English Dub Review: Am I Actually the Strongest? – “I Need to Find an Attendant…!”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Haruto remembers to start looking for an attendant and comes to a village made up of monsters summoned to kill him and Char that have now domesticated and are living a happy village life. Later, he and Flay take on a giant Blizzard Dragon and learn that it wasn’t dangerous at all, but actually curious about human life and literature, so Haruto names her Liza and she swears her life to him, much to Flay’s chagrin.

OUR TAKE

Huh, I figured by the preview that we’d just be meeting the blue haired girl from the OP, but we’re also meeting the skeleton guy and metal giant. But yeah, with the threat from the queen supposedly subsided for the meantime, this is a pretty low stakes episode just about Haruto figuring out where to get his attendant and instead revealing (at least to the audience) that summoned monsters have taken up residence in his homeland. That’s not a bad idea in concept, and might make for a much more compelling premise for an Isekai now that I think about it, but in practice it’s simply more people who are either eternally and unequivocally loyal to Haruto and/or have a huge crush on him. I would honestly pick the Gigan for endgame girl over Flay any day. Heck, I could see this situation being ripe to make into a morally complicated conflict, with some summoned monsters eager to continue what they were summoned for and others taking the chance to live their own lives. Kinda like Mr Meeseeks but more sad, which I think is a combo anyone and everyone can get behind.

And with the addition of Liza, we finally have all three of the girls from the ED in the story. So, what is there to say about Liza, who the OP and ED seem to indicate is very important? Well, her hair is blue and she can turn into a dragon, so that’s…kind of a plus? In terms of romantic lead potential, she’s not Haruto’s adopted sister he’s known since her birth, nor is she a full grown adult women who suggested having sex with him when HE was a literal infant, so that already puts her above Flay and Char (not that Char was ever a candidate, but with Isekai anime, you never really know). Liza is also a bit of a shut-in like Haruto apparently was back on Earth in his previous life, so they would have that to bond over. But she is, however, over 300 years old, which I think may make her OLDER than Flay, and definitely older than Haruto, who is mentally probably reaching his 40’s, so that’s enough for me to count her all the way out. Probably won’t be enough for the writers to do that because, again, you never know with these guys, but I’m already not watching anymore of this show after this review is done, so it’s whatever. Next time: Haruto gathers his forces!