The third season of the The Brave Yoshihiko series where the show wraps up the story coming to a full circle tying up events from the first season. The new installment delivered a few points better than the previous season adding more parody and variety of skits to the show. It’s not a bad installment but the show at this point just becomes dragging to watch given the lack of direction it has going plot wise.
Even if it was a parody and the plot wasn’t a big deal because we’re in to cheer the cast out, there was little direction to get the audience hooked into the show other than that. The formula has been repetitive enough since second season and novel parodies from other show had only quick comedic impacts before being forgotten during the next screen transition time.
The show was done during the first season and succeeding seasons were just a fan service to which I respect the producers for answering. There’s not much to write about the 3rd season other than the plot and the gist impression. If you watched the show and read the previous first and second reviews I made, most of the recurring themes have already been said in the past. There’s little variety introduced onto the 3rd season and I just think of this installment as a 12 episode to conclude the series.
Plot:
The gang starts the season arriving at the final boss and eventually defeating after a series of comedic turns. The Buddha, disagreeing with the outcome sends them forth on another quest to fight another evil that has risen to comply with the 12 episode program the show was expected to do.
In order to defeat the new demon lord, Yoshihiko must search for the seven magic balls owned by seven different people that will aid him during the final encounter with the demon lord. The gang is tasked to search for the owners of these orbs and resolving whatever issues the chosen ones have to gain their trust along the way.
Below are the alternate endings shown if Yoshihiko refused to fight the Demon Lord but still wants resolution. Spoiler warning.
Overall Impressions:
Watching the 3rd season felt like a drag as you try to relive the novelty from the first season and the reuse of some comedic skits got old fast. The things that made me like the show from the past were now the things that added to my disappointment as the show progresses. I took a break midway during this season because it bored me enough when the past seasons had me binge watching.
The story reached a plateau and was slowly going downhill until near the last episodes where the final confrontation comes. I have to say the ending, while nothing grand, just caught me off guard that they attempted that and it brought closure to the events that led from the first season. I’m talking about time traveling into the past and influencing the events in the previous season. Right before the final encounter, the show squeezes in the last bit of chance it has to make Yoshihiko a full character by having real concerns.
The show has taken the concept of death lightly. Anyone that dies can be revived with a spell or be revived in the church. But death in the hands of the final boss meant permanent death. The characters understood the risk of losing their lives when they fight their battles but never fully grasped their mortality until they are told there are no take backs once they challenge the demon lord. To add to the complication, the final boss proved to be overwhelming for them and it let them go free during their first try. This was an ominous scenario that created understandable doubt between the characters.
The show has introduced a plot that forces the characters to think how serious the gravity of the situation was. But this is short lived because we know it’s a comedy show and it’s going to end up with our heroes living happily ever after. The third season wraps up the series in a lighthearted manner. The show was still at it’s best during the first season because watching the next seasons is just an attempt to recapture the novel experience of watching it the first time.
If you made it this far reading, thank you for your time.