The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar – Episode 1

What’s it about? Yuuto was transported through time to Yggdrasil, a society on Earth from the Bronze Age. Using his still-functional smartphone, he researched tactics and technology and rose to become the patriarch of the Wolf Clan. His goal is to unite all of the land’s groups under one banner, so that he can find a way home.

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You see this bar? I’m gonna take it and set it down here, on the ground for a minute. It needs to be in the proper place for my next statement: well, there’s no slavery in it.

Wait, I think it rolled from the ground into a ditch, actually.

The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar (putting aside the irritatingly long title that I refuse to type more than once) is probably the most tolerable isekai harem wish-fulfillment show I’ve seen in a couple seasons.

Yuuto is a fairly personable protagonist, self-aware of the fact that he’s basically cheated his way to the top. He’s not totally oblivious to the many women throwing themselves at him, but he does keep turning them down because he seems to have a girlfriend at home rather than because he’s too indecisive to commit. And he’s genuinely interested in doing the right thing, at least compared to the average protagonist of this kind of show.

The female characters aren’t exactly vibrantly realized individuals, but they have a kind of charm rather than being shrill catchphrase generators. Yuuto respects their various abilities, and despite every single female character wanting a seat on Yuuto’s throne, there’s no jealous squabbling between the ladies.

Hold on, did you see where that bar went? I took my eyes off it and it rolled away.

What I’m trying to say is that this is a much less miserable watch than How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord, the piece of pond scum masquerading as televised entertainment. If you’re in the mood for some self-indulgent harem shenanigans, this one will probably not make you want to die.

It’s not completely devoid of skeeze, though. Clans are based on familial titles so, since Yuuto is “the patriarch,” everyone of lesser authority is either his “sibling” or his “child.” Which means that just about every female character calls him either “big brother” or “father.” It’s certainly one way to get your incest fetish in there without any actual incest, but it’s also patronizing as hell to women who are definitely Yuuto’s age if not a bit older.

And it’s particularly creepy when Yuuto conquers a neighboring clan and gets the (young, female) leader to submit to being his “little sister.” Again, Yuuto not being The Absolute Worst makes some of this more tolerable on its face—girls keep telling him he can do “whatever he wants” in exchange for something and he keeps turning them down—but it’s pretty clear what the fantasy is meant to be for the audience.

There’s also the fact that Yuuto’s strategy for bringing peace to the nation is basically the same as the Borg’s (and boy is there some high-degree yikes when his party tromps back into town to cries of “sieg patriarch”). Yes, I suppose there won’t be any more fighting once you’ve forcibly subsumed everyone under your glorious banner. That’s a great idea. Why didn’t imperialism work out again?

There’s also some boob nonsense, implied nudity, and I think the first uncensored pants boner I’ve seen in an anime, but I figure those are lesser hurdles (if not perks) for people still mulling over whether to watch this.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get some spelunking equipment before that bar goes any lower.