The appeal and reviews of LAIDBACKERS: Entering a new world of adventure

The appeal and reviews of LAIDBACKERS

The animated film "LAIDBACKERS", which was released on April 5, 2019, was distributed by Clockworks and animated by Studio Gokumi. It is based on the original story by Obakeya and directed by Hiroyuki Hashimoto. This work is an original anime, and is told in a 59-minute episode format. Below, we will introduce the story, characters, production staff, theme song, and more of this work in detail, and provide a review and recommendation.

story

The story of LAIDBACKERS revolves around Kumi Motoamanuma, an arts student who moves to Kyoto. Kumi comes to Kyoto to take over her grandmother's candy store, where three people, Harami, K, Mai, and a dog, live. They were heroes who were reincarnated from a world of swords and magic in pursuit of the Demon King, but due to the effects of their reincarnation, they lost their powers and were penniless and homeless. In particular, their leader, Princess Knight Arnelia, has been transformed into a dog.

Unable to drive them out, Kumi ends up living with these strange companions. Freed from their sense of duty in their former world, they begin to get used to this peaceful world and live freely, but Arnelia, who has become a dog, still holds on to her old sense of duty. Then, the former demon king, Ran, who has lost her powers and is now an elementary school student, appears and asks, "Would you like to collect the pieces of the demon king with me?" This proposal marks a major turning point in the story, and Kumi and her friends begin a new adventure.

character

The characters in this work are all unique and attractive. The main characters are introduced below.

Third Harami

Age: 15 years old Before reincarnation: Berserker Present: Home security guard (NEET) who devours cheap snacks

In his original world, he was a brave warrior who fought as a berserker with the blood of beastmen. In this world, he has lost his sense of tension and has become a self-indulgent, free-spirited NEET. He has the mind of an elementary school boy, and is obsessed with the things elementary school students like, such as manga and games. His voice actor is Rina Hidaka.

Maisaka Mai

Age: 14 years old Before reincarnation: Martial artist Now: 14 years old who wants to become an idol and loves digital gadgets

She was raised strictly by her master in a remote mountain area, so she had no idea she was a woman, but after coming to this world, she realized she was a beautiful girl for the first time. "Give me back the 14 years I spent raised like a mountain monkey!" she says, aiming to live a modern girl's lifestyle, and is working hard on her blog and live performances. Her voice actress is Himika Akaneya.

Kusanagi K

Age: 17 years old Before reincarnation: Magician Now: A beautiful, unfortunate woman with an obsession for otaku hobbies

A proud and intelligent woman who seeks wisdom, in her original world she served as Arnelia's advisor. Shocked by her inability to use magic in the real world and driven by her natural intellectual curiosity, she became fascinated with subculture and is working hard at various part-time jobs. She is not good with electronic devices. She is voiced by Daichi Yoh.

Arnelia

Age: 18 years old Before reincarnation: Princess Knight (Liberation Army leader)
Present: Dog

A noble character who combines kindness and strength, he becomes the leader of the liberation army to take back the world from the evil Demon King. However, his reincarnation fails and he ends up in the form of a dog. Even in this world, he does not forget his mission and has a serious personality. He is voiced by Yumi Uchiyama.

Ran (Valvaran)

Age: 11 years old Before reincarnation: Demon King Now: Elementary school student

After being cornered by the liberation army led by Arnelia, she tried to use a forbidden spell to reincarnate into another world, but the spell failed, she lost her powers, and became an 11-year-old girl. The magical power "Fragments of the Demon King" scattered during the reincarnation are the cause of the incident. Maria Naganawa is the voice actress.

Kumi Motoamanuma

Age: 18 years old Occupation: A struggling art school student, a very ordinary person

In order to save the candy store run by his late grandmother, he decided to go to university in Kyoto and moved there. However, Harami and his friends from another world end up living in the candy store, and he is unable to kick them out and reluctantly lets them stay. He is also the landlord of the stores on either side of the candy store, but is troubled by the fact that the tenants Ron and Leonard have not paid their rent. He is voiced by Yumiri Hanamori.

Yuuko Saginomiya

Age: 25 years old Occupation: Beautiful and mysterious elementary school teacher, former guardian of Maou Ran

She picked up Ran, who had lost her magical powers, and became her temporary guardian. Although she is a talented girl who is admired by everyone at school, she is extremely self-indulgent at home, forcing Ran to do all the housework. However, she is kind at heart and dotes on Ran in her own way. She has promised Ran that when her magical powers return, she will "conquer the Earth," which is unclear as to whether she is joking or serious. She is voiced by Fujita Saki.

Ron

Age: Unknown Occupation: Owner of the Chinese restaurant that lives to the left of the candy store

Although he has Chinese nationality, he is very fluent in Japanese. He is better at his underground business of issuing fake cell phones and fake passports than at his main job as a Chinese restaurant owner, and he uses his special skills to arrange cell phones and ID for Harami and the others. His voice actor is Jun Fukuyama.

Leonard

Age: Unknown Occupation: Owner of the Indian restaurant that lives to the right of the candy store

He is a foreigner of Nepalese descent, but like Ron, he is very fluent in Japanese. He gets along well with Ron, and they often come up with shady business ideas to make money easily, but they always fail. His voice actor is Katsuyuki Konishi.

Main Staff

Many talented staff members were involved in the production of this work. The main staff members are introduced below.

・Original Story: Obakeya・Director: Hiroyuki Hashimoto・Screenplay: Makoto Uezu・Character Original: Jiro Suzuki・Chief Director: Kiyomitsu Sato・Character Design: Kei Tsuchiya・Chief Animation Director: Kei Tsuchiya・Design Works: Takahiro Sakai, Haruna Gozu, Hayato Hashiguchi, Mitsuaki Takabe, Hiroshi Kosuge・Art Director: Takashi Aoi・Color Design: Toshiko Furukawa, Akemi Teshima・Special Effects: Shin Inoye・3DCG Director: Shunsaku Usui・Director of Photography: Kentaro Minegishi・Editor: Ayumu Takahashi・Sound Director: Takayuki Yamaguchi・Sound Production: HALF H・P ​​STUDIO
Animation Production: Studio Gogumi Production: LAIDBACKERS Production Committee

Theme songs and music

The opening theme of this work is "Precious Piece" and is sung by kz (livetune). This song is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and is characterized by a melody and lyrics that resonate deeply in the hearts of viewers.

Ratings and Recommendations

"LAIDBACKERS" is an appealing story with a unique setting in which heroes reincarnated from another world meet in modern-day Japan. The characters' personalities are particularly striking, and their backgrounds and growth are carefully depicted. The diversity of the characters, such as Harami's free-spiritedness, Mai's growth, K's thirst for knowledge, Arnelia's sense of mission, and Ran's conflicts, enrich the story.

Although the story may seem comedic at first glance, it also contains deep themes. There are many elements that make viewers think, such as how to deal with life after reincarnation, a sense of mission, and the importance of friendship and bonds. In addition, the cityscape and culture of Kyoto are depicted as a backdrop, making it visually beautiful to enjoy.

The technical skills of the production staff are also highly praised. The quality of the character designs and animation is very high, and the visual appeal enhances the entire work. The sound and music also play an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the story, and the opening theme "Precious Piece" in particular is a beautiful song that symbolizes the theme of the work.

This work is recommended not only for those who like otherworldly and comedic stories, but also for those who want to enjoy deep themes. In particular, it is a must-see for those who are interested in character growth and human relationships. It is also recommended for those who like to travel, as you can enjoy it while feeling the atmosphere of Kyoto.

"LAIDBACKERS" is a wonderful work filled with laughter, emotion, and deep themes. It's a work that I want many people to see.