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Being a novice adventurer is difficult, full of surprises, especially if you're trying to level up and become a better adventurer. However, this may deem to be awkward and embarrassing if you by chance one day are battling monsters, but get stuck into predicament, resulting in being saved by the girl you like, and then turning into a red tomato and running away. If that isn't bad enough, try being bad-mouthed and made fun of by the same girl's companions before your own eyes. Try being Bell, the protagonist of this manga.

All he wanted was to go into the dungeon, fall in love, gain ... honor and live happily. Instead, Bell, the protagonist of the manga, is a novice adventurer like any other, with a familia and a goddess he contracted with. However, after the mentioned incident above, he develops a special skill, much different from other adventurers and starts undergoing a huge change. As changing and becoming a stronger person is something everyone wants to do, of course, it won't be easy as you have to overcome obstacles and challenges along the way, much as what Bell had to face. Alongside with his familia (which only consists of him and his kami-sama, Hestia) he faces a long road ahead of becoming a great adventurer.

The art of this manga is simple, not so complicated, and that's something I like about this manga. However, I do believe that they should start adding more detail into the battle scenes of the manga; 1 strike and then the monster dies is not as so sufficient and satisfying for readers of this manga. Everything else is good, especially the character design, as it is simple and not complex like others, it really matched with the theme of this manga. A nice feature to this manga.

Character, being a crucial component in striving to become stronger is something that this manga portrays well, but could do a better job in.

Bell- The main character. He is a novice adventurer, a soloist in Hestia's familia (after all, he's the only one in her familia), and hoped only to become an adventurer in hopes of gaining honor, live happily, and perhaps have a woman. But being a novice adventurer, this task may take a lot of effort, time, and work. As it proves difficult to Bell, suddenly, life changes for him, and he ends up meeting someone that makes life change for the worst, but then luck comes for him and so does a new skill. He becomes exceedingly strong, and has a lot more potential in the future to change and become better. He is rather reckless, as seen in the above incident. He starts off as a coward, but as the story goes further along, you can't help but notice his remarkable change. You can really see his change, he started off as a weak boy, but becomes stronger after overcoming a lot of obstacles and falling in love.

Hestia- The goddess of her familia which consists of only her and Bell. She is in love with Bell, and wants to support as so much as to begging fellow goddess Hephatesus to create a weapon for him. She works many odd jobs to support her familia, and has to do more after getting Bell's weapon. She is often referred to as the "big-breasted loli goddess". She is a bit reckless as seen in the incident in the monster feriae, but above all, she is caring and she is in love, so she wants to do things for the one she loves.

A good manga, you'll definitely enjoy it as much as I enjoyed it. It has a lot of good qualities about it, but there is no actual "perfect" manga, so this would be a considerable "imperfect" manga that you should read.

Overall the manga was a great read for me, you'll definitely enjoy it if you like MMORPG genre, and fantasy mangas. It has a lot of depth, and a lot of action scenes and such. You should try it out, it's very good, and has much potential to become a better manga.

(This review may contain minor spoilers. Please continue reading at the risk of spoilers.)

As I was reading the first chapter, I was thinking, Is this just a typical seinen manga about some random person travelling to another world? But boy, was I wrong about this one. It illustrated the meaning of how it was to be downgraded by society but with the essence of fantasy in a different world.

I was captivated by the story. It started with a simple cliché, that somehow lead into something much greater that makes me love this manga so much. It demonstrated the meaning of betrayal and what it meant ... to be isolated and hated by others, and the meaning of warmth, strength and love, all in a few chapters.

The art is beautifully illustrated to capture most of what is showcased in this manga, but I believe it doesn`t really capture a true battle scene. However, it was able to fully illustrate the characters emotions and feelings; in all aspects. Like Raphtalia`s loyalty and respect towards Naofumi, and Naofumi`s depression and lack of love in the world; for he was being hated by many around him.

As Naofumi started as an ordinary person and has now evolved into the new person he is, I believe he went through massive events that helped change his character throughout the story. He was betrayed and played by a thief and degraded by those around him, and that rendered him unable to see and enjoy the beauty of life. But that all changed as he met Rapthalia, who later becomes his slave, as he is unable to wield weapons other than his shield.

After the harsh life Raphtalia has lead so far, she was bought by Naofumi, the shield hero. She was afraid of killing monsters at first, but she learned to trust Naofumi and feel needed as she was not treated so before. She tries her best to become of good use to Naofumi, as she learns that he will be the one to protect the people during the Calamity. She goes under a giant growth spurt, and because of that attracts danger to Naofumi but that allows him to be able to experience and see the beauty of the world.

I, personally enjoyed this manga, and those hoping to read the manga, I will tell you this manga has its ups and downs but its REALLY worth it. Even with 8 chapters translated so far, it really surpassed some seinen mangas with more than 20 chapters out there.

(If I made any mistakes, please tell me and I will correct them immediately.)

(This review may contain minor spoilers on events that happen in further chapters. Please proceed reading, with the risk that there are spoilers)

Namaikizakari took most of what would be considered a sports manga and somehow made it into a shoujo-sports manga. But I`d have to say that I loved it! It had all the concepts needed to please the readers (without being so cliché); the romance (It was sweet, the way how Yuki found herself falling in love with Shou), the sports, , and the comedy (I found myself laughing at one part, looking at the screen and laughing again).

The story of Namaikizakari starts ... off with pretty rocky between the two main characters. But as the story and the characters developed, I found myself wanting the next chapter already. The real point that made the story so beautiful was that it took most clichés that happen in shoujo manga, and twisted it so it was unique in its own way.

But Namaikizakari is a sports manga, that`s for sure. This is probably one of the biggest elements that many other shoujo-sports manga fail at capturing. But as I read Namaikizakari, I knew that this was one that would not fail at capturing those moments. It showed me what it means to lose, but not to give up as well, which to me, is the true meaning of a sports manga.

Character Development. Something that not a lot of mangas succeed at, some pass barely at, and some just majorly fail at. Reading 15 chapters lead me thinking about their development, which was pretty big, thinking about how they started. Naruse Shou started off as just a perverted first year (later second year) that was good at playing basketball (but Yuki describes him as a cocky, self-indulgent, obnoxious, brazen, and younger kouhai). But after falling for Yuki, he changed. He has a sweet side, like when he attempted to cheer her up when she found out that her love interest (former love interest now) got a girlfriend.

Yuki is the manager of the basketball team. She is a person that rarely expresses her feeling and is really strong female character that's hardworking and strong willed when it comes to the basketball team. At first she was in love with the former captain of the basketball team, but Shou somewhat forced his way into her heart. The romance between her and Shou is really sweet, as Shou forcefully tries to play moves on her and her strong resistance against his actions. In the end, of course Shou gets his way. I really love how the author shaped this character to not be like the generic shoujo heroine.

The art of Namaikizakari is beautiful on all aspects- such as the romance scenes and the sports scenes. I also really loved the author's previous works, so the art really got me here.

I really enjoyed reading Namaikizakari. It had all the aspects a shoujo-sports manga should have- maybe even more! This manga really deserved the overall score I gave (which is a 9). I hope to read more of this manga in the future.

(I might edit this review as it goes along)