Review of CHOYOYU!: High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World!
The levels of Isekai notoriety within the Light Novel medium has expanded since years recent, and more ideas are being fleshed out to give that sense of "fantasy" the genre has been all but standardly made known of. But tell me if this show has any originality to it, and even worse, coming off from the novelist of the great "Chivalry of a Failed Knight" author Riku Misora, I truly find it hard to fathom that he would try to switch things up from the genre that made his work memorable, to one that is truly undeserving, stooping low of his talents. But it iswhat it is, and I'd have to say, good ideation with a different concept, but the execution is just haphazard to say the most.
The prodigies that TRULY have it "easy" (or difficult in later stages) in the medieval fantasy "another world" are:
"Prime Minister" politician Tsukasa Mikogami, the spokesperson of "values over money", but also has special abilities to wield weapons (like why even for such a position?), not to mention that he is unknown about the ubiquitous harem of girls creeping onto him (especially elf Lyrule who repays his efforts with kisses).
"Modified DNA-borne" inventor Ringo Oohoshi, with her computerized assistant Kumausa (which most of the time, looks like a bear mascot for the group) to make and create modern weapons into a medieval world.
"Duo job" ninja-journalist Shinobu Sarutobi, who is agile and fast with any information, but if ever proves that her information scoop is ever consistent at best.
"Rintaro Okabe-inspired mad scientist" doctor Keine Kanzaki, a beautiful, miracle-working nurse with a psychotic mind to cheat death with modern medicine (that's close but not even to Dr. Stone levels).
"Passive-aggressive" samurai Aoi Ichijo, who wields the katana like a feather slaying through all enemies, the most standard and recognized ability of them all.
"Kid-sized" magician tom-girl Prince Akatsuki, who is acting the David Copperfield part to amuse people who've never saw magic before for absolutely no reason (other than "WOW, nice!" and distraction).
"Sensible and successful Jeff Bezos-inspired" businessman Masato Sanada who strives to make it big and rescue those in poverty. I mean, businessman are shrewd in personality, but that word ain't in his dictionary, and profit is always at hand with this guy.
So, unique but not so special characters with "special" abilities that doesn't impress, but will do.
From the get-go, an idea about prodigies in another world sounds like a generic can-do concept, but take a look at their ages, and that's where the whole genericness creeps unknowingly one notch higher. I mean, prodigies is a totally acceptable thing, but them being high school kids? Man, these geniuses must've been borne with talent, and yes, all these kids have worked off their asses to get to where they are, but holding positions where mainly only adults carry them? That's just stretching it to the limits where the ENTIRE world only consists of these cast of prodigies, and their "parents" that carried them the way through just either don't care or don't exist in their lives (as backstory, mind you, sad but true).
Same goes to the medieval fantasy world where its citizens can only function on a one-way "follower" street, and enemies are also treated like bad-behaved kids who need to get over their mistakes and learn their lesson against the prowess of the prodigies, and to make things even more confusing, NOT decimate them because "they should be given a second chance". It's almost baffling to the point where the people in the show do not (or rarely) have a choice in what they say and do, and most importantly, who to support against the backdrop of generic evil kingdoms supressing its people in their own nefarious attempts (which consists of only rape and murder) to reign and rule like the BS that they could. Is that what villains do when they have nothing else to conduct, really? Evil for the purpose of plot and senseless purpose? Oh, and the "prophecy" for the prodigies to defeat some "final boss" monster? Yea...hold my beer. All in all, this is where the show truly flops not just for namesake, but for even trying in the first place.
On the B-roll side, visuals, music and aesthetics have been shunned by the horrendous plotholes and storytelling so much that it has become (you've guessed it) a total generic-fest of a show. As I've said before in the past about the works of Project No. 9, every (new and more frequent) show from the studio seems like mediocre, hamfisted requests of projects that isn't made to stand out, but rather, makes it clear to go towards the popularity standings and displace all other aspects of the shows directed there without any sense of quality that's double-checked thoroughly. So, lower-than-average visuals, and the music that honestly has no substance to carry it through to the end, and what you'll end up with is a show that you'd care less about finishing it rather than taxing your way through from start to finish.
I'd wish that the Isekai genre would burn to a crisp with the many adaptations that are yet to come, and if crap materials like these just keep coming a.k.a cash-cows, there is absolutely no way that even Japan would ignore the many cries of viewers who just had enough of the bullcrap. Enough with the cliches and tropes, just don't try, can do? Just pass this show up, can be deemed as an anime that is simply uneventful, unredeeming and just smeared with over-the-top ridiculousness.
*Whew, rant done*