Warning: The following contains spoilers for As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World episode #5!!

The new isekai anime, As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World, just broke its own innovative formula involving its unique take on the eponymous appraisal skill to create completely new and stunning images. Most series, even beyond isekai, normally utilize Appraisal as a means for the protagonist to “cheat” their way to success, portraying them as either being misunderstood or actually quite worthless until the ability has been augmented in some way to benefit the hero.

Not only is this version of Appraisal special and recognized as such, but the first four episodes revolve around Ars Louvent using Appraisal as a means to help others and not just himself. Of course, Ars is also trying to surround himself with talented people to avoid war, but, in each case, every character he appraises is facing some sort of hardship such as discrimination, severe poverty or being perceived as the black sheep of the family, and his efforts in recruiting them end up saving them.

However, as of episode #5, Ars isn’t using Appraisal to recruit some unfortunate soul, but to understand his betrothed, and how both he and she react to his appraisals create just as stunning an image as when Ars saved characters from a horrible life.

As a Reincarnated Aristocrat’s New Formula Is Much More Nuanced Than “Just” Saving Lives

Produced by Studio Mother; based on the original series created by Miraijin A

Essentially, Ars and his fiancée, Licia Plaid, would likely have failed to connect if not for the complications and barriers that Ars’ Appraisal ability initially created when they first met. For when he sees her high numbers, Ars immediately becomes suspicious and paranoid of her true intentions. When Licia later opens up to Ars after a shaky series of first encounters, she reveals that the distrust Ars displayed then made him the first person to ever overcome her own special ability to put everyone at ease.

This is noteworthy, since Ars clearly admitted to himself that he would have acted differently (i.e. not being distrusting) had he never seen her special skills. So everything that happened from that moment on is the direct result of how Ars’ Appraisal skill affected them both.

Essentially, Ars and his fiancée Licia Plaid would have likely failed to connect if not for the complications and barriers that Ars’ Appraisal ability initially created when they first met.

On one level, the Appraisal’s ability to make Ars suspicious was clearly enough to generate interest or curiosity in Licia about her betrothed to endeavor to understand him more rather than just cast him aside (which Licia revealed she could have done). It also naturally set certain events in motion that resulted in her speaking with Ars in private, during which they solidified their relationship. It’s just that much more impressive that it all came about because of Appraisal, yielding a stronger symbolic image as a result.

So, while many viewers were already impressed by the ways in which the anime innovated the normal use of Appraisal by having it serve as a conduit for Ars to help those in need, these same fans are undoubtedly just as in awe of this latest shift in formula in the latest episode of As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World.