Warning: The following contains spoilers for Chillin’ in Another World With Level 2 Super Cheat Powers episode #6!!
A new Crunchyroll series called Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers just took tremendous strides in relation to other isekai with how the protagonist Flio makes an unprecedented choice when presented with an equally unexpected dilemma or opportunity in episode 6. It’s even rarer how Flio later articulates his decision to another major character, since it tears down the stereotypes of their type of relationship to an extreme degree. Flio gains the power to return to his original world and tells his familiar Rys that he will stay, so they can have a life together.
Very few isekai ever present their hero with an actual chance to return home, except when brought by summoning magic, though, many times, it is a one-way ticket. And even in these cases, when returning is possible, it is on the condition that they fulfill the reason why they were summoned, so nothing is on the table until the very end of the adventure (i.e. the series finale). Ironically, Flio was summoned – but since he was initially rejected in favor of the wrong hero and due to the added fact that he now refuses to help his summoners – this opportunity never really applied to him, nor does it now.
It’s even more uncommon for the hero to stay in the new world when they can leave, even though the opportunity never really arises. That said, there are many series that begin at the end of an isekai adventure, and the hero almost always returns home, where the real drama ensues, like in the manhwa Hero Has Returned.
An Unlikely Romantic Development Further Enhances This Rare Decision for Isekai
Interestingly, had Flio never gained this power for himself through a recent battle, the only way in which he would have been able to use this power for going home would have resulted in the stereotypical outcome. It would have come at a great price that he obviously wouldn’t have been able to pay, forcing him to remain in the new world.
Although Flio’s decision to stay is unprecedented, it’s the fact that he actually tells Rys the truth as to why that’s so innovative. However, when taking into account the monumental classic twists in Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers episode #5, it was almost a necessary, even required, development. The basis of their relationship up until episode #5 was mostly lighthearted, based on a facade that they felt had to be maintained. The pursuit thereof led to humorous interactions, since Flio decided to be advantageous in light of this situation. Each of their encounters usually involved Flio trying to minimize or control the persistent aggressive advances of Rys, who truly embraced their pseudo-marriage status.
Episode #5’s cliffhanger presented the opportunity for that dynamic to get much more serious and official should Rys ever survive, a prospect that only intensified with how excessively Flio reacted in episode #6. Of course, this wouldn’t have been the first series of its kind where things returned to the status quo after a monumental event, if such a development did occur. Many times, there is some sort of misunderstanding or a character flaw, which allows a dynamic to remain static. In this case, Flio could have lied about his true feelings. Luckily, this doesn’t happen, especially since the two of them actually kiss and almost consummate their relationship, both of which are almost unheard of in any anime with romance.
Continuing To Explore The Hero’s Former Life To Incredible Effect
Of course, the incredible storytelling prowess of Miya Kinojo & Katagiri in the original light novel series gave Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers a perfect reason as to why Flio and Rys would stay in their world together. The first episode actually provides quite a bit of context to Flio’s former life to help augment his experiences in the second world. In fact, it helps lay the foundation of Flio and Rys’ relationship, which was strong enough to carry the series if the isekai had failed to capitalize on it in later episodes.
Not only does Crunchyroll’s Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers uncharacteristically see its protagonist possess the capability to return home and surprisingly choose not to, but actually make their decision for love and act on it truthfully in a way that few romantic or isekai series ever do.
Like in that situation, Flio’s overall unhappiness with how demihumans are treated in his original home world plays a major role in why Flio decides he and Rys must remain in the new world. Although not stated directly, it’s assumed that Flio’s decision is based on the fact that he wouldn’t have been able to protect her back home. The relationship between demihumans and humans is relatively the same in both worlds, but it’s unlikely that he will be able to protect her there. So, not only does Crunchyroll‘s Chillin’ in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers uncharacteristically see its protagonist possess the capability to return home and surprisingly choose not to, but actually make their decision for love and act on it truthfully in a way that few romantic or isekai series ever do.
