Review of The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash

Lighthearted Isekai, Disappointing Execution Even when I finished the show, it still didn't feel like a true Isekai. The otherworldly "reborn into another world" plot was introduced at the beginning with a secret the protagonist, Ivy, was told to keep. There was also a mention of a deeper dive into this plot while recalling a bedtime story from her early childhood, but this thread was quickly dropped and only came up briefly with no real impact on the story. Essentially, if it weren't for the initial mention of being from another world, the story would play out the same. I'm guessing this aspect is explored furtherin the manga.

The main character, Ivy, has a tragic backstory. By the age of 5, she was expelled from her village after being branded cursed by the gods due to her 0-star taming skill. Hunted and wanted dead by the town leader, we later discover this leader was responsible for killing her friend and "teacher" and pinning the blame on Ivy.

I really enjoyed Ivy's story and following her growth throughout the series, from her unique design to how she deals with challenges.

However, the plot had some issues. Despite interesting characters, the focus seemed to be more on the journey to the capital than on character development. There was also a child trafficking ring crime mystery twist introduced in the town near the capital, which felt like a detour and dragged on for too long.

Another interesting mechanic was Sora, the slime, who could heal injuries by consuming potions and gain stats from them. This ability started out promising but wasn't explored further. Notably, the healing ability was overshadowed by Sora's "truth ability," which allowed it to detect if someone was good or bad. This plot point, used to identify watchmen involved in the trafficking ring, felt repetitive.

The story ends on a positive note with the town saved and Ivy and Sora continuing their journey. They've gained acceptance for who they are, and Ivy has found new friendships. However, the series concludes with a reminder of the cat monster she tamed at the beginning, a character who remained completely useless and only appeared sporadically. This reinforces the feeling of a story with interesting elements that weren't fully developed, creating a sense of wasted potential. Finally, if you watch the dub, be warned: the cat's voice acting is particularly grating.