The Strongest Job is Apparently Not a Hero or a Sage, but an Appraiser (Provisional)! – Episode 1

What’s it about? Hibiki Manabe is an ordinary high school student who is suddenly transported into another world.  After wandering aimlessly, he discovered he was given a skill called the “appraisal” and is able to figure out how to navigate the new world that he’s stuck in.  He meets an elf named Emalia Steinbart who’s been given the task to watch over him and together they form a party and start a new adventure.  

I lost interest in this show a couple of minutes in, when Emalia’s shirt ripped unnecessarily to reveal her chest.  To the show’s credit, at least it’s quick to appeal to its core audience, but the consistent breast jokes are so distracting in an otherwise generic isekai show.  I know I’ve yelled in the past about the dire state of the isekai genre, but with the airing of The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter, I thought some originality was finally going to grace our screens (it’s not often queer men are the central protagonists in this genre, after all).  It’s unfortunate that for every one or two isekai shows that dares to be different, we must suffer through another twenty generic isekai shows with almost identical premises.  There’s nothing interesting about another clueless teenage boy being transported to a fantasy world who’ll conveniently be protected by a group of beautiful women later in the series.  

Hibiki is such a blank slate that it’s difficult to say anything unique about him.  Even the explanation for his appraisal skills feels lackluster and just another checklist item the series is trying to get through.  It’s unfortunate that Emalia’s blunt personality isn’t allowed to shine since the “comedy” surrounding her keeps emphasizing how big her breasts are and that button on her shirt cannot contain the enormity of her breast size.  If that isn’t enough suffering, the ending theme indicates that the future women who join the case will also be sexualized and they will likely be put into “awkward” positions with Hibiki.  Since the show is void of any imagination, it almost makes sense why it’s trying to appeal to a certain demographic so that it can have an audience to speak of. 

Without the breast jokes, the series is an otherwise competent isekai, but that alone isn’t really a point in its favor since it’s competing with other shows with a similar premise in its own genre. I can’t even justify that this can be a mindless show that fantasy fans can enjoy because there’s just nothing here to truly like.  I think my tolerance for shows like this has deceased over the years because normally I try to highlight something remotely positive, but I just don’t have it in me anymore.  I’m grateful that we are going to be blessed with good fantasy shows this season since Witch Hat Atelier is finally premiering and season 2 of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is currently airing.  While neither of these shows are isekai, they are still great fantasy shows so I honestly suggest skipping this premiere and watch either of these two or both!