As everyone is aware Gamespot is a bastion of anime coverage. Delivering top tier material that is both joyous and fun to read while simultaneously being highly informative. Why their coverage of anime is rivaled only by their pure mastery in the coverage of video games where they determined with a certainty “Gamers were dead” and no longer need to be your audience: https://archive.ph/GWHD7.

Had you in the first quarter didn’t I? Gamespot is not known for their regular coverage of anime, but they recently issued a review for the latest entry in the Konosuba saga: Konosuba: Legend of Crimson. Picking up where the anime series left off it covers several arcs centered around the Demon King’s General Sylvia and Kasuma’s feelings of despite being the linchpin of the group being underappreciated. As with everything Konosuba related it has been well received by nearly everyone that has seen it, except for Gamespot.

Caught by Bounding Into Comics, their review’s focus is on the problematic nature of the movie from a person who obviously has no idea what they’re talking about in regards to the show itself. In the saddest bit of reality this review and outlet will likely get more negative attention for this cringefest of a review than they would have from anything approaching legitimate coverage.

Without a doubt sideshows draw significant attention, but if that’s your angle you’d better never desire to be treated serious or even attempt to branch out from your lol-cow shtick. Instead of simply covering this pieces blatant agenda we’re going to deliver in true Konosuba spirit a pseudo review of their work.

Pros

+ Short didn’t feel like I was rob of the precious time dwindling in my life

+ lol cow worthy

+ Serves as an excellent example of a fake fan

+ Cringe didn’t take as much time off my lifespan as I thought it would

Cons

– Obviously not a fan of the show, questionable if they’ve even watched it

– Didn’t understand the core concepts the show explores

– Attempted to establish a protected class despite being Marxist and being against that

– I had to read this

“Konosuba has made a name for itself in the jam-packed isekai subgenre with its series of interconnected, humorous skits that poke fun at both fantasy anime and video game tropes. For two seasons, Konosuba has delivered plenty of laughs and attracted a huge fanbase in spite of its you-love-to-hate-them characters and an almost distractingly large amount of sexual fanservice.”

Ramee’s initial opening is partially what convinces me the author may not have in fact actually watched the show. Though the series is known for its comedic styling it is more than a simple mockery of genre tropes. Without a doubt the series takes genre tropes that have long since become boring, stale and overplayed to the Japanese audiences and represents them as absolute absurdity. It doesn’t do so in a series of interconnected skits.

Konosuba has a plot, and not one of those “Wait this has a plot?” levels of plot, but one where each event both plays an integral role to and is another link to an ongoing narrative. Only someone who hasn’t watched a single episode and isn’t proficient in anime would believes the show is comprised purely of interconnected skits.

Further the need to justify fanservice with “sexual” further highlights weeb-posing.

Firstly it’s just fanservice, though I may be an out of touch from weebdum I have never seen fanservice refer to anything other than boobs, sexy men, and the interjection of elements the causal audience would not understand, but fans start cheer in theaters unlike they will ever do in one of those “then everyone clapped,” stories. Secondly it’s called “plot” and don’t you dare forget the quotation marks!

Points deducted for not understand the series and improper use of lingo.

“As a movie, Konosuba: Legend of Crimson is the anime’s first attempt at stretching its style of story-telling across 90 minutes. And though the movie does manage to capture some of what makes Konosuba special, for the most part, it veers too far off track–abandoning the main series’ traditional formula to deliver a story that’s not very fun to watch. “

Unlike western products this isn’t an attempt to stretch its narrative into a movie format. What it is called is an OVA or Original Animation Video. Most often they are used for segments that otherwise would require a higher than normal production value for action sequences or to bridge the gap between seasons to generate alternative streams of revenue and interest in the series. Stemming from the niche mentality of both giving existing fans more to buy into, along with outstretch the reach to people who then will desire to join into the greater franchise or at the bare minimum go to see said extension. On rare occasions they’re released side by side with the source material, such as in the case with One Piece.

Does this author even anime? Or understand that if the source material was not faithfully adapted the weebs would have screeched so loud bats wouldn’t be able to sleep?

Points deducted for not understanding what an OVA is and having poor tastes that almost required me to call the author a pleb.

“The opening act of the movie is the best part of the story, mostly because it leans into the best aspect of Konosuba: its main cast. Scumbag Kazuma continues to lead his party of dysfunctional adventurers–self-proclaimed goddess and selfish crybaby Aqua, masochistic Darkness, and explosion-obsessed Megumin–on missions in hopes of recovering from their massive financial debt, but with little success.”

Self proclaimed Goddess? Really?!

Points deducted for “really Queen!?”

“After its opening act, Legend of Crimson largely struggles to capture the same tone as the anime series because it splits up the core group of characters.”

The point of the movie is not to capture the source material’s tone, though others subjectively disagree on the author’s assessment that it failed to do so. Its purpose is to continue the narration set in the source material. A task it manages to complete aptly.

Points deducted for further bad opinions

“In Legend of Crimson, where it’s mostly just Kazuma and Megumin, there’s little variety in terms of humor–the movie repeats the same type of jokes over and over because it’s only focusing on one relationship. The movie even repeats one of its set-ups, Kazuma and Megumin locked in a room together and Kazuma wondering if it would be alright to make a move, twice within the span of a few minutes. As a result, the movie grows rather dull after its exciting opening (with very few standout moments of genuinely funny jokes scattered throughout its runtime) until it reunites Kazuma, Megumin, Darkness, and Aqua in the finale and once again leans into the strength of Konosuba’s formula.”

The entire point of the current narrative is the establishment of their relationship which had been both established and leading to this moment over the course of the previous two seasons and will be explored further as the series continues. Not only is this a payoff for what has been set up in the previous two seasons, which at this juncture I’m completely convinced based on the writers descriptions of them they have not watched, but it is pivotal for much that is to come going forward.

Yes I only know this because some light novel fans illustrated what was coming in the upcoming arcs, but even a casual fan would understand the relationship between Megumin and Kazuma has been fermenting over the course of the previous seasons building to this moment.

Points deducted for being a phony and a pleb. Along with making me have to call author a pleb.

“Legend of Crimson focuses on Kazuma and Megumin in order to inject some actual character development into Konosuba,”

What is interesting about these reviews when you stop and think about them is who the target audience is? Fans at this juncture are going to know for an absolute fact the author has not watched a single season of this anime; SJWs don’t watch anime they just talk about it; gamers can spot a pretender a mile away if they’re not one themselves, so who is this review for?

Much as in the chaos philosophy of the egg exists to justify the chicken’s existence, so too does this review exist purely to justify the headline.

Points deducted for being a blatant fraud and making me take a deep philosophical introspection on the nature of the review and existence itself. Unacceptable!

“It’s a nice development for the overall story, especially since the first two seasons of Konosuba primarily focus on Kazuma’s growing platonic friendship with Aqua and sexual relationship to Darkness.”

Points deducted for being such a pleb you only watched clips on youtube about the show for this review. Along with reminding Darkness Kazuma shippers it’s never going to happen.

Points added for allow me to bask in their suffering and reminding me of the sweet Doujins on Nhentai of Darkness.

“Considering how openly contentious Kazuma was of Megumin the first time she introduced herself, it’s a rare moment of growth for his character as he willingly forces himself to do something that he knows will make Megumin happy.”

Kazuma’s contention with Megumin when they first met was her nearly uselessness and eccentric nature. She was the best they could recruit at the time and thus his sentiment partially stemmed from that as well as her off putting nature. Kazuma was not openly contentious of her unless you’re one of those people the walrus meme represents.

Points deducted for making me weebsplain

“It all comes to a head when Kazuma and his party meet Sylvia, the main antagonist of the movie. Sylvia takes a liking to Kazuma immediately and–in typical villainous fashion–attempts to draw him to her side by promising to treat him with the respect he deserves. Eager to escape his worthless teammates and begin a life of luxury with the most curvaceous character he’s ever encountered, Kazuma initially accepts the proposal and Sylvia treats him with the kindness she promised; she accepts him, faults and all. However, Kazuma’s tune changes upon learning Sylvia possesses male anatomy (the movie borrows the definition of a chimera to provide a fantastical explanation for Sylvia, who was biologically born a man but identifies as a woman and thus is part-way through a sex change), and his party members immediately accept him back, sharing in his repulsion for Sylvia. The whole scene comes off deeply transphobic.”

There is no transitioning in a chimera, they are amalgamation of differing things. In this case a man and a woman. In traditional literature along with modern literature, video games, movies, television, and yes anime, chimeras are monsters. Likening trans people to horrific monstrosities and saying if you don’t accept that you’re a transphobe is deeply problematic.

More importantly this joke is a reference to what happens when people discover they’ve fallen for traps, who are not transgendered. They’re drag, but if drag aimed to achieve femininity rather than outrageousness.

Made me have to explain social justice, F*** You. Points deducted at the same amount my reputation to the One Angry Audience for these paragraphs was reduced.

“And therein lies the true problem with Legend of Crimson. Konosuba has never been an anime known for its restraint, but it has primarily aimed its rambunctious humor at poking fun at harmless cliches and tropes in anime or video games, not discrimination.”

Creating an elite class of untouchables is the quintessential anti Marxist principle. Further extrapolating something that makes you uncomfortable as discrimination is the behavior of the bourgeoisie, not the layman.

Points deducted for making me have to schedule a summer work camp experience for the author

“Pretty much every character in the show is an archetype to the extreme–for example, Aqua is such a stubborn tsundere (a Japanese term to describe someone who’s normally argumentative and haughty to hide their true caring nature) that she comes off as idiotic, violent, and emotionally stunted while Megumin is the purest essence of a gamer who refuses to help their teammates until the final moment so they can get the coolest kill and earn play of the game.”

Setting aside the fact that’s not what a tsundere is, Aqua is not a tsundere she is a spoiled elitist who is largely incapable of doing much of anything. Resulting from her ineptitude is her following whom are regarded as the most annoying religious followers in both our reality and Konasuba’s reality. Her entire religion boils down to ditching responsibility and being okay with it. “Remember Eris pads her breasts. Praise be!”

Megumin is influenced by Japanese weeb culture as her people are decedents of other Japanese people the various gods and goddesses have dropped into this world to fix its problems. This is the entire point of this arc to reveal her origins and it seems to have completely gone over the authors head.

Further it was established in the previous season that Megumin is the team’s glass canon and this is supported by the entire group.

Points added because of some bs points redistribution scheme from the ghost of Stalin. I formally protest this!

“You can’t apply this formula to jokes about race, sex, or gender without coming off as discriminatory, though. And yet, Legend of Crimson stupidly goes for it anyway, cranking the traditional depiction of trans and cross-dressing characters in anime as the foundation for its antagonist–a “trap” that tricks men into falling in love with them because they’re too gross to love–and then trying to play that portrayal off as a joke. It’s not funny at all, and it creates a deeply uncomfortable feeling that permeates throughout most of the latter half of the movie, ruining pretty much any of the goodwill that Kazuma attempts to earn by accepting Megumin in spite of her perceived worthlessness.”

Listen sweetheart, yes I can apply a formula for humor to any topic. I very much enjoy watching the world burn and cackling Joker-style as it goes down. Furthermore, your application to the comedy police was rejected, so you cannot tell people what is and isn’t funny.

More importantly that’s what traps are in Japanese culture. Why? Because not only is it legitimately funny even to the victims, it also stems from a subversion of expectations and exposition of blindness of lustful nature. Where you call men dogs, the Japanese bait said dogs and then laugh as the dude or chick in the case of a reverse trap falls for it. Not because the trap is inherently bad, to the contrary a trap that successfully cons men is a good trap, but because it was the man or woman’s own lusting that set them up to make a fool of themselves.

Traps aren’t actually hated darling, but your lack of ability to discern what is funny and what is not is. Source: Dave Chappelle.

Points deducted for being a cultural imperialist and trying to dictate to the Japanese who they should live according to obviously white and vapid existence standards so you don’t get offended by moving drawings.

“The movie continually falls short on this theme of acceptance in other regards too”

That’s not the theme of the movie. Deal with.

Points deducted for song royalties and glasses descending graphic

“Though never to the same extent as saying trans people are gross.”

That’s again because the author cannot discern the difference between a Trap and a Trans person. Why because they are not a weeb, they do not like Japanese culture, and because they don’t understand normal thinking.

Points deducted for repetition

“And they’re some good final moments. After moving along with a lackadaisical bombardment of boring and unfunny jokes for most of its runtime, Legend of Crimson delivers a finale jam-packed with the same colorful animation and fast-paced humor that makes the first two seasons of the anime series as popular as they are.”

While the reviewer here is finally getting positive and sounding professional, they’re contradicting their earlier statements on why the series is popular. Thus again demonstrating a complete lack of experience with the series alongside an ability to present a coherent message throughout the entire structure of the review.

Points deducted for inconsistency

“As annoying and worthless as each of Konosuba’s main characters are alone, Legend of Crimson’s conclusion is a reminder that when they’re together, they’re second-to-none—“

*Shifts uncomfortably knowing what happens next*

Points deducted for legitimately not understanding the core themes at play in this movie or the overarching narrative.

“Konosuba is normally a funny series that rises above most other modern isekai anime by doing humorous bits and curating well-written skits between its four main characters.”

Look I’m getting tired of repeating myself, bla bla bla, obviously hasn’t watched the show and can’t be bothered to read a wiki or synapses.

Points deducted for you know why!

“Legend of Crimson largely doesn’t work because it deviates from this formula”

By the reviewers own admission it does not. For earlier the reviewer complains it doesn’t translate well, but now attempts to beggar the point that it failed for not doing what it was previously criticized for. This is cognitive dissonance at its finest and a rather sad example of editorial management.

Points added for reminding Billy he’s a better editor than whomever Gamespot employs and clearly overpays.

“By focusing too exclusively on two of the main four for most of the movie’s runtime, it allows for jokes to grow repetitive–disrupting the overall flow of humor. It certainly doesn’t help that Legend of Crimson tries to fill this void with jokes that are downright harmful.”

There is a certain argument to be had about what types of speech can be harmful and how society should address said issues. Certainly incitement and pro amoral censorship aren’t going to be endorsed by many people, but at the same time merely because something is perceptually unpopular doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be allowed expression.

Further since the underlying principle for the silencing of speech has to necessarily lie in the measurable potential it has to inflect damage on society –such as shouting fire and causing a panic- unless a joke is seriously unfunny to the point it might get the comedian hunted down comedy is not harmful to anyone. Unfunny as some bits might be and no matter how much you may wish to banish it from existence this is a fact of life.

Setting aside the political and philosophical issue of the extent of freedom of speech, didn’t the author just say in the previous sentences that the movie deviated from the core formula of the series? Now the author is claiming that it did, but it didn’t work as well applied to this arc which is a separate and potentially more valid issue the writer did not raise.

Points deducted for being so privileged you think words are violence and contradicting yourself in the same paragraph.

“And although there are heart-warming moments in the movie, especially between Megumin and Yunyun, they’re few in number. Without humor or an emotional connection to the characters, Konosuba: Legend of Crimson is just a story about annoying characters doing stupid things with little in the way of redeeming qualities.”

Therein lies the final confession of the anime, that the author themselves is not a fan of the series of which they spend numerous paragraphs demonstrating a complete oblivious nature to.

Points added for finally revealing you are not a fan of the series, then redacted because you aren’t a fan of the series and wasted everyone’s time with this bogus political hit piece you called a review and allowing me to get meta in the points deductions.

Conclusion

Overall through the contradictions and blatant demonstration of a profound ignorance of the series in review the author failed to convince me of the transphobic nature of the jokes they personally did not enjoy. I’m left with a feeling of disappointment at not struggling to come to terms with the cognitive dissonance a good propaganda piece inspires in the minds of the reader.

For these reasons I simply cannot recommend the review to other people.

Final Score

Didn’t feel sufficiently brainwashed, still desire true equality / 10