Anime 53488 Shin No Nakama Ja Nai To Yuusha No Party Wo Oidasareta Node Henkyou De Slow Life Suru Koto Ni Shimashita 2nd Reviews Filter Check 2

Worse than the first season by far.

I liked the first season of "Banished From The Hero's Party", I am not disliking this because I just hate the series, I actually liked season 1, but the second season just became stagnant with no real cohesive narrative holding it together that it becomes flat out boring.
This is mainly because it lacks a decent antagonist that drags decent drama, like how the antagonistic mage "Ares Srowa" pushed the story along for the first season, season 2 doesn't have a clear cut antagonist and it is on episode 4 which is ridiculous.
Moreover, season 2 lacks that drive ... and focus that the first season had, like it cannot get itself back to the narrative that it once had and get to it's main focal points that make the show enjoyable, such as Red and Rit's progressive relationship, or small potion sales in Red's shop.
Season 2 (shortening to S2 from now on), tries to reinvent the wheel, and doing so it for some reason focuses more on ecchi shots from the female characters naked in the bath than continuing its story and making it cohesive.
It tries to play into incest with Ruti and her brother Red for some reason, even though it never needed to be brought up, then overall shows a full 10 minutes of actual story if you combine parts of the first 4 episodes.

Overall, this all is really upsetting, mainly because it has lost it's uniqueness within S2, and become a non-ecchi labeled title, that obviously is an ecchi and tries to force naked bath scenes each episode (I think I saw 3 bath scenes in episode 4 for reference).
It could be good too, but it gives the viewer any no actual story to what the major plot points should be focused on, since it doesn't bring up the plot and try to make it cohesive. I suspect the studio was rushed to push this out due to the huge disparity and change in the quality of production between S1 & S2 and the way it is directed is just not nearly the same as S1.

S1 was good, S2 is a bunch of ecchi "gooning" material (Who would watch this mid fake ecchi, when there is hentai?).

Unironically this is disappointing, maybe finish it if you wanna get the series off your list, or want a bit of generic bath ecchi with something that can barely be considered a plot. Me personally, I recommend staying away from this to most people, or to drop it because it doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon story wise.

🗿 5/10 🗿; Now made for the goon squad. (5/10 is optimistic)
[Thanks for reading]

For once, I am going to have to agree with a lot of what's being said in the other reviews.

I concur, that this simply is not as good overall as the first season was.
Now, I'm not saying it's bad, or trash, like some of the others are, but there's simply something missing. The new antagonist of S2, just doesn't have the same gravitas as the one from S1 did, simply because Ruti is now a permanent feature of the group.

In a lot of the first episodes of S2, without going into hefty spoilers, Ruti is shown to be struggling to integrate due to how ... OP she is; this is all well and good and shows character growth, but also has the side-effect of removing any stakes.

Red, Rit or Tisse could be in danger, but you know Ruti would show up in 0.2 seconds and nuke whatever was posing the threat.
It's like being a newbie in an MMO, but having a maxed-out level 100 player you can rely on at a moment's notice in your friend's list.

Now, the anime does try and work around this, by having the other characters use their strengths in various scenarios, without bringing out the "trump card" every 2 seconds and even has the main gang be away from the action for a while, however there's no way to ignore what Ruti is and what she can do. This is even despite showing what the new antagonist is capable of.

Again, I'm not saying this show has suddenly dropped into trash-tier, as I still like all the characters and think the way they've been built-up and grown is great, especially Tisse in this season, who was one of the major ones lacking from S1. We also have more of previously less-shown characters like Danan and Yarandrala.

I will say here as well, that the other reviews are from EP3/EP4, whereas the antagonist features far more prominently and becomes the major plot-point of this season from that point onward - so bare that in mind if you feel the first several episodes don't include a whole lot (they focus on Ruti integrating into the group).


As for the elephant in the room, which is how ecchi this show is, which seems to be a major negative for some, I will agree that there is more of that going on in S2, compared to S1, as well. Rit still has her large oppai and there are a few more bathing scenes in this one compared to S1 (and an extremely mis-placed swimwear scene), although I do not agree on the whole "Red is a siscon" thing that people have created, as the scene in question that that stems from is clearly being played for gags with how Tisse reacted.
He still very clearly only has eyes for Rit and her only, which is an ongoing positive that has carried across from S1.


Overall, I am enjoying this second season, just not quite as much as I enjoyed S1.
As I gave Season 1 a 7/10 and recommended rating, I will have to give this a 6/10 and mixed-feelings.

Ah, Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party wo Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life suru Koto ni Shimashita 2nd, a continuation that beckons us back into the realm of slow-paced existence and heroics. Join me, dear reader, as I navigate the sequel's labyrinth:

The initial foray into this tale was acceptable, a hero opting for the tranquility of village life after the tumult of adventuring. It maintained a semblance of coherence, and I relished the character progression that unfolded, concluding the story on a satisfying note.

Now, as the second season unfolds, I find myself pondering the elusive purpose it seeks to unravel. Is ... there a grander design, a narrative tapestry awaiting revelation, or does it merely tread the path of a protracted OVA, attempting to wring out what remnants of intrigue linger from the first season?

Despite my initial uncertainty, I grant it a few more episodes in the hopes of discovering a discernible thread. Shall it weave a tale worth following, or am I poised to preserve the fond memories of the inaugural season? The journey continues, with my curiosity ever-tinged with skepticism.

Update: Alas, i will be backlogging this anime to potentially binge on a bored winter night. None of the episodes have captured the level of enthusiasim the first season did for me.

A peaceful life in a village far from the war against demon army, is suddenly disturbed by the arrival of a new Hero.

In this season of Banished from the Hero’s Party, do we follow the normal cast and new arrivals, which are both known and unknown faces. A lot is also about a new Hero that has been found since Ruti has “disappeared”.

The plot very much revolves around the normal life the group has in the village, and how the new Hero is. The plot is very straight forward with little to mysteries or convoluted plots, which makes the story somewhat bland and predictable.

When it ... comes to the characters, do they very much seem stagnant, kinda like the development for them is already done. Which makes the characters feel very flat and simple, which doesn’t help with the already rather bland plot. The new characters introduced do have room for some development but are still very predictable in their behavior.

The animation is the same style as the previous season and holds a very average but smooth animation level. There is nothing very noteworthy about it, but it is not bad either.

Overall does it kinda seem like the story is dragged too far, and the finished characters are put into a new story where there isn’t room for much development. There is one opportunity that is in the season though, since they are starting to hint towards a possible plot line that could bring more into the show.

So I would say that if you really like this show and its characters is it worth watching this season. But if not, would I say you would be better off watching something else.

Story & Characters: Banished From The Hero's Party, I Decided To Live A Quiet Life In The Countryside Season 2 is back, continuing the tale that I thought wasn't able to keep going. With Red and Rit now fully invested in their life in Zoltan, they take on every day life like a quest - "what needs to happen today?" is the every day question. This is the story for most of the first half and I honestly wasn't really into it. The arcs that were presented to us didn't really feel like they were part of something bigger.

My sense ... of it all was to start to try and develop our last hero - Ruti. Now living in Zoltan, with help from Red, Rit and Tisse, Ruti seems to be taking a keen interest in trying to find out how she can live as not-the-hero. With such a shallow personality in the first season, the differences between then and now are like light and day. She's more into what she's doing, she has more of an ability to think on her own, and doesn't jump to violence right away. In a sense, I guess you can say that the first half did accomplish something, but doing so over such a long haul barely feels like enough reason to do it.

Red and Rit are mostly unchanged from the first season. The apothecary, and Zoltan in general, are much less of the focus on this season, so Red and Rit are mostly used to guide us through the story elements. They both take on a bigger role in the story in the back half of the season though, and mostly for the better. It's here that they focus more on Red's smarts, which is at least a little enjoyable, especially consider who he fights in the last episode. The romance bits in the story are not quite as evident than those found in the first season which is where it had some of its better plot points. There is some, and it was decently told.

With Ruti effectively out of the picture as a hero, Van takes up the mantle as the new one. His personalities mirror what Ruti was in the first season, though a little too similarly for my liking. His ideals stubbornly cling to him and figuring out what to do with him does feel like the objective of the back half. He clings to his Divine Blessing like a mother and child and it can get old. He is guided by Ljubo, Esta and Lavender. Ljubo was an addition I didn't mind. I actually like that they gave him more personality because they certainly had issues with this before. His love of wine and cigars made me chuckle on a few occasions. I wish they did more with Esta because she clearly has a strong sense of duty to try and guide an imperfect hero. Lavender has a very strange backstory, one of which I just couldn't attach myself to. Maybe her purpose is to push Van's older ideals, but would much of changed without her? Her interactions with Rit might be a redeeming quality, but that's about it.

The second half of the story, as I alluded to earlier, was much stronger than the first because now at least our Zoltan group have an objective. The pacing is pretty unsteady, as some episodes have far more to them than others, while the encounters between Van's part and Red's fared much better. Tisse and Yarandrala are a little more involved in the story as we carry along, but it sometimes does feel like the roster is a little too overcrowded.

The way in which they decide to leave the story off seems about right for what I expected. Not every adventure story needs to result in violence, and even if the action sequences here were much better than last season. It never got too silly like some of the scenes did last time around. The way forward doesn't seem super clear so I have a hard time seeing this get another season, but I've been surprised before. (Story: 6/10, Characters: 6/10)

Art: Studio Flad returns and they do a much more consistent job than they did the first time around. Quality never really crumbles, and the colouring and lighting remain mostly consistent. (7/10)

Sound: Like with last season, I wasn't terribly impressed by any of the tracks, but they are enough to get you by. Voice work was much stronger this time around, in part because I feel like Tia Ballard (Ruti) settles into her role better than in the first season. As someone who loves her work, I was pretty disappointed with how she acted as Ruti, so that's nice to see. Aaron Campbell (Red) and Jad Saxton (Tisse) still offer strong performances, while Dani Chambers (Rit) is someone you can never go wrong with. Macy Anne Johnson (Lavender) was probably my favourite though - where'd she pull this one from? I'm used to hearing her in more subtle, quiet roles. (8/10)

Overall: Banished From The Hero's Party, I Decided To Live A Quiet Life In The Countryside Season 2 scores out roughly the same as the last season. It's strength lies in the back half, which is the opposite of last season, as the story around Van was stronger than anything else. I'm glad they built a little bit on top of Ruti after she is no longer the hero, and even if it's not the most interesting thing to listen to, they probably picked the right character to base the first half around. It's hard to judge what kind of audience this would appeal to because it doesn't do anything on an exceptional level. It's just another season, talking about Divine Blessings and Zoltan. (6/10)

Round 2 of Banished from the Hero's Party - Welcome back...to staleness that doesn't compare and even uphold to its prequel counterpart.

Like the majority, I loved Shin no Nakama a.k.a Banished from the Hero's Party when Season 1 came out in Fall 2021, that showcased a different side to the Hero's Party fantasy shtick that left me wanting for more. And now that Season 2 is out, the unfortunate reality (as is everyone concurring) is that novelist Zappon's story elements...do not hold up to the standards of the prequel.

A retrospective, otherwise, it's where to really begin with Season 2's content. The continuation with Volume 5 ... of the LN and beyond (to God knows where) with Ruti finally acknowledging her older brother Red's intention to settle down with Rit in Zoltan and live the life of freedom away from trouble, she, along with her bestie Tisse, also settles down in Zoltan, trying to make sense of the freedom that Red, Rit and the others like elf Yarandrala and giant Danan are now living. The sense of letting go of the troubles of a Heroic life, it's getting used to a slow life where the mundane becomes precious time spent with friends, it's a new feeling for Ruti and Tisse, that swords and shields are nothing compared to baths and meals, at the obvious expense of lives lost against moral company. And to be fair, it's a renewed feeling that it takes time getting used to, which Season 2 showcases a lot more from the brocon and her trusty loyal assistant's POV.

The things above ain't that bad...until you consider who the antagonist really is for Season 2. The whole trip about Ares and him getting served back in Season 1, really make for a good antagonist worth hating and seeing him get his karma and ass being beaten, it's such a treat. And the sequel here...opted for a new Hero who thinks that the Goddess has enshrined his Blessings to him, and that he must be loyal to her cause for the sake of others' Blessings being a nuisance. It's clear as day that the Hero in question, Van, is being brainwashed himself, but to the extent of being worse than Ares is not something I can complement about, being a weaker antagonist than the former leader who's all sorts of messed up. I mean, we get it that "life is not a bed of roses", but this sequel just gave me the feeling that the story elements past Season 1, which I thought would be good (until it wasn't), it's just a shame that the writing suffered tremendously here.

Even without the help of Wolfsbane for the studio collaboration, Studio Flad made decent use of sticking close to Season 1's quality, which it did, and makes me feel relieved. Not like I've expected animation to carry the show with its good storytelling (from the prequel) but being largely unchanged...when you think about it, it's likely for the better.

The OST may still be the same, but the theme songs have gotten worse. The same pairings of Yui Nishio and JYOCHO are back, though I find that the former's OP song is a decent fit given the change of POV, but the latter's ED song...is a very messy song that though carries the spirit of Season 1's musically sound and great song, does not translate well onto here.

Dear good golly God, Shin no Nakama, you've could've been great or at least back up the quality of Season 1, but Season 2 here just does not give you justice. For a lack of a better story plot, despite the slow life being just as prevalent as it does the second time around, it's just a disappointment of a follow-up.

Just watch Season 1 only, and close the anime gate from there on out.

The first season felt pretty solid in terms of having its conflict resolved in an entertaining manner. This season poses a big question mark for me because a lot of nothing has been happening in its opening episodes. I mean, stuff happens, but it's not engaging and not feeling like it's going anywhere. I'd be fine if it committed to its name in it following a quiet life in the countryside as a sort of slice of life, but even then it really lacks conflict and stakes or a general reason to care about what the characters are doing. I don't see a reason for ... watching it, and it's not giving me a reason. That's my overall take: I just got bored with it and dropped it.