If I had a nickel for every isekai starring a skeleton, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it’s happened twice.
‘Skeleton Knight in Another World’ is far from a groundbreaking show in the genre. It was a fun show, if a bit split in regards to its tone. It was a generic, if inoffensive, series.
But it does have a very likable protagonist. Honestly, that’s the only reason I stuck around.
Arc is not a complicated character. He’s a fantasy nerd who is reincarnated into his favorite RPG for… reasons. Taking it in stride, he decides to not look a gift horse in the mouth and explore his new home. All with an almost childlike excitement and innocence.
His energy makes him extremely likable. He’s friendly, he’s goofy, he’s kinda stupid, and his now non-existent heart is twenty-four karat gold. Dude is just having a good time!
I do like how him being a skeleton actually factors into the plot. He conceals his face for fear of inciting a panic wherever he goes. It’s only after sharing several life-threatening adventures with his party members that he actually shares his ‘affliction.’ Which he explains with a made-up backstory, because he is literally just playing D&D.
Speaking of his party: it’s incredibly refreshing to have an isekai protagonist without a harem. Women don’t salivate over him for absolutely no reason. None of that nonsense wastes your viewing time.
It’s also nice to see an isekai protagonist actually get humbled in a fight. Sure, Arc is the most powerful being to walk his new world. But power and skill are not the same thing. When faced with someone that has actual combat experience, Arc is utterly helpless. It’s not much, but it goes a long way in making him more interesting.
Unfortunately, in regards to depth, he doesn’t have a lot going on. His previous life doesn’t factor into the story in the slightest. You could cut out all the isekai elements and he’d just become a normal fantasy protagonist.
Not to mention his utter lack of a character arc. Arc doesn’t grow and change in meaningful ways across the series. The lovable skeleton we meet in the first episode is the exact same as the one we’re with at the end. He becomes slightly more trusting of his friends, but that’s about it, and that’s all wrapped up not even halfway through the show.
Arc is not a particularly complex character. Nor is he all that memorable one. But he’s fun! He’s likable! And god damn, if he ain’t charming!
Therefor, he’s at least better than Kirito. Sorry, SAO. You ain’t gonna be winning anytime soon.
- Natsuki Subaru (Re:ZERO)
- Kazuma Sato (Konosuba)
- Ainz Ooal Gown (Overlord)
- Arc (Skeleton Knight in Another World)
- Kirito (Sword Art Online)
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