English Dub Review: The Greatest Demon Lord Is Reborn as a Typical Nobody “Typical Nobody”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Due to the isolation caused by his strength, the Demon Lord Varvatos longed for a normal life, and after several thousand years, he reincarnated as the villager Ard Meteor. His dream is to forge bonds of friendship with other humans. However, even after turning ten, he still had yet to achieve his goal. During that time, he has a fateful encounter with a young girl fighting monsters in the forest.

Our Take:

For this episode, we are introduced to the show’s main character Ard Meteor, an average village boy who was once a powerful demon lord Varvatos. We see a young Ard attempting to make a friend throughout the episode’s story. Unfortunately, while he has the body of a boy, he still has the mind and immaculate powers of his former self. Plus, his previous days as a powerful sorcerer led to him having no social skills. Fortunately, his encounter with a young elf girl named Ireena, who happens to be the daughter of Mayor Ollhyde, may allow him to make his desire a reality.

One major thing I noticed while watching this episode is that the ten-year-old Ard is voiced by Ciarán Strange, the same actor who portrayed Richard III in Requiem of the Rose King. This discovery almost caught me off guard since I’ve only known the voice actor from the Shakespearean series. His vocal performance as the young Ard is quite different compared to him as Richard but in a good way. While his portrayal of Richard is more moody and emotional, Ard is a bit more charismatic and friendly. Perhaps a bit too friendly, if you know what I mean.

As for the episode itself, it’s a decent start to a unique take on the fantasy genre. Instead of an average nobody wanting to be a mighty hero, the show represents the opposite. It showcases a strong sorcerer’s desire to be an ordinary boy and make some friends. Unfortunately, his approach to having someone by his side led to some awkward moments, which is part of the episode’s humor. The comedy comes from Ard’s failed attempts at building a friendship with someone, mainly Ireena, who initially sees him as a creep. It’s later revealed that Ireena meant to push Ard away due to her fear of being isolated, like how the other kids treated her.   

I would like to see more of Varvatos’s desire before he gets reincarnated as an average boy. Otherwise, “Typical Nobody” delivers an enjoyable beginning of Ard and Ireena’s unlikely friendship forged by a common desire. It only took less than ten seconds for me to get attached to this peculiar concept, which is quite an accomplishment for an inexperienced anime follower like myself. With Ard and Ireena planning to join the Academy of Magic, only time will tell if the rest of the series will maintain the magical interest of its plot.