Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs (Light Novel) Vol. 13

Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs #13

by Yomu Mishima, Monda (illustrator)

THE IDIOT BRIGADE HEADS INTO BATTLE!

The war with the empire has finally begun! As new and old humanity’s descendants fight for survival, Leon, Luxion, and the idiot brigade try to get past Arcadia’s defenses. If they survive and reach the fortress, it’ll mean facing off with Finn! Even leaning on Luxion might not get Leon and his friends out unscathed...

Genres: Light Novel, Fantasy, Harem

550 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 29, 2024

Reviews

[Pravaris]

A heartfelt and satisfying conclusion to the series that is, unfortunately, preceded by an arduously long play-by-play of the final battle. It wasn't until about 66% of the book that the plot and characters developed in a way I actually cared about.

When you do finally reach the last third, however, the stakes are high as you can't be sure how the story ends, exactly. You know to expect some kind of dues ex machina but you don't know what form. Plot threads are tied up. Character arcs reach their conclusion.

This book could have been so much shorter. The publisher and author should have made it shorter and charged less for it — I would have been far more satisfied. Instead, I forced myself through all the chapters of fighting I don't care about.

In conclusion, I'd recommend this volume, with a big caveat — consider skipping over a lot of the book.
As a guide, you might want to skim the first few chapters before the final battle (Chapters 1-5), speed through the final battle (Chapters 6-14), then slow down a bit until you reach the climax (Chapters 15-19), and finally proceed as normal for the rest of the book.

And if you've yet to start the series, but are considering it?

I've quite enjoyed my time with the series, so I don't regret following it to its conclusion but... I have a hard time thinking of reasons to recommend this series over some others of similar genre/theme.
For example, the author's other light novel, "I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire", is far better paced and more focused on the protagonist's many adventures, similar to the early volumes of "Trapped in a Dating Sim etc etc".
"The Eminence in Shadow" and "Defeating the Demon Lord's a Cinch (If You've Got a Ringer)" are other similar series I thoroughly enjoy, but they are very far from their conclusions and take a long time to release new volumes (>12 months & indefinite respectively).

[HiroSurvivor]

This series has been a fun ride. I love the dynamic between Luxion and Leon. One of my favorites series I've read so far for light novels.

The only reason I could not give this book more stars was the ending. It was incredibly unsatisfying how it felt so many of the loose ends were glossed over. If the afterwords didn't say this was the last book I would have thought there was going to be a 14th.

[Richard Strand]

Is this the end?

The story was good but left some confusion. It acknowledged that there were 3 more games so essentially the story is half done. Also Olivia was having those dreams of Luxion destroying the world. Not sure why the author would write that unless there was some plan for it. It just got memory holed. I've seen a lot worse ending of a series so can't complain too much. I guess he wanted to move on to different things. Hopefully he will come back to it.

[Debraj]

This was the second light novel series I’ve read all the way through, and it didn’t disappoint. The story mainly revolves around Leon and his bond with Luxion, culminating in Luxion’s eventual sacrifice to protect his master. I’d recommend this series to anyone looking for a moderately long, light-hearted read that mixes sci-fi action, mecha battles, spaceships, and a touch of romance.

[Curtis]

In honor of this series ending, I am finally accepting applications from those who seek to join my harem. Perks include frequent objectification and being granted the honor of buying me books. Current members include an heiress, a cross-dresser, and my sister (who also has her own harem of various hot guys [one of whose mother is also in my harem]).

[Johnnie Sanders]

So sad this series has ended.

I so enjoyed this series that I took a while before I read it. Just didn’t want to end. Every thing seemed to be well thought out and written that I couldn’t put it down. I will start looking at more of the authors stories.

[slugbiscuit]

A solid final battle (“The Charge of the Idiot Brigade”) and IMO an overall satisfying conclusion to the series.

[Rajat Sharma]

A great story

[Thai]

With the release of Volume 13, Trapped in a Dating Sim reaches its conclusion, delivering an ending that remains true to the series’ core themes. As a long-time fan, I found the finale both satisfying and enjoyable. While the outcome was predictable, it was nonetheless engaging to see Leon once again rise to the occasion, save the day, and further expand his harem.

The series has always followed a consistent structure, where Leon inevitably intervenes to resolve conflicts and protect those around him. This final volume stays faithful to that formula while also providing meaningful closure. One of its highlights is the resolution of long-standing misunderstandings between Leon and his fiancées. The revelation of his past life and a glimpse into his previous parents add emotional depth, offering a fresh perspective on his character.

Overall, as a dedicated fan, I would rate this volume a 5 out of 5. It successfully ties up loose ends while maintaining the humor and action that have defined the series.

[Edric Unsane]

An amazing ending for a well written bend on a popular light novel trope. It was exceedingly unique and fun to the end!

[Abel Thomas]

Time - 04h 18m 19s