Cautious Hero has a fascinating start as it has one of the strongest openings of an anime that I can recount to date. We are set in the heavens and choosing the next god or goddess to save another world is seemingly more of a fame game rather than a well thought out process or decision by the gods. How else would we end up with a rookie goddess expected to somehow overcome an S rank world saving quest? Ristarte conscripts a hero for his exceptional strength and skills for her own apparent personal gain to save a world for fame giving the matter no second thought.

Ristarte has her doubts as she is thrust into an exceptionally dangerous quest to save a world that isn’t even her own. The gods are limited in the power they can manifest in the worlds they save, and bound by rules set that they must select a human adventurer to save a human world. As a rule for the gods they select only male adventurers from modern day Japan, which is an apparent joke for the audience. Setting aside the obvious questions such as the reason why gods save human worlds? Or why do they only select candidates from modern Japan? Or why the goddess knows that the Isekai genre is a thriving market in Japan? Ristarte assumes every one knows the rules for an Isekai and any seasoned anime viewer might want to naturally agree with her.

After summoning a hero as in the rules for Isekai we end up with our hero Ryuguin Seiya. The oblivious goddess forgets a tiny detail, that Seiya is impossibly cautious. It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that Seiya is astonishing difficult to deal with for Ristarte. While she finds the hero very sexually appealing, there is nothing about him that makes him an easy hero to work with. For one reason Seiya is not in touch with Isekai or gaming culture. Some of the first things Seiya asks for are his basic rights which Ristarte denies  him, and gives him no real option in the matter that he must save a world. When asked why the gods can’t just save the world she is flustered and says that  a human must save a human world. Seiya for good reason doesn’t want to go to a dangerous world and risk his life. He rebuffs the goddess after she attempts to explain to him that even if he dies he will go right back to Japan. Seiya asks some very real questions that frustrate and fluster Ristarte.

Ristarte is in such a rush to get going on the S rank adventure and save the world she doesn’t stop to consider how uncool Isekai really is. She just expects Seiya to give up his old life in exchange for the hero’s life with no apparent benefit to him. Ristarte has after all conscripted the boy into quasi military service and explained to him that he has no rights. She instantly wants to take him into the new world without a second thought in the matter assuming everything will work out because it has worked out in her own limited experience. Seiya wisely rejects her push to instantly embark on an adventure and decides to train in the heavens. Ristarte treats Seiya like a pet and even forgets to give him the basic necessities he needs until another goddess reminds her she needs to take care of his basic needs. Ristarte impatiently waits for a week, bored out of her mind waiting to start on a new adventure.

When the adventure does start Ristarte and Seiya find themselves in almost immediate danger in this S rank danger quest. The Demon Lord sets out to destroy the hero from the moment he lands in the world. In all honesty its a logical move from the Demon Lord’s part if the gods are known to meddle in his nefarious plans. Ristarte is blind to the dangers and has done nothing to build confidence that she can guide Seiya to victory. While very much a game or something that gods do on a regular basis for Ristarte, is a hellish nightmare for a young man who very much wants to survive. Seiya is conscripted against his will to serve the whim of a goddess who hasn’t even given a second thought to his well being or survival. Best of luck, Seiya.