The isekai world is about to get a lot weirder with the arrival of Uglymug, Epicfighter, a series that dares to blend dark humor, absurd power scaling, and an unconventional main character into one outrageous fantasy tale. The first episode preview is now out, teasing what viewers can expect from this offbeat yet oddly compelling series. Set to premiere on July 6, the anime will stream on Crunchyroll as part of the Summer 2025 lineup. Episode 1 is titled “The Birth of Gachi God,” and from the looks of it, the name fits the tone perfectly.
Produced by studio WHITE FOX, known for their work on high impact anime, this series promises a strange but memorable journey. The main character, Shigeru Yoshioka, is not your typical hero. He has been labeled “ugly” not just by others but by himself too. Once an ordinary man with a sales job, Shigeru’s life takes a dark turn after being falsely accused of a crime. He becomes a shut in, consumed by isolation and frustration, until a mysterious screen on his PC offers him an escape into another world.
This escape doesn’t come with a conventional hero’s welcome. Instead of beauty, charm, or charisma, Shigeru is given a stat sheet that begins at rock bottom. His looks are marked at a shocking minus 255, making him repulsive even to background characters. In this world, physical contact with women causes him excruciating pain, and any sexual situation would literally tear him apart. And yet, despite this, he is blessed with unimaginable strength, power that makes him a force to be reckoned with. This extreme contrast becomes the show’s core appeal.
Episode 1 will introduce the bizarre world Shigeru lands in and the first glimpse of his transformation from rejected shut in to an unlikely warrior. It also gives viewers a look at the supporting cast, including Rizu, Seiji, and Seika, voiced by Maaya Uchida, Kento Shiraishi, and Konomi Inagaki respectively. Junichi Suwabe leads the cast as Shigeru, bringing depth and energy to a character whose design may be comedic but whose emotions are raw and real.
The series is based on the original web novel by Ryo Hiromatsu, which ran from 2015 to 2022. It gained a cult following for its wild premise and offbeat humor. A light novel version followed, illustrated by Akira Banpai and published in 2018. The manga adaptation by Osamu Kozuki began its run in Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan and has since completed six volumes. Its English translation is available on the Manga Up Global app.
The anime features two standout theme songs, both of which have already been featured in the trailers. The opening track, “My Way” by TEMPEST, brings a bold, energetic edge to Shigeru’s chaotic journey, while the ending theme “Bandage” by Miyu Kaneko adds a reflective note to the otherwise outrageous premise. Together, they frame a story that is both intense and irreverently fun.
Uglymug, Epicfighter is not here to be elegant or subtle. It is a loud, chaotic, unapologetically strange take on the isekai genre, poking fun at the usual tropes while still delivering big action and emotional surprises. Its first episode looks ready to launch the audience straight into its unpredictable world, where power comes with bizarre limitations and the hero has to fight against both monsters and his own reputation.
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