The Winter 2026 anime season is packed and heralds the return of such heavy hitters Jujutsu Kaisen and Frieren: Beyond Journey's Endand at the same time will welcome a lot of unique newcomers. With impressive animation and a thrilling story, Doomed to be a hero has already become a fan favorite just a month into the new year, with Shiboyugi: Playing deadly games to put food on the table and Jack-of-All-Trades, Party of None it also attracts impressive viewership numbers and high reviews.
One fresh series has largely fallen under scrutiny since its debut on January 7, but fans of fantasy RPGs might not want to miss outdespite the controversy, it is slowly starting to be promoted online.
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An adventurer's day job at age 29 pretty much gives away its premise in the title, though many fans were somewhat blindsided after tuning into episode 1 on Crunchyroll. While fanservice and somewhat salacious themes can (and often do) arise when least expected, the way the fantasy adventure series approaches these common aspects of anime culture has fallen flat for some. Despite this, those who often return to classic RPGs would be remiss not to give it a try, even if they run the risk of hitting the same wall. How the series will develop throughout its run remains to be seen, and there is hope in the community that it will be able to win back those it alienated early on.
The following will contain spoilers for the first episode of An Adventurer's Daily Grind at age 29.
A 29-year-old adventurer's daily fling combines rich comedy with standard fantasy RPG tropes
Inspired by Ippei Nara's ongoing manga series, An adventurer's day job at age 29 tells the chaotic story of Hajime Shinonome, a powerful adventurer living in the small village of Komai. His history of poverty and struggle has made him extremely grateful for his current job and ability to put food on the table. While making his way through a dungeon one day, he comes across a little girl named Rirui who is seconds away from being swallowed by a slime monster. Hajime comes to find out that the girl is an orphan after he heroically came to save her, and feeling somewhat responsible for the youngster's well-being, decides to look after her in the future. However, this is easier said than done, as the adventurer avoids forming close bonds with others after watching countless others slain in battle. Also, Rirui, as cute as she may seem at first glance, isn't exactly who she seems.
While the series features plenty of RPG-style adventures, dungeon exploration, and monster battles, its real focus is on the relationship between Hajime and Rirui, and to a lesser extent, his relationship with many others in the village. The first episode makes it clear that the man has a lot of demons to face because he spent his childhood sleeping in gutters and scavenging for food scraps. He's not exactly what you'd call “father material,” but watching him grow into his new role is one of the main draws of the series. His longtime friend Veronica, who runs a shop in town, is also eager to see what the future holds, but Olive, a high-ranking member of the local guild, quickly has her fears about what will happen the first night after Hajime takes in the young girl.
After escaping the dungeon and returning home for some much-needed rest, Hajime wakes up to find not a little girl by his side, but a woman with rather large powers. However, upon awakening, Rirui immediately transforms back into her small form, forcing the man to face an uncomfortable truth: the young man is some kind of ancient species. After some lengthy research, Olive confirms this and judges the girl to be a Succubus.
Understandably, this leads to some concerns for Hajime's safety, given that he's taken Rirui under his wing no matter what she may be. It also threw a lot of viewers into a moral dilemma and prompted many to introduce them An adventurer's day job at age 29 on the back burner — or possibly on the “To Do” list.
It may seem like a sweet found family story, but the daily grind of a 29-year-old adventurer isn't really for kids
The concept of a protagonist rescuing a little girl from monsters and learning to become a proper caregiver led many to believe that An adventurer's day job at age 29 would be a simple, wholesome story about growth and the importance of family. This is quickly thrown out the door, as the morning after Hajime wakes up to Ririe as a grown woman, she immediately comments on the size of her assets to the local waitress. The lewd comments continue, and even though the two aren't actually related, this conflict of interest has frustrated those hoping for a sweet and emotional series to enjoy this season. (It's also worth noting that the first night Hajime is in charge of Riria, he gets completely wasted at the pub. Not a pretty sight.)
Audience complaints aside, some managed to look past this rather awkward story beat to see the potential underneath. The streak has just begun, and Hajime may end up proving his naysayers wrong somewhere along the line. There's also an adventurous side to consider, with Riria desperate to become a strong fighter and relying on her new father to show her the ropes. Judging a fledgling series by just a single episode is often a less than stellar idea, though it's understandable why some might decide to jump ship.
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If that sounds like the more difficult parts An adventurer's day job at age 29 are a bit much, there are plenty of action adventure series available this January. Roll over and die, Yoroi-Shinden samurai soldiersand Dead account These are all unique options that leave controversy.
