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この素晴らしい世界に祝福を! / Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! - Manga #1
Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Manga, Vol. 1
Kazuma Sato is a video game-loving shut-in–or at least he was, right up until a humiliating traffic accident brought his young life to an untimely end... is what you'd think. But after his death, a beautiful young girl calling herself a goddess offers him the chance to be reborn in another world. And so Kazuma's grand adventure to defeat the demon king begins...is what should have happened. But now he's been burdened with the useless goddess Aqua and the explosion-magic obsessed loli girl Megumin as they struggle to obtain just the basic necessities, doing nothing but hard labor day in and day out...
166 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2015
133 people are currently reading
1792 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
April 15, 2020
Well this is fun! Though I might like the anime a bit more.
What’s it about?
Kazuma dies at the young age of 16. When he enters the afterlife he gets the chance to live in a different universe that is very similar to a fantasy video game. He takes the offer and forms a team with a goddess (who is not as powerful or useful as he had hoped), a young girl who’s obsessed with explosion magic and a knight who won’t stop obsessing over her unusual kinks. Misadventures start here!
Pros:
The story is good. It’s interesting and fun! Fantasy fans will most likely be amused by it.
The art has a fun, cartoony look that suits the book very well.
The characters are rather simple but their chemistry works well for making this an entertaining read and they’re easy to like pretty quickly. My favorite character in the anime was Megumine but in the manga it might actually be Darkness. For you Archer fans, imagine if Cheryl Tunt was a bad-ass fantasy character but still pervy and not that bright, Darkness is sorta like that and it’s hilarious.
Speaking of hilarious... the whole book is. The ridiculous situations, cast of characters, adult humor (which either went over my head or was toned down in the anime) and even occasional dark humor make this a humorous (even if occasionally slightly immature) read if you like certain types of humor.
This book is fairly unpredictable. I already saw some of it in the anime but forgot a few bits (and/or there were bits that weren’t in the anime) that ended up surprising me.
Cons:
The action kinda goes by too quickly.
Speaking of going by too quickly, this book is a bit too rushed. The anime did a better job at fleshing things out and taking it’s time than this did.
While most of the art is good the design on one character (Aqua) is kinda inconsistent. There’s a few times she looks like a different character so that gets a bit confusing.
Overall:
Lots of fun!
Despite a couple of issues this is a really fun story with wonderful artwork, silly (but entertaining) humor and a great cast of characters. Since I know a lot of people (including myself) have been feeling a little fucked up lately with all the crazy shit going on out there (for those of you reading in the future, this is April 2020 where people are still acting like the world’s suddenly turned upside down and zombie attacks are coming any minute due to COVID-19... yeah y’all probably laughing and trying to figure out what to do about your closet full of TP and hand sanitizer now) this would definitely be a good pick for something silly but fun to read.
Recommended (though maybe try the anime first).
4/5
What’s it about?
Kazuma dies at the young age of 16. When he enters the afterlife he gets the chance to live in a different universe that is very similar to a fantasy video game. He takes the offer and forms a team with a goddess (who is not as powerful or useful as he had hoped), a young girl who’s obsessed with explosion magic and a knight who won’t stop obsessing over her unusual kinks. Misadventures start here!
Pros:
The story is good. It’s interesting and fun! Fantasy fans will most likely be amused by it.
The art has a fun, cartoony look that suits the book very well.
The characters are rather simple but their chemistry works well for making this an entertaining read and they’re easy to like pretty quickly. My favorite character in the anime was Megumine but in the manga it might actually be Darkness. For you Archer fans, imagine if Cheryl Tunt was a bad-ass fantasy character but still pervy and not that bright, Darkness is sorta like that and it’s hilarious.
Speaking of hilarious... the whole book is. The ridiculous situations, cast of characters, adult humor (which either went over my head or was toned down in the anime) and even occasional dark humor make this a humorous (even if occasionally slightly immature) read if you like certain types of humor.
This book is fairly unpredictable. I already saw some of it in the anime but forgot a few bits (and/or there were bits that weren’t in the anime) that ended up surprising me.
Cons:
The action kinda goes by too quickly.
Speaking of going by too quickly, this book is a bit too rushed. The anime did a better job at fleshing things out and taking it’s time than this did.
While most of the art is good the design on one character (Aqua) is kinda inconsistent. There’s a few times she looks like a different character so that gets a bit confusing.
Overall:
Lots of fun!
Despite a couple of issues this is a really fun story with wonderful artwork, silly (but entertaining) humor and a great cast of characters. Since I know a lot of people (including myself) have been feeling a little fucked up lately with all the crazy shit going on out there (for those of you reading in the future, this is April 2020 where people are still acting like the world’s suddenly turned upside down and zombie attacks are coming any minute due to COVID-19... yeah y’all probably laughing and trying to figure out what to do about your closet full of TP and hand sanitizer now) this would definitely be a good pick for something silly but fun to read.
Recommended (though maybe try the anime first).
4/5
January 1, 2020
1.5
I don't understand the hype and honestly struggled to finish this.
I don't understand the hype and honestly struggled to finish this.
April 9, 2017
Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! is awesomesauce, and if you want to know why, please watch my Youtube review of KonoSuba volume 1!
December 5, 2018
The story follows Kazuma Sato, a 16-year-old self described "Hikikomori* who loves games". After dying unexpectedly, he is transported by the goddess Aqua to an alternate universe where life is like something out of an rpg game, in order to fulfill a goal at the goddess' request: defeat the 'Demon King' and protect the world from his invasion.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I am not all that impressed with this one. Usually, even if it's not one I like alot, I'm still curious enough to want to see what happens next. This story, I think I'm pretty content to leave it where it's ended. It wasn't awful, in itself, but it doesn't bring anything to the table that makes it stand out from other, similar stories. And there's some points I definitely found problematic enough to detract from my opinion of the overall story, as well.
The premise itself is interesting enough. Being sent into a video game, or an rpg-like world is a common theme in manga. And it carries that theme off well enough - it's early in the series, so they set things up in a way that explains how rpg games work to readers unfamiliar with the genre. But there's also enough world-building and discovery going on to keep it interesting for people already 'in the know'.
It's a shonen manga (and a 'harem' one at that), but so far a lot of the focus isn't on fighting and battles (though there are some) - instead, the story if far more humour-based, which is definitely a more pleasant take than the usual chapters (or episodes) long fight scenes. This early in the series, that could quickly change, though.
That said, the humour is here is apparently where the authors chose to release their more juvenile tendencies and fan-service leanings (although if what is joked about and talked about here is the author's idea of fan-service, that's a lot more than I, for one, ever wanted to know about a stranger's 'preferences'). Honestly, I found the more 'regular' types of fan-service to be more disturbing than usual here, as well.
The characterization of Kazuma is a bit baffling to me, as well. He comes across as extremely laid back most of the time, and overall a pretty decent guy. For once the author refrained from making the character a pervert (so far), despite this being pretty clearly a shonen manga. Most of the inappropriate behavior we see if accidental (his thieving skills leave much to be desired, as he has no aim and captures his companions undergarments more often than anythings valuable). He's an interesting enough character, with entertaining interactions with the various characters he meets along the way... All of which is rather at odds with his self-description as someone with social anxiety. It just doesn't come across as being true to me. Yes, you're more open and comfortable with your friends, but you'd think there'd be some hint of discomfort when we see him meeting so many new people.
All in all, it's an entertaining story. However, it's not enough to overcome the various shortcomings that I found. I think it may have originally been a light novel (the front and back inside cover have a "Dragon Age Short Story" by the author, Natsumi Akatsuki, on them. They story may have come across better in the text format than it does the manga.
*"Hikikomori refers to people who experience severe social anxiety when outside their homes of interacting with others and so, sometimes voluntarily, withdraw from society. They are often called "shut-ins" or "modern day hermits". -- definition taken from the manga glossary.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I am not all that impressed with this one. Usually, even if it's not one I like alot, I'm still curious enough to want to see what happens next. This story, I think I'm pretty content to leave it where it's ended. It wasn't awful, in itself, but it doesn't bring anything to the table that makes it stand out from other, similar stories. And there's some points I definitely found problematic enough to detract from my opinion of the overall story, as well.
The premise itself is interesting enough. Being sent into a video game, or an rpg-like world is a common theme in manga. And it carries that theme off well enough - it's early in the series, so they set things up in a way that explains how rpg games work to readers unfamiliar with the genre. But there's also enough world-building and discovery going on to keep it interesting for people already 'in the know'.
It's a shonen manga (and a 'harem' one at that), but so far a lot of the focus isn't on fighting and battles (though there are some) - instead, the story if far more humour-based, which is definitely a more pleasant take than the usual chapters (or episodes) long fight scenes. This early in the series, that could quickly change, though.
That said, the humour is here is apparently where the authors chose to release their more juvenile tendencies and fan-service leanings (although if what is joked about and talked about here is the author's idea of fan-service, that's a lot more than I, for one, ever wanted to know about a stranger's 'preferences'). Honestly, I found the more 'regular' types of fan-service to be more disturbing than usual here, as well.
The characterization of Kazuma is a bit baffling to me, as well. He comes across as extremely laid back most of the time, and overall a pretty decent guy. For once the author refrained from making the character a pervert (so far), despite this being pretty clearly a shonen manga. Most of the inappropriate behavior we see if accidental (his thieving skills leave much to be desired, as he has no aim and captures his companions undergarments more often than anythings valuable). He's an interesting enough character, with entertaining interactions with the various characters he meets along the way... All of which is rather at odds with his self-description as someone with social anxiety. It just doesn't come across as being true to me. Yes, you're more open and comfortable with your friends, but you'd think there'd be some hint of discomfort when we see him meeting so many new people.
All in all, it's an entertaining story. However, it's not enough to overcome the various shortcomings that I found. I think it may have originally been a light novel (the front and back inside cover have a "Dragon Age Short Story" by the author, Natsumi Akatsuki, on them. They story may have come across better in the text format than it does the manga.
*"Hikikomori refers to people who experience severe social anxiety when outside their homes of interacting with others and so, sometimes voluntarily, withdraw from society. They are often called "shut-ins" or "modern day hermits". -- definition taken from the manga glossary.
April 16, 2023
A friend recommended this to me so I gave it a try. I'm tired of regular isekai stories but this one feels pretty fresh. The characters are all funny and some of the usual tropes are turned upside down. I actually laughed out loud several time. I usually don't put up with much ecchi content but so far in this it's actually been funny and not soul-scarring. Definitely not for kids though! If you enjoy light manga or isekai give this a try.
July 24, 2019
Good stuff. A sword and sorcery setting where people walk around with their character sheets in their pockets and talk about levelling up and spending experience points. This pleases me greatly.
June 21, 2021
(2.5)
Que desagradable el protagonista, aun así estuvo entretenido para el rato.
Que desagradable el protagonista, aun así estuvo entretenido para el rato.
December 28, 2021
Nhaa, até que gostei desse 🤗
May 15, 2023
Merci le Y pour cette découverte 🕺
January 18, 2024
A series I've Wanted to pick up for ages, loved the anime and im liking the manga, cant wait to continue on!
December 13, 2020
A fun read.
April 10, 2018
It's okay, I feel because it's a comedy... it's really hard to draw in the amount of humor that the anime has. The anime on the other hand is very funny. This manga just missed the mark but its still okay.
January 8, 2019
I picked up this book because I really enjoyed the anime and I've now learned my lesson that just because you like one means you'll probably enjoy the other.
The book just felt so boring to me. Everything felt very dragged out and the little things that made the anime enjoyable just didn't come through well. I think this is largely due to the fact you can't really hear the sounds the characters make or see their faces - which helps play up the comedic and satirical nature of the story.
There were numerous lines throughout the book that just sort of fell flat for me. For instance, when Kazuma says to Darkness, "You're the perviest perv who ever perved" - I felt more like cringing rather than laughing (even though this scene in the anime I greatly enjoyed).
Maybe there is something lost in the translation or maybe I'm just not a reader who can appreciate this type of satire / comedy. Unless you're confident that you can enjoy different types of satire and don't mind a rather childish overtone - I'd recommend staying away from this one.
The book just felt so boring to me. Everything felt very dragged out and the little things that made the anime enjoyable just didn't come through well. I think this is largely due to the fact you can't really hear the sounds the characters make or see their faces - which helps play up the comedic and satirical nature of the story.
There were numerous lines throughout the book that just sort of fell flat for me. For instance, when Kazuma says to Darkness, "You're the perviest perv who ever perved" - I felt more like cringing rather than laughing (even though this scene in the anime I greatly enjoyed).
Maybe there is something lost in the translation or maybe I'm just not a reader who can appreciate this type of satire / comedy. Unless you're confident that you can enjoy different types of satire and don't mind a rather childish overtone - I'd recommend staying away from this one.
March 29, 2021
Mammamia, che fatica leggerlo questo!
Non avevo idea di cosa fosse. L'ho comprato solo perché c'era il numero uno sulla copertina e perché la copertina era incasinata abbastanza.
Ma non mi è piaciuto per niente. L'ho trovato... insipido e stupido. I personaggi non hanno cervello, la storia per il momento vira sull'assurdo, ma sull'assurdo stupido. C'è una strega che può lanciare un solo incantesimo una sola volta al giorno. Una dea che non sa fare nulla. Una paladina masochista che non può attaccare ma sa solo difendersi... E un tipo normale che è morto ...
Magari sono io che non ho colto il senso di fondo della storia.
Non avevo idea di cosa fosse. L'ho comprato solo perché c'era il numero uno sulla copertina e perché la copertina era incasinata abbastanza.
Ma non mi è piaciuto per niente. L'ho trovato... insipido e stupido. I personaggi non hanno cervello, la storia per il momento vira sull'assurdo, ma sull'assurdo stupido. C'è una strega che può lanciare un solo incantesimo una sola volta al giorno. Una dea che non sa fare nulla. Una paladina masochista che non può attaccare ma sa solo difendersi... E un tipo normale che è morto ...
Magari sono io che non ho colto il senso di fondo della storia.
June 4, 2018
I tried to watch this show after numerous suggestions from friends, however, i couldn't get past the cringey amount of fan service, up skirt and down shirts shots and I couldn't stand watching more then a few episodes.
In many ways, this anime highlights many of the traits that I wish were not associated with a hobby I enjoy.
However, in book format, some of the pervy humor is funny, without being inundated with countless shots of cleavage and butts. In addition, the concept of this fantasy world was both intriguing and rather funny.
It wasn't an amazing work of art, but in a guilty pleasure sort of way was enjoyable. I may actualyl try to read volume 2.
In many ways, this anime highlights many of the traits that I wish were not associated with a hobby I enjoy.
However, in book format, some of the pervy humor is funny, without being inundated with countless shots of cleavage and butts. In addition, the concept of this fantasy world was both intriguing and rather funny.
It wasn't an amazing work of art, but in a guilty pleasure sort of way was enjoyable. I may actualyl try to read volume 2.
May 28, 2017
This book deliver what it promises, it's supposed to be a parody of all those all-mighty heroes who are transported into another world and have epic quests and being funny while at it
If you are looking for epic battles or stories this isn't for you, if you want something silly that makes you laught you may enjoy it
If you are looking for epic battles or stories this isn't for you, if you want something silly that makes you laught you may enjoy it
February 10, 2020
My love for this may come from having watched the anime first and having lived in Japan for almost 5 years, but I read this easily in an afternoon. It does end feeling unfinished, but it is part of a series, so it makes you want to pick up the next and keep reading. All of the characters are flawed, and none are particularly likeable, but that's part of why I enjoyed it.
January 6, 2019
This series is hilarious. Plain and simple. All of the characters are lovable idiots in their own way and they really work well together.
I love the manga, the books, and especially the anime. SEASON 3 when??
I love the manga, the books, and especially the anime. SEASON 3 when??
October 15, 2020
Three and a half, four for a comedy.
Some days ago I finished the latest translated novel from the series “Re:Zero”, which had become my current obsession. As a placebo of sorts until the next volume comes out later this month, I figured I could try to read through the original novels from the other isekai I have loved somewhat recently: “Konosuba” (which is an abbreviation of “Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo”, meaning “bless this wonderful world”).
Isekai is an extremely popular genre in Japan that is curiously absent in the Western world. It almost invariably involves some Japanese person (or persons) getting whisked away to another world, which is usually a fantasy setting loosely based on the Age of Enlightenment in Europe. There’s usually magic involved, and sometimes, puzzlingly, the reality of that fantasy world contains videogame-like elements, for example characters attributes, status screens, leveling up, etc. In its most stereotypical form, the protagonist was an honorable nobody on Earth, but when he gets to that fantasy world he’s given some weapon or ability that allows him to do whatever he’s supposed to be doing (usually defeating some bad guys). Maneuvering that strange new world as a foreigner, as well as meeting a cast of weird, fascinating characters, are big selling points. This series, “Konosuba”, attempts to deconstruct a genre full of clichés; while in the West deconstructions more often than not are directed attempts at manipulating society with some venomous narrative (for example I got into “The Boys” only for it to become another blatant attempt at political propaganda), the twists in this series turned it into often unpredictable, sometimes hilarious, consistently entertaining good fun. “Re:Zero” uses the genre to engage in character studies in which those people are pushed to the brink of self-destruction (and beyond) in order to explore how real people can change, but “Konosuba” is a light-hearted, joyful, often perverted ride with an anime adaptation that became wildly successful not only because of its animation but because of the sense of camaraderie: you just want to spend some more time with its cast of lovable idiots.
We start with the protagonist having just died. He’s in some sort of limbo, where he meets a beautiful girl who identifies herself as a goddess. Name’s Aqua. She’s in charge of giving decently deceased souls the choice between going to a boring heaven or being reborn without memories of their previous lives. First off, the protagonist wants some information about the aftermath of his death; despite being (as tends to be the case) a guy who didn’t work, go to school nor went out much, he had left his home that day to buy some videogame related stuff, but when a girl had crossed the street in front of an incoming truck (truck-kun isekai-ing someone to another world is a cliché), this protagonist pushed her out of the way and died himself. However, the goddess informs him that he was mistaken: the girl wasn’t in any danger to begin with, because the incoming vehicle was a slow-moving tractor. The girl ended up breaking a leg due to having been pushed, and the protagonist wasn’t hit by the vehicle: the shock of thinking he was about to die gave him a heart attack, he soiled himself and died. Between laughs, Aqua informs him that even his own family members couldn’t help but chuckle as they learned of his fate. That sets the tone for the rest of this story. The protagonist is already annoyed at this pretty but joyfully heartless goddess. She goes on about how there is this parallel world in which some big bad guy is causing such carnage that its inhabitants aren’t choosing to be reborn there anymore: they want to go to heaven. It is causing a shortage of souls and it could potentially lead to a sterile world. Therefore, the gods decided to offer the choice to souls from parallel worlds to be born into that dying reality, but retaining their memories as well as bringing with them a powerful “thing” of sorts, so they could have a decent chance to bring balance to that world. A good enough excuse for an isekai, I guess.
With the anime adaptation having many more chances to visually show things than a novel, it also sets the tone regarding how it introduces Aqua: the first thing we meet of her is her barely clothed ass, with emphasis on the barely clothed. We get plenty of opportunities to wonder if she’s wearing panties or not (she isn’t. Or is she?).
Aqua offers the protagonist a catalogue of powerful items to bring with him to this other world. The protagonist has already decided to be reborn over there; after all, his life on Earth sucked. However, his experience with videogames makes him know that all the artifacts are balanced with severe maluses. As he takes his time deciding, Aqua, bored, munches on some snacks and pressures him to decide, because she has a queue of souls to dispatch. Annoyed with this uncaring goddess, he chooses her as the “thing” to bring to that other world. Whatever higher instance of that realm accepts that choice, and another goddess replaces the panicking Aqua. The protagonist asks her how she feels now that the guy she was belittling moments ago was going to drag her with him to that terrifying world. Crying, she yells that she doesn't want to go with such a person, but her pleading remains unanswered as their new lives begin.
Breaking a couple of clichés, the protagonist of this tale is not some honorable destined-to-be-a-hero guy, but a scumbag with a yet unexplored perverted bent, and the girl who summoned him is not a good-hearted, angel-like person, but a self-centered asshole with currently unexplored issues with alcoholism. In addition, the anime adaptation had interesting ideas regarding Aqua’s visual design, although I don’t know how else to describe her wearing a short skirt but no visible panties.
In any case, they appear in a late medieval-like town. The protagonist is eager to explore his starter setting, so he guides the despairing goddess to the local adventurers’ guild. It’s a branch of an established corporation procuring quests and lodging to the cast of bums that tends to self-identify as adventurers. The videogame-like nature of this reality comes in as they use a magical artifact to find out their attributes. The protagonist is average at everything but luck and intelligence; luck in particular is extraordinarily high. The goddess, despite her below average intelligence, has very high attributes that allow her to choose advanced character classes. She chooses to become an arch-priest, while the protagonist is stuck in a base adventurer class.
While in a clichéd RPG the main party would be able to procure some decent gear just gathering herbs or killing monsters close to the starter town, that place seems inconveniently safe; the worst monsters were killed off ages ago, and the villagers can come and go as they please. Our main characters choose to focus on manual labor to earn enough money to feed themselves. They sleep on hay in some barn. Aqua quickly forgets their purpose for being reborn there; she gets distracted easily by whatever is going on around them. However, the protagonist wants to live that grandiose life of a hero that was promised, so they pick a quest to slay some huge toads that threaten the countryside. They are big enough to snatch goats or even children during mating season, and their meat can be sold for a decent price. When the main characters face the toads, he realizes that the goddess is a bit too delusional and self-aggrandizing to deal with real threats. The protagonist has to rescue her from the belly of one of the toads. Having been so close to dying, they decide that they need to add some decent allies to their party.
They spend a while watching how other parties interview plenty of applicants while nobody approaches our protagonists, who had even failed to procure some starting gear. However, someone does answer their call: a dangerously young, eye-patched, grandiose looking wizard. Although it quickly becomes apparent that she had mainly approached them because she hadn’t eaten for three days and the protagonists were gobbling on toad meat, her unforgeable character sheet identifies her as a powerful wizard specialized in explosion magic. Aqua recognizes due to this girl’s red eyes and delusional attitude that she’s a member of the Crimson Demon clan, whose descendants have red eyes, unusually high intelligence and magic, and are generally lunatics.
They choose to hunt more toads now that they have a fuller party. The wizard, whose name’s Megumin, asks them to distract some toad while she prepares her spell. Aqua distracts the toad enough by getting eaten, and in a showy display, Megumin unleashes a magical explosion that destroys everything in a twenty meter radius. Aqua somehow resists being blown to bits. The blast unearthed some other toads, but as the protagonist, impressed, was relying on the wizard to save them from their predicament, he realizes that she’s fallen and is unable to move. She informs him that she can only throw a spell a day, and that completely drains her energies to the extent that she relies on someone else to carry her to a safe place. The protagonist manages to free both teammates from each corresponding toad’s belly.
As the three protagonists return to town, two of them covered in slime, the protagonist interrogates Megumin regarding what other abilities she has to counteract her very specific talents, but she has none: despite being able to “buy” other skills, she’s only in it for the explosions. She proclaims that she’d gladly live with little food and meager lodging as long as she gets targets and accomplices for her to unleash her destructive desires. Aqua is enchanted by the single-minded impracticality of Megumin’s chosen career. The protagonist says that he can’t allow in the party another liability, but Megumin promptly convinces him after threatening to cry that her currently slimed state is due to some sexual assault on her underage self.
Every party needs a magic user, and while they are supposed to be wise old people who handle carefully the dangerous forces fueling their arts, this story’s version is a fourteen years old chuunibyou (a Japanese term for the somewhat common phenomenon amongst young people of harboring delusions of grandeur and believing themselves to have some hidden power, except that in this case the girl does have a hidden power) who can only act as a glass cannon: she fires a single devastating shot and becomes a liability for the remainder of the day. In any case, she has such a peculiar personality and generally pleasing design that she has become a recognizable character even outside of anime, and is featured in numerous implementations of Rule 34. She’s fourteen years old. She’s also voiced in the anime adaptation by seiyuu Rie Takahashi, a very talented cutie who hit gold by not only voicing Megumin, but also the heroine in “Re:Zero”. That’s some job security. Every time Megumin fires one of her memorable shots, this seiyuu ad-libs the delusional shit that comes out of Megumin’s mouth, which is always fun.
The protagonist realizes that risking their lives to hunt these starter level monsters will barely earn them more than just working construction. Getting anywhere in this fantasy world is going to require a struggle beyond what he signed up for or is willing to put in. During his somber mood, a new character approaches him. It’s a gorgeous blonde woman in a melee fighter outfit. She has read the recruitment notice the protagonists put on the guild’s board, and after seeing two of the party members covered in slime, she had become eager to join. She’s a crusader, which is an advanced knight class. As the protagonist tries to control his anxiety at being addressed by this imposing somewhat older woman, he clarifies that she had mistakenly took them for an experienced party, but that as far as their skills can take them now, they are more likely than not to get eaten by monsters again. However, this only makes the crusader breathe harder. The protagonist feels that something is seriously off with this woman, so he refuses to let her into their party. They part ways as much as they can in a guild house that seems to be the gathering place for every wannabe adventurer in town.
In any case, killing those toads has earned him some skill points that he could allocate to learn new abilities. Asking his newly acquired wizard he learns that other people should show him any skill before it appears into his own character sheet and he’s able to “buy” it with some of his unspent skill points. A nearby friendly female thief offers to teach him some stuff. In an alley close by she intends to show him the steal skill, which is conveniently tied to the luck attribute, so it would be a great fit for a protagonist that only has his luck to go by. Despite the name, steal is a magic-like skill that transfers an item from the target to the skill triggerer. She steals the protagonist’s pouch, and she proposes that she’ll only give it back if he can successfully steal it with his newly learned skill. The protagonist, annoyed at having been taken advantage of, uses his steal skill only to find out that he’s gained a better treasure: the thief’s panties. Pleased with this development, the protagonist states that he’ll pass the panties to his descendants as a family heirloom unless the thief gives him back his pouch and some extras for good measure.
Back in the guild house, the thief along with the crusader, who had witnessed the exchange, inform their fellow adventurers of the violation that just took place, which becomes the first step in the protagonist’s reputation as a garbage person (which eventually will earn him nicknames such as Kazutrash and Krapuma). The crusader, however, is more eager than ever to join such a colorful party. To defend himself, the protagonist fires up his steal skill again in the direction of his teammates, in order to prove that the item it steals is somewhat random, only to end up holding his wizard’s panties. The wizard is still fourteen. As a note that for some reason I feel obliged to write, in the anime adaptation the color of those panties was changed to black, which suits her better.
[continues on the comments]
Some days ago I finished the latest translated novel from the series “Re:Zero”, which had become my current obsession. As a placebo of sorts until the next volume comes out later this month, I figured I could try to read through the original novels from the other isekai I have loved somewhat recently: “Konosuba” (which is an abbreviation of “Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo”, meaning “bless this wonderful world”).
Isekai is an extremely popular genre in Japan that is curiously absent in the Western world. It almost invariably involves some Japanese person (or persons) getting whisked away to another world, which is usually a fantasy setting loosely based on the Age of Enlightenment in Europe. There’s usually magic involved, and sometimes, puzzlingly, the reality of that fantasy world contains videogame-like elements, for example characters attributes, status screens, leveling up, etc. In its most stereotypical form, the protagonist was an honorable nobody on Earth, but when he gets to that fantasy world he’s given some weapon or ability that allows him to do whatever he’s supposed to be doing (usually defeating some bad guys). Maneuvering that strange new world as a foreigner, as well as meeting a cast of weird, fascinating characters, are big selling points. This series, “Konosuba”, attempts to deconstruct a genre full of clichés; while in the West deconstructions more often than not are directed attempts at manipulating society with some venomous narrative (for example I got into “The Boys” only for it to become another blatant attempt at political propaganda), the twists in this series turned it into often unpredictable, sometimes hilarious, consistently entertaining good fun. “Re:Zero” uses the genre to engage in character studies in which those people are pushed to the brink of self-destruction (and beyond) in order to explore how real people can change, but “Konosuba” is a light-hearted, joyful, often perverted ride with an anime adaptation that became wildly successful not only because of its animation but because of the sense of camaraderie: you just want to spend some more time with its cast of lovable idiots.
We start with the protagonist having just died. He’s in some sort of limbo, where he meets a beautiful girl who identifies herself as a goddess. Name’s Aqua. She’s in charge of giving decently deceased souls the choice between going to a boring heaven or being reborn without memories of their previous lives. First off, the protagonist wants some information about the aftermath of his death; despite being (as tends to be the case) a guy who didn’t work, go to school nor went out much, he had left his home that day to buy some videogame related stuff, but when a girl had crossed the street in front of an incoming truck (truck-kun isekai-ing someone to another world is a cliché), this protagonist pushed her out of the way and died himself. However, the goddess informs him that he was mistaken: the girl wasn’t in any danger to begin with, because the incoming vehicle was a slow-moving tractor. The girl ended up breaking a leg due to having been pushed, and the protagonist wasn’t hit by the vehicle: the shock of thinking he was about to die gave him a heart attack, he soiled himself and died. Between laughs, Aqua informs him that even his own family members couldn’t help but chuckle as they learned of his fate. That sets the tone for the rest of this story. The protagonist is already annoyed at this pretty but joyfully heartless goddess. She goes on about how there is this parallel world in which some big bad guy is causing such carnage that its inhabitants aren’t choosing to be reborn there anymore: they want to go to heaven. It is causing a shortage of souls and it could potentially lead to a sterile world. Therefore, the gods decided to offer the choice to souls from parallel worlds to be born into that dying reality, but retaining their memories as well as bringing with them a powerful “thing” of sorts, so they could have a decent chance to bring balance to that world. A good enough excuse for an isekai, I guess.
With the anime adaptation having many more chances to visually show things than a novel, it also sets the tone regarding how it introduces Aqua: the first thing we meet of her is her barely clothed ass, with emphasis on the barely clothed. We get plenty of opportunities to wonder if she’s wearing panties or not (she isn’t. Or is she?).
Aqua offers the protagonist a catalogue of powerful items to bring with him to this other world. The protagonist has already decided to be reborn over there; after all, his life on Earth sucked. However, his experience with videogames makes him know that all the artifacts are balanced with severe maluses. As he takes his time deciding, Aqua, bored, munches on some snacks and pressures him to decide, because she has a queue of souls to dispatch. Annoyed with this uncaring goddess, he chooses her as the “thing” to bring to that other world. Whatever higher instance of that realm accepts that choice, and another goddess replaces the panicking Aqua. The protagonist asks her how she feels now that the guy she was belittling moments ago was going to drag her with him to that terrifying world. Crying, she yells that she doesn't want to go with such a person, but her pleading remains unanswered as their new lives begin.
Breaking a couple of clichés, the protagonist of this tale is not some honorable destined-to-be-a-hero guy, but a scumbag with a yet unexplored perverted bent, and the girl who summoned him is not a good-hearted, angel-like person, but a self-centered asshole with currently unexplored issues with alcoholism. In addition, the anime adaptation had interesting ideas regarding Aqua’s visual design, although I don’t know how else to describe her wearing a short skirt but no visible panties.
In any case, they appear in a late medieval-like town. The protagonist is eager to explore his starter setting, so he guides the despairing goddess to the local adventurers’ guild. It’s a branch of an established corporation procuring quests and lodging to the cast of bums that tends to self-identify as adventurers. The videogame-like nature of this reality comes in as they use a magical artifact to find out their attributes. The protagonist is average at everything but luck and intelligence; luck in particular is extraordinarily high. The goddess, despite her below average intelligence, has very high attributes that allow her to choose advanced character classes. She chooses to become an arch-priest, while the protagonist is stuck in a base adventurer class.
While in a clichéd RPG the main party would be able to procure some decent gear just gathering herbs or killing monsters close to the starter town, that place seems inconveniently safe; the worst monsters were killed off ages ago, and the villagers can come and go as they please. Our main characters choose to focus on manual labor to earn enough money to feed themselves. They sleep on hay in some barn. Aqua quickly forgets their purpose for being reborn there; she gets distracted easily by whatever is going on around them. However, the protagonist wants to live that grandiose life of a hero that was promised, so they pick a quest to slay some huge toads that threaten the countryside. They are big enough to snatch goats or even children during mating season, and their meat can be sold for a decent price. When the main characters face the toads, he realizes that the goddess is a bit too delusional and self-aggrandizing to deal with real threats. The protagonist has to rescue her from the belly of one of the toads. Having been so close to dying, they decide that they need to add some decent allies to their party.
They spend a while watching how other parties interview plenty of applicants while nobody approaches our protagonists, who had even failed to procure some starting gear. However, someone does answer their call: a dangerously young, eye-patched, grandiose looking wizard. Although it quickly becomes apparent that she had mainly approached them because she hadn’t eaten for three days and the protagonists were gobbling on toad meat, her unforgeable character sheet identifies her as a powerful wizard specialized in explosion magic. Aqua recognizes due to this girl’s red eyes and delusional attitude that she’s a member of the Crimson Demon clan, whose descendants have red eyes, unusually high intelligence and magic, and are generally lunatics.
They choose to hunt more toads now that they have a fuller party. The wizard, whose name’s Megumin, asks them to distract some toad while she prepares her spell. Aqua distracts the toad enough by getting eaten, and in a showy display, Megumin unleashes a magical explosion that destroys everything in a twenty meter radius. Aqua somehow resists being blown to bits. The blast unearthed some other toads, but as the protagonist, impressed, was relying on the wizard to save them from their predicament, he realizes that she’s fallen and is unable to move. She informs him that she can only throw a spell a day, and that completely drains her energies to the extent that she relies on someone else to carry her to a safe place. The protagonist manages to free both teammates from each corresponding toad’s belly.
As the three protagonists return to town, two of them covered in slime, the protagonist interrogates Megumin regarding what other abilities she has to counteract her very specific talents, but she has none: despite being able to “buy” other skills, she’s only in it for the explosions. She proclaims that she’d gladly live with little food and meager lodging as long as she gets targets and accomplices for her to unleash her destructive desires. Aqua is enchanted by the single-minded impracticality of Megumin’s chosen career. The protagonist says that he can’t allow in the party another liability, but Megumin promptly convinces him after threatening to cry that her currently slimed state is due to some sexual assault on her underage self.
Every party needs a magic user, and while they are supposed to be wise old people who handle carefully the dangerous forces fueling their arts, this story’s version is a fourteen years old chuunibyou (a Japanese term for the somewhat common phenomenon amongst young people of harboring delusions of grandeur and believing themselves to have some hidden power, except that in this case the girl does have a hidden power) who can only act as a glass cannon: she fires a single devastating shot and becomes a liability for the remainder of the day. In any case, she has such a peculiar personality and generally pleasing design that she has become a recognizable character even outside of anime, and is featured in numerous implementations of Rule 34. She’s fourteen years old. She’s also voiced in the anime adaptation by seiyuu Rie Takahashi, a very talented cutie who hit gold by not only voicing Megumin, but also the heroine in “Re:Zero”. That’s some job security. Every time Megumin fires one of her memorable shots, this seiyuu ad-libs the delusional shit that comes out of Megumin’s mouth, which is always fun.
The protagonist realizes that risking their lives to hunt these starter level monsters will barely earn them more than just working construction. Getting anywhere in this fantasy world is going to require a struggle beyond what he signed up for or is willing to put in. During his somber mood, a new character approaches him. It’s a gorgeous blonde woman in a melee fighter outfit. She has read the recruitment notice the protagonists put on the guild’s board, and after seeing two of the party members covered in slime, she had become eager to join. She’s a crusader, which is an advanced knight class. As the protagonist tries to control his anxiety at being addressed by this imposing somewhat older woman, he clarifies that she had mistakenly took them for an experienced party, but that as far as their skills can take them now, they are more likely than not to get eaten by monsters again. However, this only makes the crusader breathe harder. The protagonist feels that something is seriously off with this woman, so he refuses to let her into their party. They part ways as much as they can in a guild house that seems to be the gathering place for every wannabe adventurer in town.
In any case, killing those toads has earned him some skill points that he could allocate to learn new abilities. Asking his newly acquired wizard he learns that other people should show him any skill before it appears into his own character sheet and he’s able to “buy” it with some of his unspent skill points. A nearby friendly female thief offers to teach him some stuff. In an alley close by she intends to show him the steal skill, which is conveniently tied to the luck attribute, so it would be a great fit for a protagonist that only has his luck to go by. Despite the name, steal is a magic-like skill that transfers an item from the target to the skill triggerer. She steals the protagonist’s pouch, and she proposes that she’ll only give it back if he can successfully steal it with his newly learned skill. The protagonist, annoyed at having been taken advantage of, uses his steal skill only to find out that he’s gained a better treasure: the thief’s panties. Pleased with this development, the protagonist states that he’ll pass the panties to his descendants as a family heirloom unless the thief gives him back his pouch and some extras for good measure.
Back in the guild house, the thief along with the crusader, who had witnessed the exchange, inform their fellow adventurers of the violation that just took place, which becomes the first step in the protagonist’s reputation as a garbage person (which eventually will earn him nicknames such as Kazutrash and Krapuma). The crusader, however, is more eager than ever to join such a colorful party. To defend himself, the protagonist fires up his steal skill again in the direction of his teammates, in order to prove that the item it steals is somewhat random, only to end up holding his wizard’s panties. The wizard is still fourteen. As a note that for some reason I feel obliged to write, in the anime adaptation the color of those panties was changed to black, which suits her better.
[continues on the comments]
May 6, 2024
"A Manga Marvel: Konosuba's Hilarious Hijinks Hit the Pages!"
As a fervent follower of light novels, I eagerly dove into the manga adaptation of Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Volume 1 by Masahito Watari. Having already relished the hilarity and charm of the original light novel series, I approached this adaptation with both excitement and a tinge of skepticism.
The manga succeeds in capturing the essence of the light novel, faithfully portraying the eccentric characters and their misadventures in the fantastical world of Konosuba. The artwork, while different from the illustrations found in the light novels, retains a quirky and vibrant style that complements the comedic tone of the story.
One aspect that stands out in this adaptation is its pacing. The manga maintains a brisk tempo, ensuring that the comedic timing remains sharp and the narrative momentum never wanes. Despite condensing certain events from the light novel, the manga adeptly balances humor with character development, offering readers an engaging and enjoyable experience.
However, as with any adaptation, there are inevitable sacrifices. Some of the nuances and internal monologues present in the light novel are necessarily truncated in the manga format. While this streamlining may disappoint purists, it ultimately serves the medium's constraints and keeps the story accessible to newcomers.
Overall, Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Volume 1 manga is a delightful rendition of a beloved light novel series. Whether you're a seasoned fan or a newcomer to the world of Konosuba, this manga adaptation offers plenty of laughs and endearing moments that are sure to entertain.
With its spirited artwork and faithful adaptation of the source material, this manga volume earns a solid recommendation from this light novel enthusiast.
April 18, 2021
Recensione scritta per il sito Nerd Pool e disponibile al seguente link e qui sotto: https://www.nerdpool.it/2021/04/17/ko...
Kazuma Sato è un adolescente sempre rinchiuso in casa a giocare ai videogiochi. Un giorno esce per comprare un nuovo gioco e muore in un incidente. Ma può scegliere il suo destino post-mortem: andare in paradiso oppure reincarnarsi e vivere in un mondo simile proprio ad un videogioco. Il ragazzo sceglie questa opzione trascinando in questo mondo la dea Aqua, colei che l’ha posto davanti alla scelta e poteva dargli un bonus (di benvenuto si direbbe nel mondo games). Il ragazzo sceglie lei pensando di avere una potente dea al suo fianco, ma in realtà scoprirà presto che la magia di Aqua è discutibile, ma soprattutto lei è pasticciona e sperpera tutti i soldi che guadagnano durante le quest.
Per poter fare missioni sempre più difficili, Kazuma e Aqua cercheranno nuovi compagni. Conosceranno quindi Megumin, una strega potente nel fare un solo incantesimo distruttore al giorno, dopo il quale perde completamente le forze. E faranno amicizia con Darkness, una paladina che però non è tanto abile con la spada e ha una vena masochista che la rende un po’ inquietante… Insomma Konosuba. This Wonderful World! segue questo quartetto improbabile e le avventure di Kazuma che un pochino rimpiangerà la sua scelta iniziale.
Il nostro protagonista infatti è davvero comune e mediocre. Non possiede alcuna skill, se non un po’ di luck, fortuna, che però non funziona come dovrebbe… E le sue compagne per quanto abbiano certe abilità allo stesso tempo creano anche tanti casini in missione e non solo. E pensare che Kazuma dovrebbe tentare di sconfiggere il final boss di questo mondo, il temibile Demon King! Ma se questo party a malapena riesce a sconfiggere rane giganti e acchiappare verze volanti (da non confondere con le lattughe, sia chiaro!) come potranno farcela?
Konosuba è un esempio classico del genere isekai, un mondo parallelo che ricorda appunto quello di un videogioco e forse tanti vorrebbero viverci. E spesso il nostro protagonista ha al suo fianco molte belle ragazze. Ma non possiamo negare che Kazuma ne farebbe anche a meno. Preferirebbe starsene da solo ad imparare skill e apprendere nuove abilità, piuttosto che stare con le sue compagne belle, anche simpatiche, ma comunque terribili. Deve costantemente correre dietro a loro e risolvere i guai che combinano. Non una vita ideale e perfetta per quanto il lettore sia assolutamente divertito dalle assurde situazioni che legge.
Ci sono sicuramente momenti un po’ cliché e fan service che strizzano l’occhio ad un pubblico giovane e maschile. Molte situazioni sono facilmente prevedibili e intuiamo subito come andrà a finire, ma comunque nella sua semplicità Konosuba scatena il sorriso e diverte.
Oltre alle vignette sono le battute sagaci e fraintendibili a prendere, e rendere assurda una situazione all’apparenza classica. I suoi personaggi sono ben delineati nelle loro caratteristiche, negative o positive che siano, e quindi si crea una sorta di legame che vogliamo vedere come agiranno in una determinata situazione. Certo, possiamo immaginarlo ma comunque ne rimaniamo sopresi. Il mondo dei videogiochi è presente con skills, quest, points, ricompense e statistiche; chi ne è fan si troverà in un mondo familiare, ma per chi lo conosce meno non si troverà troppo spaesato visto che le principali dinamiche sono ben spiegate al protagonista come al lettore.
Konosuba indubbiamente non presenta una storia nuovissima, ma anzi molto classica soprattutto per chi è avvezzo al genere isekai. Rimane però una lettura piacevole, divertente e simpatica, ottima per chi vuole provare questo genere e non solo. Si vuole infatti continuare a seguire Kazuma e il suo party in altre quest, sicuri che rideremo tantissimo di loro e con loro.
Kazuma Sato è un adolescente sempre rinchiuso in casa a giocare ai videogiochi. Un giorno esce per comprare un nuovo gioco e muore in un incidente. Ma può scegliere il suo destino post-mortem: andare in paradiso oppure reincarnarsi e vivere in un mondo simile proprio ad un videogioco. Il ragazzo sceglie questa opzione trascinando in questo mondo la dea Aqua, colei che l’ha posto davanti alla scelta e poteva dargli un bonus (di benvenuto si direbbe nel mondo games). Il ragazzo sceglie lei pensando di avere una potente dea al suo fianco, ma in realtà scoprirà presto che la magia di Aqua è discutibile, ma soprattutto lei è pasticciona e sperpera tutti i soldi che guadagnano durante le quest.
Per poter fare missioni sempre più difficili, Kazuma e Aqua cercheranno nuovi compagni. Conosceranno quindi Megumin, una strega potente nel fare un solo incantesimo distruttore al giorno, dopo il quale perde completamente le forze. E faranno amicizia con Darkness, una paladina che però non è tanto abile con la spada e ha una vena masochista che la rende un po’ inquietante… Insomma Konosuba. This Wonderful World! segue questo quartetto improbabile e le avventure di Kazuma che un pochino rimpiangerà la sua scelta iniziale.
Il nostro protagonista infatti è davvero comune e mediocre. Non possiede alcuna skill, se non un po’ di luck, fortuna, che però non funziona come dovrebbe… E le sue compagne per quanto abbiano certe abilità allo stesso tempo creano anche tanti casini in missione e non solo. E pensare che Kazuma dovrebbe tentare di sconfiggere il final boss di questo mondo, il temibile Demon King! Ma se questo party a malapena riesce a sconfiggere rane giganti e acchiappare verze volanti (da non confondere con le lattughe, sia chiaro!) come potranno farcela?
Konosuba è un esempio classico del genere isekai, un mondo parallelo che ricorda appunto quello di un videogioco e forse tanti vorrebbero viverci. E spesso il nostro protagonista ha al suo fianco molte belle ragazze. Ma non possiamo negare che Kazuma ne farebbe anche a meno. Preferirebbe starsene da solo ad imparare skill e apprendere nuove abilità, piuttosto che stare con le sue compagne belle, anche simpatiche, ma comunque terribili. Deve costantemente correre dietro a loro e risolvere i guai che combinano. Non una vita ideale e perfetta per quanto il lettore sia assolutamente divertito dalle assurde situazioni che legge.
Ci sono sicuramente momenti un po’ cliché e fan service che strizzano l’occhio ad un pubblico giovane e maschile. Molte situazioni sono facilmente prevedibili e intuiamo subito come andrà a finire, ma comunque nella sua semplicità Konosuba scatena il sorriso e diverte.
Oltre alle vignette sono le battute sagaci e fraintendibili a prendere, e rendere assurda una situazione all’apparenza classica. I suoi personaggi sono ben delineati nelle loro caratteristiche, negative o positive che siano, e quindi si crea una sorta di legame che vogliamo vedere come agiranno in una determinata situazione. Certo, possiamo immaginarlo ma comunque ne rimaniamo sopresi. Il mondo dei videogiochi è presente con skills, quest, points, ricompense e statistiche; chi ne è fan si troverà in un mondo familiare, ma per chi lo conosce meno non si troverà troppo spaesato visto che le principali dinamiche sono ben spiegate al protagonista come al lettore.
Konosuba indubbiamente non presenta una storia nuovissima, ma anzi molto classica soprattutto per chi è avvezzo al genere isekai. Rimane però una lettura piacevole, divertente e simpatica, ottima per chi vuole provare questo genere e non solo. Si vuole infatti continuare a seguire Kazuma e il suo party in altre quest, sicuri che rideremo tantissimo di loro e con loro.
December 3, 2021
I rate the book a solid 4.9 out of 5.
(WARNING - THE REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SOME LITTLE SPOILERS (only for the first few pages though)
Summary: A 16-year old boy named Kazuma Satou, who loved to stay inside and play games, went outside to get one of the newest games. On his way back, he died because he jumped in and pushed a girl he saw who was about to get hit by a truck, 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤 𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙠. It turns out that it was a tracker and he died from shock because he thought it was a truck. He then met an annoying goddess named Aqua in the afterlife who then reincarnated him into another world. She also let him take one thing with him, and since the goddess was annoying and made fun of Kazuma and how he died, he brought the goddess Aqua with him. The only way they can both return to where they want is if they defeat the devil king, which will be way harder than they thought. So now, Kazuma Satou and Aqua have to work their way up, from level 1 to 100, to defeat the devil king, which will be hard because Kazuma has no skills, and Aqua whins all the time about how she wants to go back. Their adventure of leveling up, making friends, and killing the devil king begins.
Pros:
It's hilarious and the book has a nice sense of humor.
Kazuma Satou acts what's on his mind, which makes the story 10 times better, because instead of a normal, average, main character, who acts like other main characters, Kazuma is unique. He doesn't care about what (some) people think about him and he's not afraid to say what he wants. Also instead of being a gentleman, he states that he's an advocate of gender equality. This means that instead of a nice main character who respects women and treats them better, he treats everyone the same, regardless of their gender. This makes the story way better because it makes it stand out and it makes the plot interesting.
The story has a good plot and storyline.
The characters act differently and are interesting.
The art is pretty good.
Cons:
Aqua is a bit annoying, so she might make you irritated.
We barely know anything about Kazuma's life before he died. We also know barely anything about the other characters's backgrounds.
Why I rated it a 4.9:
The story, humor, plot, art, and everything else about the story are amazing. The only downside that I can think of is that we don't really get the background of every character. Other than that, I say that this book is amazing and I recommend it to you if you like any of the following:
Comedy
Isekai (transported into another world)
Adventure
Fantasy
Death (not bloody ones though)
A good main character (Kazuma)
Interesting characters
Good plot
TL;DR: 16-year old boy dies and goes to another world with a goddess. They find some people to help them and they try to defeat the devil king. The story is fun to read, funny and has an amazing plot.
(WARNING - THE REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SOME LITTLE SPOILERS (only for the first few pages though)
Summary: A 16-year old boy named Kazuma Satou, who loved to stay inside and play games, went outside to get one of the newest games. On his way back, he died because he jumped in and pushed a girl he saw who was about to get hit by a truck, 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤 𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙠. It turns out that it was a tracker and he died from shock because he thought it was a truck. He then met an annoying goddess named Aqua in the afterlife who then reincarnated him into another world. She also let him take one thing with him, and since the goddess was annoying and made fun of Kazuma and how he died, he brought the goddess Aqua with him. The only way they can both return to where they want is if they defeat the devil king, which will be way harder than they thought. So now, Kazuma Satou and Aqua have to work their way up, from level 1 to 100, to defeat the devil king, which will be hard because Kazuma has no skills, and Aqua whins all the time about how she wants to go back. Their adventure of leveling up, making friends, and killing the devil king begins.
Pros:
It's hilarious and the book has a nice sense of humor.
Kazuma Satou acts what's on his mind, which makes the story 10 times better, because instead of a normal, average, main character, who acts like other main characters, Kazuma is unique. He doesn't care about what (some) people think about him and he's not afraid to say what he wants. Also instead of being a gentleman, he states that he's an advocate of gender equality. This means that instead of a nice main character who respects women and treats them better, he treats everyone the same, regardless of their gender. This makes the story way better because it makes it stand out and it makes the plot interesting.
The story has a good plot and storyline.
The characters act differently and are interesting.
The art is pretty good.
Cons:
Aqua is a bit annoying, so she might make you irritated.
We barely know anything about Kazuma's life before he died. We also know barely anything about the other characters's backgrounds.
Why I rated it a 4.9:
The story, humor, plot, art, and everything else about the story are amazing. The only downside that I can think of is that we don't really get the background of every character. Other than that, I say that this book is amazing and I recommend it to you if you like any of the following:
Comedy
Isekai (transported into another world)
Adventure
Fantasy
Death (not bloody ones though)
A good main character (Kazuma)
Interesting characters
Good plot
TL;DR: 16-year old boy dies and goes to another world with a goddess. They find some people to help them and they try to defeat the devil king. The story is fun to read, funny and has an amazing plot.
January 17, 2022
Encore un titre de chez Meian que j’ai découvert. Beaucoup de leurs titres me font envie mais bon avec tous les mangaq qui existent au bout d’un moment il faut bien faire des choix haha. Je me suis pris les trois premiers tomes, j’espérais ne pas être déçue ça aurait été dommage en ayant déjà trois tomes chez moi. J’ai enfin lu le premier tome et je dois dire que j’ai plutôt bien aimé! C’était une chouette lecture et je vais très vite lire la suite. C’est une très bonne découverte et je ne regrette pas du tout d’avoir pris les trois premiers tomes directement.
On va suivre le personnage de Kazuma, un jeune garçon fan de jeux vidéos qui ne sortait jamais de chez lui, que ce soit pour aller travailler ou aller au lycée. En gros un vrai geek. Sauf que pour une fois qu’il se décide à sortir de son antre, il sauve la vie d’une jeune fille qui manque de se faire renverser. Manque de pot pour lui, c’est lui qui en est mort! Mais c’est loin d’être fini pour lui. Juste après sa mort, il se retrouve devant la déesse Aqua qui lui propose une alternative: la réincarnation dans un nouveau monde. Ainsi commence la nouvelle vie de Kazuma, son périple pour vaincre le Roi Démon. Mais si il pensait pouvoir se la couler douce! C’est sans compter sur la présence de la déesse Aqua qui s’est réincarné dans le monde avec lui, mais aussi celle de Megumin, une lolita qui adore la magie explosive et surtout sue la difficulté à subvenir à ses besoins. Parce que oui, dans ce monde il faut tout de même travailler pour pouvoir vivre!
J’ai vraiment beaucoup ma lecture de ce premier tome. J’ai surtout apprécié le ridicule de la situation. Je ne vais pas rentrer dans les détails pour ne pas spoiler mais on a déjà la mort de Kazuma, qui au final est vraiment ridicule au plus haut point. On a également Megumin et son pouvoir qui apporte un petit vent de ridicule mais ausis Aqua ou même Kazuma. En gros, cette bande est littéralement une bande de bras cassés. Et ça apporte tellement d’humour à l’histoire. J’ai beaucoup aimé également la dynamique du groupe, le moins que l’on puisse dire c’est qu’on ne s’ennuie pas le moins du monde avec eux! Ils passent leur à se chamailler ou à se retrouver dans des situations farfelues. J’ai hâte de lire la suite pour voir ce qui les attend. Je sens que nous ne sommes pas au bout de peine avec ce groupe de bras cassés!
Ce premier tome est une réussite pour moi, clairement. C’est drôle, c’est frais, c’est léger et c’est très agréable à lire. Une très belle surprise cette lecture. J’adore l’humour, les personnages, l’histoire etc. J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir en me plongeant dans cet isekai. Il me tarde de découvrir la suite, je sens que je vais beaucoup rire encore. J’ai vu qu’il existait en anime également, il part directement dans ma watchlist!
On va suivre le personnage de Kazuma, un jeune garçon fan de jeux vidéos qui ne sortait jamais de chez lui, que ce soit pour aller travailler ou aller au lycée. En gros un vrai geek. Sauf que pour une fois qu’il se décide à sortir de son antre, il sauve la vie d’une jeune fille qui manque de se faire renverser. Manque de pot pour lui, c’est lui qui en est mort! Mais c’est loin d’être fini pour lui. Juste après sa mort, il se retrouve devant la déesse Aqua qui lui propose une alternative: la réincarnation dans un nouveau monde. Ainsi commence la nouvelle vie de Kazuma, son périple pour vaincre le Roi Démon. Mais si il pensait pouvoir se la couler douce! C’est sans compter sur la présence de la déesse Aqua qui s’est réincarné dans le monde avec lui, mais aussi celle de Megumin, une lolita qui adore la magie explosive et surtout sue la difficulté à subvenir à ses besoins. Parce que oui, dans ce monde il faut tout de même travailler pour pouvoir vivre!
J’ai vraiment beaucoup ma lecture de ce premier tome. J’ai surtout apprécié le ridicule de la situation. Je ne vais pas rentrer dans les détails pour ne pas spoiler mais on a déjà la mort de Kazuma, qui au final est vraiment ridicule au plus haut point. On a également Megumin et son pouvoir qui apporte un petit vent de ridicule mais ausis Aqua ou même Kazuma. En gros, cette bande est littéralement une bande de bras cassés. Et ça apporte tellement d’humour à l’histoire. J’ai beaucoup aimé également la dynamique du groupe, le moins que l’on puisse dire c’est qu’on ne s’ennuie pas le moins du monde avec eux! Ils passent leur à se chamailler ou à se retrouver dans des situations farfelues. J’ai hâte de lire la suite pour voir ce qui les attend. Je sens que nous ne sommes pas au bout de peine avec ce groupe de bras cassés!
Ce premier tome est une réussite pour moi, clairement. C’est drôle, c’est frais, c’est léger et c’est très agréable à lire. Une très belle surprise cette lecture. J’adore l’humour, les personnages, l’histoire etc. J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir en me plongeant dans cet isekai. Il me tarde de découvrir la suite, je sens que je vais beaucoup rire encore. J’ai vu qu’il existait en anime également, il part directement dans ma watchlist!
February 4, 2021
https://lapommequirougit.com/2021/01/...
Je remercie les Éditions Meian pour l’envoi de cette lecture. Konosuba, un titre qui m’a beaucoup fait rire, je ne m’y attendais vraiment pas, un isekai des plus surprenants !
Kazuma Satô est un grand fan de jeux vidéo et il ne sort pratiquement jamais de sa chambre. Malheureusement pour lui, la seule fois où il met le nez dehors, il se retrouve à mourir dans un accident de voiture.
Le voilà qui se réveille, face à une déesse qui lui propose de se réincarner dans un monde qui ressemble beaucoup au RPG auquel il aime jouer. Il se retrouve donc aussitôt dans cet univers, mais il a un objectif de long terme : devoir tuer le roi démon.
L’humour de ce manga est vraiment déjanté, exactement ce qui me fallait pour me changer les esprits ! Les personnages sont tous plus loufoques les uns que les autres. Le fan service est très présent, mais complètement assumé, donc cela ne me dérange pas plus que cela.
En bref, c’est un premier tome qui introduit bien l’univers de Konosuba et qui me donne très envie de le continuer, mais également d’aller regarder son adaptation en animé !
Je remercie les Éditions Meian pour l’envoi de cette lecture. Konosuba, un titre qui m’a beaucoup fait rire, je ne m’y attendais vraiment pas, un isekai des plus surprenants !
Kazuma Satô est un grand fan de jeux vidéo et il ne sort pratiquement jamais de sa chambre. Malheureusement pour lui, la seule fois où il met le nez dehors, il se retrouve à mourir dans un accident de voiture.
Le voilà qui se réveille, face à une déesse qui lui propose de se réincarner dans un monde qui ressemble beaucoup au RPG auquel il aime jouer. Il se retrouve donc aussitôt dans cet univers, mais il a un objectif de long terme : devoir tuer le roi démon.
L’humour de ce manga est vraiment déjanté, exactement ce qui me fallait pour me changer les esprits ! Les personnages sont tous plus loufoques les uns que les autres. Le fan service est très présent, mais complètement assumé, donc cela ne me dérange pas plus que cela.
En bref, c’est un premier tome qui introduit bien l’univers de Konosuba et qui me donne très envie de le continuer, mais également d’aller regarder son adaptation en animé !
August 29, 2017
Konosuba is rated Teen for some fantasy violence, I suppose language and plenty of your daily helping of fanservice. You have been warned. :)
Kazuma Sato is a typical Neet (yup he was even avoiding school as he lived in isolation in his room most of his days) but one day while returning from a convenience store he saw a girl surly about to get hit by a truck so he sprang into action like a panther and died. Of course regardless of his uncharacteristic sacrifice it turns out the truck was actually just a tractor and he simply died of shock after thinking he was hit after pushing the girl out of the way...what a tragic way to go. Luckily for Kazuma a goddess named Aqua has an offer for him that she will resurrect him in another world so he can fight a dangerous foe known as the Demon King just like in his games. Now if only she can convince him before his apathy for the people ruled by the Demon King ruins the series.
Welcome to another Harem on the rise as Kazuma is granted one wish for the new world he would be sent to and he decides to take Aqua along After all what would be better than to to take into an unknown world than an honest to goodness goddess? Many of the characters Kazuma seems to meet (like every person in his party) are cute girls in some respect or another even though they also have amusing flaws making me remember titles such as "Is This a Zombie?" which also had an assortment of unique girls surrounding a single male protagonist.
My favorite part of the book would have to be Megumin begging to join the team and Kazuma narrowly avoids a huge misunderstanding form those around him. :)
Kazuma Sato is a typical Neet (yup he was even avoiding school as he lived in isolation in his room most of his days) but one day while returning from a convenience store he saw a girl surly about to get hit by a truck so he sprang into action like a panther and died. Of course regardless of his uncharacteristic sacrifice it turns out the truck was actually just a tractor and he simply died of shock after thinking he was hit after pushing the girl out of the way...what a tragic way to go. Luckily for Kazuma a goddess named Aqua has an offer for him that she will resurrect him in another world so he can fight a dangerous foe known as the Demon King just like in his games. Now if only she can convince him before his apathy for the people ruled by the Demon King ruins the series.
Welcome to another Harem on the rise as Kazuma is granted one wish for the new world he would be sent to and he decides to take Aqua along After all what would be better than to to take into an unknown world than an honest to goodness goddess? Many of the characters Kazuma seems to meet (like every person in his party) are cute girls in some respect or another even though they also have amusing flaws making me remember titles such as "Is This a Zombie?" which also had an assortment of unique girls surrounding a single male protagonist.
My favorite part of the book would have to be Megumin begging to join the team and Kazuma narrowly avoids a huge misunderstanding form those around him. :)
September 7, 2020
Konosuba is comedy gold. One of the only animes that genuinely made me laugh out loud, and that made me happy whenever I felt down. I'm a very big fan.
That being said.
The light novel kinda sucks.
I don't know if it's the translation, but I had a really hard time finishing this first volume. It felt like reading a crappy fanfiction -- not shitting on fanfiction. I love fanfiction. I've read some excellent ones. But in terms of quality, the writing wasn't good at all. Not to mention the blatant mistakes and typos in the text.
The story also failed to amuse me. And although we might justify that with the fact that I've already watched the two season long anime as well as the movie, I feel like that wouldn't be enough because I'm sure if I went back to the anime, I would laugh just as much as the first time I saw it. I'm guessing some stories are better with the visual element.
I don't know if I'll keep reading but if I do, I'll go straight to volume 6 (after the events of the movie) to see if it's worth it.
STEAL
That being said.
The light novel kinda sucks.
I don't know if it's the translation, but I had a really hard time finishing this first volume. It felt like reading a crappy fanfiction -- not shitting on fanfiction. I love fanfiction. I've read some excellent ones. But in terms of quality, the writing wasn't good at all. Not to mention the blatant mistakes and typos in the text.
The story also failed to amuse me. And although we might justify that with the fact that I've already watched the two season long anime as well as the movie, I feel like that wouldn't be enough because I'm sure if I went back to the anime, I would laugh just as much as the first time I saw it. I'm guessing some stories are better with the visual element.
I don't know if I'll keep reading but if I do, I'll go straight to volume 6 (after the events of the movie) to see if it's worth it.
STEAL
October 12, 2020
Came to this book relatively blind (since i haven't watch the anime yet, except for the first few minutes of ep. 1 and an abridged parody one-shot), and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised of how good it is.
The book breaks down from the conventional (and frankly kinda played out) genre of Isekai, or, transported to another world. The 'band of misfits' chemistry is superb, the humor lands very well, and seeing the everyday struggle of the protagonist is really relatable about how he just want to lay low, but the circumstances around him say otherwise.
Despite of reading it in 2020, where the 'anti-isekai' genre has shown its big guns (e.g. the isekai quartet ensemble), this series, specifically the light novel, is still worth the read.
To paraphrase the author: "This is not the story of a strong, powerful, kickass hero ... Kazuma is the type of person that would help people if he saw them, and depending on his mood that day ... That's because he is really a human."
The book breaks down from the conventional (and frankly kinda played out) genre of Isekai, or, transported to another world. The 'band of misfits' chemistry is superb, the humor lands very well, and seeing the everyday struggle of the protagonist is really relatable about how he just want to lay low, but the circumstances around him say otherwise.
Despite of reading it in 2020, where the 'anti-isekai' genre has shown its big guns (e.g. the isekai quartet ensemble), this series, specifically the light novel, is still worth the read.
To paraphrase the author: "This is not the story of a strong, powerful, kickass hero ... Kazuma is the type of person that would help people if he saw them, and depending on his mood that day ... That's because he is really a human."
January 21, 2021
Inhalt:
Kazuma, ein Nerd durch und durch, stirbt eines Tages bei dem Versuch eine Schülerin zu retten an einem Herzinfarkt.
Im Jenseits bekommt er die Chance ein neues Leben in einer Welt zu beginnen, die viel Ähnlichkeit mit seinem Lieblingscomputerspiel hat. Dafür darf er sich sogar ein Objekt seiner Wahl aussuchen, er muss nur irgendwann den Dämonenkönig besiegen.
Kurzerhand nimmt er die Göttin Aqua mit, die ihn aufgrund seiner Todesursache (vor Schreck gestorben) noch ausgelacht hat.
Meinung:
Der Manga ist unglaublich lustig. Der Humor ist einfach super und das Zusammenspiel der sehr unterschiedlichen Charaktere ist einfach extrem unterhaltsam.
Die Charaktere sind jeder für sich schon eine sehr besondere Persönlichkeit, aber zusammen erscheinen sie noch um einiges unterhaltsamer.
Die Zeichnungen finde ich richtig passend und süß gestaltet. Man hat auch keine Schwierigkeiten sich zurecht zu finden.
Ich kann die Reihe bisher auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
Kazuma, ein Nerd durch und durch, stirbt eines Tages bei dem Versuch eine Schülerin zu retten an einem Herzinfarkt.
Im Jenseits bekommt er die Chance ein neues Leben in einer Welt zu beginnen, die viel Ähnlichkeit mit seinem Lieblingscomputerspiel hat. Dafür darf er sich sogar ein Objekt seiner Wahl aussuchen, er muss nur irgendwann den Dämonenkönig besiegen.
Kurzerhand nimmt er die Göttin Aqua mit, die ihn aufgrund seiner Todesursache (vor Schreck gestorben) noch ausgelacht hat.
Meinung:
Der Manga ist unglaublich lustig. Der Humor ist einfach super und das Zusammenspiel der sehr unterschiedlichen Charaktere ist einfach extrem unterhaltsam.
Die Charaktere sind jeder für sich schon eine sehr besondere Persönlichkeit, aber zusammen erscheinen sie noch um einiges unterhaltsamer.
Die Zeichnungen finde ich richtig passend und süß gestaltet. Man hat auch keine Schwierigkeiten sich zurecht zu finden.
Ich kann die Reihe bisher auf jeden Fall empfehlen.
October 20, 2018
This was a pretty good start to the series. It seems like it will be fun. I will admit that there is some hint of a reminder of another book I read in the start, though I cannot recall which book it reminds me of (lasting impression right?), but no, this was an enjoyable start though I wonder if Kazuma is actually dead.
I like the characters, and how flawed they seem right now, as well as the fact that they seem to both have no layers and many layers at the same time, or specifically, they currently seem as if there is not much to them, but at the same time you can tell that there is more to them than meets the eye.
I also like that the first few pages are in color, and the plot is really rather simple on the surface.
I'm excited to see how this series will continue.
I like the characters, and how flawed they seem right now, as well as the fact that they seem to both have no layers and many layers at the same time, or specifically, they currently seem as if there is not much to them, but at the same time you can tell that there is more to them than meets the eye.
I also like that the first few pages are in color, and the plot is really rather simple on the surface.
I'm excited to see how this series will continue.
October 26, 2025
⭐ Manga Review — KonoSuba Vol. 1
Rating: 9.5/10
What happens when a shut-in gamer dies… and drags a useless goddess into another world with him? Pure chaos. 🤣
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! Vol. 1 flips every isekai cliché on its head — no glory, no overpowered hero, just laughter, debt, and disaster. 💥
Kazuma’s sarcasm, Aqua’s dramatic meltdowns, and the arrival of Megumin (EXPLOSION queen 💣) make this volume nonstop comedy gold. The art perfectly captures every ridiculous moment.
It’s part fantasy, part sitcom, and all charm. If you’re tired of “serious” isekai, this one will bless your world with laughter. ✨
#KonoSuba #MangaReview #IsekaiComedy #Kazuma #Aqua #Megumin #Darkness #YenPress
Rating: 9.5/10
What happens when a shut-in gamer dies… and drags a useless goddess into another world with him? Pure chaos. 🤣
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! Vol. 1 flips every isekai cliché on its head — no glory, no overpowered hero, just laughter, debt, and disaster. 💥
Kazuma’s sarcasm, Aqua’s dramatic meltdowns, and the arrival of Megumin (EXPLOSION queen 💣) make this volume nonstop comedy gold. The art perfectly captures every ridiculous moment.
It’s part fantasy, part sitcom, and all charm. If you’re tired of “serious” isekai, this one will bless your world with laughter. ✨
#KonoSuba #MangaReview #IsekaiComedy #Kazuma #Aqua #Megumin #Darkness #YenPress
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