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[You can find more information about my review style on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------

[I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time] is a power fantasy with poorly written characters and missed opportunities.

It is not an isekai, but suffers from what most isekai with unusual ideas does. It doesn’t stick to its unusual idea for very long, and cannot help but become a generic fantasy action adventure story.

As fantasy slop you can do worse, and I know that having a female protagonist is enough for a lot of readers, so I am reluctant to say that I ... do not recommend it, but I certainly did not like it.

▶Story: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time] proves for what I think might be the 3rd time that the concept of a receptionist in a fantasy world, is a really difficult premise to build upon.

While the manga’s premise is made up of two parts. Being a guild receptionist, and fighting bosses, the author has so few ideas about the guild receptionist part that it is more or less dropped within 10 chapters, to instead focus on the “solo any boss” part of the title. The protagonist will however use any opportunity to mention overtime or paid leave and other desk job related buzzwords so we won’t forget the “guild receptionist” part of the title.

Exposition is very poorly done. Most of it is done by having a character stand still and talk directly “to the camera”, or to teammates who as inhabitants of this fantasy world should already know how the world operates. There is an emphasis on tell, instead of showing, poorly leveraging the advantages of being a visual medium.

Asides from these glaring issues, the plot is a quite straight forward and predictable power fantasy, following the same structure that most fantasy isekai stories do (even if it is not an isekai itself.

▶Setting: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With a generic medieval European fantasy setting as its foundation, it builds upon that foundation and offers a bit more than that. The systems that govern the fantasy world while poorly introduced are well defined. There are rigid skill systems and stat and quest windows exist within the universe, and the world is full of dungeons for adventurers to explore.

It also features the precursor trope, which will likely explain many of the rigid magical systems of the setting as the story unravels.

It is my hope that the author can eventually tie it all back to the Guild receptionist part of the premise, and put a larger focus on why it exists and its origins.

▶Characters: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“If you don’t spend time watching real people, you can’t do this, [...] Some people spend their lives interested only in themselves. Almost all Japanese animation is produced with hardly any basis taken from observing real people, you know. It’s produced by humans who can’t stand looking at other humans. And that’s why the industry is full of otaku!”

-Hayao Miyazaki. Japanese filmmaker and founder of Studio Ghibli

Before I describe the protagonist, I want to highlight this quote by Hayao Miyazaki What he is criticising is that many of the creators in the industry spend no time observing real people as basis for their characters. Never knowing real people, only knowing characters from anime and manga. The result is that they create a character that is made up of a checklist of anime tropes, not people.

[I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time] embodies this quote. No character acts like a real human and feel like walking tropes.

The first villain is a good example. The story needs a villain, and throws in a shallow character whose motivations make no sense and whose actions do not match the motivations. He is of the “bully” archetype, and is cartoonishly evil, to the point of laughing maniacally as he destroys the very system that grants him the power he wants.

The protagonist Alina while likeable, is not much better. She features the “Berserk button” trope. Where the character gets enraged at a minor trigger. Usually in anime this is an overweight character going berserk when called “fat”. Alina’s trigger is having to work overtime. A poorly understood concept that the story uses to kick-start the plot.

She sadly does not get much better, with character development being some of the most shallow I have read in a manga. Amounting to “Wait... friends dying makes me sad? :0”

▶Artwork: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The artwork is quite nice. The character art is a bit on the plain side but the artist showcases expressions quite well. and the detailed background art complements the character art. It is all black and white, with no colour as is common with Japanese manga.

▶In conclusion: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

While I went hard on the poorly written characters in the story’s abandonment of the “guild receptionist” part of the premise, in the context of fantasy manga you can do a lot worse.

It is a quite generic fantasy action adventure manga featuring a super powerful female protagonist, and I know that is enough for a lot of readers.

I would however like to recommend [Mookhyang: Dark Lady]. A dark fantasy manhwa featuring an overpowered female protagonist in an even more dangerous medieval fantasy setting. It is based on a relatively old novel, so it has quite a different vibe from recent fantasy manga. The protagonist is also a woman who used to be a man, which might influence your desire to read it. Politics and war is also a focus of the manhwa, which might turn away a lot of readers.

[More info about my review style can be found on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------
⚠This Manwha contains a few gruesome and traumatic scenes and actual crimes against nature. Though it does not take up much of the story I thought it prudent to mention.

"I can fix him" or will he drag you down to his level?

[Your Majesty, Please spare me this time] is a Romfan (Romance Fantasy) Otome Isekai story about a girl who has to curry favour with her future murderer to avoid death. In the process she learns that things are not as black and white as she thought they were.

This is ... not a power fantasy story, but a story of ruthless politics, struggling and introspection. The artwork is gorgeous and might give you the idea that this is a fluffy feel-good story, but it is a bit darker than it seems.

A lot of people drop this Manwha due to not being used to a story with an unreliable narrator, or due to how problematic a lot of the characters are, but I recommend pushing through to the end and to give the characters a chance to redeem themselves; or at least receive their deserved punishments.

I wholeheartedly recommend [Your Majesty, Please spare me this time]. To both newcomers and veterans of the Otome Isekai genre. It is refreshing and well executed, with a gorgeous artstyle to boot.


▶Story: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"My weakness and helplessness, which aren't showing any signs of improvement even after going back in time" -Laliette

[Your Majesty, Please spare me this time] follows Laliette. A noble woman executed alongside her family by a psychopathic tyrant emperor for crimes she did not commit.

Waking up in the past, and armed with the knowledge of the future, most Isekai stories would put the protagonist in a position of power with all the knowledge she now possesses. Laliette however is quite powerless. While she is absolutely not an air headed clutz, she is not the smartest person and she is well aware of this. Her influence in politics and within her own family is quite limited, so she does the one thing she is capable of.
She tries to get in the good graces of her executioner, the future emperor. Hoping that their close relations may save her and her family.

The story starts out very strong, with a smooth introduction of both the premise and the main cast of the story.
She desperately tries to stay in the good graces of the emperor, with the psychopath ready to pull the trigger if she ever becomes a liability. Even something as simple as showing compassion can earn his ire. Making the story both tense and engrossing.
While common sense says they will get together (since this is a romance story after all), the way he treats her and others will make you question if they will, and if you even want them to.

The story is not without flaws. I thought the way it introduces new characters was not always elegant. and towards the ends there are a few slumps where the story struggles to get going again. Some of the big reveals also come a bit too predictably and with little fanfare. The author however still manages to pull through and deliver a satisfying ending to a fairly unique Otome Isekai story.


▶Setting: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The story is set in a generic Otome Isekai setting. That being a world losely inspired by Medieval/Early modern era Europe. There is barely anything that sets it apart from other Otome Isekai.


▶Characters: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The characters are very well written, with distinct personalities and ample room to grow. WIth the most standout characters unsurprisingly being the female lead and the male lead.

The story is full of problematic and deeply flawed characters, and much of the story revolves around introspection and trying to remedy those flaws. It is rare to see characters in fiction, let alone isekai who know they are in the wrong and who try to grow as a person through sheer force of will.
A lot of readers will however find that they are irredeemable and I understand that some people do not want to see a happy ending for them. If you are among those, you will understandably find this story difficult to enjoy.


▶Romance: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite all of this, it is still a romance story.

To call the romance problematic can at times be an understatement, and I witnessed many readers crave for blood, rather than love in the comment sections. If you are able to overlook the problematic aspects, or if you enjoy these kinds of relationships, it is quite satisfying to see the relationships blossom.

Can you look past the problematic nature of the romance and cheer for the characters who try to improve and become worthy of love?


▶Artwork: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First and foremost I must stress how gorgeous the art is.
The artist's ability to portray emotion is sublime. I have rarely seen utter desperation, rage and heartbreak portrayed as well as in this comic.
The background art relies a lot on premade 3D assets but it is well utilized and blends in well with the character art. There are a few nitpicks where a model's transparancy was set incorrectly so you are able to see through something you shouldn't be able to, but that is as I said, nitpicks.
The art is very good.

Now onto a more valid complaint. The artist doesn't quite hit the mark at making characters look their age. 12 year old children being portrayed as 8 years old at most. Which makes it even more jarring when they grow. Going from looking like an 8 year old, to late teens in just a few months within the story.


▶In conclusion: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Your Majesty, Please spare me this time] is one of the best stories that Otome Isekai has to offer. While not without a few flaws in the story, the art and a quite weak setting, it is still one of the best executed stories that I have read in this genre.
And it is complete, not ongoing!

Though I will say there are a few loose ends I would have loved to see tied in an epilogue. I am hoping they are in the side stories that I have yet been able to find and read.

Investing in problematic characters can be difficult, and wishing them happiness can be counterintuitive, but I recommend that you try. This story is worth it.

[More info about my review style can be found on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------
⚠ This manga contains Nazi adjacent imagery. The author appears to be what is known as a "Wehraboo". Someone who likes the aesthetic of the Wehrmacht. The German military in WW2. [Saga of Tanya the evil] is set in an alternate universe where Germany is not the aggressor.

[Saga of Tanya the Evil] is a very unusual isekai. Summarizing it is difficult, but my attempt is as follows. 'Saga of Tanya the Evil is the story of an HR manager. A libertarian psychopath with a near religious faith in the Free ... Market Economy facing god, and as punishment for their hubris they are reborn as a child soldier in Alternate universe magical earth that is at the cusp of World War 2, and they are fighting for Germany.'

⚠ There is a single scene of partial nudity of the protagonist. It is not sexualized, but I think it warrants a small warning.

With a sm­all child as the protagonist, I went into this expecting the worst. Manga does not exactly have a good track record with children!
I do not know if the author wanted to showcase the horrors of war by making the protagonist a child soldier, or if they simply wanted the protagonist to look cute. Regardless of the reason, my worries were unfounded.


It is a manga with some flaws and issues (that I touch upon later in the review), but it makes up for it with plenty of novel ideas that are well executed. It took some time before it fully resonated with me but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it once it clicked.

I recommend [Saga of Tanya the Evil] if the premise and setting is something that interests you.


▶Story: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The protagonist Tanya is unusually well defined for an Isekai. Not a blank slate, and living up to the name of the manga; not a good person. An HR manager whose job it was to fire underperforming employees.

They hold strong beliefs about how the world should work. Many of those beliefs paint the protagonist as a psychopath. In particular those concerning the value of human life. It is these strongly held beliefs that causes the protagonist to be reborn as a girl in Germany, in a world at the cusp of war.

The story relies a lot on Tanya being misunderstood by those around them. Operating on an entirely different logic than those around her, she will express her distaste for conflict, yet be interpreted as a bloodthirsty warmongerer. The people around her will likewise express distain or disgust at Tanya's "love" of war, which Tanya in turn will misinterpret.


At first the manga did not resonate with me for taking place in a setting I am less interested in, following a character that is hard to like, and having a story that relies on misunderstandings at every turn.

However, once I realised that it is Tanya's messed up world view that is the catalyst for all the misunderstandings, it clicked with me. Tanya is a HR manager who sees humans as expendable resources. Their world view is so twisted that it is incompatible with the people around them. Tanya is so caught up in her world view, that she makes critical and dangerous mistakes that often propel her into further danger.

Perhaps I am giving the author too much credit, but it is almost like they are trying to demonstrate how a modern day libertarian with a world view shaped by the Chicago school of economics can, with a callous mind, create a horrific theatre of war. Worse than a nationalist with waning ideas of honour and chivalry could from the given time period.


In addition to the constant use of misunderstandings to further the story, I found that the story felt a bit rushed in places. There are two main storylines. That of the conflict between the protagonist and the god who sent him to this world, and that of the military campaigns of fantasy Germany vs fantasy The Allies.

The majority of chapters are dedicated to the latter, but sometimes crucial moments in the military campaign are glossed over. It sometimes felt like the author was so eager about the next story arc, that they rushed through the current one.
This manga is an adaptation of a novel, so it could be that this is the result of the adaptation into a manga, rather than a choice by the author.

Despite these shortcomings, the story is extremely gripping, there are a lot of parallels to real world history that I enjoyed spotting, and I even found myself rooting for the protagonist after a couple dozen chapters. Despite their dubious ethics.


▶Setting: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Saga of Tanya the evil] is set in an alternative universe Earth during World War II. Geographically identical to Earth, it features similar nations and political alliances. With one of the biggest difference being the existence of magic.

The author has amazing knowledge of the time period, and showcases it well with time appropriate knowledge, tactics and equipment. Though a lot of the equipment is ripped straight from our world. Such as the tanks used by Fantasy Germany being panzers identical to the ones used by real world Germany during the war.

The most significant difference between this fictional universe and our own, is of course Germany.
Nazi Germany in [Saga of Tanya the evil] is simply called "The Empire", and it does not (so far) commit any of tne atrocities that real world Germany did. While it is militaristic, it is not far right, and is portrayed as a bastion of equality in the manga.

It was probably a wise decision by the author that the protagonist is not fighting for actual nazis.


▶Characters: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the manga is how little character development the protagonist goes through. Despite all the troubles and misunderstandings that befalls the protagonist due to their strongly held beliefs, they never once question their faith. Much of the story is spent on Tanya interacting with other soldiers, yet they never influence her in any way.
As of the latest chapter (chapter 73 as of writing) Tanya has not seen any significant character development or changes in world view.

The protagonist is a soldier and is surrounded by her comrades. Surprisingly, the vast majority of the members of her group are faceless and nameless. Only a few have a name and face, and even fewer are given enough pages for the reader to get to know them. Something I think would have benefitted the manga a great deal.

Other notable figures in the story are fortunately given a lot more pages. Generals, politicians and the adversaries are well fleshed out.


▶Artwork: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The artwork is quite gorgeous. Chapter pages, and epic battles are very detailed, and the action scenes are spectacular, albeit sometimes a bit difficult to track. The artist also sometimes uses clever shortcuts, such as edited real life photographies as backgrounds, which fits very well with the style of the manga.
The characters are well designed, and fit the gritty setting well. The artist does an excellent job communicating emotions through extreme and exaggerated expressions on the character's faces.

It is in black and white, and not coloured. As is the norm with Manga from Japan

[More info about my review style can be found on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------
The Writer's Barely-Disguised Fetish

⚠This manga is softcore pornography featuring underage characters⚠
⚠Female characters in this manga are usually sexualized⚠
⚠This manga features thinly veiled homophobia⚠

[Maou-sama, Retry!] and the sequel [Maou-sama, Retry! R] is a harem power fantasy isekai focusing predominantly on the protagonist showing off how badass and capable they are, and on showing women and children's underwear to the reader.
...
I absolutely do not recommend this isekai to anyone. This is a manga for paedophiles.


▶Story: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The story is your very average isekai power fantasy story, where the protagonist goes on an adventure while fighting increasingly impressive foes. It is however not trying to go for a very deep story, and other than a slight focus on wackiness, the manga primarily exist to display the author's fetishes.

The protagonist after finding himself in a fantasy world, goes on an adventure, picking up various underaged girls along the way. Girls with self esteem issues, former slaves, victims of curses, and abuse. With his overwhelming power, he easily solves all their problems, and wins over their hearts.

As a harem, everyone of course falls in love with him. Most (maybe all?) of which are children, or look like children. Within the first chapter, he has come upon his first harem member. His 13 year old adoptive daughter/love interest.

Aping Overlord in many of its aspects, this protagonist goes on to create his ideal country, one where one of the indiginous races has to wear skimpy playboy bunny outfits (Another example of where this author's priorities lie).

While the red flags were there from the start, it is not as blatant about its perverseness until the sequel manga.

There are a couple of satisfying plot twists, and spectacular fight scenes, but there is nothing can redeem this manga.

▶Setting: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Much of the setting seem to have been inspired by the hit Isekai [Overlord]. Both turning into their extremely powerful MMO videogame characters, and both of them running a guild filled with loyal NPC characters. NPCs with high expectations of the protagonist, causing the protagonist a lot of pressure and stress.

Where they differ however is the author's knowledge of the subject they are writing about. I suspect the author may not have played an MMO since the late 1990s, or early 2000s, and are receiving most of their knowledge of videogames and the games industry from second hand sources.

▶Characters: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The protagonist is a young adult from our world, a game developer (though the author seems to not know exactly what that entails). He possesses the final boss of the videogame he made, which for some reason is also his player character. Appearance wise, he looks like a middle aged evil mastermind.Hitting all the tropes of the genre, he is immensely powerful, with hidden powers, transformations, and an appearance that terrifies his friends and some of his allies.

Most female characters are fetishized and serves only as eye candy for the viewers. The end game of most of the female characters is to fall in love with the main character (who quite persistently claim to not be a paedophile, despite the manga being firmly targetting that demographic).

The rest of the cast are jokes or common Japanese popular media tropes.

▶Artwork: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The artwork is of decent quality, and the fight scenes flow quite well.

[More info about my review style can be found on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------
The Writer's Barely-Disguised Fetish

⚠This manga is softcore pornography featuring underage characters⚠
⚠Female characters in this manga are usually sexualized⚠
⚠This manga features thinly veiled homophobia⚠

[Maou-sama, Retry!] and the sequel [Maou-sama, Retry! R] is a harem power fantasy isekai focusing predominantly on the protagonist showing off how badass and capable they are, and on showing women and children's underwear to the reader.
...
I absolutely do not recommend this isekai to anyone. This is a manga for paedophiles.


▶Story: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The story is your very average isekai power fantasy story, where the protagonist goes on an adventure while fighting increasingly impressive foes. It is however not trying to go for a very deep story, and other than a slight focus on wackiness, the manga primarily exist to display the author's fetishes.

The protagonist after finding himself in a fantasy world, goes on an adventure, picking up various underaged girls along the way. Girls with self esteem issues, former slaves, victims of curses, and abuse. With his overwhelming power, he easily solves all their problems, and wins over their hearts.

As a harem, everyone of course falls in love with him. Most (maybe all?) of which are children, or look like children. Within the first chapter, he has come upon his first harem member. His 13 year old adoptive daughter/love interest.

Aping Overlord in many of its aspects, this protagonist goes on to create his ideal country, one where one of the indiginous races has to wear skimpy playboy bunny outfits (Another example of where this author's priorities lie).

While the red flags were there from the start, it is not as blatant about its perverseness until the sequel manga.

There are a couple of satisfying plot twists, and spectacular fight scenes, but there is nothing can redeem this manga.

▶Setting: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Much of the setting seem to have been inspired by the hit Isekai [Overlord]. Both turning into their extremely powerful MMO videogame characters, and both of them running a guild filled with loyal NPC characters. NPCs with high expectations of the protagonist, causing the protagonist a lot of pressure and stress.

Where they differ however is the author's knowledge of the subject they are writing about. I suspect the author may not have played an MMO since the late 1990s, or early 2000s, and are receiving most of their knowledge of videogames and the games industry from second hand sources.

▶Characters: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The protagonist is a young adult from our world, a game developer (though the author seems to not know exactly what that entails). He possesses the final boss of the videogame he made, which for some reason is also his player character. Appearance wise, he looks like a middle aged evil mastermind.Hitting all the tropes of the genre, he is immensely powerful, with hidden powers, transformations, and an appearance that terrifies his friends and some of his allies.

Most female characters are fetishized and serves only as eye candy for the viewers. The end game of most of the female characters is to fall in love with the main character (who quite persistently claim to not be a paedophile, despite the manga being firmly targetting that demographic).

The rest of the cast are jokes or common Japanese popular media tropes.

▶Artwork: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The artwork is of decent quality, and the fight scenes flow quite well.

[More info about my review style can be found on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------
[Ginger and the cursed prince] is an Otome isekai story about the most clumsy and airheaded person you can dream up trying to scheme their way through love and politics, to various degrees of success.

Like a trainwreck in slow motion, it is hard to look away. Our protagonist can always find a new way to fall, sometimes in the right direction.

The amount of second hand embarassment this story offers is on a level many will find difficult to manage. You are going to reel back in horror at some of ... the embarrassing moments of this story. It is of course intentionally done by the author, and for those who enjoy that kind of story, this is a goldmine.

Despite its inability to keep up what made it unique throughout the entire story left me feeling a bit disappointed. I still recommend this to those who take pleasure in second hand embarrassment, and those who want a story with likeable characters who are honest to a fault.

▶Story: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rather than being reincarnated, our protagonist instead learns of the future through a book she happens upon. The story follows Ginger as she tries to use her knowledge of the future to her advantage and win the heart of her dream prince.

The story itself is quite straightforward and serves more as a backdrop to the characters and their antics.

What the author has done is to skillfully craft a story specially tailored to invoke the highest degree of second hand embarassment possible. Ginger will tackle every challenge she faces with more enthusiasm than she has skill and common sense. This will result in some of the most embarrassing moments I have ever experienced in a book. Unfortunately it fails to maintain that barrage of embarrassment throughout the entirety of the story, and is sadly quite indistinguishable from most of its peers by the end.

It is however relatively short for a manhwa at only around 70 chapters, and the cast of characters makes it worth finishing. At 72 chapters + epilogue, it is something you can blast through in only a few days (if you do not need to take breaks to recover from the second hand embarrasent).

▶Setting: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The setting is unremarkeable. It is loosely inspired by european medieval fantasy. Geopolitics do not have a big role in the story, and the author didn't put that much thought into making the world seem full and expansive. Just whatever was needed for the self contained plot of the manhwa. This is neither a negative nor positive.

▶Characters: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The characters are the primary focus of this manwha, with everything else taking a back seat, and it has some stand out characters as a result.

If you are looking for a story with a clever and intelligent protagonist, this is not it. The protagonist Ginger is unabashedly honest, and an airheaded clutz with a tendency to choose the worst option possible when given the opportunity, and even when she is not given an opportunity.

Those not bothered by, or enjoying the second hand embarrassment will find a loveable protagonist who couldn't be cruel even if she tried.

All the side characters exist to create interesting interactions between them and the protagonist. The initial roster is somewhat weak and one dimensional, but the story introduces more likeable characters with more depth as the story progresses. The main male lead, and supporting leads (while visually quite standard for the genre) play well with the personality and antics of the protagonist.

▶Romance: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The romance is the premise, main drive and focus of the entire manhwa. With a loveable protagonist, great supporting character, and a good natured male lead, it makes you root for every single one of them.

Our protagonist comes on extremely strong, which makes for great dynamics with the more reserved and (justifiably) distrustful male lead. While the romance plot is fairly straight forward it is still engaging thanks to Ginger's tendency to mess up.

As previously mentioned it is unable to keep Ginger's antics up for the entirety of the story, and possibly the weakest aspect of this manwha is that it loses some of its identity and is quite indistinguishable from any other Romance Otome Isekai by the end.

▶Artwork: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The artwork is a bit inconsistent, with thick background lineart sometimes clashing with thin character outlines. It is fine enough for the story the manwha wants to tell, but it isn't particularly gorgeous to look at, and does not help the already generic character designs stand out.

[More info about my review style can be found on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------
[The Villainess turns the hourglass] was my first Otome Isekai, and I am now writing my review after finishing my second read.

It is a great introduction to the genre, but it does not excel in many areas. It is a power fantasy / revenge story, and if you can find it in you to root for the protagonist (who is most certainly not a saint themselves) you will find both very satisfying.

I usually recommend this to people trying to get into Otome Isekai, but it is far from the best ... the genre has to offer.

▶Story: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The introduction differs quite a lot compared to most Isekai in that the protagonist is a native of the fantasy world, and not from our world. The isekai aspect comes in the form of the main character dying and waking up many years in the past when she was a child, now armed with knowledge of the future.

The protagonist was a former commoner, who is now living in the rigid world of nobles. The rags to riches* story follows Aria. A sly girl who armed with the intelligence of an adult together with her foreknowledge sets out on a quest of revenge against everyone who wronged her. She of course does this through political and economic schemes rather than through ostentatious action.
The manwha does an excellent job in its power fantasy aspect, and the protagonist rarely meets any challenges she can not overcome with ease. To the point of becoming predictable at times.

Where there is contention is the revenge aspect. The villain of the story is a young child who in the present is only a mean child due to her upbringing, but will in the future become cruel and outright evil due to her being easily manipulated by the malicious adults around her.

While the villain is most definitely cruel, our modern real world sensibilities would say that her as a child is not deserving of what is happening to her, making it difficult for many to root for the main character.

There are also issues with the themes of the manhwa. Where some of its positive themes are subverted later in the story.

▶Setting: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The setting is unremarkeable. It is loosely inspired by european medieval fantasy. Geopolitics do not have a big role in the story, and the author didn't put that much thought into making the world seem full and expansive. Just whatever was needed for the self contained plot of the manhwa.

▶Characters: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The main character is intelligent and sly except for when the story requires her to be oblivious to move the plot forward (In particular the romance subplot). She does not go through a lot of character development, as that is not really the point of the story. Rather she is portrayed as a mastermind who skillfully manipulates the board to fulfill her goals. Satisfying if that is what you are looking for.

The side characters are fleshed out, with the reader learning more about them at a very well portioned out pace throughout the story.

▶Romance: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Romance is a huge focus of the story, and unlike many Otome Isekai, this is where it differs a lot from other romances. It is the one field where there are some nuance, and things do not always go according to plan.

The pairing is quite obvious when you see it, but it takes a while to get there though even though it is quite obvious how it will end. Some commenters have complained about the romance subplot being stretched out too much, and there is some validity to that complaint.

There are some oddities with maturity and characters not looking their age due to certain plot devices, that make some of the romance seem off.

▶Artwork: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The artstyle is acceptable. It does not stand out in any particular way, but serves the plot well. Character expressions are well showcased through the art, but it does not elevate the story in any way.

[More info about my review style can be found on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------
This is a very satisfying power fantasy with a somewhat unique main character, and some well placed humour.

I wholeheartedly recommend this to fans of power fantasies and fans of the low power cultivation subgenre.
I also recommend this to anyone new to the genre with the caveat that it suffers from the problems every other power fantasy does. The protagonist being as powerful as he is means there is little tension and it is difficult to be invested in battles asides from just wanting to 'see a badass do badass ... things'.

▶Story: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a regression "isekai" story, where the protagonist dies and wakes up in the past with all his memories of the future.
The introduction relishes in how edgy the main character "The mad demon" is, but a bit of humour defused any worries I had about the story being too edgy.

We are slowly introduced to the kind of character [Lee Jaha] the protagonist is across the first few story arcs. He has a lot more depth to him than most power fantasy protagonist, despite being one of the edgier ones and deliciously cocky.
Very little will surprise fans of the genre, as it follows the standard power fantasy format, but it is still a very satisfying and engaging read with well placed humour when it fits.

My primary complaint is that the author neglects to give time to setting up the scene for a story arc, so I felt like the story was always in a hurry. Jumping from conflict to conflict, without much time to get to know the new characters and what is at stake. I wish the author had dedicated a bit more time to downtime between the fights and setting the stage before jumping to the action.
I also find it disappointing that him waking up in the past with memories of the future has not been a focus of the story or even addressed much at all as of writing.

Overall I felt the manwha started out strong and managed to stay quite strong for over 80 chapters (which is a lot more than most) before starting to encounter the questions that plague a lot of power fantasies "Where do we go from here?", "Who is the next big bad enemy?", and "What even is our character's motivation?".

▶Setting: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This manhwa is set in a cultivation xianxia (chinese fantasy) setting. This subgenre focuses on the pursuit of immortality by honing the body through medicine as well as physical and spirutual training. There are high power and low power versions of the setting and is the latter where characters are only slightly fantastical. Having the power to shoot fireballs, not the power to destroy a planet by smashing it into the sun.

▶Characters: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Lee Jaha] lives up to the title of the manwha, but has a lot more depth than most power fantasy protagonists. Despite being a 'Mad Demon' he displays strong morals and care for the weak. It may perhaps feel a bit out of place in such a ruthless setting, but the author does a good job in justifying his beliefs through flashbacks to his past.
While there is character development, it moves at a very slow pace and not much has changed at a hundred chapters in.

At first glance it seems like all the side characters only exist as comedic relief, but there is a good few who are fleshed out (though this does not mean they are not also comedic relief). Sadly as of writing the rest of them have not been given sufficient screentime to go through much character development. The characters that do get enough screentime has developed in very predictable "tropey" ways, i.e. "Bad guy is forced to play nice and then discovers that being nice is fulfilling, so they turn good" but it is still satisfying to see a character grow throughout the story.

▶Artwork: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The art is well above average, but can be hard to follow during battles. It does not flow that well during attacks, and the fights are lesser because of it. The art serves the humour more than the power fantasy.

[More info about my review style can be found on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------
A very charming 'heterosexual' crossdressing themed romcom that appeared (to me and some others) as a boy's love / yaoi romcom at first glance.
This is an adult romcom written for adults who has a more mature view on romance than teenagers. The manga is quite refreshing in that it does not have a lot of awkward misunderstandings, which is a common plot device in romcoms.

There is light nudity and suggestive scenes, but no genitalia or intercourse is shown. It is however very implied. Even in the very first chapters.

▶Story ... and Romance: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A crossdressing romcom that stars out very strong and fast. It is common for romcoms to drag the story out as much as possible, which this manga also falls victim for, but not until much much later in the story. Only mellowing out after several story arcs.
Rather than drama, the story is mostly covering the lighthearted teasing between couples and the characters discovering themselves, rather than using misunderstandings as plot devices.

It is unclear if it has trans themes as of writing. If the main character is trans, it does not state so outright.

▶Characters: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most of the characters are adults and feel like they were written by an adult with experience in the field of romance, which isn't the case with all romcoms.

▶Artwork: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The artstyle is black and white only as is common with Japanese comics. Most of the scenes lack background art, but features art when it matters to the story. The most important part however are the characters, and they are well drawn and their expressions and emotions come across well.

[More info about my review style can be found on my profile]

▶Summary and recommendation: -----------------------------------------------------------------
[The worn and torn newbie] is yet another videogame themed Korean Manhwa where the author's limited knowledge of videogames is one of its many downfalls.

If all you want is a power fantasy with a predicteable story with large swathes of the story dedicated to showing off how badass the main character is, then this story might satisfy you.
If that does not meet your standards, I recommend [Overgeared]. While not without flaws, it is a bit more well thought out than this manhwa.

▶Story: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The story premise is the most praiseworthy ... aspect of the manhwa. Being quite unique; the protagonist is a veteran player of an MMORPG videogame who is sent back in time to when the game first released. His game foreknowledge gives him an extreme advantage, making this a wish fulfilment power fantasy where the protagonist cruises through the game on easy mode. He always knows whats to do and is never challenged.


The author shows some knowledge of the Korean esport scene, but shows a lacking understanding of videogames and the industry that might pull you out of the story if these things matter to you. i.e. the narration claims that "Games need to follow trends to stay popular" as a plot point, something that the current state of the industry quite firmly disproves.

There are some rare moments when the story shines, where the author subverts some of the genre tropes and sneaks in some commentary on the subgenre.

▶Characters: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The protagonist is not a good person, but he is interesting and fits the story very well. He is brash and sadistic and is a videogame gambling addict (Gacha), who does not have many redeeming traits.
Side characters are less interesting with most being stereotypes and tropes. Some however do undergo character development which is rare for the genre.
Between all of the fights and edgy postering, I was shocked when the story actually dedicated some space for character development.

▶Artwork: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The general artstyle is quite run of the mill, but monster designs stand out as being inspired.
The combat scenes are atrocious and impossible to follow at times. Some fights are just consecutive pages of orange or red effects, broken up by pages of white. While the fights are meant to be spectacular, it is impossible to track as entire pages are are dedicated to flames, explosions, lightning, and other effects.