The Anime Thread

[reinigen]

Based

 

[46gumi]

Based

Frieren confirmed to be the harbinger of TTD

 

[Empty_Inbox]

Ok, so I get it - using hot women to attract attention to the booth. But why Misato though? It is fitting in that "fucked up adults manipulate young people to do nearly impossible messed up things and to get fucked up", but they are not supposed to be ironic?


Force of habit: Anime NYC features US military recruitment booth with Misato Katsuragi cosplayer.

On the other hand, Loid from Spy Family for FBI booth makes total sense

 

[yuckyyaki]

Ok, so I get it - using hot women to attract attention to the booth. But why Misato though? It is fitting in that "fucked up adults manipulate young people to do nearly impossible messed up things and to get fucked up", but they are not supposed to be ironic?

Misato is pretty popular anime character with a military-esque occupation, at least they didn't use Revy.

 

[PleaseCheckYourReceipts]

Misato is pretty popular anime character with a military-esque occupation, at least they didn't use Revy.

Miasto is more Intelligent Services, but I do find it funny they're recruiting weebs. Minus the fact that military guys were huge buyers of Anime DVDs during that period.

 

[Tamavitch]

The Army is starting with Misato to get you to sign up. When you refuse, then they will resort to using Rei to get you to die in sandwars for Israel and globohomo.

 

[Nenélove]

Based

The demons are definitely bland like white rice as antagonists but this joke is funny so idc.
They have 2 concepts that I feel kinda clash with each other and make them confusing as antagonists/living creatures. The part where they are tailor made to trick others and mimic humans is really cool and feels almost animalistic, like a predator that evolved specifically to hunt humans in the most sadistically clever way possible.

Yet the whole dialoguing and plotting bit kinda ruins it, if they were merely mindless killers then I wouldn't care but these guys feel like have some grudge that is not explained (or I haven't gotten to it), do they kill for sport, for nourishment or for dominion? What is even their purpose? They don't have to be redeemable or have a genuine reason, but the fact is that they have NO reason whatsoever for anything and it feels underwritten in such an otherwise subtle narrative.

The whole "YOU HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN A FRACTION OF MY POWER" bit with Frieren is also cheap as fuck and cliche for anime, is the demoness who is supposed to be one of the strongest left of their kind so blatantly stupid that she never saw that coming? SHE KILLED YOUR FUCKING KING YOU MORON.

 

[46gumi]

Actually hyped for this one, been waiting for an Anime announcement and here it is.

 

[Awoogers]

Actually hyped for this one, been waiting for an Anime announcement and here it is.

FUCK YEAH LETS GO

 

[Nenélove]

Okay so some gay lads on discord convinced me to rate some of the light novels I have read throughout the years, and I really have nothing better to do so here goes nothing.

In essence I will try to rate a light novel series per week, and tell you if it's good or shit in my opinion. If you don't care for LN and only read le mangers or watch le animans then you can ignore this completely, I will not rate based on how good the mangaka draws or how good the animation of the anime is (most of these stories aren't made any better by the anime or manga anyways), I'm a lit guy not an art guy so I can't honestly comment on good or bad animation anyways. I will also not read the original webnovel versions of these in RandomNipWebsite.com, not only because translations are sometimes a bitch to find but also because I want to review the version that actually got published and costs money.

---

All of that said, this week's dish is:
Ascendance of a Bookworm (Honzuki no Gekokujō)
Volumes Read:
Up to Part 5, Volume 3 (Volume 24)
Original run:
January 25, 2015 – Present (Complete publishing re-write, original webnovel run completed from 2013-2017)
Author:
Miya Kazuki
Genre:
Isekai (Political & Historical Fiction, High Fantasy/Hard Magic, Kingdom Building, Magic Academy, No RPG elements)

Spoiler: Plot Summary (Minimal Spoilers)

Bookworm (as I will refer to it from now on) is the story of a weirdo woman who gets killed and transported to another world (whoopee), but where it sets itself apart from other isekai tropefests is in its incredible attention to detail and way of going about the genre.

Our protag, Myne (Later Rozemyne) is reborn as a literal toddler, and unlike other stories where we would suddenly time-shift into her being a teenager, or at least a ten year old, Bookworm takes its time to guide us through Myne's childhood in this fantastical but somehow more realistic version of a medieval society.

The books are separated into parts, each of which is radically different from the last as we follow Myne's ascent from peasantry to nobility, giving us a complete cross-section of this society and its workings, we slowly learn about this world, the pressing issues it faces and the coming challenges Myne and her new friends and family will have to face in order to restore order to a war-torn country.

Spoiler: Worldbuilding (Some Spoilers)

Bookworm's worldbuilding is strong, really strong. I may even daresay it's one of the best thought out and most fleshed out worlds out there in isekai. Everything from the culture, to the utilization of magic as a metaphysical concept, to the differences between people based on their backgrounds, everything has been meticulously constructed in order to be as rich and complex as the story allows.

Said story centers around the fictitious country of Yurgenschmidt and specially the duchy of Ehrenfest (prepare for loads of names in german), a classic hodgepodge medieval society setting like that of many other isekai, but even then Bookworm's take on "The generic medieval kingdom" is anything but generic. Ehrenfest has plenty of unique cultural and social customs that the author has delicately constructed, from different festivals, to religion, to the incredibly fleshed out effects of magic on society.

Magic in this world may just be the greatest achievement of Bookworm, unlike other medieval fantasy settings where magic is just something most people can wield in some sense, Bookworm takes a wholly realistic (ironically) take on magic. Magic is a rare thing in the world of Bookworm, not everyone can wield it (which is sensible as having loads of magic users would be like everyone having a bazooka at their fingertips and asking humans to not use it) and those who can wield it are the obvious nobility (another nonsensical thing in many fantasy stories where the uber-powerful mages have somehow not taken over the government). In fact, magic is so central to the worldbuilding of Bookworm that nearly everything is defined by it, your status, social class, and even if you will inherit the noble post of your father.

Many things from women's position in society (one which would normally be lower than men's due to lower physical ability but which doesn't matter if they have equal magical powers), or the army (which is much smaller and consists only of powerful nobles with magic, why would you field an entire army if it can get blown apart with one word from a wizard?). Bookworm doesn't spend too much time explaining the mechanics of its magic system, more so it only explains what is necessary and then uses said things to expand the rest of its rich world, and I couldn't be happier.

The magic isn't the only deeply fleshed aspect of the world either, things like medieval guilds and economics are touched upon, as well as the different social classes which Myne passes through, which slowly opens up the world as the story progresses. You begin in the claustrophobic and brutal life of a peasant, then pass to the rule-abiding but still miserable clergy, up to the duke's own household, with all of its rules and customs and societal expectations which are both mentally draining for the protag and the reader but also a breath of fresh air from the laid-back, easy-going, relatable nonsense many other authors try to pull with their stories of nobility. Even better yet, Bookworm doesn't just go "Nobility bad, peasantry good", like many other stories, it just presents the social classes as they are, it explains why that is and it doesn't vilify anyone.

The world itself starts out pretty small, but it makes sense since it's from Myne's perspective, as she climbs the social ladder more of the world opens up and the reader is able to understand the gravity of Ehrenfest's situation. Many of the other duchies are also fleshed out later on, with their own distinct cultures and geographical features, which makes total sense. Ehrenfest itself is pretty diverse once the story allows the reader to set out beyond the slums, from wild forests, to volcanic caverns, to small hamlets. The fauna and flora are pretty interesting, in lieu of elves or dwarves or classic fantasy monsters, Bookworm has Feybeasts and Feyplants, creatures interconnected with the rich magic system and which can get pretty horrific from time to time. Though I will admit that Bookworm's realism does hold it back from introducing any "awe-inspiring" locales apart from a few places, which isn't a terrible thing as the book isn't so much about adventuring around as it is about politicking and society.

I will cut myself short here or I'd go ranting about it for another ten paragraphs, but it's fair to say that Bookworm's world is, ironically, fantastical in a very realistic sense.

Spoiler: Characters (Major Spoilers)

Protagonist:
Our protagonist is an isekai'd woman who comes to be called Myne by her new parents in this world. Myne is an interesting character to say the least, in short, she's a fucking weirdo, but there's a lot more to her than that.

Myne is nothing less than a fresh breath of air, a childish, petty and obsessive woman who acts younger than she really is, which comes in sharp contrast to our usual black-haired, laid-back, self-insert young male heroes who are always ultra powerful and which every character that matters likes. Don't get me wrong, Myne IS powerful, really powerful in fact, but that isn't the main point of her character.

Bookworm's pre-isekai prologue is laughably short, and any other time I would complain about that if it weren't for the fact that Bookworm does A LOT with the fact that Myne isn't from this world. You see, Myne is obsessed with books (hence the name of the story) but as you may know, books weren't specially common in medieval times, so she essentially goes apeshit over this and many other things, which serves to really drive a wedge between Myne and the other characters and is quite realistic in my opinion (I'm tired of characters which are totally cool with being ripped out of the life of luxury known as the 21st century and plopped down into a dangerous, filthy and strange new world).

Every single one of Myne's "strengths" as a person are played back into a weakness in this world, her kindness and compassionate japanese ways are tested by the cruelty and pragmatism of this new world, her modern sensibilities give rise to her "inventing" things that she desperately wants which make ripples in this medieval society, her naive and childish nature is shattered by the scheming world of the nobility. Her love of books is her main driving force and while it is ridiculous, played for laughs and almost immersion breaking at times, it does prevent Myne from feeling bland or overly passive like so many other isekai leads, she knows what she wants and she works from the first chapter to the last to get it.

Myne is also helplessly weak for most of the story, which prevents her from using her powerful magic to completely break the story. Her powers are also quite well explained throughout the story and are not something supernatural (as far as I have read), but even then her greatest power may be her out-of-the-box thinking and her compassion for others, which work to make significant changes in the world for the better. It is genuinely painful to read as Myne struggles to do anything without others' help, it makes the reader feel genuinely helpless as every little step is a small victory at first like living the life of a chronically ill person.

---

Main characters:
This story has MANY characters, specially since the setting changes with each part and new characters are introduced. Though only a few of them are that prevalent or real standouts in any way, most are just people Myne knows.
But there are several well-written examples, like Lutz, Myne's first real friend in the new world and a person who comes to be a close confidant of hers, their blossoming relationship and later separation are believable, sweet and interesting. Though you will forget about him as the story churns on and he appears less and less.

Benno is another fun character, while also less prevalent in the later volumes, his sarcastic and pragmatic attitude and frequent clashes with Myne's naivete are a great source of entertainment, he becomes Myne's second mentor and benefactor (after lutz) and like with all of her benefactors, comes to have this delightful "I care about you a lot but you're such a pain in the ass" relationship with her, which is incredibly enjoyable.

But my favorite character has to be Ferdinand. Ferdinand is like Benno, but on some serious steroids, he's brash, he's strict, he beats much of Myne's innocence and naive nonsense out of her. But he's not a bad guy, he's actually incredibly complex and his backstory is quite realistic and satisfying when he finally starts to heal with Myne's assistance.

Many other characters also come to mind, like Sylvester's childlike wonder which contrasts with his portly facade as he balances a role he doesn't seem prepared for, or Damuel's quest to become a better knight in a society which ostracizes him for things out of his control, or the toxic familial and political ties between Ehrenfest and Ahrensbach and all of the families it has torn apart.

---

Antagonists and Minor characters:
Bookworm has a fair few antagonists, but many of them play very minor roles, there is no "main antagonist" which isn't really an issue since the antagonist seems to be society itself most of the time. But the few antagonists there are go from comically incompetent to spine-chillingly malicious and scheming, which gives a nice contrast and variety.

The book does again suffer from a bloated cast, and I do admit even I forget some of the characters that haven't appeared in a while and have to look them up. It has game of thrones beat for the sheer amount of characters there are which can be an issue.

Spoiler: Style, Pacing, Tone and Themes (No Spoilers)

Bookworm's greatest blunder is probably its pacing, in a bit of a tradeoff for being so realistic and detailed, the story moves at a snail's pace most of the time, with almost every moment of Myne's daily life documented for the reader to trudge through. Arcs drag on as new developments crop up with time, and while this IS very realistic and all of these events ARE meaningful, Bookworm does cross the line into "will put off anyone who dislikes slow pacing" and even I have been bored out of reading the thing for months at a time because it feels so incredibly dense and goes down like oatmeal mixed with concrete.

On the upside, the story is not "floaty" at all since every event has its defined place in the narrative and importance to the plot, there are few HUGE timeskips (apart from one which is almost too huge) and there is very little story downtime as events are constantly set up for future payoff. I'd call this story the "anti-slice of life", the reader always knows where the characters are, how long characters have spent travelling from one place to another or how much time has passed between events, it gives a lot of control to the reader.

The writer also shies away from any plothole breeding machines like time travel or alternate dimensions or free-use portals, the power of each character is always well explained and understood so you will rarely find yourself screaming at the pages asking why this person isn't using obvious thing which solves all of the problems. There are also almost no deus-ex-machina moments or hamfisted exposition dumps or continuity errors or contrived motivations, overall a very solidly written book. The writer never takes the easy way out by using some bullshit plot device to explain away linguistic differences or money or the time it takes to travel places or how long it took the lead to adapt to her new environment, the writer actually sat down and buckled in for the long run.

The style of Bookworm is appropriate for its genre, the language used is not overly complex but also doesn't feel out of place or anachronistic, characters will always speak according to their background and circumstances. Descriptions of things are detailed and flavorful as the writer delights in fleshing out the world more and more even when well advanced into the narrative. It's also important to mention that this book was written by a woman (a rare thing for light novels), which does mean that it focuses much more on character development and emotionally fulfilling scenes rather than plot development or action scenes, Bookworm is not totally devoid of action but it is much more focused on long conversations and interactions between characters.

The writer hides plenty of things in the narrative which come up later on and pay off in big ways, many which you won't see coming, the story will throw you for a loop several times and shift gears as it twists and turns. She doesn't shy away from presenting the sheer brutality and cruelty of the world either (with one certain scene being pretty infamous for this reason), medieval times were quite filthy and horrible for everyone but the nobility, which is only exacerbated by the divides magical power creates between the powerful and the powerless. It is again quite a different presentation from other isekai which completely ignore this aspect and sweep it under the rug.

Tonally, Bookworm can be really fun and playful, with a lot of heartwarming character interactions and funny moments. But it also knows how to do dramatic scenes where shit gets serious and you really fear for the wellbeing of a character, the writer isn't afraid to go all in on the suspense instead of trying to keep the book a light, emotionally-void read like many other authors do to keep the people who find tension too spicy happy with their cheeseburger of a book.

Spoiler: Overall Presentation & Final Thoughts

The story of Bookworm is one of great divergence from established norms and tropes in the genre, Isekai is generally maligned for how by the numbers and derivative it can be, often shoehorning in pointless plot devices to set itself apart from the other billion similar stories but which end up resulting in the same stale garbage. It is a truly different experience from any other isekai I have ever read and it takes plenty of risks going in new directions that not everyone might enjoy. A lot of isekai coasts off of being so bland that anyone can get into it, it's like a fast food burger that takes little money (brainpower) to consume and it's easy and quick, Bookworm says fuck that and it tells the story it wants to tell, even if it isn't perfect at it. I cannot commend it more for breaking the mold with something new that isn't satire for once.
I feel like Bookworm's story really takes itself seriously, it wants YOU to take it seriously, and that is a great thing to see.

I have never checked out the manga (it's wildly behind the LN) but I did watch one episode of the anime they made and it doesn't do it any justice, it's ugly and boring for the most part.

Positives

• Incredible worldbuilding, one of the best in isekai
• Well-written and complex characters
• Realistic take on a classic medieval fantasy story
• Intriguing narrative full of interpersonal drama
• Can be fun but also tense and dramatic, the tone is very well done
• Doesn't rely on cheap, contrived plot devices or other narrative cancer, solidly written
• Isekai which isn't fucking trash for once, very few tropes

Negatives

• Slow pacing, even to the point of boredom
• Too many characters that you will forget the names of
• Protagonist could come off as annoying to some people

Final Score
88/100 An excellent read if it clicks with you.

---

I hope the 5 people that read this found it informative, if you have any suggestions on other LN I can review let me know, if I have read it I will make that the next review, if I haven't then you will have to wait until I do. @Harrow Prime Look I did it, you can stop being a beta reader.

 

[Awoogers]

Okay so some gay lads on discord convinced me to rate some of the light novels I have read throughout the years, and I really have nothing better to do so here goes nothing.

In essence I will try to rate a light novel series per week, and tell you if it's good or shit in my opinion. If you don't care for LN and only read le mangers or watch le animans then you can ignore this completely, I will not rate based on how good the mangaka draws or how good the animation of the anime is (most of these stories aren't made any better by the anime or manga anyways), I'm a lit guy not an art guy so I can't honestly comment on good or bad animation anyways. I will also not read the original webnovel versions of these in RandomNipWebsite.com, not only because translations are sometimes a bitch to find but also because I want to review the version that actually got published and costs money.

---

All of that said, this week's dish is:
Ascendance of Bookworm (Honzuki no Gekokujō)
Volumes Read:
Up to Part 5, Volume 3 (Volume 24)
Original run:
January 25, 2015 – Present (Complete publishing re-write, original webnovel run completed from 2013-2017)
Author:
Miya Kazuki
Genre:
Isekai (Political & Historical Fiction, High Fantasy/Hard Magic, Kingdom Building, Magic Academy, No RPG elements)

Spoiler: Plot Summary (Minimal Spoilers)

Bookworm (as I will refer to it from now on) is the story of a weirdo woman who gets killed and transported to another world (whoopee), but where it sets itself apart from other isekai tropefests is in its incredible attention to detail and way of going about the genre.

Our protag, Myne (Later Rozemyne) is reborn as a literal toddler, and unlike other stories where we would suddenly time-shift into her being a teenager, or at least a ten year old, Bookworm takes its time to guide us through Myne's childhood in this fantastical but somehow more realistic version of a medieval society.

The books are separated into parts, each of which is radically different from the last as we follow Myne's ascent from peasantry to nobility, giving us a complete cross-section of this society and its workings, we slowly learn about this world, the pressing issues it faces and the coming challenges Myne and her new friends and family will have to face in order to restore order to a war-torn country.

Spoiler: Worldbuilding (Some Spoilers)

Bookworm's worldbuilding is strong, really strong. I may even daresay it's one of the best thought out and most fleshed out worlds out there in isekai. Everything from the culture, to the utilization of magic as a metaphysical concept, to the differences between people based on their backgrounds, everything has been meticulously constructed in order to be as rich and complex as the story allows.

Said story centers around the fictitious country of Yurgenschmidt and specially the duchy of Ehrenfest (prepare for loads of names in german), a classic hodgepodge medieval society setting like that of many other isekai, but even then Bookworm's take on "The generic medieval kingdom" is anything but generic. Ehrenfest has plenty of unique cultural and social customs that the author has delicately constructed, from different festivals, to religion, to the incredibly fleshed out effects of magic on society.

Magic in this world may just be the greatest achievement of Bookworm, unlike other medieval fantasy settings where magic is just something most people can wield in some sense, Bookworm takes a wholly realistic (ironically) take on magic. Magic is a rare thing in the world of Bookworm, not everyone can wield it (which is sensible as having loads of magic users would be like everyone having a bazooka at their fingertips and asking humans to not use it) and those who can wield it are the obvious nobility (another nonsensical thing in many fantasy stories where the uber-powerful mages have somehow not taken over the government). In fact, magic is so central to the worldbuilding of Bookworm that nearly everything is defined by it, your status, social class, and even if you will inherit the noble post of your father.

Many things from women's position in society (one which would normally be lower than men's due to lower physical ability but which doesn't matter if they have equal magical powers), or the army (which is much smaller and consists only of powerful nobles with magic, why would you field an entire army if it can get blown apart with one word from a wizard?). Bookworm doesn't spend too much time explaining the mechanics of its magic system, more so it only explains what is necessary and then uses said things to expand the rest of its rich world, and I couldn't be happier.

The magic isn't the only deeply fleshed aspect of the world either, things like medieval guilds and economics are touched upon, as well as the different social classes which Myne passes through, which slowly opens up the world as the story progresses. You begin in the claustrophobic and brutal life of a peasant, then pass to the rule-abiding but still miserable clergy, up to the duke's own household, with all of its rules and customs and societal expectations which are both mentally draining for the protag and the reader but also a breath of fresh air from the laid-back, easy-going, relatable nonsense many other authors try to pull with their stories of nobility. Even better yet, Bookworm doesn't just go "Nobility bad, peasantry good", like many other stories, it just presents the social classes as they are, it explains why that is and it doesn't vilify anyone.

The world itself starts out pretty small, but it makes sense since it's from Myne's perspective, as she climbs the social ladder more of the world opens up and the reader is able to understand the gravity of Ehrenfest's situation. Many of the other duchies are also fleshed out later on, with their own distinct cultures and geographical features, which makes total sense. Ehrenfest itself is pretty diverse once the story allows the reader to set out beyond the slums, from wild forests, to volcanic caverns, to small hamlets. The fauna and flora are pretty interesting, in lieu of elves or dwarves or classic fantasy monsters, Bookworm has Feybeasts and Feyplants, creatures interconnected with the rich magic system and which can get pretty horrific from time to time. Though I will admit that Bookworm's realism does hold it back from introducing any "awe-inspiring" locales apart from a few places, which isn't a terrible thing as the book isn't so much about adventuring around as it is about politicking and society.

I will cut myself short here or I'd go ranting about it for another ten paragraphs, but it's fair to say that Bookworm's world is, ironically, fantastical in a very realistic sense.

Spoiler: Characters (Major Spoilers)

Protagonist:
Our protagonist is an isekai'd woman who comes to be called Myne by her new parents in this world. Myne is an interesting character to say the least, in short, she's a fucking weirdo, but there's a lot more to her than that.

Myne is nothing less than a fresh breath of air, a childish, petty and obsessive woman who acts younger than she really is, which comes in sharp contrast to our usual black-haired, laid-back, self-insert young male heroes who are always ultra powerful and which every character that matters likes. Don't get me wrong, Myne IS powerful, really powerful in fact, but that isn't the main point of her character.

Bookworm's pre-isekai prologue is laughably short, and any other time I would complain about that if it weren't for the fact that Bookworm does A LOT with the fact that Myne isn't from this world. You see, Myne is obsessed with books (hence the name of the story) but as you may know, books weren't specially common in medieval times, so she essentially goes apeshit over this and many other things, which serves to really drive a wedge between Myne and the other characters and is quite realistic in my opinion (I'm tired of characters which are totally cool with being ripped out of the life of luxury known as the 21st century and plopped down into a dangerous, filthy and strange new world).

Every single one of Myne's "strengths" as a person are played back into a weakness in this world, her kindness and compassionate japanese ways are tested by the cruelty and pragmatism of this new world, her modern sensibilities give rise to her "inventing" things that she desperately wants which make ripples in this medieval society, her naive and childish nature is shattered by the scheming world of the nobility. Her love of books is her main driving force and while it is ridiculous, played for laughs and almost immersion breaking at times, it does prevent Myne from feeling bland or overly passive like so many other isekai leads, she knows what she wants and she works from the first chapter to the last to get it.

Myne is also helplessly weak for most of the story, which prevents her from using her powerful magic to completely break the story. Her powers are also quite well explained throughout the story and are not something supernatural (as far as I have read), but even then her greatest power may be her out-of-the-box thinking and her compassion for others, which work to make significant changes in the world for the better. It is genuinely painful to read as Myne struggles to do anything without others' help, it makes the reader feel genuinely helpless as every little step is a small victory at first like living the life of a chronically ill person.

---

Main characters:
This story has MANY characters, specially since the setting changes with each part and new characters are introduced. Though only a few of them are that prevalent or real standouts in any way, most are just people Myne knows.
But there are several well-written examples, like Lutz, Myne's first real friend in the new world and a person who comes to be a close confidant of hers, their blossoming relationship and later separation are believable, sweet and interesting. Though you will forget about him as the story churns on and he appears less and less.

Benno is another fun character, while also less prevalent in the later volumes, his sarcastic and pragmatic attitude and frequent clashes with Myne's naivete are a great source of entertainment, he becomes Myne's second mentor and benefactor (after lutz) and like with all of her benefactors, comes to have this delightful "I care about you a lot but you're such a pain in the ass" relationship with her, which is incredibly enjoyable.

But my favorite character has to be Ferdinand. Ferdinand is like Benno, but on some serious steroids, he's brash, he's strict, he beats much of Myne's innocence and naive nonsense out of her. But he's not a bad guy, he's actually incredibly complex and his backstory is quite realistic and satisfying when he finally starts to heal with Myne's assistance.

Many other characters also come to mind, like Sylvester's childlike wonder which contrasts with his portly facade as he balances a role he doesn't seem prepared for, or Damuel's quest to become a better knight in a society which ostracizes him for things out of his control, or the toxic familial and political ties between Ehrenfest and Ahrensbach and all of the families it has torn apart.

---

Antagonists and Minor characters:
Bookworm has a fair few antagonists, but many of them play very minor roles, there is no "main antagonist" which isn't really an issue since the antagonist seems to be society itself most of the time. But the few antagonists there are go from comically incompetent to spine-chillingly malicious and scheming, which gives a nice contrast and variety.

The book does again suffer from a bloated cast, and I do admit even I forget some of the characters that haven't appeared in a while and have to look them up. It has game of thrones beat for the sheer amount of characters there are which can be an issue.

Spoiler: Style, Pacing and Themes (No Spoilers)

Bookworm's greatest blunder is probably its pacing, in a bit of a tradeoff for being so realistic and detailed, the story moves at a snail's pace most of the time, with almost every moment of Myne's daily life documented for the reader to trudge through. Arcs drag on as new developments crop up with time, and while this IS very realistic and all of these events ARE meaningful, Bookworm does cross the line into "will put off anyone who dislikes slow pacing" and even I have been bored out of reading the thing for months at a time because it feels so incredibly dense and goes down like oatmeal mixed with concrete.

On the upside, the story is not "floaty" at all since every event has its defined place in the narrative and importance to the plot, there are few HUGE timeskips (apart from one which is almost too huge) and there is very little story downtime as events are constantly set up for future payoff. I'd call this story the "anti-slice of life", the reader always knows where the characters are, how long characters have spent travelling from one place to another or how much time has passed between events, it gives a lot of control to the reader.

The writer also shies away from any plothole breeding machines like time travel or alternate dimensions or free-use portals, the power of each character is always well explained and understood so you will rarely find yourself screaming at the pages asking why this person isn't using obvious thing which solves all of the problems. There are also almost no deus-ex-machina moments or hamfisted exposition dumps or continuity errors or contrived motivations, overall a very solidly written book. The writer never takes the easy way out by using some bullshit plot device to explain away linguistic differences or money or the time it takes to travel places or how long it took the lead to adapt to her new environment, the writer actually sat down and buckled in for the long run.

The style of Bookworm is appropriate for its genre, the language used is not overly complex but also doesn't feel out of place or anachronistic, characters will always speak according to their background and circumstances. Descriptions of things are detailed and flavorful as the writer delights in fleshing out the world more and more even when well advanced into the narrative. It's also important to mention that this book was written by a woman (a rare thing for light novels), which does mean that it focuses much more on character development and emotionally fulfilling scenes rather than plot development or action scenes, Bookworm is not totally devoid of action but it is much more focused on long conversations and interactions between characters.

The writer hides plenty of things in the narrative which come up later on and pay off in big ways, many which you won't see coming, the story will throw you for a loop several times and shift gears as it twists and turns. She doesn't shy away from presenting the sheer brutality and cruelty of the world either (with one certain scene being pretty infamous for this reason), medieval times were quite filthy and horrible for everyone but the nobility, which is only exacerbated by the divides magical power creates between the powerful and the powerless. It is again quite a different presentation from other isekai which completely ignore this aspect and sweep it under the rug.

Spoiler: Overall Presentation

The story of Bookworm is one of great divergence from established norms and tropes in the genre, Isekai is generally maligned for how by the numbers and derivative it can be, often shoehorning in pointless plot devices to set itself apart from the other billion similar stories but which end up resulting in the same stale garbage. It is a truly different experience from any other isekai I have ever read and it takes plenty of risks going in new directions that not everyone might enjoy. A lot of isekai coasts off of being so bland that anyone can get into it, it's like a fast food burger that takes little money (brainpower) to consume and it's easy and quick, Bookworm says fuck that and it tells the story it wants to tell, even if it isn't perfect at it. I cannot commend it more for breaking the mold with something new that isn't satire for once.
I feel like Bookworm's story really takes itself seriously, it wants YOU to take it seriously, and that is a great thing to see.

I have never checked out the manga (it's wildly behind the LN) but I did watch one episode of the anime they made and it doesn't do it any justice, it's ugly and boring for the most part.

Positives

• Incredible worldbuilding, one of the best in isekai
• Well-written and complex characters
• Realistic take on a classic medieval fantasy story
• Intriguing narrative full of interpersonal drama
• Isekai which isn't fucking trash for once, very few tropes

Negatives

• Slow pacing, even to the point of boredom
• Too many characters that you will forget the names of
• Protagonist could come off as annoying to some people

Final Score
88/100 An excellent read if it clicks with you.

---

I hope the 5 people that read this found it informative, if you have any suggestions on other LN I can review let me know, if I have read it I will make that the next review, if I haven't then you will have to wait until I do. @Harrow Prime Look I did it, you can stop being a beta reader.

Oh ascendant of the bookworm

Good fucking shit I didn't expect this to be something you've read since you said fantasy in the discord

I was kind of expecting something with power fantasy but this is a good take for an Isekai I highly recommend it the world building on this one is good especially on the take of nobility and tackling with magic users coming from the commoners lineage into nobility(which is literally what myne is) getting inside the church and all as a blue shrine maiden apprentice

Highly recommend the series

 

[Nenélove]

Oh ascendant of the bookworm

Good fucking shit I didn't expect this to be something you've read since you said fantasy in the discord

I was kind of expecting something with power fantasy but this is a good take for an Isekai I highly recommend it the world building on this one is good especially on the take of nobility and tackling with magic users coming from the commoners lineage into nobility(which is literally what myne is) getting inside the church and all as a blue shrine maiden apprentice

Highly recommend the series

I think you will quickly realize how much I despise power fantasy.

 

[Koronesuki]

I have never checked out the manga (it's wildly behind the LN) but I did watch one episode of the anime they made and it doesn't do it any justice, it's ugly and boring for the most part.

I like the anime. Granted, I haven't read the light novels, but I'll take your word for it that they're better. I have a friend who enjoys both.

 

[Nenélove]

I like the anime. Granted, I haven't read the light novels, but I'll take your word for it that they're better. I have a friend who enjoys both.

The anime isn't TERRIBLE, but it doesn't do the book justice Imo, it kinda feels like they didn't have faith in its success (this series isn't too popular so I can't blame them).

 

[Awoogers]

The anime isn't TERRIBLE, but it doesn't do the book justice Imo.

yeah its passable but it is not as good as the LNs

 

[Harrow Prime]

@Harrow Prime Look I did it, you can stop being a beta reader.

no, unfortunately I can't. I wish I could, but I can't at this point.

 

[Empty_Inbox]

So the WIT Studio got a work on the remake of this obscure Japanese franchise for Netflix. Maybe that tv series with Proctor's pfp boy found a bit of a success, huh



EDIT: Added a more informative Netflix tweet. Anime TV JP is under the spoiler (it was the first one I saw)

Spoiler

 

[CalciumAnimal]

Ok, so I get it - using hot women to attract attention to the booth. But why Misato though? It is fitting in that "fucked up adults manipulate young people to do nearly impossible messed up things and to get fucked up", but they are not supposed to be ironic?


Force of habit: Anime NYC features US military recruitment booth with Misato Katsuragi cosplayer.

On the other hand, Loid from Spy Family for FBI booth makes total sense

because the military doesn't give a fuck beyond what works. hot girls work so put a character vaugly related to the military up front does not matter if shes not even from the military or country your trying to advertise.

It's getting to the point where every grunt from a few years back are getting promoted and seeing how popular anime is with military dudes especially evangellion (because miltech boners on full display in that one) it's unsurprising.

Because having TASTE and picking a lesser known anime like HEROMAN (which is more stan lee then the stan lee animes out there) specifically about an american kid means they wouldin't get people asking about the hot anime tiddy giving them a chance to try their military sales pitch.

Miasto is more Intelligent Services, but I do find it funny they're recruiting weebs. Minus the fact that military guys were huge buyers of Anime DVDs during that period.

they have been doing this for years tho? at least 5 probably more

The demons are definitely bland like white rice as antagonists but this joke is funny so idc.
They have 2 concepts that I feel kinda clash with each other and make them confusing as antagonists/living creatures. The part where they are tailor made to trick others and mimic humans is really cool and feels almost animalistic, like a predator that evolved specifically to hunt humans in the most sadistically clever way possible.

Yet the whole dialoguing and plotting bit kinda ruins it, if they were merely mindless killers then I wouldn't care but these guys feel like have some grudge that is not explained (or I haven't gotten to it), do they kill for sport, for nourishment or for dominion? What is even their purpose? They don't have to be redeemable or have a genuine reason, but the fact is that they have NO reason whatsoever for anything and it feels underwritten in such an otherwise subtle narrative.

The whole "YOU HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN A FRACTION OF MY POWER" bit with Frieren is also cheap as fuck and cliche for anime, is the demoness who is supposed to be one of the strongest left of their kind so blatantly stupid that she never saw that coming? SHE KILLED YOUR FUCKING KING YOU MORON.

that's kinda the point.

Their attempt to mimic humans is causing them to be contradictory laser focusing on obsessions but not quite understanding obsession conspiring and planning but not quite getting why humans make plans or use tactics none of them seem to realize they could run over humanity at any time something which the story comments on a few times.



Anyway im here to shill Ragna Crimson for being excellent edgelords.

 

[MrProcessor]

 

[MrProcessor]

Kronii recommends School Days to all her fans and to everyone really.

Kronii thinks about what she has seen.