Reviews for Banished From The Hero's Party, I Decided To Live A Quiet Life In The Countryside Season 2

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the second season of Shin no Nakama! Perhaps you thought this would be a formulaic continuation of the rather mediocre power fantasy isekai/slice of life the first season was. Little did you know that the showmakers decided to pander to a different market segment altogether. Yes, this show is now officially an ecchi harem isekai. Bring out the champagne! Well, that wasn't totally fair. It is not just an ecchi harem isekai. It also has elements of (explicitly acknowledged) incest, polygamy, and sexualization of underage girls. Your FBI agent will definitely shake his head. That much, I can guarantee. I can hearyou say: "Surely, you're joking, Mr. Zolmir! You must be mistaking siscon/brocon for incest, right? They surely wouldn't go that far!" Alas, my friends, I kid you not. Ruti, our protagonist's little sister explicitly acknowledges that:

(1) she is OK with her brother marrying Rit because she herself cannot marry him (pesky social norms),

(2) despite not being able to marry him, she can still be his lover,

(3) this is OK because her brother can "handle two partners with ease", and ergo

(4) Rit can be the number one wife and Ruti can be the number one lover.

This is followed by Ruti joining the main couple (and the elven side chick) in a hot bath while totally naked. I rest my case, dear reader.

As for the sexualization of underage girls, just watch the opening. The main couple are nowhere to be seen, and we are treated to several half- and fully-naked scenes with Ruti (officially "17") and Tisse (looks 11 to me, but what do I know.)

Now that we have satisfactorily established the genre, the question becomes: "Is it a good ecchi harem isekai? What about the plot? I-I mean the actual plot!"

In terms of the actual plot, it is your run-of-the-mill slice of life isekai with sub-standard writing. In the span of three episodes, we have not one but *two* naked bath scenes (one hot spring, one bathhouse), one town festival, one outdoors trip/picnic, one "misunderstanding" battle, and one actual battle. Unfortunately, the battles have zero stakes. Since our protagonist's sister is the Hero with a capital H, they just auto-resolve battles, to put it mildly.

The dialogues are sleep-inducing and I am not even sure if they contribute anything to the show. In fact, you might want to seriously consider turning off the subtitles, because I am quite confident what you imagine the characters are saying to each other is bound to be more interesting than what the writers actually came up with.

What about the characters? As was the case in season 1, they are all cardboard cutouts. I mean that figuratively, of course. In reality, all our harem members (with the exception of Tisse) boast very respectable cup-sizes. And there is something for everyone! All cup-sizes are represented. Since it is their most distinguishing character trait, I am going to list our harem members sorted by descending cup-size:

1) Rit: Rit is the fiancée and prospective wife of our protagonist. She sports the biggest hooters of them all. Hence, it makes sense that she is going to be the official wife, and the primus-inter-pares of the harem. She is the girl-next-door and the faithful waifu.

2) Yarandrala: Yarandrala is the now-stereotypical libertine elf. In terms of rack size, she comes second to Rit, but she makes up for it by being completely unbound by human social norms, because... she is an elf, duh! (RIP, Tolkien...) She is brazen enough to join Red in the hot springs while totally naked.

3) Ruti: Ruti is the little sister of our protagonist, and she has a crush on him as previously discussed. She looks and sounds like a middle schooler, but she is officially 17, which checks out if you are a staunch believer of 500-year-old dragon lolis. Her cup-size is just above-average, which means almost flat by anime standards. Her existence is summarized by being the Hero and a brocon.

4) Tisse: Tisse is Ruti's sidekick. Her distinguishing features are being shy, being even younger than Ruti, and owning a cute spider familiar whom she has named as if she was a kindergartner. She looks and sounds like a grade schooler, so I guess that makes her a middle schooler? Her cup-size is below-average, and she is the only member of the harem who doesn't explicitly have a crush on Red... yet! Or perhaps she is afraid Ruti would murder her.

What about the protagonist? He is the stock-standard self-insert male anime protagonist: honest, hardworking, has black hair, and is admired by every female in existence.

To sum it up, the show is exactly what it says on the tin. If you are an enthusiast of ecchi harem isekais, you'd probably rate it at 6/10. To me, it is barely a 4 if I am being generous, and an easy drop...

If you liked the exploration of blessings from Season 1, then I think you'll like this season too. Season 1 asked the question "Do you have to live as your blessing dictates?" and answered it through Ruti overcoming the life consuming blessing of the hero and gaining the freedom to live as she wants. But what if the person with the hero blessing actually wants to be the hero? Season 2 features Van, the "new" hero, and instead asks "Is simply doing as your blessing dictates enough to fulfill your role?" The clash in ideologies between Van, a devout follower of the Almighty who confers blessings,and Gideon, the previous hero's guide who has learned to live outside those blessings, makes for a compelling central conflict.

Within Van's party, Theodora (now going as Esta) tries to advise Van to be more flexible, as she's learned from Gideon, but Lavender (a mysterious fairy who loves Van) keeps telling him he's fine as he is. The last member of the party, Cardinal Ljubo, seems to want to use Van, but somewhat comedically throws his arms up in the air when it comes to actually controlling his actions.

Meanwhile, in Zoltan, Ruti is learning to live a normal life with help from Tisse. Much of the extended cast returns to Zoltan as well, and there are plenty of fun episodes with them all. While there isn't as much focus on Red and Rit's romance as there was in the first season, there's still development, and Rit's love for Red makes for an interesting parallel with Lavender's love for Van later on.

The conclusion of the season was very satisfying and wrapped up everything nicely. Overall I enjoyed this season slightly more than the first, since I was more invested in the plot around blessings than the comfy romance (though both aspects are good), but if you care more about Red and Rit's romance I think you'll like the ending as well.

While season 1's story had a lot of issues but underneath had a beautiful romance developing. Season 2 has nothing developing with a new story with the same issues. Characters: 7/10 Everyone is still as nice and sweet as before. But the problem is that since Red and Rit are now a couple and engaged, and Ruti has retired from being a hero; this season gives nothing for these characters to do. There are 3 different romance plots that go nowhere since they're only used for jokes, specially Ruti's love for her brother (which would have been interesting to see Red dissuade her if they didn't sweepit under the rug). So from ep 1 to the last, these characters remain unchanged.

Story: 6/10

But there is a plot, somehow. There's a new hero and he's a nutjob. You know because 10% of an episode shows how sociopathic he is, until later episodes focus on him. But again like last season, the story refuses to go deeper than it is. The stakes are buried underground as the protagonist tells you again that "you're more than your blessing". And somehow he believes it and apologizes, but because the stakes reside in a cemetery, there's little to apologize for.

Animation: 6/10

It's not an A-lister so of course it's not going to be top notch. It's not bad but not good. But I noticed they lean into the comedic aspect by making more chibi faces. So that's something.

Overall: 5/10

I prefered season 1's gutless story with a side of beautiful romance than season 2's lackluster story with a side of nothing. The story is so lacking that if you watch only the last 2 episodes you won't miss anything important.

Since there are enough reviews, I will address why the score is low for this very good anime. But before that, season 1 is a must watch. The main reason is that the anime is inconsistent with its theme. I assume most viewers are teenagers, which contributes to the issue since this anime doesn’t really aling with their perspective. I don’t mean it’s unsuitable, but I can’t see them enjoying it as they might lack the life experience necessary to connect with it. Heck, the main "villain" essentially represents them, so, naturally, there’s little joy in watching an anime that feels like a lecture. Regarding theinconsistency:

Nude Scenes:

In almost every episode, there are nude scenes. While explicit bits are not shown, it pushes the boundaries as far as possible.

Issue 1: Anyone who cannot stand censorship will feel irritated.

Issue 2: Anyone who doesn’t want to see nude scenes will feel irritated.

Issue 3: Those who fail to distinguish fiction from reality and equate nude flat-chested characters with encouraging exploitation will feel massively irritated.

Theme Mismatch:

The anime claims to focus on a slow life but regularly includes gruesome elements like humans being killed, decapitated heads, innocent monster slaughter just to level up, blood, and heartless murder and similar acts. It’s hard to reconcile such brutality with a show supposedly about "enjoying a quiet life with your lover".

The love aspect explores life after becoming lovers, a point where most stories end because audiences lose interest.

The action, on the other hand, is brief and followed by moralizing lectures, which alienates viewers passionate about combat-driven narratives.

Religious & duty VS own emotion & Free will... a theme that is essentially a repeat from season 1, but won' say more due to risk of spoiler

In summary, the extremes clash and undermine each other, leaving no aspect fully realized. Anyways, as a reminder, everything I’ve written here is to explain why the score is low, while trying to keep spoiler low. The anime is much more than this, but I wanted to clarify why a very good anime received such a low overall score. And hopefully, this prevents others from watching it if it’s not for them

Worse than the first season by far. I liked the first season of "Banished From The Hero's Party", I am not disliking this because I just hate the series, I actually liked season 1, but the second season just became stagnant with no real cohesive narrative holding it together that it becomes flat out boring. This is mainly because it lacks a decent antagonist that drags decent drama, like how the antagonistic mage "Ares Srowa" pushed the story along for the first season, season 2 doesn't have a clear cut antagonist and it is on episode 4 which is ridiculous. Moreover, season 2 lacks that driveand focus that the first season had, like it cannot get itself back to the narrative that it once had and get to it's main focal points that make the show enjoyable, such as Red and Rit's progressive relationship, or small potion sales in Red's shop.

Season 2 (shortening to S2 from now on), tries to reinvent the wheel, and doing so it for some reason focuses more on ecchi shots from the female characters naked in the bath than continuing its story and making it cohesive.

It tries to play into incest with Ruti and her brother Red for some reason, even though it never needed to be brought up, then overall shows a full 10 minutes of actual story if you combine parts of the first 4 episodes.

Overall, this all is really upsetting, mainly because it has lost it's uniqueness within S2, and become a non-ecchi labeled title, that obviously is an ecchi and tries to force naked bath scenes each episode (I think I saw 3 bath scenes in episode 4 for reference).

It could be good too, but it gives the viewer any no actual story to what the major plot points should be focused on, since it doesn't bring up the plot and try to make it cohesive. I suspect the studio was rushed to push this out due to the huge disparity and change in the quality of production between S1 & S2 and the way it is directed is just not nearly the same as S1.

S1 was good, S2 is a bunch of ecchi "gooning" material (Who would watch this mid fake ecchi, when there is hentai?).

Unironically this is disappointing, maybe finish it if you wanna get the series off your list, or want a bit of generic bath ecchi with something that can barely be considered a plot. Me personally, I recommend staying away from this to most people, or to drop it because it doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon story wise.

🗿 5/10 🗿; Now made for the goon squad. (5/10 is optimistic)

[Thanks for reading]

Good second season. Seen the further development from Red and Rit´s relationship is very nice and sweet. As well as seen how Ruti deals with her new life along with Tisse in Zoltan. The plot focuses on Ruti, Tisse and the appearance of the new "Hero", however we come to find that the new hero has a worped perception of how a "hero" is meant to be and his view of "God" and what he expects of him. At the end of the season I think most viewers will be very pleased and happy how it ends and sets up for a Third season. Overall this season compared tothe first season is good, however most of the significant events happen during the first season like the development of Red and Rit from friends to lovers. So I prefer the first.

I´ve done a review of the First seaon if you´d like to see it, please check it out.

(Inspired by Huang-Teizan)

10 - Bendicion de Dios

9 - Now this is Peak!!

8 - Bingeworthy!

7 - Good

6 - Enjoyable

5 - Either Echii or just enough to get by

4 - I´m just here to know how it ends.

3 - "Are you related to Rent a Girlfriend?"

2 - Que cojones

1 - My head doesn´t explode because it can´t.

0 - "Even a Hentai has a better story than you!"

For once, I am going to have to agree with a lot of what's being said in the other reviews. I concur, that this simply is not as good overall as the first season was. Now, I'm not saying it's bad, or trash, like some of the others are, but there's simply something missing. The new antagonist of S2, just doesn't have the same gravitas as the one from S1 did, simply because Ruti is now a permanent feature of the group. In a lot of the first episodes of S2, without going into hefty spoilers, Ruti is shown to be struggling to integrate due to howOP she is; this is all well and good and shows character growth, but also has the side-effect of removing any stakes.

Red, Rit or Tisse could be in danger, but you know Ruti would show up in 0.2 seconds and nuke whatever was posing the threat.

It's like being a newbie in an MMO, but having a maxed-out level 100 player you can rely on at a moment's notice in your friend's list.

Now, the anime does try and work around this, by having the other characters use their strengths in various scenarios, without bringing out the "trump card" every 2 seconds and even has the main gang be away from the action for a while, however there's no way to ignore what Ruti is and what she can do. This is even despite showing what the new antagonist is capable of.

Again, I'm not saying this show has suddenly dropped into trash-tier, as I still like all the characters and think the way they've been built-up and grown is great, especially Tisse in this season, who was one of the major ones lacking from S1. We also have more of previously less-shown characters like Danan and Yarandrala.

I will say here as well, that the other reviews are from EP3/EP4, whereas the antagonist features far more prominently and becomes the major plot-point of this season from that point onward - so bare that in mind if you feel the first several episodes don't include a whole lot (they focus on Ruti integrating into the group).

As for the elephant in the room, which is how ecchi this show is, which seems to be a major negative for some, I will agree that there is more of that going on in S2, compared to S1, as well. Rit still has her large oppai and there are a few more bathing scenes in this one compared to S1 (and an extremely mis-placed swimwear scene), although I do not agree on the whole "Red is a siscon" thing that people have created, as the scene in question that that stems from is clearly being played for gags with how Tisse reacted.

He still very clearly only has eyes for Rit and her only, which is an ongoing positive that has carried across from S1.

Overall, I am enjoying this second season, just not quite as much as I enjoyed S1.

As I gave Season 1 a 7/10 and recommended rating, I will have to give this a 6/10 and mixed-feelings.

Ah, Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party wo Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life suru Koto ni Shimashita 2nd, a continuation that beckons us back into the realm of slow-paced existence and heroics. Join me, dear reader, as I navigate the sequel's labyrinth: The initial foray into this tale was acceptable, a hero opting for the tranquility of village life after the tumult of adventuring. It maintained a semblance of coherence, and I relished the character progression that unfolded, concluding the story on a satisfying note. Now, as the second season unfolds, I find myself pondering the elusive purpose it seeks to unravel. Isthere a grander design, a narrative tapestry awaiting revelation, or does it merely tread the path of a protracted OVA, attempting to wring out what remnants of intrigue linger from the first season?

Despite my initial uncertainty, I grant it a few more episodes in the hopes of discovering a discernible thread. Shall it weave a tale worth following, or am I poised to preserve the fond memories of the inaugural season? The journey continues, with my curiosity ever-tinged with skepticism.

Update: Alas, i will be backlogging this anime to potentially binge on a bored winter night. None of the episodes have captured the level of enthusiasim the first season did for me.

Since the first season was bad, I thought it could only go upwards since it got second season and everything. Oh, how wrong I was. It does not get better at all. I don’t even know what to say. Why did this show get a second season… What is that opening?! Yet another character is presented to us. I thought the world could only have one hero?! All of a sudden the elf chick is with the Mr Villain?! Huh?! How did they meet? The story is lacking, the world building is non existing, the characters development… what development? Besides Ruti getting her emotions back?The fighting scenes are weird. Sometimes the timing of facial reactions is Superbad, especially Rit’s.

Not wasting my time anymore on this.

Story & Characters: Banished From The Hero's Party, I Decided To Live A Quiet Life In The Countryside Season 2 is back, continuing the tale that I thought wasn't able to keep going. With Red and Rit now fully invested in their life in Zoltan, they take on every day life like a quest - "what needs to happen today?" is the every day question. This is the story for most of the first half and I honestly wasn't really into it. The arcs that were presented to us didn't really feel like they were part of something bigger. My senseof it all was to start to try and develop our last hero - Ruti. Now living in Zoltan, with help from Red, Rit and Tisse, Ruti seems to be taking a keen interest in trying to find out how she can live as not-the-hero. With such a shallow personality in the first season, the differences between then and now are like light and day. She's more into what she's doing, she has more of an ability to think on her own, and doesn't jump to violence right away. In a sense, I guess you can say that the first half did accomplish something, but doing so over such a long haul barely feels like enough reason to do it.

Red and Rit are mostly unchanged from the first season. The apothecary, and Zoltan in general, are much less of the focus on this season, so Red and Rit are mostly used to guide us through the story elements. They both take on a bigger role in the story in the back half of the season though, and mostly for the better. It's here that they focus more on Red's smarts, which is at least a little enjoyable, especially consider who he fights in the last episode. The romance bits in the story are not quite as evident than those found in the first season which is where it had some of its better plot points. There is some, and it was decently told.

With Ruti effectively out of the picture as a hero, Van takes up the mantle as the new one. His personalities mirror what Ruti was in the first season, though a little too similarly for my liking. His ideals stubbornly cling to him and figuring out what to do with him does feel like the objective of the back half. He clings to his Divine Blessing like a mother and child and it can get old. He is guided by Ljubo, Esta and Lavender. Ljubo was an addition I didn't mind. I actually like that they gave him more personality because they certainly had issues with this before. His love of wine and cigars made me chuckle on a few occasions. I wish they did more with Esta because she clearly has a strong sense of duty to try and guide an imperfect hero. Lavender has a very strange backstory, one of which I just couldn't attach myself to. Maybe her purpose is to push Van's older ideals, but would much of changed without her? Her interactions with Rit might be a redeeming quality, but that's about it.

The second half of the story, as I alluded to earlier, was much stronger than the first because now at least our Zoltan group have an objective. The pacing is pretty unsteady, as some episodes have far more to them than others, while the encounters between Van's part and Red's fared much better. Tisse and Yarandrala are a little more involved in the story as we carry along, but it sometimes does feel like the roster is a little too overcrowded.

The way in which they decide to leave the story off seems about right for what I expected. Not every adventure story needs to result in violence, and even if the action sequences here were much better than last season. It never got too silly like some of the scenes did last time around. The way forward doesn't seem super clear so I have a hard time seeing this get another season, but I've been surprised before. (Story: 6/10, Characters: 6/10)

Art: Studio Flad returns and they do a much more consistent job than they did the first time around. Quality never really crumbles, and the colouring and lighting remain mostly consistent. (7/10)

Sound: Like with last season, I wasn't terribly impressed by any of the tracks, but they are enough to get you by. Voice work was much stronger this time around, in part because I feel like Tia Ballard (Ruti) settles into her role better than in the first season. As someone who loves her work, I was pretty disappointed with how she acted as Ruti, so that's nice to see. Aaron Campbell (Red) and Jad Saxton (Tisse) still offer strong performances, while Dani Chambers (Rit) is someone you can never go wrong with. Macy Anne Johnson (Lavender) was probably my favourite though - where'd she pull this one from? I'm used to hearing her in more subtle, quiet roles. (8/10)

Overall: Banished From The Hero's Party, I Decided To Live A Quiet Life In The Countryside Season 2 scores out roughly the same as the last season. It's strength lies in the back half, which is the opposite of last season, as the story around Van was stronger than anything else. I'm glad they built a little bit on top of Ruti after she is no longer the hero, and even if it's not the most interesting thing to listen to, they probably picked the right character to base the first half around. It's hard to judge what kind of audience this would appeal to because it doesn't do anything on an exceptional level. It's just another season, talking about Divine Blessings and Zoltan. (6/10)

An excellent season 2, I think it is successful overall. Little spoiler : I loved seeing the Red/Rit couple having a good time together and even getting engaged. Certainly Van and his little idiot behavior was a bit hard to follow but it's good that he ended up changing his mind and evolving afterwards (even if it was a bit long I admit) but it had to be because the demon king must be defeated after all. This season 2 allowed us to develop a lot of characters like Ruti, Theodora/Esta, Albert and many other characters. I really enjoyed seeing these characters change for the better.Don't forget that it's a romance and slice of life anime in a medieval universe so it's normal that the anime doesn't emphasize combat.

In short, I would rate this season 9/10.

A peaceful life in a village far from the war against demon army, is suddenly disturbed by the arrival of a new Hero. In this season of Banished from the Hero’s Party, do we follow the normal cast and new arrivals, which are both known and unknown faces. A lot is also about a new Hero that has been found since Ruti has “disappeared”. The plot very much revolves around the normal life the group has in the village, and how the new Hero is. The plot is very straight forward with little to mysteries or convoluted plots, which makes the story somewhat bland and predictable. When itcomes to the characters, do they very much seem stagnant, kinda like the development for them is already done. Which makes the characters feel very flat and simple, which doesn’t help with the already rather bland plot. The new characters introduced do have room for some development but are still very predictable in their behavior.

The animation is the same style as the previous season and holds a very average but smooth animation level. There is nothing very noteworthy about it, but it is not bad either.

Overall does it kinda seem like the story is dragged too far, and the finished characters are put into a new story where there isn’t room for much development. There is one opportunity that is in the season though, since they are starting to hint towards a possible plot line that could bring more into the show.

So I would say that if you really like this show and its characters is it worth watching this season. But if not, would I say you would be better off watching something else.

Compared to the forst season, this season falls of in terms of te sion/ wanting to pay attention, As you go through the season you get into what makes it good, {How the tank's disbandment affected the hero's party/the workd} THEN MY FAVORITE PART/THE FINALE STORYLINE; you're introduced to the replacement hero, Van,whos been corrupted by his faith in religion, and goes through a breakthrough at the end part of the season,

Showing the experience/mental fortitude of the mc,

which in tern, strengthens his bond with his comrades as well as reform the replacement hero into a Valiant hero from then onwards.

Seriously, next time just write the whole story instead of making such a long title. What is this obsession with long names? Anyway, I watched this anime between 21 and 23 December 2025. It is mainly a mix of Fantasy, Slice of Life, and Romance. Main Story: The plot is simple but interesting. The main character, Red, gets removed from the Hero’s party because the leader thinks he is a “dead weight.” But Red does not become a sad or revenge type hero. Instead, he goes to a small countryside village and opens an apothecary shop. He just wants a peaceful life. Characters: The relationship between Redand Rit feels very natural and heartwarming. Rit is bubbly and energetic, while Red is calm and mature. Together they feel like a perfect couple. There are also other side characters who add depth to the story.

Action: Even though this is mostly slice of life, the background story about the Hero’s party and the dangers in the world keeps moving. Red’s sister, Ruti, who is the real Hero, has her own emotional struggle. Watching her inner conflict feels deep and serious.

This is a chill anime. If you are tired of heavy action and want something sweet and peaceful, you can watch this once. I give it 6 out of 10.

Content Type: Anime

Genre: Fantasy, Slice of Life, Romance

Writer/Director: Based on the light novel written by Zappon and illustrated by Yasumo. Directed by Makoto Hoshino. Series composition by Megumi Shimizu. Animation by Wolfsbane.

It is, when considered with objective critical analysis, quite possibly the absolute best anime couple ever portrayed in the medium's history. There is a complete and welcome absence of any harem bullshit, meaning no unnecessary romantic rivals or convoluted love polygons detract from the central pairing. The pervasive feeling emanating from their interactions is one of pure wholesomeness, a gentle and heartwarming quality that defines their bond. They are consistently shown supporting each other demonstrably, offering encouragement and strength in ways that feel genuine and deeply impactful to their individual growth and shared journey. It's notably refreshing that the MC is not a pervert in any way, shape, orform, allowing their relationship to develop based on respect and affection rather than cheap comedic gags or uncomfortable scenarios.

While it's true that both are a little clueless at the start, displaying a relatable uncertainty about their burgeoning feelings, this initial phase thankfully is not dragged out interminably for 4 agonizing seasons; the narrative allows for believable progression.

Crucially, they react naturally to each other, in a profoundly human way, responding with believable emotions and actions that ground their relationship in a sense of realism often missing in anime romances.

Seriously, the level of endearing interaction is almost unbearable – Fuuuuuuuck, it's too cute for words sometimes.

The emotional resonance is so strong that my cheeks are burning quite noticeably as a physical reaction to the sheer sweetness unfolding on screen ;_;

Oh, and it should be noted that the smaller, more intimate setting works surprisingly well in enhancing the story's focus and deepening the exploration of the main relationship.

However, it must be said that the fighting scenes that are interspersed throughout feel like rather unnecessary fillers, though, often disrupting the narrative flow and emotional core that makes the show compelling.

And finally, the humor sprinkled throughout is genuinely great! It manages to be consistently funny without resorting to tropes that feel out of place.

It is distinctly not the weird Japanese kind of humor relying heavily on cultural context or absurdism, neither is it the awkward Japanese imagination of what western humor supposedly entails.

It possesses a certain quality that ensures Millennials, specifically, will appreciate it for sure, likely due to its blend of relatable situations, subtle wit, and lack of reliance on overly niche or dated comedic styles.

Round 2 of Banished from the Hero's Party - Welcome back...to staleness that doesn't compare and even uphold to its prequel counterpart. Like the majority, I loved Shin no Nakama a.k.a Banished from the Hero's Party when Season 1 came out in Fall 2021, that showcased a different side to the Hero's Party fantasy shtick that left me wanting for more. And now that Season 2 is out, the unfortunate reality (as is everyone concurring) is that novelist Zappon's story elements...do not hold up to the standards of the prequel. A retrospective, otherwise, it's where to really begin with Season 2's content. The continuation with Volume 5of the LN and beyond (to God knows where) with Ruti finally acknowledging her older brother Red's intention to settle down with Rit in Zoltan and live the life of freedom away from trouble, she, along with her bestie Tisse, also settles down in Zoltan, trying to make sense of the freedom that Red, Rit and the others like elf Yarandrala and giant Danan are now living. The sense of letting go of the troubles of a Heroic life, it's getting used to a slow life where the mundane becomes precious time spent with friends, it's a new feeling for Ruti and Tisse, that swords and shields are nothing compared to baths and meals, at the obvious expense of lives lost against moral company. And to be fair, it's a renewed feeling that it takes time getting used to, which Season 2 showcases a lot more from the brocon and her trusty loyal assistant's POV.

The things above ain't that bad...until you consider who the antagonist really is for Season 2. The whole trip about Ares and him getting served back in Season 1, really make for a good antagonist worth hating and seeing him get his karma and ass being beaten, it's such a treat. And the sequel here...opted for a new Hero who thinks that the Goddess has enshrined his Blessings to him, and that he must be loyal to her cause for the sake of others' Blessings being a nuisance. It's clear as day that the Hero in question, Van, is being brainwashed himself, but to the extent of being worse than Ares is not something I can complement about, being a weaker antagonist than the former leader who's all sorts of messed up. I mean, we get it that "life is not a bed of roses", but this sequel just gave me the feeling that the story elements past Season 1, which I thought would be good (until it wasn't), it's just a shame that the writing suffered tremendously here.

Even without the help of Wolfsbane for the studio collaboration, Studio Flad made decent use of sticking close to Season 1's quality, which it did, and makes me feel relieved. Not like I've expected animation to carry the show with its good storytelling (from the prequel) but being largely unchanged...when you think about it, it's likely for the better.

The OST may still be the same, but the theme songs have gotten worse. The same pairings of Yui Nishio and JYOCHO are back, though I find that the former's OP song is a decent fit given the change of POV, but the latter's ED song...is a very messy song that though carries the spirit of Season 1's musically sound and great song, does not translate well onto here.

Dear good golly God, Shin no Nakama, you've could've been great or at least back up the quality of Season 1, but Season 2 here just does not give you justice. For a lack of a better story plot, despite the slow life being just as prevalent as it does the second time around, it's just a disappointment of a follow-up.

Just watch Season 1 only, and close the anime gate from there on out.

This anime has cemented its place as one of my all-time favorites, and I'm eager to share why. First off, let's talk about Gideon (Red), our lovable main character. He's not your typical OP protagonist, but his determination and resourcefulness make him incredibly relatable. I love how he's not afraid to get his hands dirty and will do whatever it takes to protect those he cares about. Plus, his romance with Rit is beautifully developed – no rushed or forced moments here! Gideon's sister, Ruti, is also a wonderful character, and her interactions with Gideon are heartwarming. Her acceptance of Rit as Gideon's partner is beautifully handled,avoiding typical sibling complex tropes.

The setting, while familiar, has a refreshing twist that sets it apart from other fantasy anime. The world-building is rich and immersive, with intriguing lore that adds depth to the story. I particularly appreciate how the show balances action, comedy, suspense, and emotional moments seamlessly.

One of the most impressive aspects is the pacing – not a single weak episode! Each one stands on its own, with no filler or unnecessary plot twists. The storytelling is expertly crafted, culminating in a satisfying conclusion that doesn't leave you hanging.

The soundtrack is also noteworthy – that OP and ED are absolute bangers! I found myself humming the tunes long after the episodes ended.

What truly sets this anime apart, though, is its ability to balance lighthearted moments with more serious themes. It's a true masterclass in storytelling.

If I have one complaint, it's that the light novel title is a mouthful (try recommending it to someone without getting tongue-tied!).

In conclusion, Banished from the Hero's Party season 2 is a must-watch. With its engaging story, lovable characters, and impeccable pacing, it's an anime that will captivate you from start to finish.

So the first season was fun for me as it focussed on someone leaving all the adventure stuff and just having a slow life. This second season turns into an action packed full on adventure type anime after episode 6 or so which is exactly what I am not looking for. If I did I could have started watching one of the 500 other options. It has lost its unique selling point and became generic. I would not recommend it, unless you enjoy the generic magic and sword fights you have seen a thousand times before. Also Van the Hero is a really annoying spoiledbrat that needs to be killed asap, including that stupid fairy that is with him. Awful characters.

I'll finish it as Im on Ep . 8 but if they are trying to get a third season going I wont be watching that.

*spoilers* Well as it goes it's using all the known things like the light(Red) attracts a darkness(All the ruckus happening around him.) or in evil there is a kindness which was Lavender and her gift to Red for Rit and so on. I don't mind it it's actually what this makes good. I wasn't expect Van or Levander to die because that's not something that should happen Red as light was guiding him to the path of light and returned him to his senses and stabilized his emotions and overall his Hero blessing. Van looks like a normal kid that suddenly got powers i think hiswill to fight will actually make him a good hero one day.

I like Ruti because she was the one from the beginning that wanted to go out of this hero business and eventually wanted to live near her brother which i fully understand since it's her only family while Van have absolutely nobody at all and when Ruti was fighting she was always returning in her mind towards Red. She gained a power but not misusing it, she is still hero but a hero on her own not a doll of her blessing.

I think all characters have something in them which makes me like this anime and if you like chill anime riced with some combat occasionally it's a good watch.

When it comes to art/music and everything else it's basically on same quality as season 1.

The first season of Shin no Nakama offered a promising fantasy slice-of-life tale centered around a refreshingly forward and mature relationship between the main pairing of Red and Rit. Unfortunately, the second season veers off this course substantially and instead opts for an ill-advised attempt to increase the stakes, seemingly betraying the "slow life" theme of the story. The introduction of Van (the new "hero") and his – to put it lightly – annoying fairy counterpart in Lavender makes the show nigh unbearable at times. The kid is simply a lost cause to his very core and his repetitive religious fanaticism is horrible to watch. Lavender'sbanal trash talking makes for a doubly unpleasant experience. To center the second season around this sociopathic idiot really ruins the good-natured fun that made the first season worthwhile in the first place. The pacing of the show falters because of this overloading of the narrative. Van is really not worth the time being spent by the Zoltan crew or by the Cardinal that employs him. The reduction of Red and Rit to mere side characters in this mess removes much of the enjoyment that was to be had in the first season. Where did the narrative surrounding the Demon Army go?

Ruti's arc presents one of the lone bright spots in this otherwise disappointment of a season, focusing on her struggles to adapt to the "slow life" that she has opted to pursue with hopes of living normally, but even this is undermined by the dabbling with Van.

Visually and sonically, the series really does not make many changes from the first season, further emphasizing the downfall of the storyline. While it is understandable to alter a few things and provide more motivation for the Hero's party to get involved (even if they wish otherwise), one can't help but feel that the viewer's enjoyment was sacrificed to do so.