Filthy Casual for Life

Episode 1: Why the Weakest Aims to be the Strongest

In this world, an Abyss appears when mana hits critical mass. In a boy’s hometown, a strong Abyss has formed with beast lords emerging slaughtering the town. The boy’s grandfather dons his equipment. The boy pleads with his grandfather to not go and fight alone. The grandfather, known as Overdeath, tells the boy, Noel, not to look down on him. After all, Overdeath is apparently a badass that wields a huge axe.

After a night battle, the town is decimated. Noel emerges from the underground shelter to find a dying Overdeath. Overdeath uses his final words to explain to Noel that a Seekers job is to walk hand-in-hand with death. He asks Noel if he still wishes to become a Seeker like his grandfather who lays dying. Noel responds that he will become the ultimate Seeker. We learn that Overdeath was a big deal and known as the strongest Seeker ever.

Two years later, Noel emerges with his party, Blue Beyond, in an Abyss. He commands the party giving out orders. We learn that he is a “talker,” the weakest support class. As they make their way through the Abyss, one of the party members, Walter, questions Noel’s strategy. Noel quickly reminds Walter that his strategy is sound. Walter continues to poke at Noel by pointing out the only reason they can do higher level quests is because of his ability to buff. We learn that “talkers” buff their parties by invoking words with buff effects. They’re able to buff their parties, but can very rarely survive on their own.

The party falls into trouble during Walter’s bickering. They’re attacked with gas and Noel is in the thick of it. Without his talker buffs and commands, the party is at a huge disadvantage. Walter provokes Noel causing rage to engulf Noel as he utters the same words his grandfather told him. Don’t look down on me.

Invoking his Tactician skill, he boosts his party’s abilities by 25%. By invoking another buff, he increases his party members’ stamina and mana by 25%. As Tanya begins to fill with fear, Noel casts another buff to stabilize her mental state and will to fight. While the group handles the queen, Noel pulls out his trusty gun and begins to handle the trash. He sets his watch. His battle is going according to plan to the very second. He barks his final command. As they behead the queen, Noel looks like he is in trouble.

But, according to plan, the lesser vampire dies right before hitting him. As he sits laying on the ground, he looks at his watch. Exactly on time. The mission is a success and the Abyss is cleansed.

Blue Beyond return to Etrai, the imperial capital. There, they celebrate their win. We meet Walter, the warrior. Tanya, the healer. Lloyd, the swordsmen. It is apparent that Walter and Noel don’t necessarily get along. Walter pokes at Noel for being greedy. Noel remembers the words from his grandfather that he needs to be particular about the money so he can go out with the best equipment and weapons.

After a small fight, they leave the bar to split the money they earned, but they end up with far less than they expected for such a big job. That’s when Noel proposes that they start their own clan. He offers to put up a large amount from his personal funds to help the party’s startup fee. The party is skeptical. After all, they’re still fairly green. Noel explains why they should move forward. And, he explains that if they don’t, he will leave the party. They decide to move forward. Lloyd, the party leader and controller of the party’s funds, tells the party to meet him the following day.

The next day, Walter runs to Noel’s room to tell him Lloyd and Tanya fled town.

THOUGHTS

I am intrigued. As a MMORPG player in my youth, this one intrigues me. Most action anime centers around the damage-dealing classes. This show centers wholly on the skills of someone that can only buff a party.

I love Noel. I can see that he’s exactly my type of guy. Ruthless. He will do anything to get to where he wants to go. Even leave his comrades to find others that will help him claw his way to the top. Everyone and everything around him is a tool to reach his dreams of being stronger than his grandfather, Overdeath.

As for his party…I am interested to see how Noel will deal with Tanya and Lloyd. Something tells me that it won’t be pretty. Will continue to monitor.