How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 2

Episode 5

It's not a secret that I fundamentally do not buy into the premise of How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom, and this episode is a prime example of why. It would have been more believable if the titular Hero was a wizard who could cast magical domain spells that made him a near-perfect ruler; that way, I could at the very least accept that the show is being honest about its premise. But the problem is that Souma's actions are constantly framed as being realistic or pragmatic in a world that bends to his will in such an overt way that it goes beyond even the level of narrative convenience a protagonist normally gets.

Let's take the central event of this episode: the purging of the twelve ministers. As far as the audience is concerned, these are all brand-new characters—while they could have been in the background at one degree or another the entire time, we've not been given any indication that they exist. More to the point, they are, by Souma's own admission, descendants of families with deep, lasting ties to the throne who have helped guide or manipulate policy for generations. But Souma purges them with a cadre of catgirl assassins pulled from thin air, and without a second thought towards whatever consequences such an action may bring. It's not like the show is willing to explore said consequences anyway.

And… yeah that's it. No one bats an eye at this, and the only response he gets is: “Wow, Souma sure is brilliant.” Even if I accept at face value that these counselors are downright despicable and killing them is the only way to deal with them, I can't reckon with how this goes completely unchallenged. Purging those at the head of multi-generational power structures, in such a direct and obvious manner no less, will bring fallout and consequences. Many times in the world of politics and statecraft, even doing the “right” thing isn't enough—attention has to be paid towards messaging, visibility, and how you manage public perception. But every action Souma takes is always correct, with no margin of error and no pushback.

Well, I guess there is one consequence: a minor headache and tiredness from a busy day of killing people at a whim. The ramification of this is that… his two wives come and tenderly warm his cold hands until they all fall asleep together.

It's just a non-stop barrage of wish fulfillment, which is something that frankly does not hold my interest.

Rating:

Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom is currently streaming on Funimation.