Feb 21, 2025
Some small spoilers ahead. Not enough to ruin your reading experience should you choose to read it.
Very good thus far!
Siegfried (aka Aikawa) is intelligent, adaptive, and sociable, though naive and out of his element. He has an ability that compensates for his sudden entrance into this world, though aspects of its activation move us to question whether or not it is a double edged sword. Several interactions between himself and characters in the story also help us raise questions about why he might be in this place. Namely, his encounters with Lastiara.
Siegfried, when compared to most protagonists of the Isekai genre, is not defined
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by the usual tropes. He isn't a "nerd," "loser," or "NEET" - nor is he a submissive (or lazy) individual who chances upon power. He is weak, driven, and needs to build himself up to survive in this world he now finds himself in. This setup is what I appreciate most about this series. It deviates from what we're used to seeing, and positions the narrative to have depth.
That being said, getting to know a bit more about Aikawa's past and what he was like in his world would help a lot. As it stands, it is difficult to get behind his central goal (returning to his sister) because we haven't experienced their relationship and why he values it so.
The supporting cast isn't bad, but they lack development. Dia, for instance, is shallow when it comes to her motivations. I found it difficult to care about her situation, even when more details came about her past. The rapport between Dia and Sig is good, but is overshadowed by how disconnected we are from them as characters. I'm hoping that over the coming chapters these characters are expanded upon.
The art is nice. Action flows from panel to panel, and has the appropriate impact where needed. The action scenes are illustrated well, with a good sense for how to read the fight. This differs from other manga I've read, where it can be challenging to follow the sequence of each action. It's also easy to tell each character apart from one another (solid character design). No complaints when it comes to the art.
The setup is basic, but has promise. Rather than presenting a character that doesn't value the world they came from, we have someone who is trying their damnedest to go back. Getting powerful is about the return, not about getting powerful for power's sake. It's a repudiation of what the genre is usually about (power fantasy self-inserts). I appreciate that.
When comparing this to other Isekai manga, this one stands out. I wouldn't consider it the best, but it's among the best I've come across so far. Give it a try - if you like Isekais you will enjoy it.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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