Buzz
Adopting the storyline trend of 'cool and bold protagonists', the anime Shikkakumon No Saikyou Kenja - The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest is off to a promising start, yet its ability to retain audience interest remains uncertain.
Shikkakumon No Saikyou Kenja - The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest is an anime adaptation of the light novel of the same name, produced by J.C.Staff. Directed by Akitaya Noriaki, known for his work on projects like Bakuman, Persona 3 The Movie, and Slow Loop - another anime by Connect that debuted in winter 2022.
The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest premiered on January 8th. Currently, the anime holds a score of 6.78 on MyAnimeList (the original light novel has a score of 7.17), which is considered fairly decent. On social media platforms, audiences have provided diverse reviews with varying opinions about the show.
The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest depicts a tale set in a magical world where one's strength is determined by their 'crest' from birth. Our protagonist, initially extremely powerful but dissatisfied with his weak crest, decides to be reborn thousands of years later to become stronger. Reincarnated as Mathias Hildesheimr, the main character obtains the close combat crest he desires. However, in this era, humanity's knowledge of magic has significantly declined, causing Mathias' once strongest crest to become the weakest. How will Mathias utilize his crest to combat the dark forces lurking in the shadows? That is the story of this anime.
It can be said that The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest follows the trend of featuring a protagonist who is both cool and bold, akin to other action anime titles we're familiar with like One Piece, Dragon Ball, Boruto… This easily garnered the anime initial support from audiences. Like many other fantasy works with cool male leads, the storyline of The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest isn't overly complex. Every development in the show serves the purpose of strengthening the main character, so viewers don't have to grasp too much complexity while watching. Alongside the content, the visuals and sound are also well-invested, providing a realistic and captivating experience for viewers, especially during the battle scenes.
Alongside the supportive opinions, many viewers have complained about the pacing of this anime, finding it rushed. Despite being only the first episode, The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest has progressed quite swiftly. Characters are introduced hastily, lacking depth, which can leave many viewers feeling disappointed. This creates an uncomfortable feeling, leading many fans to view it as a superficial anime rather than one that genuinely focuses on quality and originality.
As mentioned earlier, because The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest feels too familiar and doesn't truly differentiate itself from other works in the same genre, the original light novel version was only moderately received. With the transition to anime, the adaptation feels somewhat irresponsible, further diminishing its appeal. Many secondary characters are heavily cut, resulting in a gradually dulling experience for viewers.
Overall, while the first episode garnered significant attention from viewers, if it continues to rely solely on the trend of 'cool and bold protagonists', there's a high likelihood that after a few episodes, if the quality doesn't improve, The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest will be forgotten in the lineup of winter 2022 anime. Have you experienced this new anime yet? Feel free to share your thoughts!
