A young elf woman wakes up in a manor surrounded by trees, ready for another day. The brick is showing through in the walls; has this manor seen better days? She then wakes up Zenos, who sleeps in the other bed. As she hums and cooks, we learn that we are in the magical Kingdom of Herzeth, where healers are immensely important. Zenos is a bad boy, though: Not only has he stolen Kirito‘s attire and Subaru‘s colors, but he also rejects all medical regulations, scoffs at the idea of getting a license, and works underground as a form of protest against the system. If you’re familiar with Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack, this premise will sound familiar. But you’ll have to wait a while to see it explored: Crime always pays, and Zenos’ has somehow brought upon him a multitude of creature ladies in skimpy clothes who come to his house, all intent on winning him over: Meet Zophia, the naturey lizard-woman; Lynga the catgirl who speaks in the third person; and the muscular Loewe, whose animal type I cannot fathom. There’s a wine-loving phantom lady too, and we shouldn’t forget the elvish cook, Lily. Comedy ensues, and ensues, and ensues. Wisely, our stone-faced hero stays out for most of the episode, and when we get back to him, he is on his way to extort someone and help a slave bunny girl with a sick stomach. Uh-oh.

Yeah, Not My Kind Of Show. This light novel adaptation has some potential. Guild structures and regulations concerning vital professions have their pros and cons, which can provide for decent drama (as a lawyer, I have seen plenty of it at the Bar Association). An underground healer in a depressed area is a cool premise, and the show may do something interesting with that at some point, but making the healing magical seems like a misfire. Tezuka’s Black Jack is a wandering surgeon, nothing more. Just imagine the potential stories (or watch them; there are one or two anime adaptations). This particular “life in the shadows” has nothing of the allure or the danger of Mos Eisley, Gotham, or the Undercity: It feels empty and sort of ruinous, that’s all. Most of all, the world feels small. The way Zenos saves the day is by having a conventional magical fight with a superpowered ghost in which he does not flinch once (must be the Kirito outfit). The medical stuff is an afterthought, and I find it’s handled in a way that makes it uncomfortable to watch. Some things hint at adventures and conspiracies down the road, but I’m just not feeling it. I’m also not thrilled at the idea of witnessing the harem’s ongoing catfight (or lizard-fight, lioness-fight, phantom-fight, elf-fight, or bunny-fight, as the case may be) over our protagonist for half an episode again, as hijinks ensue. So, hard pass. The ending song is a banger, though!

The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadows is available on Crunchyroll.