ANIME REVIEW | A Setting Sun Shines on "No Longer Allowed in Another World"
WARNING: The following anime contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts or feelings, you are not alone, and there is free, 24/7 help. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers specific resources and confidential support for those in crisis or emotional distress. You can call 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org at any time for free, 24/7 help when you or anyone you know needs help.
Osamu Dazai is considered by many to be one of the most iconic Japanese authors of the 20th century. In his 39 years of existing on our planet, Dazai wrote nearly 200 stories, his most famous being No Longer Human. Alas, alongside his lover, Dazai would silence his voice forever via a suicide pact in 1948. Or so you’d think, if the new isekai anime series No Longer Allowed in Another World would lead you to believe!
For legal reasons, Dazai is not named as such. Instead, No Longer Allowed in Another World dubs the famed author merely as Sensei (Hiroshi Kamiya). Just as he and his lover Sacchan (Reina Ueda) are about to die, a truck comes along and transports Sensei to a magical fantasy world. There, he is greeted by elf girl Annette (Rumi Okubo), who declares him to be the new hero of the land. Naturally, Sensei reacts to the news in the most common of ways: by eating a lot of sleeping pills and OD’ing!
Annette is shocked by Sensei’s actions, seeing as many other past heroes to be took to the task with great enthusiasm. Knowing he’d be an interesting fellow to see in action, Annette abandons her post and decides to follow Sensei on his reluctant path. They meet a cat girl Sensei dubs Tama (Sayumi Suzushiro), who’s been captured by a Death Tree. Because his poisonous attitude is hazardous to any monster’s health, he accidentally defeats the Death Tree and gains a third party member in the process. The three then set out towards a world of adventure, with Sensei sleeping in a coffin whilst Annette and Tama literally drag him along.
On paper, No Longer Allowed in Another World sounds grim. Suicide is a very touchy subject, so using it as a source of humor may make some uncomfortable. With that being said, the joke isn’t revolved around suicide; it’s that a suicidal man is now in charge of saving an entire fantasy world! And that, readers, is where this anime beams with true hilarity!
Every time Sensei is forced to hear either victory music or that he’s leveled up, he complains with great agony that his head hurts. Whenever a monster comes around, he welcomes the chance of death, only to find a way to beat the beasts merely with his toxic essence. The fact that both Annette and Tama are fighting over for his heart is also funny, as he’s got the personality of Edgar Allen Poe after drinking three bottles of absinthe. And yet, when the time comes where he has to be the hero, Sensei displays a level of bravery and nobleness that’s both refreshing and unique.
The villains of No Longer Allowed in Another World are former heroes, who got ego-boosted and too powerful to control. They’re all misfits in some fashion, albeit with a little too much “woe is me!” for even Sensei to stomach. Just as Chillin’ in Another World with Lvl 2 Super Cheat Powers showed, you don’t give just any strong-looking guy a sword and the keys to heroism; there’s a chance they’re going to be a dick about it! That attitude is where Sensei’s true powers come into play, which uses his greatest strength: his pen and paper.
Storyteller, Sensei’s powers, uses a target’s back story to decide whether or not they have a worthy narrative. It’s a cool source of magic, one that I don’t think I’ve seen either a fantasy or isekai series use in the past. Thus far, no story has been worthy of Sensei’s writing prowess, meaning that every target gets sent back to Earth to their timeline. The power can even be used on allies to unlock new skills, just as Sensei does with Tama during her bout with a villain threatening her kingdom.
It’s surprising to see how much originality can be found in No Longer Allowed in Another World. The isekai genre seemed to have done everything under the sun, to the point where most new shows feel tedious or lacking imagination. But every episode finds a way to churn out something new that hasn’t been done before, ranging from Sensei helping a Princess discover her true purpose in spite of her father’s wishes, to an episode where there isn’t a single good person to be found in a village near The World Tree. (How the latter episode ends is incredibly euphoric!)
Again, it helps that the series is wonderfully funny. Be it the banter between the heroes or how Sensei somehow keeps one-upping enemies while he’s trying to die, the show does a great job with bringing a plethora of laughs to its narrative. Even with its darkest humor, it’s hard not to feel giddy over just how silly Sensei, Annette, Tama, and the rest of the party are with one another. While it’s no KonoSuba or How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord, No Longer Allowed in Another World certainly knows how to tickle just about anyone’s funny bone.
You cannot have a more perfect choice to voice Sensei than Hiroshi Kamiya. He knows how to draw out big laughs from depressing characters, a talent that not many Japanese seiyuu have. Okubo is both heartfelt and gidddy as Annette, who pretty much takes on the straight man role within the adventurer’s party. As Tama, Suzushiro is both cute and filled with gusto, with her moment to play the hero being a great showcase of what sort of life and determination she’s brimming with.
Having AtelierPontdarc animate the show was the right choice, seeing how well they did with Uncle From Another World. Although there’s some questionable CGI used here and there, the show shines when it’s focused on traditional animation. The fights look great, and the comedic moments aren’t afraid to be presented in a wacky way. But the most impressive part of the animation can be found in the character designs. Not only do we have one of the best-looking elf girls and cat girls in anime history, but their eyes are drawn with such immaculate beauty. I honestly cannot remember the last time I’ve seen irises drawn so perfectly round as they are here!
Only the show’s soundtrack is where things aren’t as memorable. Composer Kenichiro Suehiro (Girls’ Last Tour, Comic Girls) isn’t quite strong, but it’s not terrible at the very least. It just doesn’t stand out compared to the other works he’s done. Kashitaro Ito’s “Shura Nikki”, on the other hand, is a great opening track, filled with grim sounds and lyrics that would’ve put a smile on Dazai’s face. Former MYTH & ROID member Mayu Maeshima delivers a beautiful ending with “Sayonara, Subarashiku Sekai yo”, with vocals and a melody that’s soothing and heartbreaking.
No Longer Allowed in Another World is a crazy what-if situation based on the life of one of the most iconic writers in Japanese history. Even crazier is the fact that it’s been executed far better than it has every right to be. It’s funny as hell, and it knows when to be smart with its subject matter and the world he’s been placed in. I have no idea how Osamu Dazai would feel seeing himself as the hero of a fantasy series. However, if he were to sit down and watch No Longer Allowed in Another World, I’m certain even he would respond with a hearty laugh.
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No Longer Allowed in Another World can be viewed on Crunchyroll, and has been licensed by Crunchyroll. Episode 1-10 were observed for review. Promotional consideration provided by Crunchyroll. Click here to watch the first episode on Crunchyroll's YouTube page!
