Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Harem, Isekai

Sub-Tags: OP, Strong Lead, Game Elements, Banishment

A Saga That Starts at the Frontier!

Written by Shin Kouduki and illustrated by Chocoan, The Banished Former Hero is one of the latest adventure fantasy series to finish its pre-pub on the J-Novel Club website.

Following the story of Allen, the former prodigy of the Westfeldt Duchy, it starts as he’s banished from his noble household upon discovering his lack of a gift. Elated by the prospect, he sets out to live life as a free man, no longer shackled by the duties of nobility or his former role as a hero. Unfortunately, fate has other ideas. On his way to the frontier, he runs into his former fiancée, setting off a chain of events that’ll rock the shape of the kingdom.

A Trip of Nostalgia

An overpowered protagonist banished due to their perceived weakness has become par for the course in isekai light novels, and the Banished Former Hero is a rather generic example of the genre. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, as the series neatly falls into a personal nostalgia zone, taking me back to when I first started reading light novels, constantly seeking series featuring overpowered protagonists who end up gaining harems. As a result, I ended up liking it quite a bit more than I should have.

Whilst the series is never going to be on anyone’s Novel of the Year awards, it does serve its job well as the occasional guilty pleasure. Once the story moves past the banishment storyline and introduces his former finacée, Riese and her bodyguard, the plot picks up at a blistering pace. From here on out, Allen is defeating strong enemies left and right and picking up harem members just as quickly. It’s clear that the author has understood the brief, hitting all the right beats for this type of series.

Aside from Allen’s overpowered antics, there’s another aspect to the series that stands out – the conspiracy between the members of his former family. Typical for this genre, they are comically villainous, but their potential as long-term antagonists elevates them to something more than just cackling hyenas.

Although The Banished Former Hero’s beginning may appear generic, it is still an engaging journey. The author, Shin Kouduki, manages to hit all the right beats within the series’ specific genre. Allen fells powerful enemies and unwittingly grows his harem at an almost alarming speed. Meanwhile, his family start the long, winding road towards an ultimate comeuppance.