REVIEW: ‘Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside,’ Season 2 Episode 1

Red (Ryôta Suzuki, Sabikui Bisco), Rit (Kanon Takao), and Ruti (Naomi Ohzora) continue their quiet existence in Zoltan. As they embark on a peaceful journey to acquire a special gem for Red’s engagement ring for Rit, a new hero begins their battle with the Demon King. But something is strange about this new champion. What will become of his quest? And can Ruti truly walk away from her calling in Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside (Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party o Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life Suru Koto ni Shimashita) Season 2 Episode 1, “Let’s Go on a Quiet Little Journey,” produced by Studio Flad.

This season’s opening establishes both sides of its narrative well. While the primary focus is on Red and his companions, the time spent on the new hero is well-implemented. With the established concept of what the hero should be through Ruti in the last season, we can see some unsettling contrasts in the new version. His mannerisms and outlook feel chilling. While Ruti was distant due to the Hero’s Blessing, the new hero is genuinely uncaring of the suffering of others. He writes it off as a necessity so he can become powerful enough to fulfill his goal.

The visuals subtly reflect this harsher tone through the brief combat we see. More blood is shown splattering about, giving a more violent feel to this party. Even the Hero is covered with blood as he gives his uncaring monologue about other’s roles in his journey—a stark contrast to the cleaner presentation we see of others in the series.

While Banished from the Hero’s Party Episode 1 brings a chill to its narrative with these brief trips to the new hero, the warmth returning fans loved about the series is in full force the rest of the episode. Red and Rit are as adorable together as ever as they journey to the Wall at World’s End, hoping to find the perfect gem for Rit’s engagement ring. The duo and their companions lift the episode’s energy after each brief interlude brings it down. Even with some hints that their simple journey may not play out as they wish, the duo cannot help but make every moment on screen shine. The animation also helps build up the general upbeat nature of the episode’s core story. The visual presentation enhances every warm smile, blushing reaction, and happy exclamation with its solid delivery. Combining the positive energy with a warm, earthy color palette intensifies the narrative’s charm.

The only element of this side of Banished from the Hero’s Party Episode 1 that establishes a significantly heavier tone is Ruti. While she continues to enjoy her new life of freedom with her brother, she still worries that she won’t be able to hold on to it. The Hero’s Blessing is still her’s, and the weight it bears has not been completely removed from her conscience. These heavier moments deliver the impact these concerns bring to Ruti and, by extension, Red while not killing the episode’s energy too much. They are worries for the future that play in the minds of the cast. Their vagueness allows them to feel like abstract concerns, even though they are sure to play a larger role in the season’s plot.

The final piece of the narrative comes in the form of an Elf that has arrived in Zoltan looking for Red and Rit. Joined by a familiar face, this new presence in the sleepy town stirs up trouble in our protagonists’ absence. This introduction establishes this new character’s personality and power level excellently. Wasting little time, we see that this character has some complexity, as the short narrative surrounding them brings out numerous facets of their personality.

Banished from the Hero’s Party Episode 1 does a strong job of both reacquainting fans with the familiar and laying out new elements for the series to explore. It delivers the cozy energy that was the first season’s trademark while beginning to establish the unknown dangers that will be faced moving forward.

Banished from the Hero’s Party Episode 1 is available now on Crunchyroll.