So in my quest to watch anime during a dry spell, I was browsing and came across a show called I’m Quitting Heroing and the summary compelled me to watch it immediately. The story stars a hero named Leo who saved the world from the demon queen; however, due to his amazing power, he was cast out by the very people he just saved. With nowhere left to go he went to the only place he felt had a need strong enough that they would take him in, the demon queen’s army.

Now with a summary like that, it’s clear this show is going to be hilarious and it really succeeded in that. The jokes were funny and the characters were all quirky and charismatic so it made each adventure they go on very entertaining. Plus the added difficulty of having to hide Leo’s identity from the demon queen made for some awkward moments that you would think would add tension to the scenes but it just came across as lighthearted and fun. So my initial impression of this show was that it was a simple story made with a humorous and well-executed comedic hook; however, this show quickly proved it had a lot more to offer.

As Leo works with the demon queen’s army he finds out they were not the aggressors he originally thought them to be. Instead, they were kind and actually had no desire to hurt anyone, which was something I really never expected. I found it really interesting how we are so used to hearing the demon queen’s army and automatically thinking they were the villains that my mind immediately went to that conclusion without ever knowing the characters themselves so it felt like this story really took full advantage of the viewer’s tendency to do that to make for a twist that was incredibly enjoyable to behold. The other aspect of Leo’s subterfuge involved working with the demon army in their day-to-day tasks and he noticed a lot of flaws in how they managed things. Leo noticed that the leaders of the demon army were actually not very effective leaders in one way or another whether it was that they overworked themselves, pushed their people too hard, or failed to plan things out and use everyone effectively. As Leo went to solve these problems it was apparent that this was a massive parallel to common management issues found in the workplace. It was interesting to see how Leo tackled teaching these leaders how to essentially be effective bosses and it makes me wonder if he had an online course for some former bosses I’ve had haha.

So while that is all entertaining it’s when we start to get to know more about Leo that we get to the heart and soul of the story. Leo actually has a really complex story that far surpassed my expectations and it made me more invested in how he grew over his long lifespan. Then you find out that Leo too has a fatal flaw that is commonly found in the workplace and without spoiling it this is something that really makes you feel for the character. So what I thought was going to be a story with a gag for comedic purposes turned out to be something with a rather complex protagonist and several lessons that can be applied to any leadership role.

So as a whole, this show is quirky and wholesome. It has an unusual premise that is both deceptive and serves as something the viewers can really learn from. The characters are entertaining and their flaws present wonderful opportunities for growth that just make you more attached to them. The parallels to how these lessons can apply to your job in the real world really are what makes this story so captivating because I feel like we have all known or even been someone with one or more of these flaws as we have grown over the years. The act of overcoming these flaws is the heart and soul of this show and it’s what makes me highly recommend this show to anyone looking for a story that will make you invested in the character’s growth.