English Dub Review: Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside: “Of Mead and Motives”

Overview: Red (Aaron Campbell) and Rit (Dani Chambers) brainstorm some ideas to help Zeff, a local sauna owner, to increase traffic to his business on account of some new competition. 

Our Take: Rit is as sweet as candy and then some. But even with that, she’s never lacked conviction or been a pushover with how strongly she fought for her country when it’s back was against the wall. However, even that, at least as far as we’ve seen up to this point, is child’s play compared to how we see her get pushed to the edge when Red’s wellbeing is threatened by the hero Albert. If you can even call it that ‘threatened.’ Seeing a new ferocious side of her kindness excels her beyond endearing but as a gripping and passionate spirit to watch. Undoubtedly, it would make for quite a show to see that raw energy channeled into an epic bloody battle. This also simultaneously proves that Albert will be a recurring antagonist throughout and at least a somewhat competent one if he could deduce that a dulled weapon killed the owlbear akin to that of Red’s. Besides Rit, Red too has his subtleties that continue to set him apart from overly nice run-of-the-mill bushy haired flock with his confidence in his ability but his humbleness as well. Also both of their continued heartfelt flirting has to be one of the sweetest aspects of their relationship. 

The town is also very much becoming a character in its own right as well with how it comes alive to help a small establishment. Red and Rit spitballing ways to help the local sauna with business as it gets usurped by a bigger, more luxury one with various amenities. It’s the humorous endurance test in the sauna between Red, Gonze and Stormthunder and the commitment to the local owner, Zeff and his sauna from Rit, Red, Tanta, Nao and the rest of the gang that give the Zoltan a real sense of community that locales in other anime can lack. Hero’s Party has been making great strides in developing past what one may expect out of this character and location molds with heart and uniqueness and this is yet another step in that direction.