So, at this point, Isekai as a genre is more than just oversaturated. It’s been done to death, and I don’t think there is much you can add to it to re-invigorate fans into tuning in. Face it, the heyday of Isekai anime is far behind us and anything that’s coming out usually gets lost in the sauce. Safe to say, there isn’t much left in the genre to spin around and make something new out of.
This is where How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom sadly lies. It could’ve been something refreshing and new, starting pretty strong. But sadly, like many of its counterparts, it loses its steam too soon. A Fantasy Isekai anime by J.C.Staff, it had some very notable names attached to it that led to its hype before premiering. Specifically, Takashi Watanabe is known for works such as Death Note.
And, like, what do you expect from that? Death Note was a cultural reset for its time, quickly becoming a pillar in the growing anime community. It’s known for being out of the box, especially in an era dominated by carefree Shonen. It was more logic-based, a little more convoluted. And oddly enough, that was the appeal promised for How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom, with a premise that made it stand out from the crowd.
But did it end up delivering on all of that? Honestly, that’s the kind of question you can never answer straight-faced when it comes to Isekai. There is plenty of trashy Isekai anime I enjoy to my heart’s content, despite them being as formulaic as it gets. And then some of the more ‘serious’ entries leave me bored to death. So, how does How A Realist Hero Rebuilt The Kingdom end up faring? Let’s discuss it!
Table of contents
The Premise: Fighting Monsters Isn’t The Hard Part, But A Failing Economy Is
Another day, another kid gets isekai’d into a brand-new world for some amazing adventures. Or is it? Apparently, not for Kazuya Souma, a 19-year-old humanities student who aspires to be a civil servant someday. However, before that could happen, he is transported to the Elfrienden realm. While he’s still reeling from that, the monarch of the land, Albert Elfrieden, reveals to him that the throne is now Kazuya’s. Oh, and so is his daughter, Liscia, too apparently. And let’s not forget the demon army that has wrecked the kingdom.
Well, where do you go from there? Apparently, to the planning committee because Kazuya is not about the war hero life. However, he is a man of action. Administrative action, that is! Determined to help reform the country’s crumbling economy, Kazuya goes around to find the most talented individuals in the realm to aid in his goals!
The Breakdown: So Much Potential, Can’t Stick To Its Guns?
Honestly, when I first skimmed the plot, I was excited. As someone who enjoys Reverse Isekai and tropes subversion, this sounded right up my alley. Like, let’s be honest: the biggest threat to a country isn’t supernatural monsters, but a badly planned infrastructure. And I liked the realism of that.
But that’s the thing. How A Realist Rebuilt The Kingdom promised one thing but ended up going in a completely different direction. First of all, we had the dreaded return of a badly written Harem, with no chemistry between the proposed characters. While it was caught up in all of that, the villains were discarded without a second thought and prove less than impactful. All the politics and intrigue get pushed to the side and nothing substantial is left.
However, the worst part is the boring monologues that feel like they go on for hours. It’s like they think the audience is too dumb, so they need to explain everything. It just feels like the story is overcompensating for its shortcomings.
The Verdict: An Honest Waste Of A Good Plot
There was so much potential here. When stories go against the grain, something amazing can come out of them. However, that was not the case here.
Honestly, kind of glad that Shonen has made a comeback in recent years because Isekai like How A Realist Rebuilt The Kingdom is just not it anymore.
This one is a definite pass and one I won’t be returning to.
