Crunchyroll's release of the new Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World spinoff film, Legend of Crimson, has garnered much joy and discussion among fans all over the world. Based on the light novel series by Natsume Akatsuki, Konosuba's anime adaptation has captured the hearts and laughs of many since it first began airing in January 2016.
For those newly curious about the world of Konosuba, or just looking for a fun comedy anime with plenty of action to boot, let's circle back to a brief overview of the show and why it has gained such a passionate following.
In the beginning, Konosuba starts out looking very much like your classic Isekai anime. Teenage protagonist Kazuma Satou is a dull, shut-in otaku who spends his days playing video games and not going to school. Before he knows it, he dies in a highly embarrassing way and his sorry life is over. In the afterlife, he meets a snarky water goddess named Aqua who transports him to your classic RPG-esque world to help save it from the Demon King.
Kazuma and Aqua soon form a battle party with Megumin, a mage who can cast one big explosion before falling unconscious every time, and a beautiful, powerful knight named Darkness, a masochistic pervert who is thoroughly aroused just by the thought of agonizing pain or torture. Together, these four misfits go on classic battle adventures to find the Devil King's subordinates and... often end up being just as harmful as they are helpful.
Kazuma is a selfish, narcissistic jerk most of the time, verbally berating his teammates for being useless and making perverted jokes (and sometimes actions) while repeatedly noting how much his surroundings are like a video game world. Because of this, people often assume the worst about him which leads to situations where he's falsely accused of being an agent for the Demon King.
As for the female characters, they take certain classic anime tropes and turn them up to 11. Short skirts? Aqua's is so short that it's occasionally made clear she goes commando. Absurdly large chests? If you somehow miss this detail, fear not -- Kazuma is regularly there to point it out.
What sets Konosuba apart, however, is that it's fully aware of its tropes. The characters' personalities, their looks, and the story all contribute to the fun and self-awareness Konosuba brings to the table. Kazuma maybe your typical protagonist who dies and ends up in a fantasy realm, but he is not your typical intelligent, soft-spoken, do-good-for-others type who somehow doesn't realize he's surrounded by beautiful women. He knows full well - he's just more likely to insult them than compliment them.
The battle scenes also play out a little differently from standard Isekai and shounen anime. Working and strategizing together as a team? Blasphemy! Win-at-all-costs mentality? Unless there's a huge payday involved, forget about it! Poor Aqua, the useless goddess, is often left running for her life (or getting eaten) by giant monsters as her teammates watch and lazily figure out a plan to save her. Darkness may have the power to defeat many of their enemies, but she's often bearing the brunt of their attacks because, well, she likes the pain. Megumin's explosions are so big that at times they end up doing more damage to their surroundings than the monsters do.
Konosuba simultaneously parodies some classic anime tropes while foregoing others entirely, and its misfit characters indulge in constant wackiness while doing their half-best to help those around them. Because even when the going gets tough, you're always reminded that these characters are friends who would do just about anything for -- or to -- each other. That self-awareness, along with a refusal to take itself seriously in any way, is no small part of why the show has gained such widespread fandom since 2016.
Its many other qualities aside, Konosuba succeeds because it's flat out funny. With much of the world collectively enduring these trying times for the foreseeable future, what better time to dig into an anime that guarantees plenty of laughter and fun?