I bought a bluray at JB whilst at work in Knox today. It’s called The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash. Not the most inspiring title, but definitely on point for this trend in long titles for Isekai type animes. One reason I bought it was because this JB had a twenty percent off sale on blurays. They do this a lot at this store, much more than I’ve seen at other JB’s, bless ‘em. The other is I’ve had my eye on this title for a little while, being attracted to its simple plot – a lowly girl magician called Ivy tames animals and encounters a slime that changes everything and encourages her ‘to start a new journey’. It’s the sort of wholesome, healing Iyashikei story, like By the Grace of the Gods, that I can’t resist.
I watched the first episode and it definitely fits the bill. The animation is quite beautiful. It turns out Ivy did have a past life, like in the typical Isekai, a past which sometimes speaks to her, but the story plants us firmly in the Isekai world right from the start. There’s clearly a lot of back story to get through, which will no doubt happen over the following twelve episodes.
I watched a couple more eps of The Weakest Tamer anime. It continues to charm with little Ivy getting some back story and encountering new friends and continuing her journey to belonging. Her pet slime Sora is adorable. This is a gentle pleasure (well, there’s actually some violence, but not much and pretty mild) with beautiful animation.
I finished watching the Weakest Tamer anime tonight in a bingey six-episode session. I definitely enjoyed it, but the last few eps featured a new storyline about some corrupt organisation that Ivy helps overthrow that felt a bit forced. I feel this was a lost opportunity to give Ivy’s story some proper resolution. An earlier episode planted the information that Ivy’s hometown Latomi Village was now in dire straits due to the corrupt village leader’s ruthless and deceitful ways, which had now been exposed. I thought the story might take Ivy back there, accompanied by the many friends she finds along the way, to confront the leader and her parents, who had abandoned her, and get the justice she deserved. It’s possible the story is headed this way if there will be a second season, but I don’t know if there will be. I hope so, because I enjoyed this.