Helck

[Ryllharu]

Seeing how Bill, a person from an English speaking country, isn't familiar with it either, it seems to be a not so perfect localisation. But then again, if more or less everyone in the USA recognises it, it's probably enough for Hidive, the streamer, since it's a Texan company.

It's not because it is a Texas localizer. The fact that this is HIDIVE and Sentai Filmworks is exactly why the localization is kinda crappy, weirdly dated, and oddly specific for poorly integrated regional quirks of English.

Sentai Filmworks/HIDIVE is the reanimated corpse of ADV.

They broke apart ADV to get themselves out of some funding and breach of contract issues, then bought all the pieces back into their new vertical monopoly.

It's the same shitty people who did awful translations and cast themselves in the dubbing roles in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They lowballed dubbing bids for decades to maintain a stranglehold on English anime distribution and are a nightmare for the voice acting profession as a whole.

[Ryllharu]

Eps 03

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I love that everyone is some degree of dumb, oblivious, aloof, or super perceptive that any attempts at subterfuge or deception just immediately fail, but weren't needed or don't matter. On the other hand, when someone isn't being deceptive, others assume they are. The humor somehow manages to catch you off-guard frequently. It reminds me of the more classic serious/gag shonen series.

But the best gag this episode is, "I'm very skilled at restoration magic" [smashes the two things back together with brute force]. That and Helck's naked apron gratin dinner.
The gags are wonderful because they are quite often background visual gags that they don't focus on and are not explained.

The demon realm is quite hostile in nearly all aspects. It makes you wonder why the humans wanted to invade at all.

Lastly, Hyura is hot.

[DarthEnderX]

The demon realm is quite hostile in nearly all aspects. It makes you wonder why the humans wanted to invade at all.

To wipe out the demons, obviously.

[Ryllharu]

But lines like the existence of New-World Lifeforms and Vermilio's line about how the demons spend a lot of effort to keep the toxin from spreading make it seem like the humans don't really understand what's going on the way that the demons do.

Asta remarked how good the human region was compared to their own, so one of the groups certainly doesn't know something the other side does. Either the humans have been protected by the demons all this time, or the humans already solved the problem long ago.

[Buffalobiian]

The gags are indeed good, and Hyura is indeed hot.

But don't let this distract you from Vermillion's hood that accommodates long ears! Her short hair design is awesome.

As for human invasions, I gather that humans kill demons because they see them as a threat, not because they want their real estate. I'm going with this assumption for now.

[shinta|hikari]

What the fuck is Helck's motive

[DarthEnderX]

I'm sure that's related to the TWEEST!

[Ryllharu]

What the fuck is Helck's motive

Well, he killed his own brother, a hero of humanity.

We have to assume Helck betrayed humanity. We just don't know why yet.

[neflight86]

I wish I were more into this. The mystery is keeping me here, but the humor is so understated that it barely registers as jokes and wind up amusing more than entertaining. The world building helps, assuming they plan to do something with it.

Also, this episode completed Helck's transformation into anime Kronk.

Maybe my expectations are setting me up to clash with the tone of the show (so far)? Because I'm expecting a twist into a more serious story, my 'lookout mode' for that is dampening my enjoyment of what's on display... which hasn't impressed me so far. Not bad, but I'm struggling to start up each episode (a common problem for me this season).

[Buffalobiian]

I wish I were more into this. The mystery is keeping me here, but the humor is so understated that it barely registers as jokes and wind up amusing more than entertaining. The world building helps, assuming they plan to do something with it.

Also, this episode completed Helck's transformation into anime Kronk.

Maybe my expectations are setting me up to clash with the tone of the show (so far)? Because I'm expecting a twist into a more serious story, my 'lookout mode' for that is dampening my enjoyment of what's on display... which hasn't impressed me so far. Not bad, but I'm struggling to start up each episode (a common problem for me this season).

Overall I'd say I'm getting Slayer vibes when I watch this. It's the mix of artstyle, fantasy and gags.

[Kraco]

Yeah, this has pretty old-school adventurer vibes. A diverse cast, each with their own quirks, and quite subtle humour, with a big mission in the background. Star Wars, for example, was like that as well.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 04

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Hoh, so this is the setup that you guys were mentioning? I was afraid of them getting isekai-ed into our world for a second, until I saw the two moons.

And yes Azudra, that short hair is mighty fine indeed.

The humour was on point again (though there's less of it since it's serious world-building time). Hyura choosing to go with "This is just someone from management" was the most well played this ep, but for sheer gag value it still has to be the "Let's just cheer them on" bit just before it.

edit: actually, the "be quiet" bit was funny too. I can't choose.

[Ryllharu]

Hyura choosing to go with "This is just someone from management" was the most well played this ep, but for sheer gag value it still has to be the "Let's just cheer them on" bit just before it.

Hyura wasn't completely lying.

Aside from being racists for no reason (Vermilio stated that humanity has betrayed the demons multiple times), the average human apparently also has a very poor understanding of the Demon Empire.

The way Edil was talking, they thought they defeated THE Demon Lord, but were concerned there may be similarly strong demons remaining in the Empire.

Except the Demon Empire doesn't function that way. The winged and awakened humans killed a Demon Lord. There are many demon lords, and the sports competition was going to replace the one that they killed.

Vermilio and Azudra are both substantially stronger than a Demon Lord...and they're also middle management. There are stronger demons fighting the unnamed threat similar to the New World Beings in the North that humanity has absolutely no idea about.


In other topics, the gags of this series being supremely petty is a feature of the series' charm.

[Buffalobiian]

Vermilio and Azudra are both substantially stronger than a Demon Lord...and they're also middle management. There are stronger demons fighting the unnamed threat similar to the New World Beings in the North that humanity has absolutely no idea about.

Where was this information shown?

One thing that was surprising was that the humans knew enough about the crystals driving away toxins to use it as a power source for their portal.

Also, Helck was out doing something. He arrived late to the party here, and he has a cut to his right cheek that wasn't there pre-fall. He could have been fighting off the winged knights, but he also warned us against killing them.

[Ryllharu]

Where was this information shown?

Mostly episode 1. Vermilio is Combat Level Level 78 (Helck is 99). Azudra is Level 73 and another of the Elite four. The catgirl sisters and Vermilio's secretary Hon are Level 48 (so that's the average level of many experienced demons). Kenros the speedy guy is 38 and vying for a demon lord seat. Hyura is Level 50.

Demon Lord Urum, who died sacrificing himself to the hundreds of winged soldiers so all the others could flee, was Level 60.

The thing about the northern threat is a single line somewhere, but I couldn't find it again when skipping through all the episodes while typing this up. I think it is in eps 1 or 2. But I do remember it being said, probably related to how they had forces committed there. Keep in mind that episode 1, one of the catgirls indicated that the humans had no idea that the demons even had a capital city.

They cut the context that pieces it all together in a cute little map though.

[Buffalobiian]

I remember the power level stuff. What I don't recall is that there are known beings stronger than the Elite four and sit higher than them in demon hierarchy.

[Kraco]

I didn't, honestly, remember just how sparingly the story revealed the major facts along the way. I quite liked it, though. Most fantasy these days is extremely rudimentary, the isekai genre being the worst offender, so the stories don't keep any secrets whatsoever and everything is explained in excruciating detail, as if the audience was composed of mollusks.

Hyura is so superficial. She just couldn't ignore Edil having some bishounen characteristics, even though both swore to slay the other.

Vamirio, who always highly suspected Helck and deemed him an enemy when he told them not to kill the winged knights, ending up together with him is quite traditional story telling, for sure.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 05

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I still enjoy Vermilion's outbursts, but I was disappointed at her lack of leadership this episode for an Elite 4 who smells like an old lady.

[Kraco]

Bulding a basic log cabin is a lot of simpler than building a decent boat, after all.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 06

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I can't believe I didn't notice this last week, but despite Helck awakening as a hero, he actually doesn't have wings like the others. So he must have gone through a different process, or didn't actually awaken as a hero at all, or managed to cast it aside somehow (eg chop his wings off?)

Azudra's "condition" would be a wide open ground to erupt trees from I gather, with the airspace to swing them wildly. I liked the idea of the mask. Too bad it's a little pointless if he takes it off before beating the shit out of everyone.

The narrating at the beginning of the eps also give me HxH vibes.




EDIT: hmm, so based on information from this episode I reckon:
-Human King has an agenda to wipe out demons.
-Human King has a way to forcefully awaken humans.
-Human King did this to Helck's brother.
-Helck had to kill his brother to prevent further badness.
-Helck wants to kill the king and end this.