Funimation’s trailer for Season 2 of How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom reveals the dark side of living in a medieval fantasy world.
Kodoani.com – How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom is an isekai series that follows Souma Kazuya, a politically minded 21st-century Japanese teenager who is summoned to save the fictional kingdom of Elfrieden. Souma attempted to resolve Elfrieden’s financial situation with legislative reforms, but the anime’s first season was dominated by an invasion of the rival principality of Amidonia. Now that Souma’s united army had quashed the invasion, he could once again focus on rebuilding Elfrieden. A trailer posted to Funimation’s YouTube account suggests the consequences of the invasion could be bigger than Souma thought.
Kodoani –
Article stolen from Kodoani, boycott the thief
The trailer makes Realist Hero part 2 seems significantly darker than the first part of the anime. Souma seems to make some brutal leadership choices regarding crime and punishment as well as acknowledging his potential shortcomings. Favorite characters are presented in strange new circumstances, and dangerous new characters are introduced. Here are some of the darkest moments from the trailer, as well as some that may not be as dark as they seem.
In one scene, Souma exclaims in awe, “So shall your judgment be!” It’s unclear who Souma is talking to here, but it could be Castor Vargas, the commander of the dragon air force, whom Souma had to defeat to unify the four armies. It is also unclear what judgment Souma is making, but the fact that he seems to express concern to the knight Liscia Elfrieden about whether it is the right choice implies that it is a serious choice. . Souma discussed Machiavellian’s “cruel” virtues with his Prime Minister Hakuya Kwonmin, so it’s possible the trailer is revealing a more sinister side of Souma’s leadership.
Another scene shows Souma talking to prisoner Carla Vargas, the daughter and knight of Castor. He told her, “If I go astray, you will kill me, instantly.” This line is similar to Souma’s line in Episode 9 when trying to convince the Three Dukes to let him combine their armies. Castor Vargas asked what would happen if Souma became spoiled, to which Souma replied that he could “have my head” in that case. What’s encouraging is that his reassurances to Castor are sincere and that he really doesn’t want to put Elfrieden at risk of falling into the hands of a corrupt leader, but his willingness to sacrifice his life. I am still a very dark development.
Not everything in the trailer is so dark; A shocking marriage proposal from Princess Roroa of Amidonia is followed by a montage of humorous scenes and embarrassing reactions. Even this, however, is tinged with darkness. A scene where Souma’s bodyguard Aisha cries seems to be more of a comedic overreaction than a genuine emotional one, as her mouth trembles and her eyes are filled with exaggerated anime-style tears. Even so, only the anime’s setting can explain what made the often stoic knight look so terrified.
Another scene features Knight Ludwin picking up a bespectacled girl with an oversized lab coat and saying, “She’s the one who committed the scandalous act.” The caption identifies the character as “Excessive Scientist Genia Maxwell”. Similar to the Aisha scene, it’s uncertain whether Genia’s “infamous act” is actually a substantial violation. The contrast between Genia’s innocent looks and her alleged crimes might mean it’s another comic relief moment, but the dark tone of the entire trailer could imply The idea that she’s hiding is something more serious.
Perhaps the most shocking scene of the trailer for anime viewers is the appearance of two new characters: “Slave trader Ginger Camus” and “Slave Girl Sandria of Raccoon.” Presumably, progressive Souma intended to abolish slavery in Elfrieden, but the way the smiling characters were casually introduced threatened to offer the same cavalier approach to the subject of slavery that made fans of many other isekai shunned. Souma is after all an intelligent student with a knowledge of real-world historical and present-day slavery, and the move to abolish it would be an example of exactly the same kind of thinking. Modernism makes him a unique character in the world of Landia.
Having said that, Carla is apparently still wearing the “slave necklace” after her encounter with Aisha and Liscia – a device that would kill her if she attacked Souma. It’s one thing to restrain Carla after capturing her during the war, but controlling her after the conflict is over would be another example of his behavior taking a darker turn in this second season. Perhaps Carla’s continued service is the harsh punishment Souma inflicts and worries Liscia in the previous part of the trailer. Fans can only hope that Souma remembers the spirit of freedom and forgiveness with which he reached out to the Amidonian people during his broadcast in Episode 12.
The trailer promises many other developments besides such as the fearsome confrontation with Prince Julius of Amidonia and Souma’s first meeting with the beloved Empress Maria Euphoria of the Gran Chaos Empire. While there may be some dark twists and turns, Souma’s climactic line shows that he hasn’t lost sight of his mission to make Elfrieden the best he can be, reaffirming his principles. comprehensive that he expressed in his broadcast in Episode 2: “There is no shortage of people in the world. That’s why we are always on the lookout for talented people.”
Via: Kodoani.com