ANIME REVIEW | Brutal Action & Relatable Hilarity from a "Guild Receptionist"
Overtime is a bitch! No matter what kind of job you have, the mere thought of having to work longer than you’re scheduled is a fate that’s just as bad as death! In some cases, death — or facing probable death — would be the better option, as our hero of I May Be a Guild Receptionist, But I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time will vouch for. Perhaps that’s why Alina Clover (Rie Takahashi) is the most relatable protagonist to come around these anime parts in a long time, as her adventures and misadventures result in both laughter and sad sighs coated with “I’ve been there.”
Alina thought she’d have an easy job as a guild receptionist. In her mind, all she would have to do is stand at the counter and dish out quests to heroes and adventures. What she didn’t count on was the amount of paperwork it would entail. Not only do unbeaten quests result in Encyclopedia Britannica-sized loads of forms, but many of her coworkers just throw their unfinished work onto her pile. Needless to say, a work situation like this would make any sane person break down and slip into madness.
But not Alina. No, she thought of a better plan. After gaining a mighty god-leveled Dia skill, Alina sets out to complete the quests that thickheaded and egotistical adventures often fail to do, under the guise of the hooded “Executioner”. That way, the quest is done, and the amount of paperwork is sliced off. For a long time, her secret has been kept, until the leader of the Silver Sword Jade Scrade (Kentaro Kumagai) figures out her true identity.
Thus begins a reluctant life of adventuring for Alina Clover. The poor woman just wants an easy job so she can go home, relax, and maybe even enjoy a book once in a while. Alas, with the rise of Dark Gods and secret quests, the guild receptionist has her arm twisted to join Silver Sword alongside the tank Jake, the black mage Lowe (Rikuya Yasuda), and healer Lululee (Aoi Koga). But will going on these quests aid Alina in avoiding overtime, or is having to stay clocked in for much longer than she’s scheduled something she’s destined to be stuck in?
That feeling of overtime woes is what makes I May Be a Guild Receptionist… both a funny and eye-opening fantasy series. Every gripe that flies out of Alina’s mouth regarding overtime is something that every person on this planet has said somewhere down the line. Sure, the paid overtime is sweet when you see the paycheck, but what good does it do if you have no time to enjoy the cash that you’ve got? This is why Alina started secretly invading others’ quests in the first place, as it allows her to get a decent paycheck, go home on time, and enjoy whatever amount of breaks she can get.
The fact that she’d rather embark on a deadly quest than work overtime speaks volumes to the kind of character Alina is. Even with the amount of times she is injured, poisoned, and neared Death’s door, she can at least evade the horrible responsibility of working late into the night. Sure, she may have Jade and her receptionist coworker Laila (Yu Serizawa) to assist sometimes with the paperwork, but three people can’t tackle a mountain of forms in one evening every single night!
It’s why Alina reluctantly agrees to help with Silver Sword’s missions. Not because it’s the right thing to do, but because she’s promised more guild receptionists at her job. And Alina pushes the guild master Glen (Kenichiro Matsuda) over and over again to fulfill that promise. The longer Glen sits on his butt avoiding that simple solution, the angrier Alina gets. This is the equivalent of asking the head of the company for more workers and hours, and they respond with “pizza party every quarter of the year” instead.
So much of I May Be a Guild Receptionist… gets that frustration down pat. It helps that Alina is portrayed perfectly by Takahashi, who roars, screams, and whimpers her way through the workday. Her attitude comes off so well when she’s in battle alongside Jade, as she deals with Dark Gods with a plethora of overtime hatred in her heart and soul. So when she finally gets a breather and has some fun, you can’t help but feel happy for her, as you wish the same amount of happiness would befall you too.
Studio CloverWorks (My Dress-Up Darling, Akebi’s Sailor Uniform) captures both the humorous and action-packed side of this anime very well. In fights, the brutality that occurs when Alina and the others go up against Dark Gods is showcased with a plethora of detailed blood, injuries, and solid sakuga-leveled attacks. On the comedic side, the facial expressions of Alina are almost akin to what you’d see in KonoSuba, as her lost hope and deadpan reactions will no doubt get a huge laugh out of any viewer. I May Be a Guild Receptionist… goes to great lengths to look this good, and shows why CloverWorks is one of the best in the anime business. (Here's hoping no overtime work was needed!)
Composer Tsubasa Ito has a good reputation for fantasy anime soundtracks, and this is no exception. Ito’s works capture not just the intense battles Silver Sword encounters, but also the more slice-of-life moments with Alina, be it her frustrated at work or enjoying a local festival and its plethora of food choices. Opening theme “Perfect Day” by 310 fits well with the fantasy tone of the anime, especially the Celtic-like sounds that surround the beautiful vocals. However, it’s the end theme bopper “Ashita no Watashi ni Sachi Are” by Akari Nanawo that leans more into the fun and comedic side of this anime. (But be warned: when they switch around the theme songs, that probably means some dark shit’s going to happen towards the end of the episode.)
I May Be a Guild Receptionist, But I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time is a joy to watch. Yes, it captures the hated of overtime in a way that makes you look long into a mirror and ask “What am I doing with my life?” But at the very least, this anime lets you know that you’re not alone in feeling that way. Alina Clover is a prime example of an Everywoman in anime, as she shows that facing deadly situations is a far better option than having to stay clocked in well over your scheduled time. Because of that, I certainly hope we get to continue laughing heartily and sighing frustratedly alongside I May Be a Guild Receptionist… for many seasons to come!
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I May Be a Guild Receptionist, But I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time can be viewed on Crunchyroll, and has been licensed by Crunchyroll. Episodes 1-10 were observed for review. Promotional consideration provided by Crunchyroll.
