It's not every day the first episode of a show forces me to fight back tears, but Inuyashiki Last Hero's bleak look into an everyman's life had me deeply empathizing with the protagonist, Ichiro Inuyashiki, instantly. The 58-year-old family man with an office job isn't your usual main character either, but the first episode explores his sad life with a realism that's borderline uncomfortable to watch. Only near the end do we get the promised action and sci-fi, but I'm entirely okay with that considering how superbly Inuyashiki's characterization was presented.
We begin with Inuyashiki and his family moving to a new house. He's worked hard to provide a new home for his family, as his wife mentions he doesn't like loans, so he saved to purchase it outright. I actually didn't even realize this woman was his wife until significantly late into the episode when she calls him "honey," and I think this is done purposely as a comment on Inuyashiki's less-than-ideal family life. Throughout the episode they continue to sadly ignore him.
Other events build Inuyashiki up as a hardworking, kind, but very timid and frail old man despite his middle age. He doesn't talk much, but the events around him speak volumes to the pain he suffers, making it easy for me to sympathize with him. He even saves an abandoned dog, whom he names Hanako, much to his family's disinterest.
Inuyashiki's sad life comes to a climax when he receives terrible, life-changing news, only to further be ignored by his family. Alone, Inuyashiki sits in a swing and sings to himself. It's an incredibly powerful, somber scene, further emphasizing that dialogue is unnecessary to convey thoughts and feelings of the main character. By this point, I was just sad. Bad things happen to good people, and it's disheartening to watch.
But some good things do happen. That's when the supernatural comes into play, lightening up this incredibly austere slice of life. Inuyashiki is granted powers after bizarrely being hit by a UFO. He goes on to use these powers, even while unconscious, to help others.
So far, it seems all teenagers in Inuyashiki Last Hero are one-dimensional with sociopathic tendencies. When a group of teens attack a homeless man, Inuyashiki finally gets into action. He doesn't just resort to violence to prevent the teenager's attack though--in fact they walk away pretty much unscathed from the encounter. Instead, the group suffers real-world consequences, much more satisfying compared to the usual temporary inconvenience of a bruised ego and body that comes with hero intervention.
Inuyashiki is revitalized after saving another man's life, and decides to continue performing good deeds. Unfortunately, due to the anime's opening and promotional materials, there is no real mystery surrounding the unidentified boy who also got hit by the UFO. It’s pretty easy to make an educated guess as to what kind of character he’ll become.