ANIME REVIEW | A Fawlty "Healer" Leads to Gut-Busting Banter
Comedy is subjective. What might be funny to some won’t be funny to others. I’ve experienced this plenty of times with anime, as Japanese humor can sometimes go over my head. Thankfully, when an anime takes a cue from classic British comedies, the different kinds of magic these two styles create result in something wonderfully entertaining. Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer! is one prime example of how anime can infuse an England-based style of humor and pull it off well.
Based on the manga by Tannen ni Hakko, Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer! gives the role of hero to Alvin (Takuya Sato), who aims to go on adventures and get stronger. While facing a mostly bear, the dark elf priestess Carla (Aguri Onishi) offers to aid Alvin on his quest. But when she “accidentally” hits Alvin with a curse, Carla claims that the two will die if they are physically too far apart from one another. However, as their journey begins, Alvin already starts having doubts about what comes out of Carla’s mouth.
What follows is a show where two heroes can’t get along with one another, but are forced to work together to fight a great evil. Except that most of the monsters Alvin and Carla come across aren’t evil; they’re misunderstood. Come to think of it, bad folks are a rarity in Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer!, as almost everyone they cross paths with are either good-natured or — in some cases — too pitiful to be taken seriously. Some even join Carla and Alvin on their journey, like the poison mushroom Altargaia (Asuna Tomari).
It’s a good thing no one super evil shows up, as viewers will quickly realize just how terrible of a hero Alvin is. Despite him always bashing on Carla’s inabilities, Alvin has a knack for falling into traps and nary a monster-slaying skill in his DNA. In fact, he’s such a terrible adventurer, his power level is literally “LOL”! So what does Alvin find himself being a master of? The answer is the art of the banter.
The chemistry (or lack of) between Carla and Alvin is the greatest strength in Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer! They’re at each other’s throats right at the start, with Carla’s filter-free comments causing more wounds on Alvin than any physical attack would. Alvin, in return, will insult Carla, who will almost always find a way to twist his words into some kind of compliment. Carla is either dense or too smart for her own good; Alvin, meanwhile, is an idiot who thinks he’s the brightest bulb in the bunch.
A great comparison of Carla & Alvin’s chemistry is that of the kind belonging to John Cleese & Connie Booth. Be it in a Monty Python skit or on the iconic Fawlty Towers, the two actors worked off each other with a bountiful of hilarious insults and physical humor that made them equals in whatever situation they were in. Carla and Alvin are very similar, as they rib one another to the point of giving one another an aneurysm. Thankfully, their audience won’t feel any pain, but rather a sense of joy and laughter from what comes out of their mouths.
There are also surprise gags scattered all throughout Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer! that poke fun of fantasy series in general. Alvin and Carla’s first dungeon raid ends in success, but in the same way one has a successful birthday at a T.G.I. Friday’s. Ghosts pass on to the great beyond with Carla’s aid, but only after telling them just how much Alvin sucks at life. A mimic monster (Ayala Saito) needs a pep talk in order to actually do the very thing it was born to do! Even Medusa’s (Yuko Natsuyoshi) stone-turning powers are no match for Alvin’s anger over every insult Carla throws at him!
Much of what works in this show is thanks to the voice acting talents. Onishi & Sato work off each other with fantastic timing as Carla & Alvin. Be it literal or metaphorical, both can throw a gut punch at one another that results in big laughs. The likes of Saori Hayami (Maria Deathflame), Hiroshi Shirokuma (Mostly Bear), Saori Onishi (Cyclops Lady), and Tomokazu Sugita (Brigan) also add their own comedic chops in small cameo roles.
Which leads me to wonder the following: why didn’t they record Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer! in front of a live studio audience? The acting showcased here — on top of its style of humor — reminded me greatly of The Thrilling Adventure Hour, which in itself was a nod to classic radio comedies of the past. While it might’ve been tough to animate a show recorded in front of people, hearing a crowd roar with laughter over every insult Carla or Alvin throws would’ve been the icing on this comedic cake.
Sadly, one can see why some might not watch this anime. Despite having a good comedic director at the helm (Nobuaki Nakanashi, who also directed the criminally underrated and still unlicensed Sumomomo, Momomo), Studio Jumondou didn’t exactly hit it out of the part visually. Sure, it’s bright and pretty, but motion-wise the animation can be choppy. It has a couple of good fight scenes here and there, but they're too quick to fully appreciate.
Musically, Satoshi Igarashi’s score is okay. It doesn’t do much to punch up the already-funny gags, but it is what it is. Onishi takes the reigns for the adorable opening theme “Jellyfish na Kimi e”, with Sato and Tomari joining her for the goofy ending “HERO in HEALER”. Both do a good job framing the kind of comedy one will be subjected to each episode.
Despite its poor visuals, Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer! delivers a hell of a lot of funny. On top of the stellar voice acting, the show parodies fantasy adventures in ways that’d make the late Graham Chapman grin slyly. While this style of humor may not be for everyone’s tastes, those who enjoy watching two comrades constantly tear a new asshole in one another will no doubt keep on laughing throughout every episode. So c’mon! Don’t be such an Alvin, and enjoy the top-grade stupidity that Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer! offers by the trough full.
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Don’t Hurt Me, My Healer! can be viewed on Crunchyroll and VRV. It has been licensed by Crunchyroll. Episodes 1-12 were observed for review. Promotional consideration provided by Crunchyroll.
