English Dub Review: Hell Mode: The Hardcore Gamer Dominates in Another World With Garbage Balancing “Off To Academy City!”

Overview:

Allen’s new life in Academy City begins, but an appraisal ceremony unexpectedly puts him on Helmios the Hero’s radar.

Our Take:

This episode was fantastic for me because we got a little bit of everything. Allen got to finally go home for a bit. He hadn’t seen his sister since she was only a year old, and their reunion got off to a rocky start. She was shy and a little scared of him, but before he left, she brought out all the letters he’d written her and asked if they were his. She then hugged him, and it was one of the sweetest moments I’ve seen in an anime recently. I wish Allen got more time with his family, but this was a great way to start season two. Though it did lead me to some troublesome questions.

We haven’t had any confirmation on whether this is an isekai scenario or a very realistic game. If it’s a game, that’s going to be even sadder for me. Imagine building all these relationships with people and family only to find out it was never real. I would still like to find out why he was reborn in the video game world, but something tells me that’s a question that will never be answered.

What I’m most excited for in this season is getting to see Allen with his old childhood friends. Not only that, but seeing how they interact with Cecil, who is going to the same academy as them. Not only that, but there is someone of Hero status who works at this school. The key art for this season seems to suggest that he and Allen will fight, but based on their interaction, I would say it’s more of a sparring situation.

Allen’s abilities as a summoner feel like a cheat code in school. While he’s in class studying, he can send out his summons to quest through a dungeon for him and his team. Allen names his team “No-life Gamers,” which is apt, I suppose.

I love that now Allen isn’t completely hiding his abilities from people. He showed Cecil and his team how useful he is in a fight. There’s something so satisfying about seeing our boy no longer hide in the shadows when it pertains to his abilities. This was a fantastic start to the season, and hopefully it only goes up from here.