YUUSHA, YAMEMASU

DESCRIPTION

CAST

NOVEL ActionYuusha, Yamemasu: Tsugi no Shokuba wa Maoujou
MANGA ActionYuusha, Yamemasu
OVA ActionYuusha, Yamemasu: Kenshuu Ryokou wa Mokuteki wo Miushinau na
ONA ComedyYuusha, Yamemasu Puchi Hiroma

REVIEWS

• 

  AftershockWolf

  74/100
  In the end, does anyone truly know what it means to be a hero?

  __SPOILERS AHEAD__

  
  ~ Demon Queen Echidna~~~
  
  On the journey to figure out the answer to one of life's longest-asked questions, I found myself on a different journey all together. A journey following the hero Leo, not on a quest to find out how long it takes for a hero to become a villain, but instead, the villain becoming the hero.
  
  <img width='' src='https://www.animesgratisbr.biz/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/yuusha-yamemasu-episodio-08.jpg'>
  
  Obviously, this isn't completely true. I'm Quitting Heroing, translated from the Japanese title "Yuusha, Yamemasu", is, in fact, a story about learning how long it takes for a hero to become the villain, there's no way around that. However, the reason I say what I say is because that's not the only story being told. The hero, Leo, isn't our only protagonist after all, and it's here we find a different story - the story of the villain becoming the hero. 
  
  Before I get too far in to this review, I'm going to warn you all now, I'm going to ask a lot of rhetorical questions and say things that are meant to make you think about themes, rather than speaking clearly about the series, so I hope you get where I'm coming from. I'm writing this review like this, because as I watched this series, that's simply how I was thinking. I would ask myself questions like the ones I'm about to ask you, trying to decipher what the answer may be to a riddle with no solution. This review also might not be reminiscent of my others, as unlike those shows that made me emotionally-driven to write about them, this series simply made me think. Now, about those questions, allow me to hand out the forms.
  
  <img width='' src='https://animenewsandfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Im-Quitting-Heroing-Episode-4.jpg'>
  
  In a story like this, there's so many questions that float around where the answers are so paper thin and loose that it's as if they don't exist in the first place. Morals, religion, etc. It's questions that can be influenced by things like this that never seem to find an objective answer. For example, if I asked "Is a hero good?", do you believe there to be an answer? How about this - "If a human hero fights back a demon army, are they a savior?" The easy answer is just to say yes. If they saved the world, then they must be a savior after all... but, what if the hero invaded the demon realm to do it? A demon realm full of creatures that had their own lives, just like us, suddenly taken away by a "hero" who wanted to protect humanity. If these demons step up to try to stop the hero, are they the heroes now, or are they still monsters?
  
  This question seems as easily answered as saying “well, that depends if you’re a human or a demon”, but why is that? Can’t a human feel remorse for the demons who are getting killed by this hero? Can’t a demon feel guilt for whatever reason it may be that a hero is trying to kill them? It’s never a matter of which side you’re on, nor what specie you are, but simply what you think. Humanity and demon kind don’t matter in the slightest, since this answer comes down to you, as a single person, deciding what you think is the morally correct truth. "If demons invade the human world and kill them, they’re monsters, but if a human invaded the demon world and kills them, are they a hero?" Questions like these can only be answered by one person. You. 
  
  I'm Quitting Heroing doesn't constantly explore these themes, of course. Earlier on in the series, it's a more episodic tale of the hero choosing against humanity and going to help the demon army. He helps the remaining subjects of the demon kingdom with their menial tasks and works to gain favor towards the demon queen. It's a simple, but charming premise, at the very least, so I never disliked watching this series even if it was nothing special. However, the show really took a turn atop a peak.
  
  <img width='' src='https://i0.wp.com/anitrendz.net/news/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/imquittingheroing_pv2screenshot.png'>
  
  If you were born for just one purpose, one purpose that defined your whole existence, and suddenly, after living your life for that one reason, you're told that you don't have to do it anymore, what would you do? Could you live a new life without being relied on for that one reason, or would you make sure you always have a purpose?  Well, late on in the series, Leo decides to become the villain. That's his answer to this question. If the humans don't need him anymore, he will make them need him. He will save the world, even if it means destroying it first - and the only ones able to stop this "hero" who has protected humanity for thousands of years is... the demon queen and her generals. Suddenly, the demon army is fighting to save the humans while the human hero is fighting to destroy them all. Suddenly, that question I came in to this series searching for an answer to was right in front of me... and suddenly I realized... Heroes don't become villains. They don't become villains because they've always been the villain. It's the only choice they ever had. 
  
  It's... depressing. The last few episodes of this series show a hero who defended humans for thousands of years suddenly try to destroy them, while these "monsters" to the human race break down, cry, and fall apart while trying to stop him. It's like everything you've ever known got turned upside down and suddenly you have no idea what to think or who you're supposed to side with. 
  
  <img width='' src='https://otakukart.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/im-quitting-heroing-episode-12-4.jpg'>
  
  The series does end on a lighter note atleast. Leo is defeated, but isn't killed, because in the end, he only did any of this to prove to himself that the world truly didn't need him anymore... and it doesn't. Not his world anyway. Spared by the demon lord and her generals, he joins them in trying to not only protect the human world now but also the demon world - to create a world where they can both live in harmony so another hero is never needed.
  
  While I'm happy with this ending, I haven't stopped thinking about the questions I asked myself through the series though. I could've focused this review more on the characters like Lily, the cute wolf girl who adores Leo and is the first one to really break down when Leo decides on dying, Melnes, the assassin who truly wanted to destroy humanity for what they did to him, or even Echidna, the demon queen who only wanted to make a better world for the demons without ever harming the human world. I could talk more about Leo and his journey, how he's lived and grown for 3,000 years, only knowing one thing the entire time he's ever existed - protecting humanity. I'm sure I could talk about more and give a well and honest review about this series. However, I chose not to.
  
  I believe this to be the real review I wanted to write after all. A review where I simply put these thoughts down on a page and asked them to others who will take the time to think on them. If you want to know about the characters or the story, the show is available to you, but I wanted to get these questions out there even to those who choose not to watch it. Why? I guess I just think they're fun to think about. Important? Maybe not. But definitely fun. Just like this series.
  
  <img width='' src='https://otakukart.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/im-quitting-heroing-episode-12-3.jpg'>

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• 

  bboyoatsnrice

  80/100
  Many great morals and great advice in a show I had no idea was about improving yourself and your approach to life

  ‘IMPROOVMENT’ is a phrase often used to demean others who might be more than pedantic in improving themselves. I always disregarded that insult as there’s not enough people motivated to improve themselves or the world around them. Though being so caught up in your image and how you look to others can become unhealthy, there is nothing wrong with doing good for yourself. But what happens when you’ve finally reached the top? You did the time, you reaped all the rewards, and your help isn’t needed anymore. What do you do then? This show tries to find the answer to that question and many more. It’s not the flashiest show of the season, but it tells a damn compelling story. The show is littered with helpful advice that you can apply not only to yourself, but also your workplace. I wasn’t expecting much from a story about a good guy turning bad, but the clever storytelling, twists and character interactions/development throughout made this show one of the highlights of my week. What was it about this show that made it such a joy to watch unfold? What separates it from your typical D&D inspired fantasy anime? I didn’t expect a fantasy show (or a show about a post-dystopian future however you want to look at it) to educate the viewer on how to make their workplace more efficient. But also get deep into philosophy. Asking the viewers what is it you’re really living for? Are you actually living for your own happiness or just to please and seek approval from others? In the story we follow Leo, a hero, who is so overpowered that not even the humans, who created him to fend off creatures from another world, want anything to do with him and are afraid of his power. Feeling like a crumpled piece of paper tossed to the side, he sets out to join the demon army he single-handedly destroyed so he can have revenge on the humans. This raises many questions such as, why would the hero want to join the “bad guys”? And couldn’t the hero just eliminate civilization himself without the assistance of the villains he already defeated? The show answers all these questions in clever and emotionally gripping ways that I do not want to spoil. Though I will say that at some point it’s revealed that the demon army aren’t all bad people. In fact, their leader (Echidna, and the entire army plus generals aside from Mernes) follows the philosophy of a goblin from long ago (Eibrad) who believed in peace between the humans and demons. Echidna’s only goal is to retrieve the philosopher’s stone so that the demons can live in a peaceful world free of bloodshed. The stone however, is sealed away in the human realm and of course, it’s human nature to attack that of which they fear. This presents a moral dilemma, that this entire time it’s entirely possible that Leo’s reason for existing was brought on by nothing but fear by the humans. We also learn of each of the general's personal dilemmas and have an episode dedicated to each. Showing Leo teaching them how to manage their duty better and learn new skills along the way. Personally my favorite to least favorite general goes from Lily, Mernes, Echidna, Shutina, then Edvard. That’s to say I still liked all of them, however there’s no denying that Lily’s unrequited love for Leo, even up to the twist climax, is something I rooted for. Her issue is handling logistics, and let’s just say that a young girl who can shape into a 600 ft tall wildebeest isn’t the best at business management. In her episode, it’s Leo’s job to teach her how to become a better leader and to not be afraid to ask others for help. Mernes has issues socializing, Eibrad is unaware of abilities, power, and talent he’s born with and expects everyone to be at his level, Shutina doesn’t know how to delegate her workload onto her subordinates, and Echidna is tasked with making sure everyone is doing their job. Each of these episodes are great, and had it stayed with the episodic-like nature of Leo gaining the acceptance of a general per episode, I’d still consider this show a good time. But after Leo’s true intention and desires are revealed through flashbacks and him possessing something integral to Echidna’s mission. Once all is revealed a little after the halfway point, the plot does a 360 backflip and becomes something even more profound. While the story and characters managed to leave such an impact on me, how about the other components such as the voice acting, soundtrack, and animation? Firstly voice acting, this was a case where I think everyone gave a solid performance, but I’d give the edge to Eibrad’s VA during the heart to heart conversation he had with a more stoic Leo in a flashback. And Lily’s VA for being so full of spunk. Staying in character and giving a great performance as Lily even when put in dire situations, involving being forced to attack the love of her life. And I just have to say, but SPOILERS! During the final battle where Leo is fighting everyone, I noticed that Lily takes the brunt of the beating. It’s bad enough that she’s seeing a side of her love that she’s never seen before, but to get the point across of how serious he is, he dishes most of his cheap shots onto her and berates her the most. That was probably the most emotionally draining part of the series. Had to get that off my chest, end of SPOILERS! But aside from those two, I think everyone was serviceable, and Edvard’s VA was also solid, doing a good job giving Edvard a brooting, but hearty and warm voice. As I said earlier, this show isn’t particularly flashy despite it dealing heavily with both fantasy and magic. So in terms of animation, there wasn’t much to note aside from the fight scenes, which are fun and exciting to witness. My favorite being the battle between Edvard’s goblin army and these anti-demon mechs they’re made to fight and teach Edvard some humility. The final fight was well animated and fun as well, though the outcome and progression was rather predictable. Also I thought the foliage and Earth terrain covering modern office buildings in establishing/long shots was unique and cool to see, and reminded me of a moss covered stone. The music wasn’t anything memorable, aside from the second ED being a great closure to each episode. Though I’d be remiss if I didn’t bring up the amount of times I chuckled after hearing the OP each episode,”IKITE IKITE IKI TSUKUSE!” then the rest of the song plays and it’s alright. Reminded me of the opening track of Mieruko-Chan’s anime, with its “YAMETE YAMETE, MO YAMETE!”. Anyways, was there anything about the show that made me go Yamete, Yamete, Mo Yamete? Well, as I said earlier, it’s a great show with plenty of surprising twists but it’s not particularly flashy. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel sluggish at times. In fact, most scenes are just people talking. If you’re expecting a fast-paced action oriented fantasy anime with explosions and magic spells galore, then you’ll get some of that here but you’re better off looking elsewhere as they’re few and far between and aren’t the focal point of the show. The conversations between characters can also drag on for a while and feel like they’re talking in circles just for the sake of padding out the run time. There’s also a handful of characters we see once or twice and never again. Only serving as temporary plot conveniences. But despite the slow burn nature of this series, I was still bewildered at how many great morals and bits of great advice in a show I had no idea was about improving yourself and your approach to life. I was pleasantly surprised at the show making a statement about issues rooted in reality despite it being a fantasy anime, that’s what makes it so much more compelling to me than your run of the mill isekai or D&D inspired story. Which can all be great, but don’t usually offer as much substance or nuance to their dilemmas and morals as Yuusha Yamemasu does. Though it can get somewhat tedious, I’d still recommend this to anyone looking for a medieval fantasy show, but takes an introspective look at how it presents its story and characters.
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• 

  Moshiwakeda

  50/100
  Painfully redundant, uninspired slog that mistakes repetition for storytelling and insults its audience's intelligence

  It really feels like a 4-episode story stretched beyond comprehension. Characters endlessly repeat the same points, sometimes even within the same episode, as if it were written for viewers who can’t retain information for more than five minutes. The pacing is painfully slow, and the dialogue is so redundant that you could skip entire scenes and not miss a single development. It’s like the creators had a few ideas, realized they needed twelve episodes, and decided the best approach was to say the same thing over and over. I did end up skipping at 3 second intervals so I could just read the subtitles instead of waiting for the characters to finish their lines.

  It all seems promising at the start but loses steam almost immediately. Before any plot point has a chance to resolve, it's been reiterated at least five times, leaving you bored and waiting for an inevitable, predictable conclusion. It’s not a slow burn. It’s just slow, and not in a way that builds tension or character depth. It’s the kind of slow that makes you check the episode timer repeatedly, wondering how much longer tou have to endure.

  I feel like there’s a glaring lack of oversight here. It’s obvious that money was thrown at an idea, and nobody bothered to ask if the execution was actually any good. It probably cost over a million dollars to make this. Where is the quality control in this industry? The lack of care in writing, pacing, and editing is depressing. It’s as if they assumed the mere presence of familiar anime tropes would carry the show, but all it does is make it feel derivative. And I'm actually fine with derivative. I honestly don't care if its a trope monster reskinned to death. Just.. don't stretch out stories arbitrarily. It's awful to sit through, and it must have been really awful for all the people who worked so hard to make this.

  Nothing about this series is fresh or original. We’ve seen these characters before, heard these voices, and watched these dynamics play out in countless other shows, often done much better. To make it worse, the overarching story is regurgitated at least twice per episode as if the audience is incapable of following a basic narrative. Watching this is like having someone repeat the same tired joke over and over, expecting you to laugh every time. (Which, to be fair, is a problem in almost any anime. You can find this issue in pretty much every top rated show from the last few years)

  You could argue that rehashing is the cornerstone of this industry. But you have to do it well. There are plenty of shows that just look like they ran a whole script through a thesaurus bot and sent it. But that doesn't mean they can't be good

  Look, I don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. I liked the art, I liked the actors performances. It's just a shame how it all came together so poorly. It wasn't a bad story, it was just told terribly. It really doesn't deserve this many words.

  I apologize in advance for this analogy, maybe don't read it if you haven't eaten yet. But I can't shake this thought so I'm going to put it here because it's all you needed to know:

  Imagine you have a really nice high quality steak. Dry aged, perfectly cooked. These are the good parts of the anime. Now imagine yuo have one of those big Deli sized bologna sausages. I mean the really large ones that are thicker than your arm. You cut the whole thing up in large cubes and put it in a bowl. Then you take one of those offbrand mayyonaise jars from a large department store and dump in the whole container. Mix it together and you have a wonderfully delectable bologna mayonnaise salad. That is the rest of this anime. Good enough to give a dog diarrhea. The first bites are steak, then more and more its just chunks of bologna drenched in mayo. You keep going because that steak was good, surely there has to be some more. But in the end your stomach is full of deli meat and the bits of steak just don't make up for it anymore.

  Do you really want to spend your time fishing out bits of high quality steak from that bologna mayonnaise salad? That's what it feels like to watch this.

  I'm going to give it to your straight, like a bologna sausage that is made from 100% bologna: This anime sucks.

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