Gaikotsu Kishi-sama, Tadaima Isekai e Odekake-chuu – 06

「エルフの里で触れる異世界の深淵」 (Erufu no Sato de Fureru Isekai no Shin’en)
“Learning About the Darkness of This World at the Elf Village”

If there ever was a calm before the storm moment in Skeleton Knight I’d say this is it. Between meeting the pointy eared family and getting hired on for the rescue of even more cute and pointy – fantastical I say – we also got the treat (and hilarity) of finding out Arc’s situation is slightly more realistic than first envisioned. Remember, role playing is serious business you best treat seriously. Super seriously.

Although the nagging issue of Skeleton Knight’s treatment of more serious matters remains a going concern, I cannot help but continue giving this show some wiggle room thanks to its lighthearted aspects. This week for example didn’t really break from the mold of the usual isekai slice-of-life fests, but between milf memes, Arc pulling off a nice comedic flip of the usual bath time shenanigans, and Ponta proving his worth as the one true viable mascot, it’s hard caring too much about the paint by numbers approach. Hell just take Ariane, you can clearly tell where the show is leading in terms of her interest in Arc and Arc himself already possessing the ability to become a better match made in vegetarian leafy heaven, but (at the moment) it doesn’t feel too forced or something guaranteed. For all the convention at work Skeleton Knight appears content to take its time and smell the roses, something which so far has paid good dividends.

The real test, however, will be in seeing how Skeleton Knight handles a more prolonged story arc. As indicated by the elven conclave this episode the next while will be one prolonged rescue mission where Arc and Ariane seek out elf captives and dish out proper justice. How the show deals with this will be important because the at some point both of them will come across the true mastermind(s) and have to deal with them in force – and keeping up the comedic approach in tackling rape and slavery will only fly for so long. I don’t expect Skeleton Knight to go full bore dark and dreary as with other recent fantasy series, but having Arc adopt a more serious attitude (akin to Ariane) at these times would go a long way to balancing out the material Skeleton Knight wants to play with. Just get our friendly white knight to dispense justice with proper form and all becomes right with the world.

Well, mostly right; something tells me changing that arm back to its glorious white and ossified form to keep his curse narrative going might prove a bigger hassle than Arc thinks.

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