Since I finished the show, (what exists of it at present, anyway) I've been imagining a conversation about the creative process. It sounds something like this...
A: So what's this new "Konosuba" show going to be about?
B: I thought we could take a nerdy highschool otaku guy and suddenly surround him with cute, quirky girls.
A: Oh my god, that's brilliant! Why has nobody thought of this before? Where will it be set?
B: Okay, now this is pretty out there, but imagine if we took this guy, who of course is from modern day Japan...
A: Yeah?
B: Yeah, and we, now bear with me here...
A: Mhmm...
B: We put him in . . . a video gamey version of a fantasy world. Like if he were inside an RPG.
A: . . . . . . . .
B: I know, it's-
A: HOLY FUCKING SHITBALLS! I haven't heard of such an original setting since the damned genius who thought to put a romance anime in a Japanese highschool! This is amazing! You're on a roll my friend, what else? Tell me tell me tell meee!
B: Wow, I'm glad you like it so much. Alright, well I was thinking we could make the whole thing kind of a satire. Like, you know how RPG logic and real world logic are so different? I think it would be fun to explore that.
A: I love it! I have never seen one single show or comic that is a spoof of an RPG fantasy setting, so I think we'll really break some new ground with this. How about the main character? Tell me more about him.
B: Okay, well, first of all I think we should remove any stakes or sense of danger by making him easy to magically resurrect over and over.
A: Of course...
B: Also, despite the fact that he spends most of his effectively immortal life casting magic spells and having assorted watermelon-sized titties bounce around in his face, I think he should whine endlessly about how hard he has it. You know, to make him relatable.
A: Naturally, I agree.
B: I also think it would be a good idea if he kept complaining about how he doesn't get to lead a life of adventure, while simultaneously shooting down every attempt his companions make to get him to fight monsters or do anything adventurous.
A: Alright, it sounds like we've got the perfect protagonist lined out, any little finishing touches?
B: Just one. He should constantly get caught in awkward sexual situations where he acts embarrassed about the possibility that people will think he's a pervert, but he should also actually be a total pervert who endlessly sexually harasses the girls.
A: Ah, one of those types that gets played off as a "boys will be boys" character?
B: Exactly.
A: Alright, awesome. Now what about the girls?
B: First of all, we need an assortment of heights, ages, hair colors, and breast sizes.
A: All impossibly thin and sexy though, right?
B: Yeah, we just need to make sure no male fantasy is left unfulfilled.
A: Good point. What about personalities?
B: Does it matter?
A: Ha! I suppose not. Still, just for fun...
B: Oh, alright. Ummm, let's make one a dumb, self-centered girl. Like, the unattainable cheerleader goddess type.
A: Oh yeah, that's hot.
B: Another we'll make . . . ummm . . . Oh! I know! We'll make her be all orgasimically turned on by physical abuse. You know, do a whole angelic face with a super kinky dark side thing.
A: Oh god yes, I'm getting hard just thinking about it.
B: What else? Well, we need at least one girl to be like 13 so all the pedos can have their fun. We'll have to make her tits smaller, but that's just the price you pay I guess.
A: *panting heavily*
B: I think that about covers it. Of course we'll have tons of other chicks with massive cleavage and exposed midriffs running around, but that should be enough for the core group.
A: Yeah . . . that's, mmmmm, that's perfect.
B: I think so. Tell you what, I think I've got enough to get started, so I'm going to go start some preliminary sketches, then we can reconvene to talk about logical inconsistencies, like how tons of new adventurers have gone to that fantasy world from ours with their memories intact, yet nobody there seems to have heard of Japan.
A: Sure thing, just toss me that box of tissues before you go.
I know many of Konosuba's fans dismiss criticism of the generic setting and situation since the point of the show is to be a satire, but frankly, at this point fantasy RPG satire is such a well worn path that mockery of those conventions has become almost more generic than the conventions themselves. Also, the main plot basically plops the characters in their fantasy setting in the first episode and then fucks off to a bar or something. It pops back up from time to time, but at least half of the show feels like a collection of amusing but irrelevant filler episodes.
The funny thing is, for all the problems I have with it and all the reasons I feel like dismissing it, I did like watching it. The characters aren't particularly deep, but they are (mostly) likeable and fun. The setting isn't unique or original, but it's solidly executed. The humor is pretty juvenile and obvious, but it did frequently make me laugh. I may be able to tear into the show for what it does wrong, but I also marathoned 20 episodes in a day and a half so clearly it was doing a lot of things right, too. At the end of the day, I enjoyed the hell out of it.
The funny thing is, for all the problems I have with it and all the reasons I feel like dismissing it, I did like watching it. The characters aren't particularly deep, but they are (mostly) likeable and fun. The setting isn't unique or original, but it's solidly executed. The humor is pretty juvenile and obvious, but it did frequently make me laugh. I may be able to tear into the show for what it does wrong, but I also marathoned 20 episodes in a day and a half so clearly it was doing a lot of things right, too. At the end of the day, I enjoyed the hell out of it.
So that's Konosuba. Do I understand why some critics are calling it a masterpiece and saying that season one was the best anime of 2016? Absolutely not. But did I watch and enjoy it all, and will I continue to watch it if a third season is confirmed? Yes.
