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Review of Tate no Yuusha:

I think it's difficult to give such long series a score, considering these WNs and LNs tend to have really amazing parts and sometimes fairly boring parts, and TnY is no different. However, TnY is still one of the best WN/LN series out there for a huge number of reasons. TnY revels in lampshading the cliche plot set ups of 99% of LNs out there. At multiple points of the story, the protagonist Naofumi encounters the classic LN main character types of characters with seemingly their own rebirth storyline. The initial 3 heroes come from a different type of universe as Naofumi but share the "foreign OP heroes being summoned to save the world" trope, and some spoiler-esque opponents share the same set up, and the resolutions to each of these characters are utterly disgusting, as if the author himself is personally performing gruesome executions on the tired typical plot lines infesting the LN world. For those familiar with the cliches, you will find these nods satisfying.

Naofumi himself is fairly unique as a hero as well. He has absolutely no offensive stats, and his true power ultimately ends up coming from his slaves/friends, though of course this changes on very rare occasion where he is forced to go on the offensive. However, this isn't new. LNs tend to split between either having aggressively overpowered heroes that can just flat out destroy everything that the entire world considers powerful, think One Punch Man but not a satire, or having characters that are powerful in their own right but must rely on more than their own powers to overcome ridiculous odds. Naofumi's powers are clearly meant to be the most opposite of the overpowered types of characters, but I fear he really doesn't stray that far from the latter types of LN heroes. There's also the problem that for too much of the first part of the story, his strategy really doesn't change, but his approaches change, the more complex the story and the opponents become.

However, his personality can come across as unconvincing. His anger is very justified, no doubt, but from his introduction, the shift to his iconic snark personality happens rather abruptly. To top it off, when he ultimately gets his revenge, he doesn't really change and often takes an unreasonable amount of time to realize that some of these people he's skeptical of aren't actually really all that bad. BUT it is sort of explained at one point, and his wrath shield is mostly the cause. However, I can't help but feel like it's only at the very end where I thought, oh... we finally get to see THIS Naofumi.

The story can be preachy, but it does justify its main moral. Characters like Ren or Itsuki or Eclaire exist to drive home that the stronger side ultimately define justice and good. Their moral talks with Naofumi are timed well, usually right after a major conflict, after being placed in a situation where even Naofumi comes to worry about them. The villains act hateful enough that you would want to wish Naofumi's group to be the victor. But therein lies the problem, that TnY is often guilty of creating the boogeyman. Bad guys are just TOO much of bad guys that it's difficult to see any other way, even though the story may claim that they could've been the heroes just as much as they ultimately are.

I'm running out of space, so the most important thing: The girls are amazing, but Naofumi being a dense idiot comes across as... strange in a story attempting to lampshade Japan's classic tropes. Raphtalia is easily the best character in the story due to her coolness and hotness, but the tragedy is that after a certain point, there's just not enough of her in the story. The other girls are likeable, but Sadina, who is ultimately a cool character, comes out of nowhere. Atla is far too much of a yandere that her ultimate role in the story made me cautious. Firo is TOO stupid and violent, and Melty is alright but could benefit from more involvement. Ugh... ok, well I'll make 2 posts (to be continued)
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