Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku Wo! 3 – Episode 01 Evaluation

「この明るい未来に祝杯を！」 (Kono Akarui Mirai ni Shukukai wo!)
“God’s Blessings on This Bright Future!”

Even though Konosuba is two weeks behind schedule (you gotta love those Crunchyroll leaks), there’s still a lot of joy in knowing that this furious storm of isekai humor is indeed returning to television. If the first few episodes are any indication, it will seem as though it never left.

Since Konosuba is so well-known both within and outside of isekai circles, there isn’t much need for a thorough introduction since the characters are what really make this series so enjoyable to watch. We got it all in this episode, from Kazuma’s wild swings between fantasy-fueled dreams of glory and complete NEET depression, to Aqua demonstrating that the term “stupid goddess” is more than just a clever catchphrase, and the typical struggles of one explosion a day frugal frame loli developing archwizard in Megumin. Indeed, some longtime favorites, Chris and Luna, were able to surreptitiously get some coverage, since nothing quite embodies a celebration like drawing large crowds. The whole group, both alive and, well, not so much.

The plot of this new season will begin to take shape over the course of the next weeks. This week was all about reiterating how Kazuma and friends have actually done a good deed by previously defeating one of the Demon King’s top generals and are technically due for a reward from the Crown. This was in addition to the quick and dirty—and hilarious—monster of the week showcasing how Kazuma is often a case of tragic comedy taken to its purest conclusion (woe be that monster girl who saved one unsuspecting monastery). Naturally, the nature of the reward remains completely unknown, but it does necessitate a face-to-face meeting, which entails the knowledge that you have to stick one insane and gender-neutral shut-in in the vicinity of royalty—judging by Darkness’ excellent response, there’s no way this doesn’t end badly. You already know that Kazuma will make things worse, that Aqua and Megumin will make things worse, and that Darkness will, well, be just as hateful of the abuse as she is loving of it. Oh, I am so excited.

This season is going to be a blast, guys and gals, so have it ready if you need a few springtime giggles.

OP Sequence

OP: 「Growing Up」by Machico

Preview