Review of Parallel World Pharmacy

Parallel World Pharmacy follows Kanji Yakutani, a modern-day pharmacologist who passes away from stress and overwork. Reborn in a fantasy world as Falma de Medicis, the second son of Bruno, a famous pharmacist, he decides to use his knowledge of modern pharmaceutical treatments to save the sick regardless of their social status or financial means. How does Falma's journey unfold? Story & Character: 6/10 The story starts with an intriguing premise of a child utilizing his modern pharmaceutical knowledge in a medieval fantasy setting. While initially inspiring, the narrative lacks significant conflict or resistance; society readily conforms to Falma's advancements, easily abandoning traditional folk medicine. The storypeaks with a drawn-out, avoidable epidemic and a poorly articulated antagonist. The buildup and execution were enjoyable until it attempted to become too serious with an antagonist who seems to be the only malevolent individual in an entire kingdom.

Falma is a decent character, but he seems overly accepting of his situations. He often chooses to act passively, allowing the story to progress against him. This passivity makes his competitors more aggressive, highlighting his frailty and vulnerability. His facade is frustrating as he continually attracts minor antagonists. The supporting characters feel artificially submissive to Falma, becoming more one-dimensional as the series progresses. However, character development is decent, given the varied social statuses and involvement of different characters with Falma.

Art & Sound: 5/10
The art is mediocre by modern anime standards, with simple character designs and scenery. Fight scene animations are choppy, and character proportions inconsistently shift even during dialogue. Character designs are basic but passable; the naval military and religious faction knights are notably more detailed compared to the rest.

Sound design is surface-level, with music and sound effects fulfilling their obvious roles without much innovation. Voice acting is decent by modern standards, feeling professional but not exceptional.

Overall & Enjoyment: 5/10
If this series maintained a more cohesive business model for its pharmaceutical store and a more relaxed narrative, it would have been rated better. It attempts to resolve loose ends by creating an unnecessary antagonist. The lack of loss and grief makes the series overly optimistic, and the conflicts lack substance, offering little resistance or depth to the story and character development. Despite these critiques, it was an entertaining watch, and it was enjoyable to see the protagonist running a business using modern pharmaceutical practices.