The Faraway Paladin

Alternate Titles

最果てのパラディン
Saihate no Paladin

Synopsis

A man dies alone after having lived a wasted and fruitless life, but luckily for him that is not where his story ends. Instead, he is given a second chance at life when he is reincarnated into a new world of swords and magic and given a strange new family. His name is Will, and not only is he the only human in the City of the Dead, he was raised by three members of the undead! There’s the crass yet fatherly skeletal swordsman Blood, the motherly mummified priestess Mary, and the eccentric spectral sorcerer Gus. One day, he begins having vague memories of his past life and wonders: “Who am I?” This simple question will lead him to unraveling the mysteries of the dead city and learning the secret pasts of the undead. And when he has learned it all, he takes his first step on the long path of becoming a paladin.

Background

The Faraway Paladin is a light novel series written by Kanata Yanagino and illustrated by Kususaga Rin that began serialization on the user-generated novel publishing site Shosetsuka ni Naro in May 2015. The following year, it was picked up by Overlap who began publishing it under their Overlap Bunko imprint in March 2016. The fourth and latest volume was published in September 2017. The novels have been licensed for English release in North America by J-Novel Club.

A manga adaptation illustrated by Mutsumi Okuhashi has been serialized online through Overlap's Comic Gardo website since September 2017. As of April 2021, seven collected tankobon volumes have been published. As with the novel, the manga has also been licensed for English release in North America by J-Novel Club.

An anime adaptation was announced in April 2021. It is being produced by Children's Playground Entertainment (Cerberus, Hatena Illusion, Tsukiuta. the Animation 2) and features Yuu Nobuta (High School Fleet, Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear, World’s End Harem) as director, with Tatsuya Takahashi (Beatless, Eromanga Sensei, Val x Love) handling series composition, Koji Haneda (Initial D Legend, Persona 5 the Animation, Sengoku Paradise Kiwami) handling character designs, and Ryuichi Takada and Keigo Hoashi of MONACA (Death March to The Parallel World Rhapsody, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Nanana's Buried Treasure) composing the music. The anime’s opening theme song is "The Sacred Torch” by H-el-ical//, and the ending theme song is "Shirushibi" by Nagi Yanagi. The anime will premiere in Japan on Oct. 9, 2021 on Tokyo MX, AT-X, and other channels. It will stream through Crunchyroll as it airs in Japan.

Characters

Will (Voiced by: Maki Kawase)
A boy reincarnated with a dim memory of his past life, guided by a faint glimmer of light. Due to the regret he feels from his past memories, he is determined to live his current life to the fullest. He has strong respect, affection, and familial love for the three undead who raised him.

Blood (Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi)
A large, robust skeleton with blue demon fire in his eyes. He is often thought of as being cheerful and crass, but he is also attentive and sensitive. He treats Will as if he were his father or big brother. Before his death, he was a warrior nicknamed “War Ogre.”

Mary (Voiced by: Yui Horie)
A ladylike and homely priestess mummy. She treats Will like a mother and is also very patient with Blood and Gus, giving them guidance when they need it. She also likes to let loose from time to time. Before her death, she was a priestess known as the “beloved daughter of the Goddess Mater.”

Gus (Voiced by: Nobuo Tobita)
A pale, translucent ghost with a pointy nose and bad eyesight. He is eccentric and smoky, but he also has a compassionate side. He is like a grandfather to Will. Before his death, he was a wizard nicknamed “Wandering Sage.”

Menel (Voiced by: Ayumu Murase)
A half-elf born from elf and human parents. He is a skilled archer and hunter. Though bad-mouthed, he loves his friends and supports Will.

Gracefeel (Voiced by: Aoi Yuki)
The goddess who controls the flow of life. She wears a deep hood and carries a lantern. Her role is to guide the souls of the dead so that they don’t wander.

Stagnate (Voiced by: Hiroki Takahashi)
An undead god who rules over the undead. Unable to bear the tragedy of life and death, he wants to immortalize souls and create a world without tragedy where life is eternally stagnant.

Music

• Opening Theme Song: "The Sacred Torch” by H-el-ical//
• Ending Theme Song: "Shirushibi" by Nagi Yanagi

• Anime Site (Japanese)
• Twitter (Japanese)

• Original Creator: Kanata Yanagino
• Original Character Design: Kususaga Rin
• Director: Yuu Nobuta
• Series Composition: Tatsuya Takahashi
• Character Design: Koji Haneda
• Music: Ryuichi Takada (MONACA), Keigo Hoashi (MONACA)
• Animation Production: Children's Playground Entertainment