I just finished watching the first episode of the newly airing anime series Yuusha no Kuzu (勇者のクズ), which is adapted from a manga series written by Rocket Shokai and illustrated by Nakashima723. The manga is still ongoing (started in 2018), with eight volumes released so far.

The story follows Yashiro, a lone wolf in a world where Demon Lords dominate the underworld using Ether enhancement and Demon King Transformatio Surgery. To counter this threat, the government creates a system where bounty hunters are enhanced using a special drug called E3 to fight back.

Bishoujo? Ahahah, well I can't blame the guys for their reaction.

Is that supposed to be a compliment or...

These bounty hunters are called "Heroes" and have a license to kill as long as it is against members of the Demon Lord gangs. Yashiro is one of them. He gets involved with a girl named Aki Jougamine, a "Hero" student at an academy that was badly hurt after a battle against some demon lord underlings. This eventually lead to him having to fight against a Demon Lord to help her retrieve a friend who is currently captured.

The story is an urban fantasy set in a relatively modern Tokyo (reminiscent of the '90s). The visual style gives the anime a "cyberpunk" look, which is further enhanced by the number of criminals you see on the streets and the prominent "injecting a substance to become stronger" plot element.

If I had to mention something I did not like about this first episode, it is that Aki's eyes seem out of place in this setting. Why do they have those crosses in the middle? Is there any explanation for it, or is it merely a design choice that will be glossed over by the other characters?

I am also a bit unsure how I feel about the quick jumps in tone between funny comedy (like when the criminals were taken aback by Aki calling herself a bishoujo) and the more serious moments (like when Yashiro killed the underling who attacked them, despite Aki's protests). It is not jarring so far, but it could be risky if overused.

Whoa this demon lord actually looks quite cool.

That would be...a bit too late.

The episode ends as Yashiro makes a plan to strike the Demon Lord after knowing about his ability from Aki. I guess this will be most of the next episode as we go and save Aki's friend. I am curious to see what the personality of this third heroine will be. So far, we have the "stupid" Aki Jougamine and the "cool" Yukine Indou and they're both kind of adorable.

I am definitely going to watch this series weekly and keep making posts about it. I may give the manga a chance if the series sticks with me by the end of the anime.