Epic: The Return of The Legendary Hero

Epic: The Return of The Legendary Hero (Japanese: EPIC:伝説の英雄の帰還, Hepburn: EPIC: Densetsu no eiyū no kikan), often stylized and referred to as simply EPIC, is a Japanese fantasy isekai light novel series written and illustrated by SIX. The series began publishing online around June of 2012, but would begin publishing physically by Gagaga Bunko the next year on February 15. A manga adaption was eventually released in Shogakukan's Monthly Big Comic Spirits magazine on March 18, 2015, illustrated by Aiya Kyū, who is also well known for being the illustrator of The Rising of the Shield Hero's manga adaption. An anime animated by Bridge was also released two years after the manga on April 16, 2017.

The story follows a man named Jiro Saikawa, who, at age 16, was transported into a fantasy world known as Reinstrad by a goddess to battle against the infamous Demon King. Seven years after his victory, Jiro has returned to the normal world but has grown depressed due his life after returning home being both boring and not the best, not helped by the fact nobody believes his story. Because of this, when a resident of Reinstrad comes to him, begging him to come back due to the world having been thrown into chaos once again, Jiro jumps at the chance and returns, his youth and abilities restored. However, it becomes increasingly clear that Jiro's enthusiasm was misplaced and things are not as cheerful as he remembers them being.