Not Recommended
“The Banished Former Hero Lives as He Pleases” is what happens when a lack of writing skill is paired with lack of imagination. This show is a classic example of wasted potential. It has some good ideas story wise and absolutely butchers them with incompetent almost infantile or cringe writing and predictable plot. Before we start I would like to explain something. I will be talking about “plot” and “story”. Many people use those terms interchangeably. I’m not one of those people, so to make sure everyone is on the same page… I use the definitions for “plot” and “story” as Lisa Cron describes them: “Whathappens in the story is the PLOT, the surface events.”
“STORY is about how the things that happen affect someone in pursuit of a difficult goal, and how that person changes internally as a result”.
Let’s start with the story. It actually has potential, at least on paper. A reincarnated hero, who struggled in his heroic life, has a chance to live in peace. It has potential. In the hands of a competent writer this could actually be a good psychological drama (with a happy ending) or even a slow life, slice of life show. But because it was written by a cringy 13 year old it’s a pathetic, boring, predictable and ultimately pointless show. Whatever it had to say was destroyed by its own setup. Let me explain.
We have a reincarnated person, who lived for 15 years with his new family. A family of some importance and influence, it would appear. Instead of making sure he can leave to live as he pleases (as the title states) he just… fucked around and did nothing. His father lost the woman he loved, basically his reason for being sane and doing his damn job, and Alan (our MC) did nothing. He had experience from his previous life (yes, he has all his memories from that time), it would make sense he'd met people in similar situations and interacted with them. He could have helped his father to cope with his loss but he chose to let the man suffer. One hell of a hero. His inaction is the reason the first big arc even happens. He even acknowledges it in a half assed way but doesn’t give two shits about it. I guess when You die a hero, You get to be reborn as a prick. Why should we root for him?
The same thing with his own younger brother. When their father started to turn to the dark side and wanted revenge, he started treating his children as resources and mentally abused them. Alan didn’t give a fuck because… why should he? He’s the almighty hero that doesn’t even care about this family. His brother? Yeah. That’s a different story. He wanted to be accepted. Thanks to that he started seeing his own brother as nothing more than a failure and continuing his downward spiral into darkness. Darkness that could have been easily avoided if Alan gave a shit. But no, our hero couldn't be bothered, after all he just knows this family for 15 years, that’s obviously too little time to develop any kind of feelings or attachments. The only thing he said to his brother is that if he would succumb to the dark path he would stop him. The fuck? Alan saw the state his brother was in and did nothing. I guess he really wanted to kill his own family. Can we stop calling him a hero now, or do we need more?
Let’s talk about the exile itself. WHY THE FUCK DID HE HAD TO BE EXILED? I mean, I know why, he fucked around and did nothing so it does make sense to get rid of him. What I mean is that why the writers decided he needs to be exiled? He could just do what was expected of him, keep his standing for some time, make people accept him and see him as a good person and then just refuse to be part of the “family business”. What would they do to stop him? Threaten to exile him? It’s not like he is exiled without a good cause. He literally did nothing, he didn't give a shit about the mental, or any other, state of his family. That doesn’t make him a victim of some sort of external evil, it makes him an asshole that the show wants the viewer to cheer for. Eff off, just… Eff off.
It doesn’t get any better when our protagonist is “set free”. Because someone thought that a reincarnated asshole should have all his powers from his “hero years” there are no stakes and it is shown in episode one. He dispatches creatures that almost killed his friend and her bodyguard. Granted we don’t exactly get the scale of their threat because there is just one bodyguard, for some reason, and a whole pack of regenerating adversaries. That said, the fact that they can regenerate is a nice testament that they can be dangerous. Not for Alan, a protagonist of a shitty, self insert, power fantasy, reincarnation (at least it’s not an isekai) lazily written show, having actual challenges? Perish the thought. What do You think this is, a competently written show?
Ok, let’s talk about something good. The fact that the first BBEG is the family of the protagonist is a very good idea that I haven't seen utilised much. It has potential to be an amazing clash of ideals and morals. Alan’s father has a solid reason to be the villain of an arc. He even has a point in his actions. He saw a flaw in the state the world operates in, that people are benignly denied true free will thanks to their gifts that could hinder their dreams. That is good. That is a very good idea. We have a villain that has not only a reason to hate the world but also a solid reasoning why others should join him in this hate. Give that idea to a competent writer and we can have at least 26 episodes only about that.
Unfortunately, as You might have gathered, there wasn’t a competent writer anywhere near this script. What we get is a cartoonishly evil villain that uses lame, badly thought out plans that are destroyed with ease by Alan and the whole arc ends in 5 episodes. Everything is rushed and basic. Alan practically kills his father and brother without anything that could be mistaken for trying to rescue them. He just shows up, destroys their plan and then kills them without a second thought. Why? This could have been an amazing moment when Alan tries to save his family, make them see the error of their ways (something he should have done when he was still a kid and living with them) and, failing that, have a gut wrenching moment when he kills people he (at least should) love. But no. We get a pathetic, badly choreographed sword fight that ends in two moves basically. Just how incompetent were the writers? They took something good and turned it into a mindless parody. Something that could, and should, have been an introspective moment for Alan, that could have ended in him doubting himself, ends as a damn super sentai episode - monster killed, everythings fine, let’s move on. I effing hate the writing in this shitshow.
If You are hoping that the supporting cast at least picks up the tab and is a highlight of the show… oh my sweet summer child. They are barely characters. They are more like temporary side quest givers for Alan. When he’s done helping them, they follow him like good NPCs, contributing nothing to whatever comes next. Of course, because this is a show with lazy writing, all of his companions are women and all (maybe, very maybe, except for one) would like to ride him like Mario rides Yoshi. How original. There isn’t even anything more I could tell You about them, they are just that bland and forgettable.
Almost everything that happens in this show happens because the plot demands it and not because of any kind of logical cause and effect. Once a plot point is resolved it rarely has any kind of consequences on future events. Saved a blacksmith? You get a follower, that does nothing. Stopped an assassination? You get a follower that does almost nothing (seriously, she has maybe one scene when she is actually useful). Saved a kingdom from an evil plan of Your family? You get a follower that does nothing. I actually thought that he didn’t get a follower after defeating the dragon as a good idea. Alan joined forces with someone and they parted ways after the problem was resolved. That was good. If that would remain the case the show would only be better for it. Alan doesn’t need followers and he isn’t interested in planting roots anywhere so him being a solo wanderer has much more sense and gives more options for his development than him just traveling the gettin into trouble with a pack of women.
At the end of the day this show sucks. The plot doesn’t serve the story in any kind of way, it’s there because a powerful character must use his power, even when it shouldn't be needed. The story itself isn’t a bad idea but it is executed horribly.
I don’t think there is any kind of enjoyment to be had from watching this show unless it’s Your first time ever seeing an animation and even then I pity You. Avoid at all costs.
