Hai to Gensou no Grimgar

[Kraco]

"When Haruhito awakens, he's in the dark. He doesn't know where he is, why is he here, and where he came from. Around him there are several men and women who have the same circumstances. Haruhito and his companions find themselves in a "game-like world" called Grimgar and must form a party, cooperate, and learn new skills to survive the harsh environment together." -ANN

Genres: adventure, fantasy
Links: AniDB | ANN | Official
Subber: HS






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Thought Overlord presented a too OP MC? Then this show is for you: The main characters can't beat a single goblin grunt even when ganging up on it.

These kind of shows are now popping up like mushrooms after a rain. Humans from our world suddenly finding themselves stuck in a game world. There might be some differences here and there, like in this show they don't actually have solid memories of their origin, only they sometimes catch themselves thinking weirdly or using weird words. And they are pitifully weak. Actually there was another bunch who gathered all the capable guys leaving the dregs for the MC group. Since I'm usually for strong MC (or to be specific determined MCs), I found myself initially thinking it would have been nicer to watch the progress of the other group, but in the end these weaklings did start to grow on me.

This series isn't going to make anybody go all wow like Overlord, but it was quite entertaining and the characters varied. It's hard to imagine these folks saving the world (or destroying it), but I hope they will achieve something and it won't all be trying to beat their first goblin.

I'll keep watching for now.

[shinta|hikari]

Only one thing is keeping me watching:

Waki!!!

The proportion of the girls' onscreen time vs. waki exposure is excellent, and it is obviously intentional. The part where the mage equipped herself is perfect proof.

[neflight86]

This was a pleasant surprise. I typically zone out really quickly on MMO shows, but this one had me from almost the outset. Humanizing monsters, a very likable underdog main cast, a good enough twist (wiped memories of the 'real world'), and what felt like above average animation shot this toward the top of my weekly anticipation. No tortured angst at the unfairness of the situation, possibly because of the memories missing. People banding together and living smart without silly drama. Good pacing and balance between exposition and dialogue with almost no technical jargon. In short, this show is so far skipping the 'bad parts' I expect from this genre. Highly recommended if you enjoy MMO stuff with a twist.

[MFauli]

The only way I will be able to accept the magician girl calling herself "fat", is, if her irl self is truly fat and she´s subsconcsiously remembering that. Otherwise it´s entirely ridiculous and will probably cause another generation of girls grow up with anorexia lol.

The first episode lacked any high points, so that was bad. I also think the current group of heroes is way to at ease with each other. There´s just no conflict, no strong characters that keep grinding each other. The "I can sense flat/big chested girls" guy and the "see how im casually aiming my bow at you" girl were the only scenes that implied something else.

This aside, this anime kinda suffers from its heroes´ young age. Dunno, but it´d be more interesting if we had a group of peole the age of that Renji guy or like the sexy thief teacher.

Anyway, will keep watching. I LOVE those settings ("real life people find themselves in fantasy world"), so this is a non-brainer.

One thing that kept bugging me during the last scene, though: When those goblins are THAT intelligent and social with each other, what gives the heroes the right to murder them? Shouldn´t the first try to make friendly contact? These didn´t look like evil creatures, devoid of emotion. Weird.

[NeoCybercoin]

HS Episode 2

Man these guys need to learn teamwork. And Ranta really needs to learn some common sense. But I really did like that this really shows they have never ever killed anything before.

[Kraco]

Holy shit those guys are unbelievably weak in every possible way. I felt pity for the goblin. It was practically torture with how slowly they were killing the poor creature, despite it being 6 vs 1. They should forget goblins for the time being and concentrate fighting some pesky mudcrabs and above all training until they can actually do something consistently. They are going to lose members from their own party sooner or later if they continue like this.

[shinta|hikari]

They should start fighting each other.

EDIT: Finally watched the episode.

Am I the only one that thinks this show is as slow as hell? Literally almost nothing happened in the last 2 episodes. We just get Ranta mouthing off and them (almost) failing to kill a goblin again in this episode too. These two episodes could've fit into 1, or this one could've been added to the next. The musical scene was extended way more than necessary. The only meaningful scene in it was the love triangle between the two ladies and Manato.

[Kraco]

You aren't the only one; probably 90% of the audience thinks the same because that must be purely intentional. I'd be strange if this show still intends to tell some grand story like most fantasy, but if it doesn't, then it makes sense as a stylistic choice. It even fits the theme of these people being so weak that they prefer to idle most of their time instead of searching for stronger monster to slay. What doesn't make sense is that they never train. Their lives depends on their skills in battle, yet we don't see them training those skills. The other girl should be shooting arrows like crazy considering she can't hit anything, but instead she's wandering around the town.

The lack of exercise is the only thing I find hard to forgive in this series, as I already accepted the ridiculous initial (or permanent) weakness. Even the ultimate series of a relaxed atmosphere, Aria, is full of nothing but training. The girls are doing it all the time, pretty much whenever they can, even if they still make it look all soft and fluffy (and empty-minded).

[shinta|hikari]

SAO slice-of-life version.

[NeoCybercoin]

Yeah that's what I thought. It's basically a slice of life kinda show. Only in a RPG setting. One of em needs to die for them to get their shit together I suppose.

[shinta|hikari]

This needs a lot more waki to keep me watching if the nothingness continues.

[MFauli]

I actually wonder if this show has the balls to kill of one of the party members. If so, I can see two fitting candidates: Either the thief guy, who has sorta been made into this anime´s main hero, which also means that he´s incredibly bland. He doesn´t have an specialites about him, so killing him off would cause drama, but without a functional vacuum. The other choice would be the priest, who´s kinda the father-figure of the whole group. No idea how they´d compensate the loss of their healer, but it´d make sense from a personality point of view.

As for ep 2: Yes, it turned out to be too little in terms of story. I actually LOVED the musical scene, it wasn´t too long either. There was also enough action. What I´d really have love is just a couple of sentences of exposition towards the end. Stuff like "Legend says there´s a door to another world on that red moon, and only those who save this world are granted access" or "Little did we know that no goblin is ever left alone in death". Really, just SOMETHING to look forward to, to think about.

And yes, they´re all super incompetent. I guess we have to put it on their lack of experience in terms of killing, yeah. But still ... the biggoron sword guy should have stopped his shitty stabbing and instead made one precise swing. The witch´s magic is apparently useless, just pushed the goblin a bit. Our thief hero is actually way overpowered, being able to defend, even attack with just his short knife. Even the healer went out of his way and entered close-combat.

I just have no idea HOW they´ll get stronger. There´s no indication of typical virtual world-elements. No levels, no skills, etc.. Even if they learn "skills", it doesn´t make them physically stronger, faster and more durable. Curious to find out how that´s done, because, by the heavens, no millenium of team work training will allow them to kill something like a dragon.

[NeoCybercoin]

Ep 3 is out.

Well it's good that they are getting a bit better. Seems their teamwork and weapon proficiency has gone up. The both the mage and archer can actually hit something now. We find out that learning new skills don't just come to them. They have to pay to get them. Most likely through their own guilds. And I am guessing something is gonna happen to Manato next time.

[MFauli]

Less plot than in this episode and this anime would be clinically dead. wtf

This sort of pacing would be sorta okay, if this was a 52+ anime. Since I dont assume this to be more than 13 eps, the lack of meaninful events is frustrating. Turning out to be one of the biggest disappointments of this season atm.

Seriously, spending so much time on the whole girl stalking shit? :/

[shinta|hikari]

I think they simply don't have enough material available to use if they go any faster. This might be the case of bad planning and rushing an anime adaptation when the source hasn't matured enough.

[MFauli]

Meanwhile Im still waiting for season 2 of Rideback :/

Also fucking animate the rest of Claymore and Gantz >_<

[Kraco]

Ho... I wonder if Manga-Updates' information is true and this only has a single volume in Japan. That would certainly explain it, although it would be beyond strange if the source wasn't very slow as well. The MCs are still miserable after three eps. This is truly taking too far the concept of throwing ordinary people into a fantasy world. Only Ranta seems to have any drive for adventure and battle, but he's an idiot. The rest are obviously doing it because they need the little money they gain to survive at all. That's the worst recipe for development and great deeds.

I'd actually like to see one of these stories with such a twist that a single character out of the bunch would turn evil instead of going the traditional hero route. Like become a necromancer or something. The story could switch back and forth between the good guys and the evil one. It would give some fresh flavour to this setting.

[shinta|hikari]

No more waki... This just went to the bottom of my watch list. At least it's still there.

These volunteer soldiers are evil. These goblins are separated from their group, sleeping, and then they suddenly get stabbed and pummeled to death. Have we ever seen a goblin attack humans with the same maliciousness?

[Kraco]

These volunteer soldiers are evil. These goblins are separated from their group, sleeping, and then they suddenly get stabbed and pummeled to death. Have we ever seen a goblin attack humans with the same maliciousness?

It's pretty standard to attack sleeping opponents in RPGs as well. Nothing strange about it. It's also why military camps must have lookouts in RL. What comes to the case in this show, was it the goblins who claimed that big city from humans? If it was, then they certainly should be expecting a retribution. And even if they weren't the ones, they are still living in a former human settlement. I reckon the goblins are depicted like that for the exact reason of making the adventurers' life look harder in this show. Especially with the slow and gruesome death of the first goblin. Nothing is glorious in this show (except maybe Shihoru's body).

[MFauli]

And I still wonder how they´ll get stronger. They still cannot fight more than 1 Goblin at a time. What will they do when a, say, Stone Giant appears? (Making up shit, no idea if such enemies exist in this series) What can they do? They´re too weak for any real MMORPG enemy. Even if they buy some more skills, it won´t enhance their base stats.