Recently, there has been an increase in the hype of the isekai genre. From the main character turning into a slime, a cook in a medieval setting, or a battle guard who maxes out his defense, the characters and transportation are unending. With the popularization of this genre comes the anime version of one of the most famous isekai, Handyman Saitou in Another World.
The genre may not be a cup of tea for every viewer, but the plots and lore of switching from one world to another make up an exciting take in anime and manga. Handyman Saitou In Another World gives the viewer quite a great watch time with some good animations and a storyline, so I cannot wait to tell my views on this show!
Handyman Saitou In Another World is a Japanese fantasy isekai manga written by Kazutomo Ichitomo. The manga series was released on ComicWalker and subsequently released in 8 volumes. The isekai manga quickly gained attention due to its beautiful art and storyline and was adapted into an anime series that began airing in January.
The manga was animated by C2C Studio and was shown on various major TV network stations, including Kyoto, Tokyo-MX, and Sun. Handyman Saitou in Another World has 12 episodes that finished airing on March 26th, 2023. After its release, the show has mixed reviews; some viewers enjoyed what was delivered, while others were unsatisfied with how the isekai turned out.
Brief Synopsis of Handyman Saitou In Another World
Handyman Saitou in Another World talks about our main character Saitou who is a slightly insecure person with excellent handyman skills. With an overbearing boss who does not appreciate him enough and ends up firing him, Saitou feels sad and upset and meets an accident that transports him to another world.
Full of magic and mystery, Saitou joins an adventure squad and lends them a helping hand with his skills of picking locks, opening doors, and many more. During his journey, he falls in love, meets new fantastical characters, and gets mentored by a retired Wizard whose daughter works in the same adventure team he has joined. What follows is a comical and fun adventure of Saitou and his handyman skills in a completely different world.
Thoughts and Views on Handyman Saitou In Another World
Still from Handyman Saitou in Another World (Credits: Crunchyroll)
If I have to talk about isekai, it is not particularly a genre that catches my eye. Yes, I would praise the anime for its lore and plots, but again, it tones down to the same recycled reincarnation concept but in an alternative universe. But Handyman Saitou In Another World has a great and unique take on the genre of isekai and fantasy.
A handyman’s job may sound monotonous in our world, where everything is based on one concept of picking locks and opening chests and doors but as cumbersome as it may sound, there might be used for it in some other universe. That is an exact take where this anime leads to where our main character Saitou is done with his job and boss and wishes for a better life.
Now, you may assume that he might suddenly get sucked into a wormhole and transported to another dimension but funnily, a truck hitting Saitou takes him to a fantasy world with mages, fairies, and monsters. I liked this approach to the isekai as it was unexpected and just out of the blue.
Still from Handyman Saitou in Another World (Credits: Crunchyroll)
There are a lot of fillers between the episodes that are a little fast-paced, which may seem a little confusing at times, but overall, the anime gives viewers a good and heart-filling watch in terms of aesthetics and a light-hearted storyline.
Of course, you would need friends and mentors for your other-worldly journey, and Saitou is taken in by an adventuring troupe who is completely mesmerized by his excellent handyman skills.
The first thought about isekai might be some overpowered character with unending skills who can easily counter things, but Saitou is none of the things stated. He is a simple person with a very mediocre job.
Still, his skills are something of great use in a different world, and that is inspiring to watch because it tells us that the things you feel are irrelevant to you may be of great help to someone else or some other society.
Handyman Saitou In Another World has a very cute and adorable art style, reminding me more of how Kyoto animations create characters. You can see the references to the style taken from the Silent Voice, K-On!, and various other similar anime and mangas.
Sometimes it may seem very common since many anime adapt to this cutesy art style. Still, the character development reflects some unique elements that make our main character stand out in a fantasy world.
Still from Handyman Saitou in Another World (Credits: Crunchyroll)
As much as Saitou has moments of standing out in the anime with his eccentric handyman skills, the old wizard’s character stood out to me the most. We are introduced to him as this retired wizard who is of great importance in framing the lore of this isekai. There is a load of components in Handyman Saitou in Another World which sometimes may feel a bit off or over-complicated due to the fastness of the lore.
The romantic element in the show was decent and fun to watch, which gave Saitou a chance to stand out in such matters as well. The humor and jokes are well articulated and delivered, making the show less taxing.
But Handyman Saitou in Another World does not have an over-the-top unique story like something you witness in a shonen manga. It is great for a one-time watch or something to binge-watch in the genre of isekai on a monotonous day.
Again, you will find many other isekai with similar Lores that tell us about some random human being thrown to a set-up where his skills are impressive to creatures that do not know about it. For example, the one with the character and his cooking skills makes various dishes for the fantasy-land beings.
It is not exaggerating or something you need to put too much thought but then there is no solid storyline to support the beautiful characters in the anime.
There are 12 episodes to binge, so it is not too stretchy for the viewers, but yes, there are many moments where the boredom creeps in faster than Saitou unlocking a door. There are not a lot of memorable events in the show, but it is enjoyable for a first-time isekai watcher.
If you enjoy aesthetic-looking characters and cute moments in between with a punch of humor, it is surely a good isekai to give a shot.
Final Verdicts
Handyman Saitou in Another World is a generic isekai with good character design and a fairly okay plotline. It was not something I would say is worth a second watch, as the isekai genre is overflowing enough with mediocre plotlines and animations.
It is a good take to make an average human being with no fate in his job or future given the limelight for a basic human skill, but that is all to think about of Saitou as the main character.
Many characters will remind you of other anime, including Ezra from Fairytail, which loses the originality in designing some unique characters. There are very few other side characters that are memorable enough, such as the Old Wizard, but then again, a lot of anime has such characters, making very little room for a character to end up trending.
It is a good show if you are not too picky about what the isekai genre offers and if you want to spend your time alone while eating your meals. You can easily find a good alternative to Handyman Saitou in Another World if you are into the isekai genre.
I prefer watching a solid shonen or shoujo anime as this genre is not something I enjoy due to many missing elements in some anime or simply just a simple storyline with nothing interesting happening. You can watch all 12 episodes of Handyman Saitou in Another World on Crunchyroll.
Our Rating: ⭐ (3.5/5).
Also Read: Uncle From Another World Episode 12 Review: A Unique Take on Isekai
