The anime The 8th Son? Are You Kidding Me? is an Isekai genre anime that portrays the struggles of a middle-aged salaryman who wakes up in a magical foreign land in a little boy’s body.
Originally based on a light novel series with pretty much the same plot, the first episode of the anime was released on April 2, 2020, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. It is amassing a big fan following within thriving otaku and weaboo circles.
As much as the final episode was highly anticipated, fans were also sad that their beloved anime was coming to an end. The first season has been wrapped up with the release of Episode 12 on June 19, 2020. The possibility of another season,Season 2 hasn’t been confirmed yet, though it is highly likely that it will be made.
1. Was the anime good?
The anime is a largely entertaining and delightful watch. It has an optimal combination of dragons, zombies, action, magic and romance.
While many of its elements can feel a bit too repetitive and clichè at times, it reproduces and refines the genre in many innovative ways. This accomplishment is commendable and noteworthy.
The plot of the anime revolves around the strange case of a salaryman in modern times who gets magically transported to another dimension and place. He learns that he has come to this world as a little boy named Wendelin Von Benno Baumeister, who is the youngest son of a poor noble family.
This realization is humorously portrayed as it turns out he is not going to get even a share of the family property. However, he soon finds out that he is one of the few to have been blessed with magical powers.
The sibling rivalry as we see between him and the eldest son Kurt, is extremely well fleshed out. The conflict is tragic because sibling relationships aren’t always as ideal as we would want them to be. For the realistic and nuanced treatment of human dynamics, this anime deserves major points!
Also, the anime is replete with many supernatural and magical elements like zombies, dragons, et cetera, which I admit, always gets me excited. They added a lot of flavor to a plot that would have been tediously bland without them.
The anime also doesn’t forget romance, which is a crucial but often ignored aspect in adventure-fantasy anime. The romantic bond between Wendelin and Elize is touched upon spectacularly and enables us to see the character development of the two in-depth.
2. How good was the Season Finale?
The anime ended on a triumphant note. His own eldest brother, who acts as the villain in Season 1, dies. Thus, the anime ended with the elimination of the main foe.
The scene where his brother killed himself by playing the Flute of Malice ironically to attack his brother’s retainers, is so poignant, dreary, and intense. The internal turmoil and conflict of Wendelin at that moment is so beautifully highlighted.
All possible villains have not yet been dealt with. So, it might be a bit too early to rejoice. Many knots and mysteries of the story haven’t been explored properly and there are many underlying plot holes thanks to this.
There remain many questions that are left ambiguous and need to be answered coherently. Season 2 might handle all these plot holes hopefully, if and when it does get released.
3. Why did the salaryman get teleported to become Wendelin Baumeister?
Usually, anime of the Isakai genre come up with roundabout reasons, no matter how stupid or ridiculous, to explain why the main protagonist got transported to another dimension.
For example, Inuyasha, which is also an Isakai anime, explains that Kagome Higurashi was taken back centuries to the Sengoku Period to serve what crucial purpose for which she was uniquely suited.
In this light, any fan or viewer will ask these questions and expect answers. Towards the end of Season 1, Wendelin is asked as to why he looks so distant at times, even if he is so near.
The lack of answers as to what purpose he needed to serve in the magical world and why he was selected are one of the few things which make the viewing experience feel a bit incomplete.
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