Banished from the Hero’s Party Volume 1 Review

Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside Volume 1 is a mouthful. But not much happens in this manga as it’s more of a setup to let us get to know Gideon (now named Red) Ragnason. This Yen Press manga is adorable with a story by Zappon, art by Masahiro Ikeno, character design by Yasumo with translation by Dale Delucia, and lettering by Dayeun Kim. This world reminds me of RPG games, where each person receives a blessing when they are born. Though the first volume does not stand out, Banished from the Hero’s Party Volume 1 entertains and teases enough to make readers wonder where the story heads. 

A Hero Who Puts Others First

Blessings determine what a person’s affinity and initial skill will be. They can acquire common skills , such as cooking. But they have an affinity for their blessing. Gideon’s Blessing of the Guide seems like a good blessing at first because the initial skill starts his level at +30. So Gideon is stronger than his comrades, including his sister, Ruti Ragnason, who are all in their teens. However over time, Gideon cannot keep up in battle when their levels become on par with his. So Gideon, after Ares, a fellow member of the Hero Party, says Gideon is dragging the team down and should leave, agrees. 

Gideon changes his name to Red and moves to a small town in the country of Zoltan. He earns money as a low-level adventurer selling herbs and fish. In the first volume of Banished from the Hero’s Party, we see Red’s day-to-day life. He collects herbs in the mountains and interacts with the town’s residents. Despite Red’s assumption that he is useless, the townsfolk appreciate him because Red cares about people. The story is sweet and comical, with room for more action that I hope later volumes will provide.

Coworkers That Live Together?

Rit, a comrade for a brief time, arrives and convinces Red to hire her for his new apothecary. She even finagles room and board. Not sure how living together with Rit will go or why Rit left the battle. I’m sure flashbacks in future volumes can answer those questions. Also, there will undoubtedly be comedy between the pair and some adorableness since Rit likes Red. Rit is warmer than when she first met Red because of his good, caring nature. Red is a calm presence where Rit’s temperament is so energetic that Red feels dragged along in its wake. 

The ending of the first volume makes it clear Ruti also wants her brother back, so perhaps Rit and Ruti can both convince Red of his value. Banished from the Hero’s Party may wind up a harem-style series, but as long as it remains cute with a sweet message about how we view ourselves usually differs from how the world views us and more action; I am down to read. But please, no weird brother/sister relationship that pops up too often in anime and manga. It is either siblings or another relation, and I hope that is not the case here. 

Little Action But A Lot of Promise

The possibilities of future volumes make Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside Volume 1 worth a read, despite little happening in this volume. This volume feels like the setup for a story that could be great. It introduces us to the characters, the world, and possible villains—looking at you, Ares, with that villain smirk. I also want more info about the blessings, affinity, and the church since there are repercussions when someone rejects their blessing, a supposed gift from God. In essence, bring on volume 2, please.