Okaši na tensei

Initially, I anticipated this series to be another culinary isekai based on the information I came across. However, as it turned out, the cooking aspect wasn't as prominent as expected. Instead, it leaned more towards a typical isekai narrative, sprinkled with occasional baking and confectionery production, alongside characters cleverly named after desserts. After the initial episodes, with their well-maintained pace and the intriguingly crafted world that stood out on its own rather than just serving as a backdrop for the main character, I began to see potential. I appreciated the contrast, best expressed as "Pastry just wants to bake his cookies, but the outside world keeps throwing obstacles in his way...". The appearance of bandits, intermittent wars, and the reactions of most characters to the events unfolding, all contributed to a sympathetic and somewhat realistic portrayal of the world. However, the humor fell short for me. While the overall atmosphere was generally pleasant and relaxed, reminiscent of Ryoma and his slimes and his calm problem-solving with a smile, there were instances where more compelling and dramatic plot twists occurred, abruptly snapping me out of that lazy slumber. It wasn't enough to keep me eagerly anticipating the next episode but compared to the plethora of generic isekai series today, this one generally stood out as at least decent. Ultimately, I'd rate the series as slightly above average, despite not being particularly impressed by the animation or music. However, there were a few characters and aspects of the story that managed to pique my interest. 6/10 (11.09.2023)