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Densetsu no yuusha no Densetsu(The legend of the legendary heroes) seems to be very good at leaving bad first impressions. I mean, just by looking at the name, generic character designs, boring looking synopsis and a badly done first episode, it is very easy to dismiss the series as an uninteresting fantasy based around the same old beaten-to-the-death ideas. But here's the thing, although the name suggests otherwise, deep down Denyuden is a charming series which knows how to take itself seriously.

Based on a novel series which was published in 2002, Denyuden is a story of Ryner Lute, a lazy guy who wants nothing more ... than to sleep for ten thousand years, and his relationship with his best friend, Sion Astal, an idealist king who finds himself facing the harsh reality of the world. The story follows Ryner as he tries to deal with the world who sees him just as a monster, and Sion, who finds himself getting further and further away from the dream of creating an ideal country without any sadness. I have to say, Denyuden walks a very dangerous line as it tries to mix humor with themes like drama and betrayal, but it manages very well and I just loved the way the mood suddenly changes from silly comedy to deadly politics in this show. Not only that, there are many other elements like saving the world, sad childhood, betrayal, young leaders etc which can easily go wrong and destroy the show, but they are used well and only contribute in making the show more enjoyable.

The staff behind Denyuden is pretty unimpressive, but I have to admit, they did a very good job on this series. The series doesn’t try to be too ambitious, and slowly builds up its characters and fleshes out its setting. The first half of the series, pretty much does nothing more than introducing characters and giving them a clear role. Many of the subplots are just there for the character introduction. The second half of the series uses all that building up efficiently and things suddenly pick up pace and that’s where the show really starts shining. The characters starts developing in the way you want them to, the story starts becoming very interesting and series throws away most of its humor and finally gives you the awesomeness its first arc promised.

Although the story of Denyuden is not the series’ best part, it is still impressive. There are many interesting elements in the plot(Alpha stigma, Hero relics) and as the plot moves further, the questions just keep on increasing. The series also does a very good job on answering the questions yet not answering them. Many answers are followed by even more questions. Also there are many hidden answers in the series itself. The downside to this is that it may leave a few confusing parts but that can be solved by re-watching the series after you have finished it.

The setting of the series may not be too special itself, but the way it is used, getting fleshed out by its politics, makes it very interesting. I love the way the characters are influenced by the world they live in. There are many myths and legends in the world of Denyuden and the way they effect the main plot also proves very enjoyable.

Now, the best part of the series, the characters. Yes, the characters of this series are just awesome. Whether it’s the main characters or the side characters, all of them have distinct personalities and are really fun to watch. I just love the main characters. They are just fleshed out really well. I especially liked how Ferris, who at one time was really annoying, turns enjoyable in the end. Same goes for the side characters. Even the annoying ones like Milk. They all turn charming later in the series. I also like how there are many flashbacks in the story. Normally too many flashbacks are boring for me, but here they tell that the characters don’t forget what happens and try to develop themselves. This is true for especially Ryner. He was good at the beginning of the series, but he really developed in the series and by the end, he turns into a really fantastic character.

The opening and ending themes of this series are okay, but I really love the voice acting here. It really brings life to the characters. And the use of BGM is pretty good too. The art isn’t too bad but nothing awesome either. I really liked the animation of the last arc, but apart from that it’s nothing that stands out.

Well, to sum up and add some stats to the review:

Story (9/10): Impressive and keeps you interested till the end

Sound (9/10): Impressive voice acting and use of music

Animation (8/10): Nothing special here although I liked the work they did on the last arc

Characters (10/10): Really awesome characters. Loved everyone of them

Overall (10/10): I loved Denyuden and it’s certainly one of my favorites.

I would also like to add that if you are wondering whether to watch the show or not, just give the show a chance and watch the first arc(first 4 episodes) and then decide whether to continue or not.