Galaxy-shattering fights fill anime. Which makes it more baffling that some protagonists won’t throw a punch. I’ve lost count of how many times an ultra-skilled MC could KO everyone around them but instead embraced pacifism. And during The Too-Perfect Saint‘s first episode, all I could shout was, “Philia! THROW SOME HANDS!”
Fun fact: Much like Karane in Hyakkano, I’m filled with “tsunderays.” And I’ll bet you a bunch of them that you’ll agree with me after watching the anime.
The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside by My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom — A Solid First Episode
Written by Kouki Fuyutsuki (illustrated by Masami) and adapted by TROYCA, Kanpeki Seijo tells the story of the guardian saint, Philia Adenauer. A waifu unlike any other, Philia is the epitome of perfection. Known as the greatest saint in history, not only does Philia excel at her duties — she excels at everything. This woman cured incurable diseases, solved global warming, proved the existence of extraterrestrial life, and single-handedly animated, then released No Game No Life Season 2. And what does the most kawaii heroine of the season get for her accomplishments? She got an Olympic swimming pool full of verbal excrement.
“Why is that,” you ask? It’s because she doesn’t smile.
Philia’s stoic personality (her parent’s mistreatment firmly shaped it), coupled with her skills and talent, offends people. Unfortunately for Philia, instead of realizing that she’s not the problem, she believes she doesn’t do enough. So, in turn, she devotes more time and effort to impressing those around her and her parents, which only exacerbates the problem. Even her country’s prince, her fiancé, finds fault with Philia’s greatness.
Philia’s fiancé and family, consumed by contempt, end her engagement and sell her to a neighboring country. And to sucker punch The Too-Perfect Saint’s kawaii waifu, they tell her that her little sister will take her place. She fears the worst as they force her to move to the neighboring kingdom of Parnacorta. However, when she arrives, a crowd greets her with fanfare and a red carpet, marking the beginning of her new life.
Overrated Pacifism
The Too-Perfect Saint was one of those shows I planned on skipping. Still, I gave it a try. It was infuriating, but it made me think. The way the first episode briefly but eloquently depicted why Philia is the way she is was perfect.
You are a product of your thoughts and your environment. Where you’re born, who raises you, and how you look at life make you. The hoi polloi may expect nobility to show a certain level of refinement. However, anyone under enough stress will reveal something off about themselves, which is The Too-Perfect Saint’s main heroine’s ability to smile.
After realizing that others viewed her stoicism negatively, she improved her other aspects. But when those aspects were coupled with her stoicism, they coalesced into what seemed to be vanity. And that only fuels her family and society’s dislike for her. Usually, shows take seasons to convey this, but here we got it in half an episode. And that bodes well for the rest of the season.
The Too-Perfect Saint is streaming on Crunchyroll. Seven Seas Entertainment publishes the English version of the light novel.
© Koki Fuyutsuki, Overlap, Perfect Saint Production Committee
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