Banished From The Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside Volume 3, story by Zappon, art by Masahiro Ikeno, character design by Yasumo with translation by Dale Delucia and lettering by Dayeun Kim, continues Red and Rit’s attempt to live a quiet life together. The Yen Press manga world opens up more as this volume gives more about the impact blessings—positive and negative—have on the person. Despite some pacing issues, Banished From The Hero’s Party Volume 3 leaves you invested because of this world’s main characters and the ever-unraveling mystery.
This volume opens with a flashback from volume 2. As the Hero’s Party enters the woods, they try to avoid the Demon Lord’s army. Unfortunately, thanks to Ares, far more concerned with accolades than actual work, he leaks info to Dir, which lands with the opposing army. Now, they have to figure out what to do because the army outnumbers their handful of party members. The flashbacks in this volume feel more jarring than in the previous two books. However, they do emphasize that Red was an essential member of the Hero’s Party.
Banished From The Hero’s Party Volume 3 Is Increased Action
But Banished From The Hero’s Party Volume 3 does not disappoint if you want more action. The first flashback shows Red and Yarandrala acting as decoys to distract the Demon Lord’s army so Ruti and the others can bypass them. Despite Red’s lack of physical prowess, compared to other members, he also has more courage. And once his sister arrives on the battlefield, it is game over. Still, the point of this flashback is Dir.
He harbors resentment that Red’s strategy and Ruti’s might, rendered his leaked info useless. So he wants payback. The section with Dir, sans action, dragged because you know so little about him. Sure he chats with Bighawk from the Thieves Guild, and they want Rit to quit working at the apothecary and go, but there is little here to get you emotionally invested. The time spent with Red and Rit differs because, thanks to the previous volumes, you care about their relationship and story. The length of time spent on Dir felt like filler in an anime.
The Cost of Ruti’s Blessing
There is not much in the previous volumes about Ruti’s character. But Banished From The Hero’s Party Volume 3 shows more of her and the toll her blessing takes. Red mentioned in the first volume that blessings can go so far as to alter a person’s character. Her emotional state is mellow thanks to Ruti’s Blessing of the Hero. She loves her brother. Yet you do not see Ruti smile or laugh in any of the volumes. So, Ruti does not react emotionally to situations; that is, until Ares lies to her right after her brother leaves the party. That is the first time you see something bordering on lunacy in Ruti’s eyes, and it is chilling.
Ares’s ego prevents him from realizing the dangerous situation. Still, Ruti maintains her cool until Ares grabs her chin, and she senses her brother nearby. Discovering her brother saw and might have understood their interaction, Ruti breaks free from the blessing and unleashes fury on Ares. He is damn lucky the blessing retook control. Ruti, thanks to her blessing, cannot abandon comrades no matter if she hates them, as she hates Ares. They sound like cages and less like blessings.
Ruti And Red Could Veer Off The Rails
One concern is the relationship between the siblings Ruti and Red/Gideon. Each volume makes it apparent Ruti has a brother complex. It is disturbing when anime or manga do this or do the “they are not really siblings” twist to make it okay for coupledom. I hope that does not happen with Banished From The Hero’s Party. But seeing Ruti snuggle against her sleeping brother and bite his ear leaves me worried it is heading in that direction.
Banished From The Hero’s Party Volume 3 makes Red and Rit background characters, bringing other characters to the front. Thanks to that, the question surrounding blessings strengthens, but the other looming question is how Ruti will react if she sees Red and Rit living together. Dir’s story drags in the middle, but by the end, the story is back on Red and Rit’s business, a new addictive drug, and another unknown character searching for Red. Banished From The Hero’s Party Volume 3 focuses on action and mystery and leaves you excited for what is coming.
