Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero (Hagure Yūsha no Esutetika) is a Light Novel series written by Tetsuto Uesu and illustrated by Tamago no Kimi, which was published from 2010 to 2013 for 11 volumes.
Akatsuki Ousawa returns to Earth from another world after defeating the Demon King Garius. He brings along the busty, pink-haired Miu, Garius' daughter whom he entrusted to Akatsuki with his dying breath. They're forced to attend the Japan branch of BABEL, a high school for teens returning from other worlds and their special powers. Akatsuki passes Miu off as his sister and they go through the difficulties of adapting back to Earth life while threats and ominous shadow organizations from Earth and other worlds hound their every footstep.
An animated adaptation aired during the Summer 2012 Season. Later it was released by Funimation in December 2013 under the name Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero. There is also a manga adaptation entitled Hagure Yuusha no Kichiku Bigaku or, literally, "A Maverick Hero's Brutish Aesthetics".
This series provides examples of:
- Absurdly Powerful Student Council:
- The Student Council President runs the Japan BABEL sector, and has taken an interest in our Maverick Hero. May be seen as justified, since the Student Council President is by far more powerful than his professors.
- Zigzagged with the other members. While they are certainly more powerful than the rest of the students, they pale in comparison to Akatsuki, and even when all three of them attempt to take him on, he still beats them with little trouble. Were it not for a more serious situation occurring at that moment, he would have beaten them in the tournament during episode 8.
- Always in Class One: The Hero and his harem are in the class B. However, the Student Council are in the class A (but The Hero will join the class A with his harem).
- Annoying Arrows: Izumi's main form of attack.
- Another Dimension: There are several, which power up visiting minors, surprisingly allow a trip home, and let said students keep their abilities as souvenirs.
- Alien Sky: The world Akatsuki visited, became a hero in, and took Miu from has two moons that glow blue and green in the sky.
- Beach Episode: Episode 7
- Berserk Button: Episode 6 provides a couple:
- For Ousawa Akatsuki it's his father and a girl's tears. Threatening Myuu or her friends will also trigger it.
- For Motoharu, it's less obvious, but it's Scarlet Dusk, apparently.
- Big Bad: Lord Baram, though he's more of a Non-Action Big Bad while Phil acts as The Heavy.
- Big Damn Heroes: Akatsuki, when the programmed cockatrice got all its restraining bolts removed. He also shows up to save a little girl from terrorists the instant her tears hit the ground.
- BFS: Akatsuki's sword Laevateinn. Requires 7 ADs to generate. Becomes bigger and sharp with 8 ADs.
- Blatant Lies: Myuu asks Akatsuki why she had to be naked as he took her across the worlds, and he replied that interdimensional travel is easier naked. Subverted in the original novels. It really was easier. note
- Blood Knight:
- Akatsuki's reaction to Kaito's unusual handshake is to ask if Kaito wants this handshake to escalate. Kaito backs off, saying he's only here to greet him. During their scuffle, both of them are clearly enjoying testing each other's skills.
- Phil is a straight example. He's way too eager to fight, and when he does, he usually beats his opponents pretty badly, if he doesn't outright kill them first.
- Break Them by Talking:
- Phil gradually tears away at Myuu to demoralize her in episode 9, by telling her she'll be given a public execution to lure out the dark clans, that she must have seduced Akatsuki to save her own skin, and even if she somehow stopped him, more would be sent after her, putting her friends on Earth in danger.
- He tries it again in episode 11. However, he's much less successful this time around due to words of encouragement from Akatsuki prior to the fight.
- Breather Episode: Episode 5, which follows Myuu, Akatsuki, Kazuha, and Izumi as they go underwear shopping.
- Bully Hunter: Akatsuki informs the Jerk Jock he's confronting that he is this, and enjoys bullying bullies.
- Bullying a Dragon: Akatsuki has shown time and again that he's quite powerful. Nevertheless, some people, especially Haruka from the student council, insist on "punishing" him and bringing him down a notch.
- Butt-Monkey: Haruka towards Akatsuki. She always tries to punish him, but he ends up defeating her, usually by stealing her underwear.
- Chivalrous Pervert: Even if a bigger pervert than usual examples, Akatsuki takes care not to inflict physical injuries on his female opponents (preferring to deal with them in... creative ways to say the least).
- Class Representative: Kuzuha Doumoto, who is noticeably younger than her classmates in 1-B.
- Cleavage Window - Myuu's P.E. uniform inadvertently sports one - due to her "size" it can't be zipped up properly.
- Clothing Damage: Interestingly, in episode 6, Sleipnir zaps Akatsuki with enough force that it throws him across the room when he tries to touch the bike. But when Haruka tries to touch it, it zaps all of her clothing off, leaving only her socks and shoes. Akatsuki gives her his jacket, and interestingly, in the next scene a few hours later, she hasn't bothered to change into a spare uniform while taking out some terrorists.
- Conservation of Ninjutsu: Typically, the more opponents Akatsuki faces off against, the faster he defeats them.
- Cool Bike: Sleipnir, the supersonic bike, is introduced in episode 6. It's also an Empathic Weapon, shocking Akatsuki when he first tries to ride it, and later, frying Haruka's clothes off after she tries to confiscate the bike from its new master, Akatsuki.
- Cool Sword: The sinister-looking sword that buries itself in the ground pointy end first after falling from the sky during the anime opening sequence is Akatsuki's. Uesaki Ryouhei has a pimped-out scimitar.
- Credits Running Sequence: Myuu does this in the ending song.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Akatsuki is generally on the giving end of these. Practically everyone he fights, whether a dark lord, or a Jerk Jock, or even a member of the Absurdly Powerful Student Council, usually ends up humiliated in defeat at best, or dead, in the case of the dark lord.
- Cursed with Awesome: Akatsuki repeatedly states that he cannot use spells, and in episode 3 of the anime it is shown that he can't make use of BABEL's Arms Device, a bracelet which supposedly creates a weapon fitting the wearer's personality, magic, and fighting style. Later in the episode, he is finally able to summon his weapon, but it takes at least seven of the bracelets to create a physical form for his powers.
- Cute Monster Girl: Myuu
- Date Peepers: Myuu and Izumi follow Akatsuki and Kazuha into a manga cafe in episode 3.
- A Day in the Limelight: Episode 6 of the anime showcases Hikami Kyouya's underlings, showing that the other two members under Haruka aren't just a yes-man and a pencil pusher.
- D-Cup Distress: Myuu is uncomfortable with her large bust.
- Declaration of Protection: Akatsuki does this for Myuu in episode 10.
- Defeat by Modesty: Akatsuki disables the warrior-maid squad by teleporting their panties off their wearers. Actually, it's... uh, one his favorite tactics.
- Did They or Didn't They?: Episode ten pushes this trope to its limit. Myuu tries to share her body heat with a seemingly unconscious Akatsuki. He is apparently naked (though the shadows are specifically drawn in a way that he might still be wearing underwear). She strips down to her panties and presses herself against him. He then starts grabbing her butt, still appearing unconscious. His hand start to pull her underwear aside, and then she arches her back and cries out in pleasure. He thanks her and says now they are both cured. Did they actually do it, or did he just manipulate her energy again?
- Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Akatsuki does this when he defeats Phil, or rather, the dragon god the latter signed a pact with.
- Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male: While Akatsuki can typically dodge attacks from women, when he's being punished for being a pervert, they usually hit him, such as when he causes a Potty Failure to three girls in episode 2, and later when he steals underwear from them in episode 5.
- Dual Wielding: Haruka's Arms Device is a pair of curved blades.
- Elemental Powers: So far the anime has shown:
- Blow You Away - Nanase Haruka at the very least manipulates wind for flight. Also in the manga, Myuu's Sorting Hat-like test results reveal an affinity for wind, but the anime shows her casting spells of various elements.
- Dishing Out Dirt - Doumoto Kuzuha, as well as the Student Council's Aihara Minami. Both can manipulate earth directly for attacks, or make constructs out of them.
- An Ice Person - Hikami Kyouya
- Making a Splash - Izumi Chikage prefers to cover her target's head with a sphere of water. She can also blast enemies with water from her fingertips if there's enough of it nearby.
- Playing with Fire - Uesaki Ryouhei, the student enforcer with Eyes Always Shut. Also, Onizuka's elemental affinity.
- Enemy Mine: The student council, who had largely been at odds with Akatsuki, end up helping him defeat Phil. Or at least slowing him down long enough for Akatsuki to recover.
- Epic Flail: Aihara Minami's Arms Device is a mean-looking spiked ball attached to a length of chain.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Myuu's father was the Evil Overlord back in her world.
- given what some of Alayzard's other leaders get up to, this may actually be simply a matter of perspective. Akatsuki, at least, seemed to hold a lot of respect for him, despite joining the fight because Myuu's father killed one of his best friends. Also, in the scene where Myuu's father asks Akatsuki to take Myuu home with him, it's clear that he's doing this because it's Myuu's best chance for a long (and hopefully happy) life - he's using his dying breath to ask his enemy to keep his daughter safe and well.
- Everyone Has Standards: In episode 7, Akatsuki was preparing to take off Kazuha's one piece swimsuit, but he's stopped by Kaidou, who tells him that they're airing this and him taking the swimsuit off a little girl would have the Moral Guardians crack down on them. So Akatsuki relents and lets Kazuha keep her swimsuit.
- Evil Overlord: Myuu's Father.
- Experienced Protagonist: All those with magical powers, by virtue of having completed adventures in the alternate worlds.
- Fanservice: There's a lot of it, and when it's inflicted by Akatsuki, it's usually for laughs.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Kazuha, Izumi, and Myuu all become this after sharing some humiliating things together. Despite the situations, they do become good friends as the show goes on.
- Awesome moment of sneaky: Akatsuki orchestrated at least one of these on purpose, to help Myuu gain Kazuha and Izumi as friends and allies. Myuu's the only one who figures this out.
- Forced Orgasm: Courtesy of Akatsuki's power to control internal organs. He's quite fond of using it on girls for this purpose.
- Formula with a Twist: The series is a combination of both the Isekai and Extranormal Institute tropes in which people from the mundane world are so commonly summoned into other worlds that they then return with new powers which don't allow them to fit back into normal society. They are thus mandated to enter a special school for people with their credentials. The protagonist was a hero summoned to such a world but, after killing the Demon King, respected the man's dying wish by taking his daughter back to his world with him, where she can live a new life.
- Full-Potential Upgrade: Akatsuki needs over half a dozen Arms Device wristbands to be able to summon his sword.
- Fun with Acronyms: COCOON, which stands for "Children of Cross Over Other Nation"
- Genius Bruiser: Noted by a guy Akatsuki was fighting - "I thought you were just all brawn and no brains... but your cognitive ability is impressive."
- Girlish Pigtails: Miu sports them whenever she's not at home.
- Good Is Not Nice:
- Akatsuki may be the protagonist, but he's also a serious pervert, and isn't afraid to beat people down if they get on his nerves.
- Lord Baram as he deems the daughter of the dark lord to be a threat to their world even though she has done no harm and is even willing to have Akatsuki executed for aiding and protecting her even though he's a hero.
- "Hell, Yes!" Moment:
- One occurs in episode 6, when Akatsuki suddenly appears out of nowhere to punch a terrorist in the face after the little girl he had as a hostage shed some tears. While Haruka does criticize him for potentially endangering the girl, he brushes off her complaint, as he did save her.
- Another happens when Akatsuki catches up to Phil in episode 10.
- Handsome Lech: Zig-Zagged continually. Akatsuki doesn't have the slightest care when it comes to stripping anyone, especially females, of their clothes. Sometimes their embarrassment provokes him to toy with his current victim more. However, he is good-natured at heart and he will fight like hell to prevent any girl's tears from falling.
- Hero of Another Story: Everyone in BABEL, since they are all returning "heroes".
- Hero Academy: BABEL's schools function like this. A sci-fi Wizarding School where the student council functions also as an Elite Army unit.
- Hope Spot: One occurs in episode 11. Several characters attack the dragon, and it seems they're defeating it. But then he recovers, and knocks several of them out, and taunts Myuu by wondering how she felt as they were on the verge of victory only to then have it taken away.
- Hostage Situation: One occurs in the latter half of episode 6.
- Hubris: Despite being unable to defend herself from being stripped of her underwear multiple times by Akatsuki, Haruka still thinks he's nothing.
- The Hunter Becomes the Hunted: A game on the beach where all the other contestants must bring back Akatsuki's swimsuit within an hour turns into this.
- The Immodest Orgasm: Akatsuki bites the earlobe of a battle maid he's succesfully grappled. She gives a shriek, and crumples to the ground, dazed. In the manga, it is deliberately stated that his special ability can be used this way. In the anime, he can also make them lose control of their bladder too.
- Impossible Theft: Akatsuki has an amazing talent for stealing girl's clothes while they are wearing them.
- Innocent Fanservice Girl: While technically any girl that Akatsuki strips counts, Myuu is subjected to this the most.
- Instant Runes: When these start to come out of Akatsuki's right or left hand, you'll want to pay attention.
- Intercontinuity Crossover: The first half of a three-minute promotional video for the Rogue Hero anime showcased Akatsuki fighting and winning against several Queen's Blade Rebellion characters. Perhaps due to the limited length of the clip, only two characters, Anelotte and Liliana, receive the usual Clothing Damage prevalent in Queen's Blade. The crossover happens courtesy of Hobby Japan.
- In episode 5, Myuu switches the TV on to cover for a moment of awkwardness, saying there's a show she wanted to catch. The TV flips on to a battle scene from said promo video, Branwen and Liliana getting some extra screen time. While Myuu's gasping in shock, trying to process what she's watching, Akatsuki remarks that developing an interest in sex is completely normal.
- Jerkass: Phil and Lord Baram.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Akatsuki.
- Jerk Jock: Kenya Onizuka, a class A student who was demoted to class B due to being hotheaded. He therefore feels that all his classmates are below him and treat them accordingly.
- Ki Manipulation: Akatsuki is a very strong ki user.
- Last Request: The Demon King asked Akatsuki to take care of his daughter with his last breaths.
- Loophole Abuse:
- Kazuha tells Izumi that putting collectible straps on bookbags is prohibited. Later on, she ends up having one on her bag too, and Izumi calls her out on it. But Kazuha states that the class rep is allowed to have one.
- Akatsuki tries to utilize the rule set in the contest of episode 7 that he can go anywhere on the beach, including its facilities to escape. However, some of them question whether him going into the women's shower room is okay. While technically allowed, he's really bending the rule in order to chase after Haruka after she flees in there.
- Lovable Sex Maniac: Izumi interprets Miyu's attempts at stealth (pulling the two of them into a side alley) as an invitation to fool around in public.
- Love Epiphany:
- Myuu has a subtle one in episode 4 after Akatsuki helps her to be more honest with her feelings.
- Haruka seems to have developed a crush on him as well by the end of episode 6.
- Magic Knight:
- Ironically, Akatsuki fits the bill, despite having no magic skill at all. His control over chi can be used to augment his defense, allow an injured person to heal faster, or to throw an energy ball that ignores magical barriers.
- Myuu is a classic example, even though her title is "princess" instead of "sir". She's able to fake cast one spell and punish whoever takes the bait with a quick shot, which she demonstrates in a practice bout against a teacher of BABEL, knocking him out in one action. She's also able to use her staff to block a monster who's several times her size and weight.
- Magical Accessory: The BABEL Arms Device (ADs) - Generates any kind of weapon. If you have enough, even a BFS.
- Modesty Bedsheet: Myuu hastily wraps Akatsuki's bedsheet around her as a makeshift dress so she doesn't have to converse with him stark naked.
- Mugging the Monster: An unlucky Jerk Jock tries to put Akatsuki in his place. Seconds later, he's tossed at high speed into the hall, taking the classroom door with him.
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Akatsuki gives one to Phil in episode 10 after the latter attempted to kidnap Myuu back to her homeworld.
- No-Sell: A lot of attacks against Akatsuki end up looking like this.
- Not What It Looks Like: In episode 3, Akatsuki takes Kazuha to a manga cafe private room, claiming he'll "make an adult of her". He immobilizes her, then approaches her, and gives her a hug, only to then tell her she should show more emotion if she wants to be more "adult" about things. It works, as she does start smiling later on.
- Oddly Shaped Sword: Akatsuki's sword blade resembles a giant key, and is actually blunt.
- Panty Thief: Akatsuki would make Jack Rakan proud. He also steals brassieres off their wearers with no problem.
- The Plan: Myuu figures out why Phil wants to take her back alive to her world. The dark clans are still putting up resistance despite the dark lord's death. Myuu states that if they truly just wanted to stop the Dark clan from rebelling, he'd kill her on the spot and drag her corpse around to demoralize them. However, she also correctly assumes he was going to use her public execution back in her world as bait to lure them out, so that the humans there could wipe them out.
- Potty Emergency: Kazuha suffers one in episode 2 after being locked in the gym storage room.
- Potty Failure: Akatsuki can invoke this trope by using his powers to make girls lose control of their bladders.
- Power Perversion Potential: Akatsuki's ability to control internal organs would usually be used to negate fatigue, or possibly as a One-Hit Kill by stopping a person's heart, but he uses it to make girls lose their bladder control or give them orgasms.
- Akatsuki is also adept at focusing his chakra or chi, like onto his soles to let him stick to walls. He explains and demonstrates this by clinging to the shower walls with his bare feet - while Myuu was still showering.
- Projectile Spell: Glowing, tracking arrow variation. One to two hundred of these are not a threat for our hero, though.
- Punched Across the Room: Akatsuki does this to Kenya in episode 2.
- Random Power Ranking: Supposedly, students work their way from E-class to A. Akatsuki and Miu enroll as part of Class 1-B. The Jerk Jock that Akatsuki humiliates on his first day of school is supposedly of Class A.
- Regenerating Health: Non-video game example. In episode 10, the poison from one of Phil's attacks finally gets to Akatsuki, and he focuses on preventing it from spreading. Later, he's still a little doozy, but tells Myuu he'll Walk It Off. When she protests and tells him to at least wait a little while, he says he probably can't due to Phil appearing in front of them. He does recover later, after the others buy him enough time by distracting Phil.
- Religious and Mythological Theme Naming:
- BABEL, the name of the network of school for returnees from alternate worlds, is named after the Biblical Tower of Babel. The Japan branch is itself a huge tower.
- Laevateinn, Akatsuki's sword, is the name of the Flaming Sword used by the giant Surt to burn the entire world at Ragnarok in Norse Mythology.
- Sleipnir, the supersonic bike, is the name of a legendary eight-legged horse from Norse Mythology, the strongest horse and ride of Odin, the King of the Gods.
- Rings of Death: Onizuka's Arms Device.
- Running Gag: Myuu's large boobs cause any outfit she wears to develop a Cleavage Window, regardless of the original design.
- Sequel Hook: The end of episode 12 has new trouble brewing up in Alayzard. Akatsuki is getting ready to go back, but this time, several others want to go with him.
- Shout-Out:
- In episode 1, in the English Dub There is a reference to Ghostbusters at 4:30 in the form of "The flowers are still standing"
- In episode 5, Myuu claims she came into the living room where Akatsuki was at, not to show off her pajamas, but to watch her favorite TV show which turns out to be Queen's Blade Rebellion. She immediately turns it off.
- To Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann in episode 10, by Akatsuki in reference to his deal with Garius.
- "Shut Up" Kiss: Given by Akatsuki to Myuu in episode 10.
- Skinship Grope:
- Izumi does this to Myuu when they get a private room in a manga cafe.
- The saleslady in episode 5 seems to get a little too into it when showing Myuu how to put on a bra.
- Sleep Walking: to an extreme degree: Akatsuki is able to converse with and molest Myuu in his sleep.
- Slippery Soap: Haruka slips on some soap in episode 7 when she attempted to take Akatsuki's trunks for a contest. She's saved from hitting the ground by him, but not before he strips her swimsuit.
- Spell My Name With An S: In the manga, Akatsuki pronounces her name as Miyu, and is quickly told by the girl that it's Myuu.
- Spontaneous Weapon Creation: The primary function of the Arms Devices.
- Stealth Hi/Bye: Akatsuki has a tendency to do this, seemingly appearing out of nowhere at times.
- Summon Everyman Hero: Part of the high concept of the series is "What happens once the Everyman Hero returns home when the job is done?" Akatsuki, and the other Summoned attending BABEL as students, are survivors of a massive outbreak of the trope.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: Myuu has one in episode 4 when asked about her relationship with Akatsuki. She denies anything funny going on between them at home, and that he probably already has a girl he likes, but has a strange feeling in her heart shortly afterwards.
- Taken for Granite: The cockatrice monster in episode 3 does this to several students, including Kazuha and Izumi.
- Taking the Bullet: Well, it's a feather attack, but Izumi does this for Myuu in episode 3, which causes her to turn to stone.
- Talking Is a Free Action: Phil courteously waits for Akatsuki to finish talking to Myuu and Haruka and get their AD bracelets in episode 12 before attacking again.
- Token Mini-Moe: Kazuha.
- Tournament Arc: A fighting contest takes place during episode 8. However, it's interrupted by the arrival of Phil, who came to Earth to find the dark lord's daughter.
- Tsundere: Princess Listy El Da Sherfied, and to a lesser extent Myuu. The way Myuu tries to invite Akatsuki to party up with herself, Izumi, and Kuzuha exemplifies it. As of the end of episode 6, Student Council Vice-President Nanase Haruka turns into one, generally getting flustered anytime Akatsuki is brought up.
- Undead Tax Exemption: Due to the nature of traveling to different worlds, travelers who return to Earth are enrolled in BABEL, a special school designed to hone any skills and special powers they may have acquired. This is also why no one blinks an eye when Akatsuki brings Myuu to Earth and claims she's his long lost sister.
- The Unfought: Akatsuki never gets his chance to fight the student council president due to him having to attend a conference, and Phil interrupting the fighting contest and attempting to kidnap Myuu. The closest they got was when he first appeared while the former's skills were being assessed early on, and he attempts to attack Myuu to gauge Akatsuki's abilities.
- Vapor Wear: When BABEL's female students are in P.E. uniform, they're not wearing bras.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Tanaka even went as far as to masquerade as a bullied student. Akatsuki finds him out though.
- Wham Line: Phil delivers one to Myuu at the beginning of episode 9, when he says he's here to reclaim the daughter of the dark lord. Up until this point, everyone thought she was Akatsuki's long lost sister.
- When All You Have Is a Hammer…: Akatsuki has a couple of different abilities, but his favorite one seems to be "punch something as hard as he can".
- When She Smiles: Kazuha does it in episode 3.
- Whatever Happened to the Mouse?: An in-universe example. It's said that of the many people summoned to another world, only around half ever return.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Akatsuki delivers one to Myuu in episode 10. He chastises her for attempting to kill herself, and says that doing that is taking the easy way out. He then gives her a Declaration of Protection.
- Would Hurt a Child: One of the terrorists hiding in the group of hostages does this after the student council takes out his allies. He grabs her and puts a gun to her head, and threatens to kill her if their demands aren't met.
- You Are Not Alone: Akatsuki tells Myuu this in episode 10, when she thought she was alone and had nowhere to go to escape after Phil told her about others coming after her if he failed. Akatsuki tells her he'll protect her and anyone she cares about.
- You Kill It, You Bought It: Myuu's father, a dark lord, asks Akatsuki to look after her with his dying breath.
- Zero-Approval Gambit: Akatsuki does this in episode 2 when Kazuha suffers a Potty Emergency. So he makes Myuu and Izumi also have to go, which forces them to put aside their differences for their mutual hatred in him. Plus this prevents Izumi and Myuu from making fun of Kazuha later, as they also had a Potty Failure.
- In the scene immediately following, you see Akatsuki taking the blame for the mess he caused them to make too.
