-14.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1100&h=618&dpr=1.5)
The Executioner and Her Way of Life may not be among 2022’s leading spring anime; however, the show’s plot more than makes up for its not-so-high popularity. The anime is based on the light novel series written by Mato Sato and illustrated by Nilitsu. Also, it bears striking similarities with 2020’s Talentless Nana, with its villain protagonist and unpredictable plot twists.
The story revolves around an emotionally scarred protagonist, Menou, who willingly becomes a priestess that executes the dirty work of the Church, which involves killing otherwolders or “Lost Ones” with catastrophic abilities that can lead to “Human Errors.” The Executioner and Her Way of Life features a thrilling and somewhat tragic story. Here’s why you should watch it.
A Villainous Protagonist
Most anime series with antihero/villainous protagonists are usually captivating because such characters make their stories unpredictable. For instance, Yagami Light from Deathnote and Eren Jaeger from the Attack on Titan series certifies this narrative. Similar to those villain icons, the protagonist of The Executioner and Her Way of Life carried out actions that shocked viewers even from the first episode.
The anime starts as a typical Isekai with a misleading lead character who is summoned to another world by the "Noblesse," that quickly discards him after incorrectly perceiving that his powers were useless. Subsequently, Menou is then introduced as a kind side character who intends to provide aid to the abandoned “Lost One.”
After Menou leads the summoned individual through the city, she then discovers that he possesses the "Pure Concept of Null." A power that can nullify anything, even death, if the right conditions are met. While this was good news for the Lost One, it also marked his end as Menou killed him the next instant, unfolding a development no one saw coming. What was first revealed as another typical adventure-lined Isekai anime quickly transformed into female lead series with an assassin at the forefront.
No doubt, the first episode of The Executioner and Her Way of Life leaves an indelible mark on the minds of unsuspecting viewers. The murder of the Lost One possessing “Null” only marked the start of the anime as Menou set out on another prolonged mission to eliminate "Akari," another Lost One with the "Pure Concept of Time.”
Unpredictable Plot Twists
-21.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
The first shocking plot twist was the sudden murder of the first “Lost One” introduced at the start of anime. However, episodes later, the show revealed shocking events that shattered the existing narrative set by the show that almost deterred Menou's conviction. Following her mentor, Flare, in her footsteps, Menou aims to eliminate Lost Ones that pose a threat to humanity through the "Human Error" phenomenon. Human Errors are the inevitable consequence of Lost Ones losing control of their powers, especially if it's based on Pure Concepts. To prevent this, the Church trains priestesses as magecrafts & assassins to get rid of dangerous otherwolders.
An important member of the Church was Archbishop Orwell, who was first introduced as a kind, loving aged woman who carries out her duties with strong conviction in the Scriptures. Shockingly, it was later revealed that she was an evil, merciless human that performed experiments on people, killing them to try and restore her youth. Her confession also unfurled the truth behind the forbidden summoning of Lost Ones by the Noblesse – a group of royals. In reality, Archbishop orchestrated the whole set-up to pacify the Noblesse to stop them from revealing her dirty actions.
This jarring development shocked Menou, who had always looked up to the Archbishop as a virtuous woman. The Archbishop saga and other unprecedented events make The Executioner and Her Way of Lifea breathtaking show you should check out, especially if you are a fan of thrillers.
A Bittersweet Friendship That Will Keep You Guessing
-24.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
One of the leading developments of The Executioner and Her Way of Life is the friendship between Menou and Akari. Menou had a rough start from childhood with the Human Error that ravaged her village, leaving her as the only survivor of her city. This led Menou to live the cold, gloomy life of an assassin. Interestingly, Akari’s warm and friendly personality brought her closer to Menou.
Akari possesses the "Pure Concept of Time" that can destroy the world if the power goes berserk. "Time" is a powerful element, so if someone with the ability to control it loses control over the ability, there's no telling of the possible disasters that can occur. Ignorant of this fact, Menou made an unsuccessful attempt to kill Akari the first time she met her. However, her plan failed because Akari simply rewound time unconsciously to a few seconds before her death. Due to Menou's inability to kill Akari, she was forced to befriend her, and soon, a deep friendship blossomed between the two. Regardless of how kind Akari may be, Menou still has to kill her for the sake of the Pure Concept of Time.
Menou's attempts at kill killing Akari so far have been unsuccessful, inevitably allowing them to become closer as friends. Presently, it's unclear how this friendship will turn out. Regardless, Menou will soon have to make a painful decision between her first genuine friendship and her sworn duty as a priestess.