Warning: Spoilers for A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics episode 2A good portion of a new reverse isekai called A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics is exploring one of the reasons why it’s more difficult for someone from a fantasy realm to survive in the modern world, as opposed to vice versa. Fans of The Devil Is a Part-Timer! will definitely appreciate A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics for this reason.
The one character following in the footsteps of the eponymous villain-turned-hero in The Devil Is a Part-Timer! is Livia Do Udis, a lady knight to the main protagonist, Princess Sara Da Odin. Sara fares much better than her lady knight since she almost literally falls into the lap of a private investigator named Sosuke Kaburaya whom she soon lives with and helps solve cases.
Livia isn’t so lucky because her main human connection in this new world is a mysterious man posing as a homeless person, so she spends most of her time living under a bridge. This shows that characters in reverse isekai series have it much worse than their counterparts in “regular” Isekai.
A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics Really Makes The Devil Is a Part-Timer! Look Easy
Based on the light novel series by writer Yomi Hirasaka and illustrator Kantoku
Characters in reverse isekai series normally lose their magic and have to live off the land of their new world. Meanwhile, isekai heroes normally gain immeasurable powers and are oftentimes guided in the right direction, especially if they are summoned specifically by that world’s citizens to save them from some adversary or if a deity chooses them to live a new life. Even if the hero is rejected by their summoners, they still have their powers.
Although a straight-up comedy that somehow makes desperate situations appear lighthearted, A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics really gives Livia a rough time. She truly has it worse off than even the titular protagonist in The Devil Is a Part-Timer! At least, the devil lives in an apartment. His biggest problem is that he has to budget his expenses as he struggles to pay bills. He also has his own lackey with him named Shiro Ashiya to share in his misfortunes.
Meanwhile, Livia not only lives under a bridge and doesn’t have the luxury of arguing with someone from her own world, but later accidentally agrees to work at a shady job that police end up raiding on her first day. Moreover, even when Livia does randomly find Sara and works alongside her as a private investigator in episode 2, Livia is so bad at detective work that she soon becomes homeless again. Livia’s bridge buddy also won’t be there to greet her.
The problem for those who enjoy Livia’s story the most is that A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics doesn’t center on her journey. The vast majority of the anime revolves around Sara as she becomes obsessed with Detective Conan and uses what she learns from the manga to help Sosuke on random cases. At least, episode 2 puts a great deal more focus on Livia’s problems than the first, which probably gave her five minutes of face time at most.
Even if A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics won’t be able to devote the entire story to Livia’s unique experiences, this new series is, at least, partially exploring the harsher realities that reverse isekai protagonists must contend with.
A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics is available on Crunchyroll
Watch on Crunchyroll
