The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated In Another World As An Aristocrat: Season 1 – Review/ Summary (with Spoilers)

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Despite its obnoxiously long title, The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated In Another World As An Aristocrat stands out amongst the reincarnated shows we’ve seen by presenting someone who isn’t out of their element but still has much to learn.

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Season Premiere	10/6/2021
Season Finale	10/22/2021
Episodes	12
Network	VRV
Created By	Rui Tsukiyo
Genre(s)	Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Animation, Non-English, Family

Summary

In his past life, Lugh didn’t have notable relationships. He was raised and trained to be an assassin, and when deemed too old to be that anymore, he was eliminated. But, with a Goddess needing someone to handle a hero who could bring upon the end of the world, she recruits Lugh, as she has many others, to handle the situation.

But, unlike those who came before him, Lugh had the experience and will necessary, especially since this second chance allowed him the kind of autonomy missing in his first life. So while he does gather people like Tarte and Maha whose mana (magic) will be of use for assassinating the hero, he also pours into his various relationships. He works at gaining the respect and admiration of his father, Cian, learns to navigate the sometimes overbearing love of his mother, Esri, and with Dia, he finds a life partner and learns how to love someone when the point of the relationship isn’t to complete a task.

However, there comes a point where you’ll be led to the question, despite the relationships, the training, and knowledge Lugh gained, can he defeat the hero and get to have the kind of autonomy that was absent in his past life?

Review

Highlights

Lugh’s Relationships

The leading highlight of the show is watching Lugh’s mind switch from seeing relationships as a means to complete a mission or to create assets to seeing relationships as a reason to live. It begins with his father and mother. Their relationship isn’t overplayed in terms of this experience being foreign to Lugh, but you can see he genuinely appreciates their efforts. His mother might be overbearing, but it’s nice to be doted on and have someone who is affectionate like she is.

Then with his dad, similar to Dia, you can see Lugh appreciates someone who can teach him something. With Cian, Lugh learns different techniques and abilities, which goes beyond the foundation he brought from his past life, and having a figure like Cian praise and admire him, you can tell he appreciates it. Especially considering his handler may not have provided such an experience to him.

Following that up with Dia, it is one thing to learn from someone, but a whole other to learn with them. Originally, Dia is his teacher but eventually becomes his peer, and though you could see his love for her born out of a calculated move since her family can make what can be described as mana bombs, it grows beyond that. He seems to truly fall for her romantically and not because she is an aristocrat, powerful, and it being the right move. He makes a choice that is about making him happy, rather than just being better equipped for what is to come.

Maha

Lugh can generally be seen as a smooth talker. He knows how to manipulate people, and even if that means giving in to them, like he does his mom, he can usually maintain control over a. The only exception to that is Maha. She doesn’t succumb to his charms as most people do, and she even calls them out and notes she sees through the persona he portrays.

But, alongside what she does for him as a friend, in terms of her being portrayed as a love interest? She also is the most notable one. Now, Lugh doesn’t really play into the harem the show has set up between him, Dia, Maha, and Tarte, but of the three, while Dia seems perfect on paper, Maha appears to appeal to Lugh’s work ethic. I’d even say the way she talks about wanting to be Lugh’s equal before properly pursuing him is far more noteworthy than Tarte hoping she may one day be chosen first. I’d even throw in Dia, who has the history and the appealing title but often seems too ideal and too perfect.

And might I add, of the characters on this show, Maha is perhaps one of the few, outside of Lugh, who has a storyline, as an individual, worth noting. Originally, it seemed they were just rehashing Tarte’s storyline but adding more people to it. However, as you learn why she became an orphan and her goal of reclaiming what was stolen from her family, she becomes second only to Lugh when it comes to interest.

Heck, I’d even say, if Lugh failed his mission and was killed by the hero, or the Goddess revoked his new life, only Maha wouldn’t fall apart of the girls in Lugh’s life. Shoot, she might also be the only one with a storyline you’d like to see continue, despite the death of the lead.

On The Fence

How The Show’s Interest In Explaining Its RPG Elements Wane

I think because of Jobless Reincarnation, I’m a bit spoiled. When we got introduced to over 100,000 skills and the various things they could do, it led me to expect we’d see some of them in action, beyond what Lugh chose. However, while we learn about magic, hear about how some of Lugh’s skills aid him, the introduction of the diverse amount of skills and powers out there felt unimportant in the long run. As if it was obligatory so you understood how powerful Lugh was and could be, but they didn’t want to spend too much time on how powerful others are, or how unique.

Wishing It Went Further With Characters

Whether it is learning more about Esri and Cian’s marriage, since they do come off as an odd couple at times, or even getting to see a vulnerable Lugh, I wish the show went further. For, with the Lugh thing specifically, with him often seeming in control and relaxed about everything, him being caught off guard and having a wet dream led me to think this would have us explore him having feelings he didn’t get to experiment with previously.

Now, granted, we’re told he handles things through brothels, but even that experience, Lugh seeking a means to satiate his lust and desires with sex workers, that could have clued us in to how he dealt with loneliness in the past. Heck, maybe even how, to keep everyone at arm’s length, how he may have planned to deal with the women in his life who wanted to be something more.

Tarte

Tarte is a sweet girl, but when put next to Dia and Maha, it seems like she was forgotten about when it was time to develop these characters. Her life completely revolves around Lugh, and while a part of you can appreciate her being that for him, a ride or die, a tool willing to sacrifice herself for his success and joy, at the same time, it’s pathetic in a way. Thus taking away from you seeing how she is part of Lugh having to realize the people around him are just that – people, and he should honor their love and contributions to his life with genuine emotion.

The Ending

The problem with the ending for us is that it has a “GOTCHA!” vibe to it. We’re led to believe the final episode has Lugh facing the hero he has prepped for all this time, only to learn that isn’t the case. So, we’re left with what essentially is an origin story and no reason to believe that a second season will come to continue the story.

Overall

TV – Rating: Mixed (Stick Around)

While we love Lugh’s relationships and the effort put into Maha’s character, I just wish Maha wasn’t the only one adequately developed as an individual. That and when it came to the world Lugh was reborn in, it seemed bigger than his part in it. That it existed before he was born and that, despite how intelligent he is, that didn’t always make him the smartest and most skilled person in the room, time and time again.

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