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Despite some audiences wishing it would, the isekai genre just won't slow down when it comes to anime. The latest isekai light novel to get the anime treatment is Reincarnated as a Sword, which promises to give the genre the right to be arms. As silly as it might sound, scoffers and haters should take a second look at isekai's newest reincarnation show.
Featuring an almost father-daughter relationship between a young lady and a sword, the show is set to certainly shake up the usual dynamics of the power fantasy genre. Coming out in a few months, here's what anime fans should know about Reincarnated as a Sword, as well as why fans of other isekai might enjoy it.
Reincarnated as a Sword Continues Isekai's Trend of Weird Reincarnations
Based on the original novel by Yuu Tanaka, Reincarnated as a Sword features a nameless protagonist who is quite literally reincarnated as a sword. After dying at the hands of a relative of Truck-kun, he becomes a powerful sword in a fantasy world. Resigning himself to his armament fate, he seeks to be wielded by a worthy warrior. His wish comes true thanks to the timely appearance of a two-headed bear. The ferocious creature attacks a caravan of slavers, with the cat-girl Fran finding the sword and using it in battle. Now called Master/Teacher, the sword and Fran go off to enjoy a grand quest full of adventure.
The novel and light novel series are both still running, having started in 2015 and 2016 respectively. These were followed by two manga adaptations: Reincarnated as a Sword and Reincarnated as a Sword: Another Wish. Both are likewise still being published, with 11 and four volumes so far. Now, the series is finally jumping on the bandwagon of isekai anime and being reincarnated into an animated adaptation.
When Does Reincarnated as a Sword Begin Airing?
The Reincarnated as a Sword anime adaptation is produced by C2C, which was also behind the fellow isekai anime Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy. It also shares a director in the form of Shinji Ishihara, who was at the helm of the Fairy Tail anime adaptation. Reincarnated as a Sword was announced in late 2021 along with the light novel's 12th volume, and fans don't have long to wait. The show will be hitting Japanese airwaves on October 5, 2022, with Sentai Filmworks announcing that they'll be licensing the series outside of Japan. Which streaming service will host the show is still unknown, however.
Reincarnated as a Sword Will Entice Fans of Sword Art Online and Other Isekai
As mentioned, the teacher/student relationship between Master and Fran is something of a father/daughter relationship -- something that's especially unique for isekai narratives. This provides something fresh for what's become a rather stale genre, but it will still appeal to those who can't get enough of isekai. With the hero becoming a powerful asset in a fantasy world not his own, the premise and name of the series bear more than a passing resemblance to That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime. With the focus on epic action, it's also quite similar to Sword Art Online, which is pretty much synonymous with the genre.
With more isekai light novels being turned into anime by the day, what's been shown so far of Reincarnated as a Sword is already convincing many that it won't be just another cookie-cutter series. If it's anything like the source material, the focus will be much less on zany reincarnation antics and more on a great relationship between a girl and her sword.