Botsuraku Yotei no Kizoku dakedo, Hima Datta kara Mahou wo Kiwametemita

Before diving into Botsuraku, you should set your expectations clearly: it's a low-stakes harem popcorn power fantasy—nothing more, nothing less. If you're looking for depth, gripping storytelling, or profound character arcs, you'll be disappointed. But if you enter ready for easygoing entertainment and a casual magic spectacle, you're in for a surprisingly enjoyable ride. I saw the poor ratings before mostly binging it, so my expectations were set appropriately - which allowed me to enjoy it.

The anime itself is unabashedly shallow in narrative complexity, yet it shines in one particular area: its commitment to magic. Unlike many fantasy series that skim over their magical systems, ... Botsuraku indulges fully in its magical elements. The main character's pure, almost obsessive pursuit of magic for magic’s sake provides consistent enjoyment, especially if you're a fan of detailed spellcraft and imaginative magical systems.

Conflict does arise, but it's never high-stakes or particularly tense. Characters rarely face genuine loss, and the cast continuously expands, contributing to a relaxed atmosphere rather than meaningful drama. Think comfort food anime - nothing groundbreaking, but deeply satisfying if you know exactly what you're getting into.

While objectively not a standout (it currently holds a 5.94 rating on MAL), for magic enthusiasts who want something undemanding yet engaging in its portrayal of spellcraft, it genuinely delivers. Personally, I'd rate it a 9, fully recognizing that this reflects subjective enjoyment rather than overall quality. Objectively, it's worse. But, I enjoyed it.

TLDR: Go into Botsuraku expecting a laid-back harem fantasy brimming with magical indulgence. If that aligns with your tastes, it’s certainly worth watching - and even rewatching - in the future.

Another finished Isekai show, another mid series (MID-sekai.)
This is another example of a title being so " mid, " you would forget about it in a couple of weeks.
The show itself is quite generic with nothing special to offer. The usual events, antics, interactions, combat scenes, etc, are somehow lacking that passionate feeling to it. I somehow was able to predict certain events happening which is foul proof this show was lacking in the development department?

If I had to think of some good parts, the MC had some unique ideas regarding magic. Like installing a road to enable everyone on it to use magic which ... is absolute genius. Sadly due to the lackluster story, there was nothing worth remembering or keeping as a memory for the long run.

I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic — Come one, come all, try as much and well, because this show just isn't it, and DON'T YOU DARE start this one.

I'm not going to spare my crass words here: the one author, who, like Jujutsu Kaisen's Satoru Gojo, claims, "Throughout the Heavens and the Earth, I alone am the honoured one", by proclaiming himself to be the "fastest in the (AniManga) industry", it's Taiwanese author Nazuna Miki back on the anime scene once again to show off just how bad (or good) he manages to circumvent and ... exploit the already oversaturated aspect that is the fantasy genre, because God forbid that "one is not enough; I must have quantity to show quality." If you thought that Summer 2023's Level 1 dakedo Unique Skill de Saikyou desu a.k.a My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1, is already borderline mediocre enough, this Winter's season's Botsuraku Yotei no Kizoku dakedo, Hima Datta kara Mahou wo Kiwametemita a.k.a I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic, is pretty much his "signature" copy-paste rhetoric for pumping out stories that have already been proven and done better by others. Worse yet, to suffer 2 more works of his that is already in the pipeline of anime adaptations, I'm dutifully praying to the anime gods to somehow cancel this man and lay instant karma for a stupidly wired brain that just DOES NOT STOP fueling the hand that feeds the rakes of cashing in on the fantasy craze.

But enough of my rants; I know what you're thinking: what did this soulless man copy-paste for this work here that gets the traction of hate this season? There's only one answer: novelist Fuse's much more popular series of Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken a.k.a That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and it's easy to see its influence.

Here's the breakdown:
- Isekai reincarnation? Check, but instead of a unique character (like a creature or something), it's a lowly noble family being the nth son who, due to some weird (but purposeful) laws, must accomplish significant deeds once every 3 generations. And this falls on the reincarnated 5th son of Liam Hamilton, who discovers the one thing that will save them from getting demoted: magic.

- Power struggles? Rimuru definitely didn't have that problem when he first met Storm Dragon Veldora, but Liam definitely faced such incidents in his own family to the point of jealousy for those who came before him (like the first son Albrevit), whom he only has the support of his one-generation-older brother Bruno, which after a rather stupid affair of releasing a powerful dragon out of spite, becomes Liam's personal confidante with the Evil Dragon-cum-Guardian Radon. Also, while Rimuru faces a lot of issues, at least he acknowledges difficulties while being OP as heck; Liam is the total opposite, as nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, ever fazes him, because even the toughest problems are resolved by his magic nevertheless.

- Fantasy-like harem? I thought it was a cynical irony when all Nazuna Miki was ever good for is his depiction of female heroines, but it's pretty much confirmed in this show that he can ACTUALLY write competent characters, female ones at that...albeit, to the low, low cost of abundance that proves that too much (or many in this case) is never a good thing. And also, he writes antagonists like how every 3rd-rate author likes to do, by cheaping out on characterization for simplicity just to add to the number. Not the worst offence when considered from an average standpoint, but definitely one that's noteworthy to each and every one of his works towards zero plot logic and character depth.

Obviously, a work like this has to get paired with some minimalist direction, and this is coming from Studio Deen's in-house director Kenichi Ishikura, who has not been seen in a significant schedule since Winter 2014's Yuri rom-com Sakura Trick, which contributed much to his personal ousting from Shaft (as a once prolific up-and-coming director under famed director Akiyuki Shinbo's tutelage). The lack of experience for 10 years since then, only dabbling as much into either storyboarding or episode directing, definitely proves the sin of time when it comes to his rather lacklustre performance, which ironically, displays much in the show itself of a work that, with it being bad enough, not much effort is truly needed to make this stand out. And of course, I need not mention that every work that has the Studio Deen x Marvy Jack collab for animation production is an instant bomb (if you don't know what I mean, refer to Nanatsu no Taizai a.k.a Seven Deadly Sins' infamous Season 3).

About the only actual thing I like about the show is saji's OP. The J-pop rock band certainly has struggled trying to make noteworthy Anisongs over the years, and for a few good years, I thought that they were just your average pop group...until the OP song came around, which actually IS good; colour me surprised. I could care less about Miho Okasaki's ED, however forgettable it is.

Ultimately, just put in the mindset that while this show exists, the basic TL;DR should already tell you that it's not worth your time trying out Botsuraku Yotei no Kizoku dakedo, Hima Datta kara Mahou wo Kiwametemita a.k.a I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic, because there are better shows out there that demand even just a fraction of your precious time.

God, even the "turning off your brain" unspoken rule JUST DOES NOT cut it.