Spring 2022 First Impressions – The Executioner and Her Way of Life

Streaming: HIDIVE

Episodes: 12

Source: Light Novel

Episode Summary: Menou is both a priestess and an executioner, tasked with protecting her world from the destruction wrought by outsiders summoned from Japan. When the noblesse – the rulers of her country – complete their most recent summoning, Menou spends little time with their latest discarded “Lost One” before discovering that his destructive power has the potential to be extremely deadly. After executing him she learns that he wasn’t the only one pulled through the dimensional gate.

Menou has odd dreams that almost feel like memories, of being in Japan, going to school, and being friends with her classmates. But there’s always one mysterious figure just out of sight that she knows in her heart was her best friend. Even her priestess training never managed to erase these odd partial recollections. When Menou confronts the second Lost One to arrive in her world, the girl seems to be incredibly familiar.

Impressions: While I’m the sort of anime fan who feels that every genre has its standout examples, when a genre by its nature is indulgent of certain traits that don’t jive with my worldview very well, it becomes more difficult to find examples that I can recommend without major caveats. Ascendance of a Bookworm is one of my favorite isekai stories, and yet even in that case, considering that the heroine’s adult mind is confined to a kid’s body, there are some minor hurdles regarding her in-universe crush on a boy “her age.” Some series are so inherently gross that the phrase “just shut it all down” has crossed my mind. And yet, some of the most interesting genre stories are those which seem conscientious of those kinds of flaws and manage to create something interesting in light of them.

The Executioner and Her Way of Life asks “what if we acknowledged the fact that OP protagonists with unfettered use of world-breaking powers are bad, actually?” and formulates that idea into a pretty interesting set-up.

I will admit, I heard a synopsis of this series and thought to myself “oh yes, finally a show about a cool woman offing the endless string of same-face, rancid isekai chuds that I can’t stand.” Pettiness aside, the first episode is much more subtle and well-built than my brief wave of spite might have considered. There’s a real sense that, while Menou’s world has benefitted from the kinds of technology that know-it-all Japanese Earthlings have brought with them, there have also been consequences. These consequences have affected the various classes in unequal ways, and the aristocracy seems to be summoning people mostly for their own gain. And as destructive as these Lost Ones might be, there’s also the troubling fact that they’re people who ended up in their situation not by choice (the otaku’s wishes to be pulled into a fantasy world notwithstanding). Menou’s job is tragic, akin to killing wild animals who wander into urban areas and pose too great a risk to the local population. It’s a problem caused by humans that results in (basically) innocent victims. I’d be interested to know if this is explored further.

Aside from these aspects, this is just a genuinely entertaining opening episode, with some neat action and interesting magical system. While I feel like some of it was made especially for me, I also think that anyone who enjoys fantasy in general, or even some dyed-in-the-wool isekai fans who can manage a sense of humor about the genre, would have a good time with this one.

Pros: This is an example of a story built within the boundaries of an oversaturated genre that manages to distinguish itself by twisting the formula. This can be a tough balance to maintain, but I get the impression that whoever created the story has some affection for its genre’s tropes, so it gives the impression of an examination rather than a mockery.

I like that the characters who are centered in this episode are primarily women. While I think there are unflattering interpretations that could be made, I of course often appreciate when various women have central roles rather than one who might be tokenized.

Cons: I’m made a little uneasy by the fact that the conflict between the various factions in the world of this story seem to be fought using the innocent lives of uninvolved people. It’s the sort of mechanic that really begs further examination by the narrative, and I’m not sure how heavily the story delves into that.

I’m not a huge fan of Menou’s assistant, Momo, who’s annoyingly touchy-feely. I think a show like this can benefit from a little levity, but I’m not sure her fondling really adds much.

Content Warnings: Violence resulting in death. Mild fanservice.

Would I Watch More? – This seems like an interesting fantasy series with some compelling world-building that’s already come into play. I like the protagonist, who’s strong without being cartoonish. I suspect that this season will result in a lot of series being added to my watch-list, though, and while this series is fun for now I’m also not ecstatic about it to the point that I would clear off my calendar to keep up with it.