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The isekai sub genre has long been labelled as having the most uninspiring, poorly written stories/characters in the anime industry. Wise Man’s Grandchild, Isekai Cheat Magician, In Another World With My Smartphone, I mean, do I even need to say more? Those shows do have their appeal, there is a reason why they exist after all, but I think it’s a safe bet if I say that we all agree those stories don’t attract an audience with their gripping plots or compelling characters.

In lieu of the convenient and typical fantasy setting, Mushoku Tensei creates a unique world for Rudeus, our protagonist, and us to explore. From its first episodes, we were introduced to intricacies that really help contextualise what world exactly had Rudeus been born into. The inaccuracies of written works, the class system of swordsmen and mages, the folk tales that have spread through generations, the multitude of different languages and cultures. Eventually, through some circumstances, Rudeus moved from his small village hometown to a populous city, and even went to a whole different region of the world that doesn’t speak his mother tongue. The attention to detail the author put into world building did not go unnoticed, and it’s no doubt the reason why many decided to continue following the story.

It is then surprising that even with that much time dedicated to world building, Mushoku Tensei still managed to establish a lovable cast of characters. Rudeus, though on the surface a horny rascal, is really just a compassionate guy when you read between the lines of dirty jokes. The female leads are also spectacular characters; Roxy is the wise figure that manages to be teasing yet mature, every conversation, every written letter with her feels refreshing; Eris starts out arrogant and hard to along with, your typical tsundere, but we witness her subtle growth throughout the show that would be best described as the start of her coming of age journey.

The side characters, on the other hand, are somewhat lacking, but that’s really a by-product of Mushoku Tensei’s structure rather than a fault to be picked on. Just like how we won’t get to know everyone we meet in our lives, Rudeus won’t get to know everyone and everything at any time. By presenting a bustling world through a first person perspective, it’s the story’s inherent nature to have a lot of characters that aren’t explored. Characters like Paul and Zenith, Rudeus’ parents, and Sylphiette, his childhood friend, are examples that, though I am sure they will get their turn of characterisation once they and Rudeus are reunited. 

The tradeoff of leaving some characters unexplored is the sense of adventure and mystery, as well as letting Rudeus’ thoughts take centre stage. The former is quite self-explanatory, a first person perspective limits what the audience could know, making room for foreshadowing and red herrings. The latter, gives way to the mentioned dirty jokes, but occasionally provides important exposition and analysis to help the viewer catch up on the whats, whys and hows: a valuable tool to have when writing about an alien world. The first person perspective is not chosen without reason, and is cleverly utilised throughout the show.

Though the narrative and characterisation is great, the brilliant set of openings isn’t something to be glossed over either. In the span of eleven episodes, there are not only two great tracks, but also unique scenes that pair with them that serve as an introduction to each episode. Mushoku Tensei makes the openings part of the show, instead of the one and a half minute slideshow that you have to sit through or skip. That might sound trivial and not worth bringing up, and it was not the first thing that came to my mind when talking about Mushoku Tensei with my friends. But once you realise it, you would notice just how much the openings add to the experience.

That decision is made by no amateurs. Though it’s the first full production of Studio Bind, being a branch of White Fox, it didn’t show a lack of experience. If anything, the animation of Mushoku Tensei is quite the highlight. The crisp sword fights, actually putting in the effort to animating spells instead of using the bog-standard magic circles; Mushoku Tensei’s animation doesn’t only show that there are seasoned animators on the project, but that they are also passionate about the production and going the extra mile to make sure this is an amazing adaptation, rather than a serviceable one.

Everything considered, even after 11 episodes, it feels like Mushoku Tensei still hasn’t gotten past its introduction, that’s why even with all the praise, I only managed to give it an 8. There are lots left unexplored, and how enjoyable this season is would be heavily dependent on what follows in the next, so take this score with a grain of salt. But if Muhsoku Tensei manages to keep on the same pace in the second season, I am sure it could be a contender anime of the year, even in the face of giants like Attack of Titan and Re:Zero.