Synopsis

A Demon Lord has arisen, and the world awaits a hero. In a peaceful village, two young boys—Foyle Austin and his best friend Yu—have long dreamed about being heroes, but the legends say there can only be one. Their paths forward seem decided when the goddess declares Foyle a “Hero,” while leaving Yu’s destiny unclear. But Foyle has a secret only he knows. The role given to him by the goddess is actually “Fake Hero.” Far from being destined to overthrow the Demon Lord, defeat awaits him at the true hero’s hand, and Foyle has a good idea who that will be. When Foyle expels Yu from his party, he cements his role as the true hero’s adversary. His powers begin to fade as his friend grows ever stronger. Foyle clearly won’t be the one to save the world, but after an encounter with a mysterious elf in need of help, he sets out to prove that even the villain can be a hero to someone. (Source: J-Novel Club)

A Story of After the Expulsion!

Written by Shinonome Kousyaku and illustrated by Souichi Itou, The Fake Hero, J-Novel Club’s latest title, adds a unique twist to the well-established banishment sub-genre. 

The story of Fake Hero follows its title’s namesake, Foyle. Having received the title of “fake hero” during a job appraisal ceremony, his life changes dramatically. Thrust into an adventuring party to defeat the demon lord, he knows, because of his job title, that he’s not the right man for the job. Determined to set things on the right track, Foyle does everything in his power to ensure the real hero ends up where he belongs. 

While the promise of an interesting twist to an established trope is what will draw many towards this title, it’s the meat on this story’s bones that gives this series its staying power. This is mainly thanks to the author’s decision to focus on the consequences of the fake hero’s actions after expelling the true hero.

For Foyle, expelling the true hero, Yu, from the party literally tears him up inside. The two had been friends since childhood, and the act of forcing him from the party changes their dynamic, as the path that Foyle decides to take will lead them to become future enemies. Furthermore, without Yu, the situation within the fake hero’s party slowly devolves.

Having completed his role as a fake hero, Foyle’s powers begin to wane. Not only is he no longer able to defeat the generals of the demon lord’s army, but he’s also unable to keep the rest of his party members in check. As a result, there’s a lot of collateral damage amongst the citizenry, leading to several heart-wrenching scenes as Foyle anguishes at his lack of power to save everyone, even though he thinks of himself as the fake hero. Despised by everyone around him, the fake hero’s story ends at the end of Yu’s blade, symbolising the birth of a true hero.

As the fake’s story ends, the second half of the novel focuses on Foyle’s rebirth and redemption.

Saved from death by Iris, an elf he helped out of a sticky situation, she offers him a fresh perspective on his situation. Still determined to save whoever he can, the two start a journey together to discover what Foyle can do with his own powers.

Far away from the doom and gloom of the story’s beginning, the antics between Iris and Foyle offer a lighter side to proceedings. Mirroring Foyle’s renewed view on the situation, the positivity between them is refreshing and lays some interesting foundations for how the series will continue in future volumes.

Overall, The Fake Hero Crashes the Party’s opening instalment is a fantastic start to the series. Going beyond a mere superficial twist, the story delves deep into the consequences of the banishment trope while offering a complex narrative of Foyle’s devolving psyche and eventual renewal.

I Give The Fake Hero Volume 1: 9/10