@ the ones who watched Shokei Shoujo no Virgin road: do you recommend me to watch this anime?

Reading reactions to the executor and her way of life anime has left me convinced that basic reading comprehension is a luxury, not a norm

LGBTQ Anime Review - The Executioner and Her Way Series Premier

An Exciting Take on Isekai With Fantastic Characters and a Fast-Paced Story

The Executioner and Her Way of Life is the second work of the recent Yuri subgenre boom to get the anime adaptation treatment. A movement started thanks to the genre’s rising popularity, and the opportunities brought about by new technologies and audiences. It is a pleasure to see Yuri authors go beyond their typical school romances and explore varied reaches. While Otherside Picnic largely succeeded in creating a fun and bizarre sci-fi adventure in its anime, it did not capture the original novels’ splendor, terror, and scope. Thankfully, science fiction and fantasy Yuri has another chance in anime form with J.C. Staff’s animated adaptation of Mato Sato’s isekai story The Executioner and Her Way of Life.

*Contains minor spoilers for the first three episodes of the Executioner and Her Way of Life*

We are, at the time of writing, just past the at the crucial three-episode mark of Executioner, and wow, I am hooked. The series follows Menou, an executioner for the church, tasked with the unenviable job of eliminating any “lost ones,” travelers from Modern Japan isekaied into her world before they can wreak havoc. The series begins as Menou sets out to eradicate another target, Akari. But, Akari’s abilities, the “pure concept” of time, automatically reverses her death when Menus strikes her. Unable to risk setting off her magic and potentially destroying the world, Menou recruits the naive and trusting Akari and begins traveling with her until she can find a way to kill the immortal girl.

The critical aspect of this setup that drew me into this series (aside from the obvious one of it being a Yuri story) is its anti-isekainess. Isekai stories, which have inundated anime, manga, and light novels for the past decade, became tired, troped-filled fodder long ago. Every new anime season brings us another mediocre fantasy story about a boy transported to another world where he discovers ungodly power, attracts a harem of innocent or unhinged girls, and becomes rich thanks to inventing mayonnaise. Sure there are a handful of expectations and legitimately entertaining and thoughtful works within the genre, one of my favorite series, I’m in Love with the Villainess, after all, but by and large, the genre is a drag.

The Executioner and Her Way of Life succeeds in imagining a world where isekai is both common and a threat. This dynamic is demonstrated in a steller bit of worldbuilding and one of the best debut episodes I have seen in a long time. Viewers get to the series’ fantasy world through the eyes of a newly isekaied boy. Let us call him Stabface the Boring.

As Stabface emerges into the world, a civilization infected by Japanese modern culture and traditions meets him. Products of all the former lost ones permeate the realm (and yes, they have mayonnaise). The result is a fascinating setting with a delightful mix of wondrous and familiar. My favorite moments were the crowded train station and bubble spell seen in the second episode.

The ultimate linchpin of the series’ anti-isekai premise comes from our true main character, not Stabface, but Menou. Having witnessed firsthand the destruction the wild magics lost one’s posses can do, she takes on the unsavory task of protecting the world by any means necessary. This “twist” revelation comes in the series’ best scene so far, when Menou sinks a dagger into the skull of Sabface.

The startling truth of Menou’s duty sets up one of the anime’s central conflicts, having to hurt the innocent lest they unleash mayhem and death. As Menou says to her companion and assistant Momo, having to murder an innocent person who has committed no crime than being summoned into their world is a burden, and the series treats it like one. Menou takes little joy in her role, and the anime shall explore this compelling issue further. Inevitably, it will come to a head as Menouis forced to choose between a girl and her duty and likely fight off one of the most apparent twist villains I have ever seen.

Executioner’sclever twists on isekai help establish a lush world and compelling conflicts and characters. I am genuinely interested to see what will become of Menou and Akari’s adventure and how the former will overcome the burden of her duty. However, the series is not a genius work; the isekai to end all isekais. At its core, the anime is still a fantasy story, with rival factions, dangers to face, and adventures to enjoy. However, the premise works well enough to differentiate the work from its peers. The anime is at its best when its unique aspects work in lockstep, mixing its unique conundrums and elements with more traditional adventure.

Theexecutionof its premise is The Executioner and Her Way of Life’s greatest strength. The short series, coming in at only one 12-episode cour, leaves J.C. Staff little time to nonsense or meandering. Each episode thus far has provided a stellar mix of excitement and character moments while helping move the story along.

The first episode presented our world, characters, and central elements in a crisp and engaging intro filled with excellent twists and perhaps some excessive explosion. The second episode slowed things down a little bit, giving us Menou and Akari’s first meeting and setting the central conflict and drive of the series, their relationship, on the rails. The third gave us a look at how their dynamic works in the daily adventures they will undoubtedly encounter on their journey. Again, Executionerplays its cards right with an invigorating revelation here that Akari activated her power after they had failed to prevent a train accident.

The series also has good animation and outstanding compositing, as shown off during the first episode’s action sequence and in the effects of Menou’s magecraft. However, it has a few blunders, such as using harmful tropes and some inconsistencies. For example, Menou’s battle in the third episode lacked energy and interest. Thankfully Momo’s battle in the episode held up thanks to some creative weaponry and an interesting dynamic between her and the garish princess Ashuna, who will undoubtedly have more significant roles as the series progresses.

In fact, the side characters are a surprising strength. Initially, Momo was introduced as the aggressive lesbian best friend, a common Yuri trope usually played for comedy and drama, as another person drives a wedge between our heroine and her adoring kohai. However, she went on to show her usefulness to Menou, using her gleeful and sharp abilities to gather information, eliminate terrorists, and engage in taunts with Ashuna. Yet, their draw is nothing compared to the main cast.

Menou and Akari are brilliant. They are expertly played by Iori Saeki and Moe Kahara, respectively, and wow, do they sell their relationship. Both succeed as compelling individuals. Menou has a tumultuous past, witnessing her village’s destruction at the hands of a lost one and then raised as a young prodigy within the church, groomed to be an executioner and master magecraft user. However, she is aware of the horrors she inflicts. The moments when she attempts to protect Momo from her work or expresses anxiety about having to spend so much time with a target, Akari, play well to her humanity.

On the other hand, Akari is much more of a mystery at this point, having little of her life detailed. However, occasional glimpses or awkward phrases give pause and alert the viewers that there is more to her past and character than initially meets the eyes. However, more than anything else, I enjoy her because of how earnest she is. Akari willingly steps up to sacrifice her dignity to protect Minou and is kind, helping a young child at the train station and going after the executioner when she fears for her safety. These actions also demonstrate her deep connection to Minou, a Yuri connection.

No, Menou and Akari’s relationship is not explicit romance, and by the time the single cour anime ends, it is doubtful that it will progress there, but it is still very much Yuri. The two have a shared mysterious bond created by Menou’s dream of a shadowy girl, who she realizes to be Akari. Although Menou ultimately seeks to eliminate Akari, she has concerns for her safety, wanting her to stay back during the battle against terrorists on a train. At the climax of this episode, the girls combine their magic together, a usually painful process that is pleasurable to Akari in typical fanservice fashion. It is a development that surprises Menou and further hints and their remarkable connections.

The Executioner and Her Way of Life surprised me in all the best ways. Although I cannot call any aspect of the series perfect, it comes pretty darn close despite minor inconsistencies with production and a little more fanservice than I would have preferred. The pacing is tight, the characters engaging, the use of dramatic irony exceptional, and the opening is visually and musically phenomenal. I cannot wait to see where the adventure goes next and how what will become of Menou and Akari. And, once the anime ends, I will gladly finally pick up those light novels that have been collected dust on my shelf.

Ratings:
Story – 9
Characters – 8
Art – 7
LGBTQ – 3
Sexual Content – 5
Final – 8

The Executioner and Her Way of Life is currently streaming with English subtitles on HIDIVE.

This review is made possible thanks to Avery Riehl and the rest of the YuriMother patrons. Help support future reviews, news coverage, and LGBTQ+ media by checking out the YuriMother Patreon today.

Yup, Pandemonium alright

A Hero… He most likely had a sword like the one we see in the opening. Could he be the one that created the continent of salt ?

Well, looks like we’re starting to get an answer as to how Pandemonium is linked to all this. The legend says it was a young girl that gave birth to demons out of her flesh and blood… Sounds like this kid alright. So the Human Error that gave birth to this wall of fog finally got out… I wonder how.

In other words : be gay, do crimes.