A Returner's Magic Should Be Special starts a little rough around the edges, but as the episodes progressed I could really feel the series settling into itself. This is one of the shows that benefits hard from the "Three Episode Rule," especially since the opening animations are clunky at best. Don't let the dragon's fighting animations be the reason you drop this one; the fighting animations got better (in my opinion) in the later episodes. I think it was a bad choice on the studio's behalf to start the show with that, but it works well enough as a set-up to the rest of the premise.
I think the protagonist here is very well written. Desir is a time traveler who thinks fast on his feet and has battle experience beyond his years, and he uses it to his adantage, but he still has slip-ups and moments where it seems like his power alone isn't enough to save him. His interactions are written in a way that makes him feel realistic, or as realistic as a time-traveling protagonist could be. He suffers from a similar disorder as many other protagonists in that his design is somewhat bland, at least in comparison to the older and more visually appealing design that he has in the very beginning. I would assume that's an issue that will be fixed in the next season(s), but it's disappointing nonetheless.
Romantica and Pram are both lovely side characters, though at times they both feel flat emotionally in comparison to Desir. The surprising stand-out to me was Azest; she became one of my favorites as I watched her interact with Desir and the others. Her moments in the final few episodes especially endeared her to me strongly. I'm interested in seeing how she integrates into the main character group, and also to see how the other characters introducced in the first episode will reappear in the future. Regardless, they are all presented as genuine people that Desir relates with, rather than falling into the trap of others being stepping stones to the protagonist's ultimate triumph.
Be warned that the season does end on somewhat of a cliffhanger, but there is a complete story arc present here thankfully. Since the series is already renewed for a second season, the cliffhanger will most likely end up resolved, but it is something to keep in mind if you aren't the type of person who likes to wait for your story resolution. The pacing and tension build-up was fairly consistent, though I feel like some of the action is skimmed through a bit too quickly to make it impactful. The draw of this show is more in compelling character interactions and interesting magical worldbuilding, not the quality of the fighting and training scenes. However, it could benefit from less montaging and more attention paid to those critical fighting moments.
I'm keeping my eye out for the second season!!
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