Crunchyroll’s isekai Am I Actually The Strongest? eventually delivered a strong storyline that differentiated it from the mass of similar shows, but it undoubtedly lost more viewers than it should early on for stubbornly spending too much on common tropes when there were many genre-defying gems soon afterward. Like this series, most isekai are understandably interpreted as being mere facsimiles of each other, but some eventually break free from the monotony, even if by then most fans have already jumped ship.
Am I Actually The Strongest? unfortunately amplifies this dynamic to an almost absurd degree. While some originality begins to trickle in during the second episode, there still isn’t enough of a draw-in factor. The biggest diverging moment is when the protagonist Haruto’s younger sister, nicknamed Char, learns of his “cheat” powers that, of course, are misinterpreted as being useless.
Although a somewhat amusing twist, it comes much too late, especially since the monumental third episode triples this development. However, this isn’t why the third episode matters.
Am I Actually The Strongest? Blatantly Borrows From Many Anime Genres, Not Just Isekai
Based on the light novel series written by Sai Sumimori, produced by Staple Entertainment
First, the series uses Haruto’s powers to literally bring the concept of anime into this fantasy-based world, wherein Char becomes the queen of pointing out every major anime trope that she voraciously consumes. This is especially relevant because her knowledge forces Haruto to assume a secret identity that’s shockingly similar to Zero from Code Geass, which, in turn, drives the plot forward for numerous episodes rather than just serving as some one-off joke.
However, the homage to Code Geass also borrows heavily from other over-the-top heroes that many series like Dragon Ball have satirized, with the Great Saiyaman and the Ginyu Force being immediate examples. Of course, many veterans will undoubtedly say that Am I Actually The Strongest? falls victim to the ubiquitous episode 3 rule in anime, but, for a genre so prevalent as isekai where most of its defining tropes are associated with the beginning of every story, a show should showcase its originality earlier than the third episode.
Am I Actually The Strongest? Soon Becomes A Satire of Magical Schools
By episode 3, Am I Actually The Strongest? essentially deviates from the Isekai genre as a whole by poking fun rather aggressively at tropes from other segments in anime. A few episodes later, Am I Actually The Strongest? soon incorporates the magical school “genre” into its plot. This theme is also the main driver of the series at this point, which Char, of course, satirizes by pointing out major tropes throughout.
Some might therefore refer to Am I Actually The Strongest? as the poster child of the episode 3 rule. However, the fact that it’s an isekai makes it the poster child of isekai’s biggest curse as opposed to the episode 3 rule. This is especially the case since the many twists that occur during and after episode 3 are so beyond anything that isekai has ever done that it’s a shame that Am I Actually The Strongest? did not decide to deliver them sooner.
Am I Actually The Strongest? is streaming on Crunchyroll
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