it's not a love confession but it shows that they appear to be more than just friends. Because this is a fantasy isekai, a lot of common tropes fills the list including exploring dungeons, fighting monsters, and dealing with out of ordinary events. Unfortunately, this anime doesn't offer any unique presence for its bestiary. Monsters like demonic wolves, succubus, and slimes are type of creatures you can find in just about any fantasy anime. It doesn't help the show makes a recurring trend for slimes to somehow slip into Raelza's body, turning her into a fan service fest. No, this anime isn't ecchi but it doesn't hide Raezla's presence as more than a female warrior. Don't believe me? Just watch when her armor falls off for some reason or when Saitou ends up in her bed during one of those flashbacks. To be honest, Handyman Saitou in Another World is actually quite entertaining once you get into the character cast. They carry this anime together and it's hard to ignore the chemistry among the cast. Even Saitou himself can be watchable once you realize how helpful he can be. The problem may be his inferiority complex that holds him back but at the same time, he's a couragous man who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. However, you'll have to check your expectations in regards to the story narrative and plot development. It feel directionless and even with some occasional background stories, I never understood the true purpose of the show. It's one of those anime that you'll just have to ride along once it gets going. With a history of adapting fantasy light novels, C2C fundamentally adapts this show to its style that is neither extravagant or underwhelming. It hits the right notes in making our characters vibrant and faithful to their designs. Raezla in particular has her alluring figure and expressions that speaks more than her body language. Featuring mostly an adult cast, some characters do fall out of expectations in terms of design. An example would be Lilzya who feels like she's out of place in this show. The action sequences on most parts looks well chereographed without too being outlandish. Overall, it's acceptable in terms of animation quality. Handyman Saitou in Another World is a decent show if you watch it for the sake of a fantasy adventure but don't expect it to be much different from the standard isekai. It has many of its shared tropes and elements. If anything, I'd focus a lot on the characters and hopefully, somehow, you can accept them for who they are. If not, this anime can be a pain to check off your watchlist.

“What the fuck” the Anime Rating 8/10 maderakas I watched one episode of this anime and immediately added it to my ‘chill vibes’ folder. It seemed like a good anime to have on in the background, with anthologies telling multiple stories and no rush for a big plot HOLY SHIT this anime takes a turn. If you think you can guess an episodes plot, you’ll be wrong. It’s funny at times, gory at times, sometimes sad and others with fan service. It crashes all the storylines together in the middle of the season and proves that nothing was just there for no reason. I genuinely thought characters would die at points. Story 7/10 I enjoyed this anime a lot, but it’s not what it seems. It’s weird and disjointed and then everything is happening all at once, but it’s good. The last episode is hilarious. Characters 9/10 Everyone was interesting! Background characters grew as people and they all had their own lives and quirks! Romance 6/10 Occasionally frustrating and slow burn but cute. Everyone ships it except Guivre Also Morlock is the main character.

Every cour I try to watch an isekai and most of the time I get bored or annoyed and bail, but this isekai was different.One of the strengths of the series is that our main character Saitou not only is an average guy in our world but he came to the world as he was in our world, so we got to skip the super annoying monologues that come with isekai in which someone is reincarnated into another person who suddenly wakes up with their past life personality in charge of their body. Every episode is a series of shorts, some more interconnected than others. Most of the time there's a lot of comedy to them but there are some dramatic story lines as well. The characters are unique and shine immediately. Sometimes the humor falls flat, but most of the time the jokes are funny. The dramatic story lines at times seemed stronger than the funnier ones, and it was fun to feel how much I cared about each character as the series progressed. If you're looking for a well but fast paced anime with some funny moments and drama and don't mind some sophomoric jokes, then you might just like this anime.

Isekai about your average Joe (or whatever they call analog in Japan), who got isekai'd into more or less realistic rpg-like world. MC did not get any super powers and just do his thing to try to survive in new world. Surprisingly result is pretty good. Story does not always follow main protagonist and gives perspective of other characters rather frequently. The way it all comes together is beautiful and interesting to watch. Really nice story with happy end. Minimal fanservice, no harem, but it seems that he will get his personal life sorted out. Combat looks cool, quality overall is good.

TLDR: Satisfying, Funny and Wholesome Definitely recommend overall, in some ways especially initially it's very disorienting and the order and pacing are weird, but you also notice production quality and nice little "flairs" though that's also part of it's weakness, I think it's core is very basic/mediocre but it has been "enhanced" with all sort of spices/decorations/flair. But I felt like even it's initially weak core, got better over time so I do want to give it at least an 8 even if at it's core it's maybe a 6 or 7, the "Style" really adds bonus points. On top of that of course I also count things like Comedy and such. Although the MC isn't specifically relatable to me, he does remind me a lot of my dad. Everything Saitou can do, my dad can do as well and he's very similar when it comes to being "a handyman" in which personally I often feel like a failure, mind you I am a jack of all trades as well, but only when it comes to knowledge my practical skills are abysmal. So although a personal sense of jealously and failure can't escape me, I can still see it and appreciate it, as IMO practical skills like that and just being able to make and fix anything are some of the most useful skills you can have. I just don't have the motor skills for it. But for example when he makes a little backpack, that's exactly the kind of thing my dad would/could do and make it seem effortlessly while I can't possibly imagine myself doing something like that. Pretty much all the characters are unique, funny and likable apart from maybe a few. But even one of the people that has the least screen time and never interacts with the main cast, is hilarious and one of my favorite characters. In a way this show is both very predictable and very random. The main story itself is predictable but kind of in a good and satisfying way. While aside from that completely random shit happens largely for the sake of comedy or keeping it fresh I guess. Which although maybe a bit cheap, is very much effective. It's wholesome, the last episode was both especially weird and wholesome, I do think they could have done a few things better. But it is a satisfying ending regardless. (It's just the thing that kept getting interrupted didn't actually happen even in the last episode, now presumably if there's ever a second season it will happen in that season, but I would have like for it to happen at the end of this one, they were defenitly teasing it but then didn't do it.) I actually expected this show to be relatively "safe" and not have a bunch of fan service, which tbf it doesn't. But it can be very random and unhinged with it's "fan service/sexual stuff" which you generally don't expect from the vibes. Btw don't worry guys 15cm is above average. Also the outro is pretty good and again I like the "style/decoration" for example the clay stuff is really just once again one of those little bonus things that in the end make this from a 7 into an 8 if you ask me.

If you're tired of the overpowered MC trope or maybe hate MC's who are weak, wimpy, and make the most irrational decisions for god knows why, Then this is the show you're looking for. The MC of this show is just a normal guy with a normal job that happens to get transported in another world and he is by no means OP, However he is without a doubt the most reliable guy you could depend upon because he is a handyman and his skills in the fantasy world is something outstanding because he could quite literally do most stuff with his skills like picking locks, opening treasure chests, make armor renovations, make some useful necessities, memorize the incantations of magic so that their mage can cast magic because he forgets it every time, give support in battles, etc. Bro is literally a CHAD, And one more thing he also he keeps the party in position and not fuck up so yeah. If he isn't a CHAD then I don't know what else to call him, Also it's not harem so that is like plus 100 points in my book(like really finally some Isekai with no hoe collecting like damn) This is a Slice of Life Isekai show so there really isn't a clear endgame or goal that the story is moving up to so there isn't much that I can say about the story but let's talk about it. The show starts off really quick, MC was already transported in the fantasy world by the first scene but we do get a flashback and back story about the MC in later episodes. One of the things that this show did is that it introduced like the entire cast of the show in the first few episodes so it got me confused at first when it was just showing new characters every scene. The flow of the story is also very messy, not messy in a bad way but messy in a good way because all these random ass things are happening every time and they just go with it but it's also very funny that I don't even question it like "yeah man I got poisoned and died and some wolf ate my private part and now I'm a half undead and after getting back my magicules from the wolf I became a furry and now I'm young again" and I just sat there thinking "yeah that totally makes sense, keep going!". The one thing that I liked most about this show is that the characters, Because this show is heavily character driven all the characters in this show are just the most normal, logical, and lovable characters you'd find in the Isekai genre. To start off we have the MC being the weakest in his party but is equally efficient as the others because without him the party struggles with their formation and they do not get the support that the MC gives them to have a better time in their labyrinth hunting, One of the things that I also like is that how the other characters can also shine and have their moment of glory because the MC isn't like other Isekai MC's where he is OP and can solve most problems and mysteries in a matter of seconds with his magic or something. Every single character in this show is as good as the MC and they all have good dynamics and chemistry towards each other including the other casts and the comedy hits you in a good way because of this as well. C2C has earned my praise for really giving the show an impressive animation and production quality. All the fight scenes we're so good and it was god damn fire I'm telling you, Especially the last fight of this season it had some really impressive sakuga in the fights and I could ask for nothing more. The art is also pretty nice and the character designs we're decent probably more average looking but it doesn't ruin anything about the show. Overall I enjoyed this show a lot and I highly recommend it to Isekai fans who are looking for something new and refreshing, Just remind you that there is no insane world building type of stuff in here so keep that in mind.

Overall, Studio C2C graced us with a beautiful dark fantasy, about a handyman trying to find his worth in another world. The relationships between the characters really make the story fulfilling and fun to watch. The anime doesn't follow generic tropes as other isekai and the adult spontaneous comedy really make the show a thrill to enjoy. Style- 2d, Dark fantasy, with smooth animation Enjoyment- Loved the cute relationships between the characters, Marlock is awesome and hilarious, the adult humor and jokes were a breath of fresh air, unique relationships between characters, jokes made references and poked fun at other works and isekais. Unique- Not a cookie cutter isekai(OP MC), charming story with mature cometic theme, good dark fantasy animation style, the jumpy story keeps the action going and is entertaining, the story fills you in thoroughly, hilarious journey, good character storytelling to fully understand and express them. disappointing- The story jumps around a lot like 4 koma scenes, not too much progression in story, relationships don't progres enough, every character gets a background story so a lot of backtracking happens, Wish Saitou had more to his character and skills, he is very underwhelming, some characters were dragged out way longer than necessary along with the story.

Handyman Saito fails miserably as a comedic slice-of-life show. The comedic setups fall too short and the scenes go by lightning-fast. Not surprising, considering that the source material is 4-Koma-like: each chapter is only a few pages. I might have laughed at one scene of the many attempts at the show trying to be funny. However, as much as I was disappointed with the comedy, the more serious parts of the story really carry the show. I thought this show to be like Saito himself: jack of all trades, master of none. The show tries to be funny, be serious and has its hand dipped in romance as well. As a result, none of the themes really would stick. I was thankfully proven wrong. The serious, continuous storyline is actually better than most isekai shows out there. It's actually funny how good it is. The villains have much more characterization than a typical hero's journey story regarding a hero and demon king, and the characters themselves are eased into the story as it goes along. The show does a much better job at converging storylines than Odd Taxi, and all of the characters that you see in isolation eventually come together to form relationships with each other, and that's truly satisfying. The best thing about the show is that it doesn't just shove in a random tragic backstory onto an unknown character and call it a day, but like good storytelling, the show introduces the characters' personalities and it's only much more down the line will you be introduced to the backstory of each character. By the time the flashbacks happen, you already like and know the character enough. The pacing isn't slow or fast, and there are always going to be character arcs that flesh out all of the characters. While each chapter in the source material is very short, you can easily create a continuous storyline if you just extend it over many chapters as this author did. And it's a good thing that he did. The episodic comedic shorts are quite unfunny like I was saying before, but the converging storylines between each character as a climactic meeting and fight comes along is quite good. The animation for the fight scenes certainly hides hard-to-animate details, but it actually is better than most isekai fight scenes. It truly isn't that bad, even with some animation shorthand and time saves. It certainly does get a bit cheesy when Saito decides to let someone go after they try killing them, and it's also cheesy when the villains get to live and redeem themselves, but it's not just like Demon Slayer where a tragic backstory is slapped on somebody and they die. Some villains die, some villains redeem themselves, and they all have some sort of backstory that you get to listen to. It's not an obligatory flashback like in Demon Slayer, but one that actually puts the morality of a person into light and not just an afterthought. Overall, much more well done in terms of characterization, moral resolution, and realism compared to a vast majority of Shounen shows that try their hardest to do so. A continuous story obviously means continuous character dynamics and plot. The romance, while slow-burning, isn't just hundreds of chapters of nothing happening between Saito and Raelza, but rather, the romance actually progresses. The romance isn't super cringe, and it's definitely more natural than I would have expected. The character development of Saito in general is much more realistic than I would have expected. He isn't some cringe JP protagonist that whines about soy sauce and rice from his homeland, nor is he particularly homesick. The issue between his wanting to come home and his wanting to stay with his comrades in his current world is clearly explained and delineated: something that again, serious isekai shows fail to do miserably. Saito isn't some transported guy that gets shunned in his new world before "discovering" his OP af abilities and attends magic academy with his harem of girls, but rather just a handyman that wants respect and acknowledgment, and is given it in his new party. Each character has a realistic and deep profile that you can explore as the episodes go by. Other than Saitou, Morlock's personality and past are also heavily scrutinized by the story. He has to face his past, look at the present, and has to acknowledge his failings and accomplishments to go on in life. A surprisingly deep character arc for a lecherous geriatric man. If this show went all in on the continuous storyline, I would have easily given it a higher rating, but as it stands, the episodic shorts are just too unfunny for me to care. The lack of character development in many of the side characters, including even Lafanpan and a little bit of Raelza, as well as the excessive amount of comic relief characters (mainly the dwarf; the king and his entourage are actually the funnier ones), could have been avoided if this show focused completely on its story and worldbuilding rather than it's unfunny episodic segments. If you're only looking for a comedic isekai, there aren't many, but this definitely isn't one of the good ones. Take a look at Eminence in the Shadows, konosuba, or meikyuu black company, as they actually have decent comedic scenes.

I'm on the fence about this one. On one hand it has tense moments, nice character interaction, backstories and chemistry mixing up different stories into one main plot. On the other hand every episode is chopped into short mini episodes without beginning or end (so to speak) where it sends you back and forth in time and between different characters. In the end I understood I wasn't a big fan of this approach, but it was still an interesting idea that I remember was used in the 90's crime movies. It does humor rather well, dramatic moments are well done, but I feel like at times the pace is slower than I would hope for and some scenes are dragged on for my taste. For me it really lacked something that could make it into a great show. Had all the ingredients but barely missed the spot. I wonder if Season 2 is planned and if the studio manages to improve on this.

After watching the trailer for this prior to winter 2023, I had written this one off citing it as a locksmith isekai, which can't be good. After 1 episode of it airing, I began hearing rumblings, so I gave it a shot. I gotta say, I was wrong to judge locksmith isekai so soon, because it actually turned out to be pretty enjoyable comedy wise, and it is one of the best animated series of winter 2023. Unfortunately, like so many isekai this season, it started out well and hit its stride early, but never went anywhere with its plot. I just wrote a review about Isekai Ojisan, who suffers the exact same issue. We have 2 good comedies, that fail to attempt a storyline. With Ojisan, there was absolutely zero effort put into a story, with Benriya, there actually is a small segment of the show that reveals past instances of teleportation from Japan and to Japan, but that's it, that storyline stops there, and the show stalls its way into episode 12 with a rather uneventful ending to this season. Again, like Ojisan, Benriya likes to do this episodic storytelling, that doesn't allow for a flow to the plot that should have developed. Due to this, the series falls flat by the end, and becomes just another mid isekai that just didn't try hard enough. Animation 9/10 - A surprise to see a locksmith isekai be animated so well, with great details, good magic sequences, and great character design. Sound 8/10 - OP and ED are forgettable, sound effects are great through. Story 5/10 - The story is barely recognizable, like I said, they sprinkled some things into some episodes, but then just left it at that, and played the episodic slice of life isekai trend which just makes isekai hard to watch. Characters 6/10 - I like our main cast, Morlock steals the show for sure. I feel though, that characters like Raelza, Lafa, and even Saitou are underdeveloped, and their character growth is barely there. The love interest stuff fell flat too, especially since the last episode does what it does with Lafa. Enjoyment 7/10 - The comedic value, although being overdone with the same jokes sometimes, I feel it helped this series be at least mid-enough to watch to the end. If you can watch isekai with no direction, and like comedy and animation more than story, Benriya can be worth watching. If you want isekai with world building though, this ain't gonna be it fam.