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The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadowsis a decently fun power-fantasy style show that seems to be following a recent trend of focusing on healers as main characters. Currently airing this season, the adaptation features decent animation and a warm vibe that makes the experience feel like a slice of lifedespite some darker themes and bloody fights.
If someone is looking for a power fantasy show with an overpowered MC, but also desires a decent twist on the format,The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadowsseems to fit the bill so far. Despite being perceived as weak for being a healer, the main character is actually incredibly strong, often surprising his opponents with the ease with which he wins his fights.
Zenos the Overpowered Healer
The Story Follows His Journey Through the Slums
The first three episodes set up how Zenos came to be the “underground healer” that he is now. Originally part of a successful adventuring party, Zenos is implied to be one of the reasons for their meteoric rise to success. However, as the party became more popular, the stereotypical conceited party leader decided to kick Zenos to the curb. Now in the spotlight more than ever, Zenos’ former party felt like they didn’t need him anymore and didn’t want to risk a bad reputation for using an unlicensed healer who came from the slums.
“A healer is third-rate if they just heal injuries, second-rate if they can wholly heal a person, and first-rate if they can make the world a better place.” -Lily repeating Zenos’ mantra.
Zenos wanders the streets now, broke and with nowhere to go. However, he soon happens upon a dying elf slave named Lily. He buys her from her cruel master, using his unlicensed but powerful healing spells to save her life. After freeing her from her slavery, Lily agrees to help Zenosstart an underground healing clinicin an abandoned part of town so he can earn money. Healers in this world are only allowed to operate once they have been trained in royal schools and obtained a license. However, these official healers seem to charge a lot and leave those living in the slums and underclasses very underserved.
As Zenos sets up shop, he meets a host of other characters, including a wraith named Carmilla, whom he effortlessly defeats, causing her to become friendly to him. Word soon spreads about this underground healer who is even more powerful than many official ones. Three leaders of various demi-human slum gangs are eventually charmed by him, and Zenos manages to convince the three gangs toset aside their differences through his healing powersand influence over them.
An Overpowered and Unaware MC
The Show is Set Up Well for Fans of the Genre
Zenos inThe Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadowsis your typical, average-looking, unaware male MC. Despite his immense powers that he uses to effortlessly outspeed foes, block their attacks,and heal at miraculous rates, Zenos is unaware of how strong he is. This leads to fun interactions where Zenos can surprise friends and foes with his powers. As a healer, he also seems to possess incredible knowledge of the human body, which appears to be drawn from our modern understanding rather than the fantasy medieval setting of the show.
He uses modern tools like scalpels and can seemingly reconstruct the entire human body thanks to his knowledge of organs, nerves, bones, and muscle structures. Most healers in this world seem to be only able to cure less complicated injuries. Those who like understated but overpowered protagonists will enjoy the healer version of this character trope.Zenos possesses insane magical abilities, but is humble and seemingly unaware of the power he actually has.
This unawareness also extends to any romantic advances he receives, as he quickly charms the slum gang bosses and continues to attract more admirers throughout the series. To him, healing people and making the world a better place are the only things that matter, and being effortlessly strong is just a bonus.
The Brilliant Healer’s New Life in the Shadows can be streamed onCrunchyroll.
