Sweet Reincarnation, also known as Okashi na Tensei: Saikyou Patissier Isekai Kourin is currently airing as part of the Summer 2023 anime releases. It is being adapted from the light novel of the same name. I have a personal rule where I will give an anime at least 5 episodes before I judge whether I shall go ahead with the anime or drop it. Below are my first impressions of Sweet Reincarnation.

What is Okashi na Tensei about?

Killed by his very own sweet creation, a pastry chef suddenly finds himself reborn as the son of a poor lord. Living his new life as Pastry, he no longer has easy access to ingredients and needs to learn how to use a sword and magic he is being trained as the next lord of his father’s territory. Everyone around him has high hopes and expectations when all he wants is to make his dream of creating a ‘land of sweets’ come true.

• Aires on Mondays
• Pacing: Quick to get through elements but not too fast
• Characters: Memorable names
• Action: More than what I had anticipated
• Genre: Fantasy, Slice of Life, Isekai
• Planned Episodes: 12
• Intro and outro songs: meh
• Did it need to be an isekai: Yes, technically – only for his sweet knowledge and obsession.

Episode-by-episode

I have given quick impressions for each of the first 5 episodes while keeping it as spoiler-free as possible. As normal, I went into the anime without watching a trailer, reading a synopsis or even looking at the genre tags. I went in blind so as not to have anything spoiled or have any preconceived expectations and notions.

Episode 1 of Okashi na Tensei: Saikyou Patissier Isekai Kourin

Killed by your own creation, that was unexpected. I am going to have a hard time taking the characters seriously with their names if they are all like Casserole and Pastry. A family of 8, that is a big family. Why is dressing a son up in women’s clothing becoming a trope? I love how the adults all have hope for him and how seriously he takes his role the next head, should he inherit the fiefdom. Yet, all he is doing is considering how he can make his ‘land of sweets’ dream come true. That is a horrific ceremony for a person of any age. I am glad magic will be an element in this anime. However, I do not yet see the link. I knew the “panda” was a suspicious character. For the first episode it has done well to set us up for some tension and action while also introducing some key characters.

Episode 2

To rely on a 9-year-old is insane and even more so to leave that child in charge – no matter how smart they are. I am glad that magic is unique to the individual. I like seeing the guerilla tactics that were used by Casserole and Feuille, aggressive reconnaissance indeed. Those kids are good with their slingshots. That is a clever way to use replicate- I honestly did not see it coming. I did wonder how graphic the bandit confrontation would be, since the art for this is cute. Which basically gave the studio two options, but as I suspected, they did not go for the shock factor. I was surprised at the amount of blood shown in the episode though.  I may or may not have developed a crush on Casserole.

Episode 3 of Sweet Reincarnation

Is the bandit bit already done? I expected more out of that to be honest. I like the village rewards after the battle. Marcarullo and Luminito are just asking to cause trouble. See, I knew it. I feel that Pas (Pastry, our main character) can be ruthless if given the opportunity. Now I am developing a crush on Feuille. Finding the broken sword would be gut-wrenching. Pas’s ability is overpowered for their world – or perhaps his way of utilising it is. I was wondering when we would get to see Pas bake – especially considering his dream and the name of the anime. Glacage setting up a marriage for his daughter is brilliant although his reasoning is harsh – I laughed so hard. I shipped them already; so I am on board.

Episode 4

Being broke is a reality I get and I am glad they bring it up in a realistic manor. I need to know the history of cutting ties with Casserole and Agnes’s parents. I hope the back story is more than disapproval of the parents at the pairing. And it wasn’t. I am mildly disappointed. The negotiations were rather simple. I had hoped for a little more complexity but I am not surprised given the overall feel and pacing of the anime. I would not be able to introduce myself seriously with the name Pastry. I would laugh or be mortified.

Episode 5 of Okashi na Tensei: Saikyou Patissier Isekai Kourin

I am glad that Casserole is not completely looked down upon by all nobility since he was gifted his tile through merit and not born into it. That and he is a poor noble. Pas is a fast mover and knows how to work the people around him – how? I wonder if selling their abilities would be considered shameful in noble circles. Yay, the episode answered my question appropriately. I wondered when we were going to meet the girl in the opening song/credits and finally in episode five we see her and learn her name, Licorice – or Lico for short. The enemy retreated a little too easily for my liking.

Will I continue to watch Sweet Reincarnation and do I have any expectations?

I honestly expected this to have a lot more baking in it than sword play and tension. It has caught me off guard a few times and in truly unexpected ways. I shall be completing this anime but I do hope that this will be wrapped up in a single season. However, I doubt it will be done in 12 episodes, even with the quick pacing. I wonder if the bandit leader will feature again, will Pas be ‘inheriting’ more than the fief? I have these questions and more so I look forward to the future episodes. I am just not sure if I shall watch it weekly or binge it once it is done.

Overall so far it has been a fun watch but nothing ground breaking or attention grabbing. It is taking on a more generic isekai feel and role, which is mildly disappointing. It probably won’t stand out amongst other isekai titles once this series is complete and so far other than the names, nothing about the characters stands out either. I would have liked more baking to be included; since our main character is clearly obsessed with it. A lot implies he spends quite a bit of time in the kitchen – I would just like to see it on screen, as much as we see the action.

What are your current impressions of Okashi na Tensei?