Trapped in a Dating Sim is another entry in the isekai anime world which premiered in the Spring 2022 anime season, telling the tale of the unlikely hero Leon Bartfort and his adventures in an otome game world. Leon fell down the stairs one evening and found himself reborn as the thirdborn son of a minor rural nobleman.
Despite having the odds stacked against him in a dog-eat-dog matriarchal world, Leon won't give up. He'll use all his wits to survive and recruit vital allies for his cause, and he shows other isekai protagonists exactly how it's done in the span of just a few episodes. Leon may not be the strongest isekai hero, but he is definitely one of the most original and amusing to watch. What is so great about him?
10 Leon Played An Off-Beat Game
Isekai protagonists might end up in a new world for a variety of reasons, such as the skeletal antihero Ainz Ooal Gown playing an ultra-realistic MMORPG before getting trapped in that game forever. Leon Bartfort also ended up in a game world, but he wasn't playing a JRPG or MMO. He was playing an otome game.
Ordinarily, girls are more interested in otome games, such as the reborn Katarina Claes. In a minor way, it's refreshing to see a male lead playing these games instead, even if it was mostly for his sister's sake. Leon sure knows how to expand his horizons.
9 Leon Has A Fascinating Internal Conflict About His Protagonist Status
Not all isekai leads have an internal conflict, but some of them do, and that includes Leon Bartfort. On one hand, he feels compelled to save the day as a dark horse hero and stand up to the villains, and he'd feel guilty if he neglected that duty. But that contradicts his deepest desires.
Leon also wants to blend in as a background "mob" character and enjoy a relaxing, stress-free life in obscurity, just like Azusa Aizawa the isekai witch. But if Leon did so, he couldn't save people. It's quite interesting to watch Leon grapple with this internal conflict and try to find a solution.
8 Leon Makes Gambling Look Cool
Some anime series such as Kakegurui or Gambling Apocalypse Kaiji are all about betting and high-stakes gambling, though isekai protagonists are usually too cautious to try this or simply have no interest. No one will ever see Rimuru Tempest at the Roulette table or horse racing arena, but they'll find Leon there.
One amusing sequence involved Leon Bartfort betting on NASCAR-style hoverbike races, and he had the time of his life making a killing from all that. He even bet on himself and made even more money, much to Marie the villainess' annoyance. She's not much of a risk-taker.
7 Leon Can Prepare A Classy Tea Party
Leon Bartfort would do well at Eden Academy in Spy x Family, where students are expected to be elegant in the eyes of headmaster Henry Henderson. Few isekai protagonists can throw a classy tea party, but Leon sure can, and it's a good look for him. He is most elegant, especially compared to Kirito or Tanya Degurechaff.
Leon took an entire class for tea party hosting, and he took that subject seriously when most other isekai heroes would just roll their eyes. It shows how confident and tasteful Leon can be, and he did his best even when his guests were a bit crude and ungrateful. More power to him.
6 Leon Stands Up For Unpopular People At School
Isekai protagonists are likely to stand up for the innocent and defend the weak, especially the likes of Rimuru Tempest or the kind Subaru Natsuki, but not many of them would get involved in a snobbish himedere's business. They would steer clear and try to avoid trouble, but Leon stepped in anyway.
It was none of Leon's business when the uppity Angelica Redgrave was unfairly rejected by her fiancé, but Leon got involved all the same, and it turned out well. Leon made a vital friend in Angelica, and in return, Angelica became a kinder, slightly humbler person. Not all arrogant snobs are a lost cause, as Leon showed.
5 Leon Pilots A Cool Giant Robot
Isekai heroes might use all kinds of tools or weapons to get ahead, from Naofumi Iwatani's trademark shields to Senku's inventions, while Leon takes it to a whole new level. Fortunately for him, this otome game has many anime sci-fi elements to it, including giant robots called Armors.
Leon thrilled Trapped in a Dating Sim fans when he piloted a unique Armor from a previous era, and used it to demolish newer models in the combat arena. And he only needed a shovel as his weapon to get the job done.
4 Leon Has His Own Ship, The Partner
Few isekai protagonists or even isekai villains have their own ship, but Leon Bartfot sure has one, and he didn't even have to pay for it. He took full advantage of this otome world's sci-fi nature and assembled his own Star Wars-style ship, a vehicle named the Partner.
The Partner is crewed mainly by robots, including Leon's floating friend Luxion, meaning it's ready to fly even if Leon has few friends to call upon. This ship can even handle itself against a flotilla of sky pirates and is rather luxurious on the inside, too.
3 Leon Refuses To Kill
Isekai heroes often have to defend their lives from monsters or villains, and they might even need to take lives to ensure their own survival. It's one thing to vaporize giant ants or wipe out demons – no one will object to those getting slaughtered in battle. But Leon's enemies are human, from those sky pirates to the obnoxious Stephanie Offrey.
With that giant robot and the Partner on his side, Leon could butcher anyone who crosses him, but he would feel terrible about it, and that shows how noble and restrained he is. That goes double when anime fans factor in how badly Leon is treated and how many enemies he really has. None of that will compromise who he is.
2 Leon Flirted With The Queen
Anime fans can't help but cheer when the protagonist boldly reaches for something incredible, even if they are unlikely to ever succeed. A fine example is a confident protagonist boldly flirting with a high-caliber love interest, and Leon did that when he tried to seduce the queen herself.
Queen Mylene is happily married, but Leon courted her anyway, and he actually made it look good. It was a doomed endeavor, but Leon was a charming gentleman about it, and amazingly, the queen was flattered and a bit intrigued, judging by her reaction. She won't ditch the king to run off with Leon, but she does have a favorable impression of him.
1 Leon Is Highly Versatile Overall
Overall, Leon is quite flexible and versatile as an isekai hero, while most other heroes are committed to one or two skills such as Subaru's diplomacy or Tanya's devotion to the military. Leon can do a bit of everything, and that makes him less predictable and cliché as an isekai lead.
Leon can stand up to bullies, provide emotional support to his friends, pilot a giant robot, captain the Partner, go on D&D style quests, prepare a fine tea party, and even wield a sword in battle. He also has experience with farming back home at the Bartfort estate.