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この素晴らしい世界に祝福を! Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Light Novel #1
Oh! My Useless Goddess!
Game loving shut-in Kazuma Sato's life as a young schoolboy in Japan abruptly comes to an early end...or at least it was supposed to. When he opens his eyes, though, he sees a beautiful goddess that offers him a once in an after-lifetime chance to be reborn in a parallel world. The catch is that the world is violent and threatened by a growing evil! Fortunately, he can choose any one thing to bring with him. So he chooses the goddess, Aqua! And so his adventure with his gorgeous companion begins--if he could just get enough money and food to survive, keep his goddess out of trouble, and avoid grabbing the attention of the Demon King's army!
157 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2013
377 people are currently reading
1537 people want to read
About the author
Natsume Akatsuki
156 books112 followersAKATSUKI Natsume
Name (in native language): 暁なつめ
Associated Names:
自宅警備兵
Jitaku-keibihei
Zodiac: Libra
Name (in native language): 暁なつめ
Associated Names:
自宅警備兵
Jitaku-keibihei
Zodiac: Libra
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
June 18, 2023
I decided to read this light novel after watching the anime recently. I honestly thought it was a good novel about how a guy comes to another world and ends up forming this party with all these dysfunctional people in hopes of one day defeating the Demon King. It has a slow start but it picks up really fast, and it definitely has its comedic moments throughout the novel which really adds to each character. Overall, I like these wild group of people and I can’t wait to see how they grow in the future.
January 11, 2022
I found the first couple episodes of the Konosuba anime pretty rough going before it turned into a truly funny series. And that problem is present here in the original novel too.
The main problem is Kazuma and Aqua as a pair aren't all that appealing for me, and don't interact that well. Once you add in Megumin and Darkness partway through, the chemistry really changes and the story starts finding it's footing.
I will say "start" as even the rest of this book is somewhat episodic, and doesn't cohere that as a continuous plot (this is was originally serialized as a web story, which means this is more of a short story collection stitched together). However, the various bits do get more developed and better done as it goes on. We also get to see this oh-so-unlikely and dysfunctional team start to come together as a team. Well, kinda. I mean... they're still all mostly useless adventurers.
At any rate, there is some pain before it gets good, but it does indeed get to be fun fairly quickly, and I recommend the series for fun lighter reading.
The main problem is Kazuma and Aqua as a pair aren't all that appealing for me, and don't interact that well. Once you add in Megumin and Darkness partway through, the chemistry really changes and the story starts finding it's footing.
I will say "start" as even the rest of this book is somewhat episodic, and doesn't cohere that as a continuous plot (this is was originally serialized as a web story, which means this is more of a short story collection stitched together). However, the various bits do get more developed and better done as it goes on. We also get to see this oh-so-unlikely and dysfunctional team start to come together as a team. Well, kinda. I mean... they're still all mostly useless adventurers.
At any rate, there is some pain before it gets good, but it does indeed get to be fun fairly quickly, and I recommend the series for fun lighter reading.
August 16, 2022
A normal boy from our world is transported to a fantasy world. It’s a concept that’s been used a lot in anime. But this does offer a funny take on this genre.
If you liked the anime, you know what to expect here. It’s fast-paced and funny. It’s a good introduction story for the protagonists and a short and straight forward but solid plot.
If you liked the anime, you know what to expect here. It’s fast-paced and funny. It’s a good introduction story for the protagonists and a short and straight forward but solid plot.
February 16, 2017
There's a lot of fun to be had in this send-up of the overdone "sent to a fantasy world that operates like an RPG" genre. While there may be more laughs with the anime adaptation (simply because of voices, in most cases), the patent absurdity of the story, the characters, and pretty much everything about Darkness make this a breezy, fun read. Also, someone needs to make a "50 Shades of Darkness" parody.
July 27, 2017
I loved it! Yes, it’s not the greatest book ever but I had a lot of fun reading it, can’t wait to read the next one! A satire of the fantasy – RPG and transferred to a parallel world settings the main character feels very real and human, we have fun with the starting adventurer hardness and the cheapness of life in a very real world.
March 1, 2015
The most light novel to ever light novel a light novel...amazing generic. Read this only if you want more and something without risk.
July 8, 2017
A fast read- Stripped down version of the awesome anime'.
July 12, 2017
I love everything fantasy. Fantasy novels. Fantasy light novels. Fantasy manga. High fantasy. Low fantasy. Magical realism. All of it. I’ve seen all the tropes, all the clichés, and format specific tendencies. Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!, Vol. 1 by Natsume Akatsuki takes every single one of those, plays with it, and turns it on its head.
When the story opens, Kazuma is dead. It wasn’t a flashy death. It’s not even a half decent one. It was embarrassing and stupid and thank god he gets a second chance at life. The goddess Aqua is currently recruiting new souls to go to a different world, one which is currently under siege by the Demon King, who trying to take over the land. Kazuma can be resurrected in order to be one of the adventurers trying to rally against this evil, and will even be given a magical item. Kazuma chooses the best, most magical thing he can think of – the goddess Aqua herself. But no amount of video games can prepare Kazuma for the real world. Being an adventurer isn’t easy. He doesn’t have any money. Forming a party isn’t exactly working as easily as expected. And Kazuma beings to think that maybe just staying dead would have been a better idea.
Yes, this plot can sound familiar. It’s a portal fantasy, after all, of which there are plenty. None of them are executed quite like this one, however, which makes it stand head and shoulders above the rest. Konosuba is pure fun, turning familiar genre tropes on their heads. It makes fun of itself and of the genre. And I loved every second of it.
The story is told in first person point of view with Kazuma as the narrator. When the story opens he’s confident that he will be a great adventurer and that all of this will be pretty easy. He’s done similar things hundreds of times in games and believes in himself. However, things really don’t go as planned. The goddess Aqua, while powerful, doesn’t act like he’d expect of a goddess. Really, she’s pretty normal – a little egotistical and a little whiny, maybe, but very skilled and quite useful when she wants to be. Being an adventurer isn’t half as easy as games make it appear, either. No one hands you a set of starter armor and there aren’t always quests to go on. And when there are quests, not all of them are ones he finds himself and his team able to complete.
The novel's main villain is a very intriguing character. Like the rest of the story, things don’t follow a conventional format. One of the leaders of the Demon King’s army makes a base in the area. This leads to certain consequences, but not the ones expected. The general isn’t interested in the town or its people at all. It’s just a small place, after all, filled with beginner adventurers with no real power to speak of. Still, the general does confront the adventurers a number of times. Each time is for a different reason ranging from mundane and common sense to the sort of righteous anger usually reserved for a main character on the side of good as opposed to the evil villain we have here.
The story whizzes by. Dialogue is usually not interrupted by too many he said/she said’s or descriptions of what the characters are physically doing. I’ve found this style a bit flat in the past, but Akatsuki makes it work. The characters themselves have more than enough personality to carry this tale on their own. Their voices are very, very different from one another’s with no chance of mistaking one character’s dialogue for someone else’s. Even so, I felt the story could have used a little more meat to it. Time passes rather quickly throughout the tale, and while it didn’t really feel as if the story moved too fast I would have appreciated some extra time getting to know the characters and seeing more of the city.
As for the magic system, it is rather like the magic system of an RPG. However, once again, it turns some familiar things on their heads. Characters can ‘level up’, but where other stories glance over how this occurs, it is explained in detail, albeit quickly. When a person kills an enemy, or even eats meat, a small portion of the other creature is absorbed. If this happens enough, ding! You level! Choosing what skills and traits to learn takes time and forward thinking.
I also found how a character learns a new skill a rather fun play on the genre. For the most part, what skill can be learned depends on how many points you’re willing to spend on it, and if you can find someone who already knows the skill to teach it to you. This has very real world consequences for the characters, what they are able to do, and how it can wildly unbalance a group. It’s easy to learn fun skills or spells that wind up almost completely useless in most real world situations, and the consequences are played out within the novel.
Now, this is still a light novel. There are some candy color haired female characters, and a few over the top personalities. While I can see some readers getting a little tired of one or two of them, it was fun to see Kazuma also lamenting the fact that his entire team is over the top and can’t do anything quickly, concisely, or normally.
In a lot of ways, Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Vol 1 is at once a love letter to the genre and throws the whole thing completely on its head. It’s filled with memorable characters who, perhaps a bit grating at times, are really quite lovable. This light novel is pure fun from start to finish. So much so that I’ve already started reading the next in the series. If you like portal fantasies, video games, or seeing tropes thrown on their heads, pick this one up. If you don’t like high fantasy or characters that sometimes whine, don’t pick this one up.
This review and more can be found at Looking Glass Reads.
When the story opens, Kazuma is dead. It wasn’t a flashy death. It’s not even a half decent one. It was embarrassing and stupid and thank god he gets a second chance at life. The goddess Aqua is currently recruiting new souls to go to a different world, one which is currently under siege by the Demon King, who trying to take over the land. Kazuma can be resurrected in order to be one of the adventurers trying to rally against this evil, and will even be given a magical item. Kazuma chooses the best, most magical thing he can think of – the goddess Aqua herself. But no amount of video games can prepare Kazuma for the real world. Being an adventurer isn’t easy. He doesn’t have any money. Forming a party isn’t exactly working as easily as expected. And Kazuma beings to think that maybe just staying dead would have been a better idea.
Yes, this plot can sound familiar. It’s a portal fantasy, after all, of which there are plenty. None of them are executed quite like this one, however, which makes it stand head and shoulders above the rest. Konosuba is pure fun, turning familiar genre tropes on their heads. It makes fun of itself and of the genre. And I loved every second of it.
The story is told in first person point of view with Kazuma as the narrator. When the story opens he’s confident that he will be a great adventurer and that all of this will be pretty easy. He’s done similar things hundreds of times in games and believes in himself. However, things really don’t go as planned. The goddess Aqua, while powerful, doesn’t act like he’d expect of a goddess. Really, she’s pretty normal – a little egotistical and a little whiny, maybe, but very skilled and quite useful when she wants to be. Being an adventurer isn’t half as easy as games make it appear, either. No one hands you a set of starter armor and there aren’t always quests to go on. And when there are quests, not all of them are ones he finds himself and his team able to complete.
The novel's main villain is a very intriguing character. Like the rest of the story, things don’t follow a conventional format. One of the leaders of the Demon King’s army makes a base in the area. This leads to certain consequences, but not the ones expected. The general isn’t interested in the town or its people at all. It’s just a small place, after all, filled with beginner adventurers with no real power to speak of. Still, the general does confront the adventurers a number of times. Each time is for a different reason ranging from mundane and common sense to the sort of righteous anger usually reserved for a main character on the side of good as opposed to the evil villain we have here.
The story whizzes by. Dialogue is usually not interrupted by too many he said/she said’s or descriptions of what the characters are physically doing. I’ve found this style a bit flat in the past, but Akatsuki makes it work. The characters themselves have more than enough personality to carry this tale on their own. Their voices are very, very different from one another’s with no chance of mistaking one character’s dialogue for someone else’s. Even so, I felt the story could have used a little more meat to it. Time passes rather quickly throughout the tale, and while it didn’t really feel as if the story moved too fast I would have appreciated some extra time getting to know the characters and seeing more of the city.
As for the magic system, it is rather like the magic system of an RPG. However, once again, it turns some familiar things on their heads. Characters can ‘level up’, but where other stories glance over how this occurs, it is explained in detail, albeit quickly. When a person kills an enemy, or even eats meat, a small portion of the other creature is absorbed. If this happens enough, ding! You level! Choosing what skills and traits to learn takes time and forward thinking.
I also found how a character learns a new skill a rather fun play on the genre. For the most part, what skill can be learned depends on how many points you’re willing to spend on it, and if you can find someone who already knows the skill to teach it to you. This has very real world consequences for the characters, what they are able to do, and how it can wildly unbalance a group. It’s easy to learn fun skills or spells that wind up almost completely useless in most real world situations, and the consequences are played out within the novel.
Now, this is still a light novel. There are some candy color haired female characters, and a few over the top personalities. While I can see some readers getting a little tired of one or two of them, it was fun to see Kazuma also lamenting the fact that his entire team is over the top and can’t do anything quickly, concisely, or normally.
In a lot of ways, Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Vol 1 is at once a love letter to the genre and throws the whole thing completely on its head. It’s filled with memorable characters who, perhaps a bit grating at times, are really quite lovable. This light novel is pure fun from start to finish. So much so that I’ve already started reading the next in the series. If you like portal fantasies, video games, or seeing tropes thrown on their heads, pick this one up. If you don’t like high fantasy or characters that sometimes whine, don’t pick this one up.
This review and more can be found at Looking Glass Reads.
December 10, 2016
The first thing to remember is that this is a light novel, and thus, isn't as 'heavy' as normal novels. It also means that it takes liberty with certain things, like language, punctuation, etc. Read it for the story and don't expect anything like masterful writing.
(cause where else do you get: "Say what?" x3 as dialogue?)
Now, that said, I believe the version I read was a fan translated piece, so that could have had something to do with the way the material was handled in English. Though I will admit, I still enjoyed the story and still enjoyed the characters. It wasn't a masterful piece, but it still made me chuckle a number of times, and still captured a lot of the flavor I had seen in the anime based off this story.
All in all, I recommend getting your hands on a translation of this light novel. It's fun, and really is a light read, and there are always days you want to read something light and fluffy!
(cause where else do you get: "Say what?" x3 as dialogue?)
Now, that said, I believe the version I read was a fan translated piece, so that could have had something to do with the way the material was handled in English. Though I will admit, I still enjoyed the story and still enjoyed the characters. It wasn't a masterful piece, but it still made me chuckle a number of times, and still captured a lot of the flavor I had seen in the anime based off this story.
All in all, I recommend getting your hands on a translation of this light novel. It's fun, and really is a light read, and there are always days you want to read something light and fluffy!
August 16, 2020
Review to come... Funny as hell...
May 30, 2021
Jesus Christ. God has abandoned us. I enjoy stupid and disgusting humour, but I just don’t find sexualising a child to be funny in any way. Like a 13 year old is depicted in a sexual way on the SECOND page, and again on the third, and referred to as a loli or jailbait throughout. I don’t even understand who they’re targeting. This illustration at the beginning is kind of inappropriate for high schoolers to see but at the same time I don’t think any self-respecting adult would read something so juvenile. (And before you flame me for reading it, I said self-respecting.)
With that out of the way, I do think that there are some funny moments in this book. I thought the opening was really funny as well as Megumin’s character, and I can appreciate what it’s trying to do with its subversion of tropes. But that’s it. Konosuba basically relies on the same three jokes. They were funny the first time, don’t get me wrong. But they become so mind-numbing that after a while, they start to fade into the background like ambient music. I understand the concept of a running joke, but most of the humour can’t just be derived from that in my opinion. It’s just not very funny.
I think I also need to talk about the series’ attitude towards women in general (outside of the blatant pedo shit that was occurring on the second page). I find it pretty weird that every female character needs to have some sort of sex appeal to the protagonist, in this volume at least. I don’t care how big her breasts are, she just needs to contribute to the story.
Ultimately, I ask myself, am I laughing? I’m not. To me, Konosuba still fails as a comedy even if I overlook its slimy depictions of underage girls. I did not laugh. I did not pog. Might start believing in God again because I feel like I need a higher power to cleanse me of the filth that was this book.
With that out of the way, I do think that there are some funny moments in this book. I thought the opening was really funny as well as Megumin’s character, and I can appreciate what it’s trying to do with its subversion of tropes. But that’s it. Konosuba basically relies on the same three jokes. They were funny the first time, don’t get me wrong. But they become so mind-numbing that after a while, they start to fade into the background like ambient music. I understand the concept of a running joke, but most of the humour can’t just be derived from that in my opinion. It’s just not very funny.
I think I also need to talk about the series’ attitude towards women in general (outside of the blatant pedo shit that was occurring on the second page). I find it pretty weird that every female character needs to have some sort of sex appeal to the protagonist, in this volume at least. I don’t care how big her breasts are, she just needs to contribute to the story.
Ultimately, I ask myself, am I laughing? I’m not. To me, Konosuba still fails as a comedy even if I overlook its slimy depictions of underage girls. I did not laugh. I did not pog. Might start believing in God again because I feel like I need a higher power to cleanse me of the filth that was this book.
November 20, 2017
Well, this has been the most fun I've had with a relatively normal fantasy book. I laughed so much with it that that's why it got five stars. The story is nothing impressive, just a regular guy who got sent to another world to defeat an evil Demon Lord, but who has absolutely no skills to do it. His party of wizards, crusaders and all, are very dysfunctional, and the goddess is indeed useless, and that's really where all the fun comes from! The situations are just hilarious, and they never get anything right if it's not by sheer luck. I loved it. It was the perfect book for an afternoon of fun and something light to read. I'm so reading the others.
July 25, 2017
If you stumble upon this review with the queston on your mind "should I read this book?" - yeah, you should. Totally. Because you don't have to be a fan of Light Novels or to have watched the Anime for reading - and probably liking - this book. It is an endearing story about a couple of misfit that live their daily lifes in a fantasy world, with our main otaku-protagonist's expectations of fantasy worlds being thrown over repeatedly, which is really funny. And trust me, you will get the jokes even if you are not a full time anime-fantasy-video-game-nerd.
May 7, 2022
I am a HUGE fan of the Konosuba anime, so I wanted to give the light novels a try.
I don't know if it's the english translation that makes this first book so GOD AWFUL but it was so fan ficcy, so... unreadable. Sadly not finishing the series but will stick with the anime and movies (SEASON 3 WHEN PWEASE??)
I don't know if it's the english translation that makes this first book so GOD AWFUL but it was so fan ficcy, so... unreadable. Sadly not finishing the series but will stick with the anime and movies (SEASON 3 WHEN PWEASE??)
May 28, 2017
Comedy gold! Great characters, funny dialogues! Super light read, but good laughter
July 19, 2022
Nie ma co się oszukiwać, że to historia z jakąś wyjątkową głębią, mająca doprowadzić czytelnika do łez wzruszenia. To luźna komedia, nie traktująca niczego zbyt poważnie. Czy to dobrze? Uważam, że jak najbardziej, bo warto czasem odpocząć od przygnębiającej, ponurej atmosfery.
Całość bazuje w pewien sposób na systemie ‘’RPG w prawdziwym życiu’’, więc nie należy tego świata rozumieć jako tradycyjne fantasy, bo w tym przypadku wszystkie postacie levelują i nabywają umiejętności za zdobyte punkty i nie jest to w tym uniwersum coś wyjątkowego tylko dla głównego bohatera.
Charakterystyczne, specyficzne postacie, nasz teoretycznie słaby bohater z dużą ilością szczęścia, a główny cel całej historii wzbudza zainteresowanie, szczególnie w jaki sposób zostanie on osiągnięty, biorąc pod uwagę jaką drużynę ma Kazuma. Warto do książki, i bym powiedziała, że nawet do całej serii, podejść z otwartą głową i dystansem bez oczekiwań wysokiej klasy literatury.
Całość bazuje w pewien sposób na systemie ‘’RPG w prawdziwym życiu’’, więc nie należy tego świata rozumieć jako tradycyjne fantasy, bo w tym przypadku wszystkie postacie levelują i nabywają umiejętności za zdobyte punkty i nie jest to w tym uniwersum coś wyjątkowego tylko dla głównego bohatera.
Charakterystyczne, specyficzne postacie, nasz teoretycznie słaby bohater z dużą ilością szczęścia, a główny cel całej historii wzbudza zainteresowanie, szczególnie w jaki sposób zostanie on osiągnięty, biorąc pod uwagę jaką drużynę ma Kazuma. Warto do książki, i bym powiedziała, że nawet do całej serii, podejść z otwartą głową i dystansem bez oczekiwań wysokiej klasy literatury.
March 20, 2024
This was fun, but a lot was because I've watched and loved the anime. The book was just too short, and lacking content. It did feel like there was some story left out in the start.
Audiobook - There are two narrators. They're really good, because I thought it was a full cast.
Audiobook - There are two narrators. They're really good, because I thought it was a full cast.
May 29, 2024
Cringe. But also highly entertaining. The voice acting really made it like genuinely don't think I would've really liked it if I read it instead but the voice actors made the comedy really well delivered.
May 29, 2020
This was my first Light novel I've ever read and it was a blast!! I have seen the anime adaptation and was totally enthralled by it. This book was even better. I can't wait to read the next volume!!
April 25, 2022
I don't think this book translates well. But I have heard that the books get better after a few volumes So I may keep reading them. But I did love the anime though.
April 5, 2018
My first time reading an "isekai" story (unless Sword Art Online counts), and it turned out pretty well. Maybe the benefit was that Konosuba seems to be primarily a comedy series, but it wasn't so disgusting to follow a hikikomori victim of Truck-kun as reincarnated in a fantasy world with rules inspired by RPG elements. I'm too lazy to research what were the first proper isekai stories which followed .hack// and Sword Art Online's example of people getting trapped in pre-existing virtual worlds (or, for that matter, Digimon), but it seems pretty clear that Konosuba is meant to be a parody, with main character Kazuma not being as over-powered as a wish-fulfillment series might usually require of its self-insert-y protagonist.
Kazuma died in the real world from an unfortunate chain of events stemming from his first attempt at leaving his house in ages. Upon picking up the limited edition of a new MMORPG, he sees a young girl about to get hit by a truck, and decides to be cool and jump in to save her. He gets hit, and dies. As it turns out, it wasn't a real truck, but simply a tractor. And the girl would have survived regardless, having realized the situation soon enough. And Kazuma didn't even get hit by the tractor, but rather went into shock thinking he was about to die from the collision. But not after shitting himself. Or so he is told by the goddess Aqua, whom he meets in limbo, before she reincarnates him into the fantasy world. Despite these circumstances, Kazuma somehow believes himself to have had great luck in his life, manifesting itself in an absurdly high Luck stat in the new fantasy dimension. Aside from the events of the novel's prologue, we see nothing of Kazuma's earlier life, so we can only trust him when he says he's an expert in MMORPGs (even though he seems to refer mostly to Dragon Quest and Monster Hunter, neither of which is an MMO [unless we count DQX, I guess], so whatever), and his rough knowledge of the basic workings of fantasy RPGs (starting in a small town, becoming an adventurer, and taking quests and killing monsters to gain money and experience points) seems to be the cause for his initial successes in the new world, not so much his apparently great Luck, which seems to not work so well even in important story situations.
So basically it isn't painful to read at all, since it seems the author is trying hard to make Kazuma out to be as average as possible. But I guess this is kind of a negative, because it makes him out to be more relatable for the majority of readers, who would themselves be average Japanese youths with near-otaku interests. And god damn the author for writing at length in his Afterword about how great it is that Kazuma is so average, as though this isn't an absurdly popular method of writing a main character in Japanese media! But at least Kazuma has that sarcastic, dejected sort of personality expected by these sorts of characters, that sense of cynicism that keeps the potential harem from fully realizing itself, pushing the novel away from being a true bottom-of-the-barrel wish-fulfillment tale (because, really, how many modern Japanese act this way in real life?).
As is probably the main draw for a series like this, the girls are good. I've seen people on /a/ talking about how retarded Aqua is, but it didn't seem to be so bad here (I mean, the shitposting was affectionate anyway). She's certainly kind of dense, but not to a point where it justifies her apparently abysmal Intelligence stat, which I suppose runs counter to the author's intent with her characterization. The times when she seems most stupid seem a little contrived, honestly - particularly when it seems she's forgotten she's a goddess after only a couple weeks of living in the fantasy world. And it's kind of weird she doesn't seem dumb at all in her introduction in the Prologue, but I suppose this can be justified because she was previously in her comfort zone in limbo and maybe her idiocy only manifested itself during her incarnation into the new world. She does complain a lot, but in a way that reminds me of Index's whining "Toumaaaaaa..." from A Certain Magical Index, and that's quite okay by me. Also, perhaps most importantly, she benefits the most by the illustrations in this volume, particularly her thighs in the image of her in the cage, and her tits near the end during the Dullahan fight.
Megumin I expected to like the most, based almost solely on her chuuni demeanor and her DFC (I've saved several images of Megumin off of /a/ before ever reading this book). Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to flex her chunni-ness so much. Perhaps due to the short length of this novel, we don't really get enough interactions between Kazuma and the non-Aqua girls to really see them shine. Megumin's infatuation with the Explosion spell is a huge part of her character, and indeed that very quality leads to the conflict at the novel's climax, but I felt like we were missing something more. The girl has red eyes, an eyepatch, bandages on one leg, and she introduces herself by doing a silly pose, yet we barely get any real chuuni shit. Really, her passion for Explosion kind of just makes her feel like a more general "genki" character, which isn't so bad, but I feel betrayed by her character design. And it seems there were too few mentions of her fondness for Explosion bordering on eroticism. Not that I explicitly wanted more, just that it seemed underutilized, other than to just piggyback her primary defining trait on top of Darkness's. I will admit I did like when Kazuma feels her try to press her itty-bitty titties into his back near the end, but that plebeian still dismisses her as "jailbait."
Darkness is pretty great, with her masochistic lust never getting satisfied due to Kazuma actively ignoring her interests and choosing to engage in quests that would avoid her desire to get jumped by monsters. Oddly, from everything I've seen before actually experiencing the series, it seems she has the biggest breasts of the initial cast, yet we do not get an illustration of Darkness sans plate armor, and Kazuma's description of her unarmored body isn't quite so descriptive as to actually point out how well-endowed she is, other than a vague insinuation that she's better endowed than Aqua and (obviously) Megumin. Hell, the word Kazuma uses to describe Darkness is "svelte," which really only suggests she is not as muscular as her large armor would suggest, and kind of goes further to suggest she'd have smaller boobs. Which, I mean, whatever, Aqua's boobs look pretty great in the actual illustrations, so Darkness's may potential border on being near-unattractive cowtits (too lazy to search for official art of her tits), but still. Back to more "serious" subjects, it seems her strong desire to protect, the actualization of her Crusader/Paladin instincts, have a disproportionate weight to them during the final battle with the Dullahan. Wasn't really buying Kazuma's emotional response.
Bonus points for Wiz's ass in the illustration of her meeting with Aqua.
Lastly, it kind of bothers me that there is a final battle at all. I mean, it's a light novel, a final battle is to be expected, regardless of general comedy-focus earlier in the story, but it seems to conflict with the basic design of the medium. This isn't an issue for this novel/series specifically, but for most (if not all) light novels I've read recently, just that it finally stuck out to me while reading this one. If the purpose of a light novel is to receive an anime adaptation in order to serve as a long-form advertisement for further installments in the novel series, why does every novel follow the same standard plot development? I am not necessarily complaining about the climax being a fight scene, but rather I am complaining that there is an obvious climax at all. In general, an anime adaptation of a light novel will adapt two or three novels per 12/13-episode cour, meaning each series ramps up toward a climax, resets in the next episode, crescendos again, &c., &c. It works for prose fiction, but it seems weird in a serial animation, unless in the odd case of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, which initially mixed the episode order up a bit. It always gets to a point where I would reach the last chapter of a light novel and think to myself "alright, some stakes are going to be introduced soon, likely involving things mentioned earlier in the novel," which I suppose is true for any narrative in any medium, and it's really only my fault for reading anime books when I kinda hate storytelling. Maybe that's just my fault for having gotten a literature degree out of love for pure prose and wasting all my time on light novels instead of big-boy books. Oh well, I guess it can't be helped.
Kazuma died in the real world from an unfortunate chain of events stemming from his first attempt at leaving his house in ages. Upon picking up the limited edition of a new MMORPG, he sees a young girl about to get hit by a truck, and decides to be cool and jump in to save her. He gets hit, and dies. As it turns out, it wasn't a real truck, but simply a tractor. And the girl would have survived regardless, having realized the situation soon enough. And Kazuma didn't even get hit by the tractor, but rather went into shock thinking he was about to die from the collision. But not after shitting himself. Or so he is told by the goddess Aqua, whom he meets in limbo, before she reincarnates him into the fantasy world. Despite these circumstances, Kazuma somehow believes himself to have had great luck in his life, manifesting itself in an absurdly high Luck stat in the new fantasy dimension. Aside from the events of the novel's prologue, we see nothing of Kazuma's earlier life, so we can only trust him when he says he's an expert in MMORPGs (even though he seems to refer mostly to Dragon Quest and Monster Hunter, neither of which is an MMO [unless we count DQX, I guess], so whatever), and his rough knowledge of the basic workings of fantasy RPGs (starting in a small town, becoming an adventurer, and taking quests and killing monsters to gain money and experience points) seems to be the cause for his initial successes in the new world, not so much his apparently great Luck, which seems to not work so well even in important story situations.
So basically it isn't painful to read at all, since it seems the author is trying hard to make Kazuma out to be as average as possible. But I guess this is kind of a negative, because it makes him out to be more relatable for the majority of readers, who would themselves be average Japanese youths with near-otaku interests. And god damn the author for writing at length in his Afterword about how great it is that Kazuma is so average, as though this isn't an absurdly popular method of writing a main character in Japanese media! But at least Kazuma has that sarcastic, dejected sort of personality expected by these sorts of characters, that sense of cynicism that keeps the potential harem from fully realizing itself, pushing the novel away from being a true bottom-of-the-barrel wish-fulfillment tale (because, really, how many modern Japanese act this way in real life?).
As is probably the main draw for a series like this, the girls are good. I've seen people on /a/ talking about how retarded Aqua is, but it didn't seem to be so bad here (I mean, the shitposting was affectionate anyway). She's certainly kind of dense, but not to a point where it justifies her apparently abysmal Intelligence stat, which I suppose runs counter to the author's intent with her characterization. The times when she seems most stupid seem a little contrived, honestly - particularly when it seems she's forgotten she's a goddess after only a couple weeks of living in the fantasy world. And it's kind of weird she doesn't seem dumb at all in her introduction in the Prologue, but I suppose this can be justified because she was previously in her comfort zone in limbo and maybe her idiocy only manifested itself during her incarnation into the new world. She does complain a lot, but in a way that reminds me of Index's whining "Toumaaaaaa..." from A Certain Magical Index, and that's quite okay by me. Also, perhaps most importantly, she benefits the most by the illustrations in this volume, particularly her thighs in the image of her in the cage, and her tits near the end during the Dullahan fight.
Megumin I expected to like the most, based almost solely on her chuuni demeanor and her DFC (I've saved several images of Megumin off of /a/ before ever reading this book). Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to flex her chunni-ness so much. Perhaps due to the short length of this novel, we don't really get enough interactions between Kazuma and the non-Aqua girls to really see them shine. Megumin's infatuation with the Explosion spell is a huge part of her character, and indeed that very quality leads to the conflict at the novel's climax, but I felt like we were missing something more. The girl has red eyes, an eyepatch, bandages on one leg, and she introduces herself by doing a silly pose, yet we barely get any real chuuni shit. Really, her passion for Explosion kind of just makes her feel like a more general "genki" character, which isn't so bad, but I feel betrayed by her character design. And it seems there were too few mentions of her fondness for Explosion bordering on eroticism. Not that I explicitly wanted more, just that it seemed underutilized, other than to just piggyback her primary defining trait on top of Darkness's. I will admit I did like when Kazuma feels her try to press her itty-bitty titties into his back near the end, but that plebeian still dismisses her as "jailbait."
Darkness is pretty great, with her masochistic lust never getting satisfied due to Kazuma actively ignoring her interests and choosing to engage in quests that would avoid her desire to get jumped by monsters. Oddly, from everything I've seen before actually experiencing the series, it seems she has the biggest breasts of the initial cast, yet we do not get an illustration of Darkness sans plate armor, and Kazuma's description of her unarmored body isn't quite so descriptive as to actually point out how well-endowed she is, other than a vague insinuation that she's better endowed than Aqua and (obviously) Megumin. Hell, the word Kazuma uses to describe Darkness is "svelte," which really only suggests she is not as muscular as her large armor would suggest, and kind of goes further to suggest she'd have smaller boobs. Which, I mean, whatever, Aqua's boobs look pretty great in the actual illustrations, so Darkness's may potential border on being near-unattractive cowtits (too lazy to search for official art of her tits), but still. Back to more "serious" subjects, it seems her strong desire to protect, the actualization of her Crusader/Paladin instincts, have a disproportionate weight to them during the final battle with the Dullahan. Wasn't really buying Kazuma's emotional response.
Bonus points for Wiz's ass in the illustration of her meeting with Aqua.
Lastly, it kind of bothers me that there is a final battle at all. I mean, it's a light novel, a final battle is to be expected, regardless of general comedy-focus earlier in the story, but it seems to conflict with the basic design of the medium. This isn't an issue for this novel/series specifically, but for most (if not all) light novels I've read recently, just that it finally stuck out to me while reading this one. If the purpose of a light novel is to receive an anime adaptation in order to serve as a long-form advertisement for further installments in the novel series, why does every novel follow the same standard plot development? I am not necessarily complaining about the climax being a fight scene, but rather I am complaining that there is an obvious climax at all. In general, an anime adaptation of a light novel will adapt two or three novels per 12/13-episode cour, meaning each series ramps up toward a climax, resets in the next episode, crescendos again, &c., &c. It works for prose fiction, but it seems weird in a serial animation, unless in the odd case of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, which initially mixed the episode order up a bit. It always gets to a point where I would reach the last chapter of a light novel and think to myself "alright, some stakes are going to be introduced soon, likely involving things mentioned earlier in the novel," which I suppose is true for any narrative in any medium, and it's really only my fault for reading anime books when I kinda hate storytelling. Maybe that's just my fault for having gotten a literature degree out of love for pure prose and wasting all my time on light novels instead of big-boy books. Oh well, I guess it can't be helped.
June 25, 2017
I haven't read a novel this fast in forever. I read this in a few hours. I usually take forever because I get distracted by other things, but not this time. Now, the writing isn't the most elegant, but this is a really fun series. Some of the stuff that happens is so silly, it's hilarious.
The characters are decent, for the most part. If you've seen the Anime, you know the characters. If you haven't, you're in for a treat. I feel the characters are a bit stronger here, because their actions/feelings are described, as opposed to shown (badly) animated. Aqua is pretty much the same (a useless, mooching, drunk who only knows party tricks and insults Kazuma for reasons), Megumin still thinks she's the most powerful sorceress ever and only likes one spell, and Darkness is still a weird masochist. What is new is, honestly, I didn't know Darkness was supposed to be quiet, to the point where Kazuma makes a big deal about the contrast in her masochistic tendencies verses her regularly quiet demeanor. The anime changes this, not showing this at all. And honestly, it works better.
Kazuma himself gets the most improvements, as we know what's on his mind. He doesn't seem like a total loser jerk as much, just more of a normal guy stuck in a bad situation who does try to make the best of a bad situation. He's certainly a lot less of a jerk, at the least, as he isn't constantly calling the girls useless to their face. Only Aqua gets his insults, largely, and that's because she starts stuff with him.
He certainly isn't the perfect gentleman with them, but he is a LOT better.
Anyway, as for the plot, it is fast moving, silly most of the time, and you really will want to see our heroes succeed. If you like the fantasy genre at all, and like comedies, do not skip this. This is the only other novel I could compare to Slayers, one of my favorites of all time. But it somehow manages to be more absurd than that. Definitely read this. And definitely buy it if you can, because they won't translate beyond a certain point if it doesn't sell.
The characters are decent, for the most part. If you've seen the Anime, you know the characters. If you haven't, you're in for a treat. I feel the characters are a bit stronger here, because their actions/feelings are described, as opposed to shown (badly) animated. Aqua is pretty much the same (a useless, mooching, drunk who only knows party tricks and insults Kazuma for reasons), Megumin still thinks she's the most powerful sorceress ever and only likes one spell, and Darkness is still a weird masochist. What is new is, honestly, I didn't know Darkness was supposed to be quiet, to the point where Kazuma makes a big deal about the contrast in her masochistic tendencies verses her regularly quiet demeanor. The anime changes this, not showing this at all. And honestly, it works better.
Kazuma himself gets the most improvements, as we know what's on his mind. He doesn't seem like a total loser jerk as much, just more of a normal guy stuck in a bad situation who does try to make the best of a bad situation. He's certainly a lot less of a jerk, at the least, as he isn't constantly calling the girls useless to their face. Only Aqua gets his insults, largely, and that's because she starts stuff with him.
He certainly isn't the perfect gentleman with them, but he is a LOT better.
Anyway, as for the plot, it is fast moving, silly most of the time, and you really will want to see our heroes succeed. If you like the fantasy genre at all, and like comedies, do not skip this. This is the only other novel I could compare to Slayers, one of my favorites of all time. But it somehow manages to be more absurd than that. Definitely read this. And definitely buy it if you can, because they won't translate beyond a certain point if it doesn't sell.
June 20, 2017
This was really funny! I've seen the anime already, but wanted to read the light novel. Kazuma is smart, but lazy and not chivalrous. He isn't exactly a great guy, and his comrades are so funny it's ridiculous. The situations are really funny.
February 28, 2022
Well , they say it is a very hilarious series . It certainly does focuses on comedy but I don't think it's that much funny . The story is mediocre like every other Isekai series . Overall , I don't think it's worth investing your time . Rather read some amazing western fantasy novels .
January 31, 2016
It may be generic, but I'm just reading it for the comedy.
July 15, 2016
Recomended comedy series. Our MC has a really high LUCK. Yet his companions full of uniques personality.
February 23, 2017
A very pleasant isekai-comedy.
My only complaint would be that some dialogue feels a bit stiff.
My only complaint would be that some dialogue feels a bit stiff.
November 1, 2017
I did watch a few episodes first a while back. I though it was a bit unique, but it didn't really draw my attention to watch the whole series. Then, sometime later I found out the light novel was to be released in English and decided to find out what the fuss was all about. And I am glad I did, cause my first impression wasn't that accurate at all. As the novel is quite a fun read with interesting characters and a plot that is designed to poke fun at the all too familiar transported to another world trope that is so familiar now-a-days in Japanese fiction.
Konosuba tells the story of a video-game loving shut-in Kazuma Sato's whose life as a young schoolboy in Japan abruptly comes to an early end by a tragic accident...or at least it was supposed to. When he opens his eyes, though, he sees a beautiful goddess that offers him a once in an after-lifetime chance to be reborn in a parallel world. The catch is that the world is violent and threatened by a growing evil, the Demon King! Fortunately, he can choose any one thing to bring with him. But instead of a powerful weapon or magical stuff he chooses the goddess, Aqua! And so his adventure with his gorgeous companion begins in a game like world. But it's just a struggle to just get enough money and food to survive, keep his goddess out of trouble, and avoid grabbing the attention of the Demon King's army!
The story tries to poke fun into these immensely popular setting, which has taken the world of Japanese fiction like a storm. From the start it makes fun of how stupidly the protagonist had died in the real world and keeps making fun of him being a 'hikki/NEET'. It also has side characters to make fun of generic hero in such fictions and also makes fun various character tropes in such a setting.
The characters are the driving force of this light novel and the strength which makes the story enjoyable. Kazuma Satou is the main protagonist who used to be a video-game loving shut-in, he is very unlike hero characters as he lacks any special ability and is quite selfish in his ways, aiming to survive in as peaceful a way as possible with no intention of taking part in any conflicts. Aqua is an energetic and simple minded girl who likes to receive reverence for her status and gets upset easily. As an Arch priest and a goddess, she is quite powerful, but rather than learning skills which would benefit her party, she spends most of her skill points learning Party Tricks. Megumin, is an arch wizard who is also quite useless, she knows the incredibly powerful explosion magic that immediately incapacitates her for the rest of the day when cast, and stubbornly refuses to learn any other skills. And lastly Darkness is a crusader who possesses powerful offense and defense, but lacks the accuracy to deliver her attacks. She is a masochist who dreams of being ravaged by monsters and other abuses.
Despite thoroughly enjoying this first novel I wish the author had spent a bit more time on world-building as I would have loved to learn more about the land outside the starter town. And also the novel as a bit short in length for my liking (which is to be expected, as it is called a 'light novel'). Although I am a bit skeptical whether the author will be able to keep up the quality of this first book in the series in the upcoming novels rather than becoming generic like the stories he is trying to make fun of.
All said and done, I really enjoyed my first foray (as a reader) into the world of 'Konosuba' and will definitely check out the future novels as they get translated and might even watch the anime.
This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.
For more reviews and stuff check out my blog -
http://ihate00critics.blogspot.com/
Konosuba tells the story of a video-game loving shut-in Kazuma Sato's whose life as a young schoolboy in Japan abruptly comes to an early end by a tragic accident...or at least it was supposed to. When he opens his eyes, though, he sees a beautiful goddess that offers him a once in an after-lifetime chance to be reborn in a parallel world. The catch is that the world is violent and threatened by a growing evil, the Demon King! Fortunately, he can choose any one thing to bring with him. But instead of a powerful weapon or magical stuff he chooses the goddess, Aqua! And so his adventure with his gorgeous companion begins in a game like world. But it's just a struggle to just get enough money and food to survive, keep his goddess out of trouble, and avoid grabbing the attention of the Demon King's army!
The story tries to poke fun into these immensely popular setting, which has taken the world of Japanese fiction like a storm. From the start it makes fun of how stupidly the protagonist had died in the real world and keeps making fun of him being a 'hikki/NEET'. It also has side characters to make fun of generic hero in such fictions and also makes fun various character tropes in such a setting.
The characters are the driving force of this light novel and the strength which makes the story enjoyable. Kazuma Satou is the main protagonist who used to be a video-game loving shut-in, he is very unlike hero characters as he lacks any special ability and is quite selfish in his ways, aiming to survive in as peaceful a way as possible with no intention of taking part in any conflicts. Aqua is an energetic and simple minded girl who likes to receive reverence for her status and gets upset easily. As an Arch priest and a goddess, she is quite powerful, but rather than learning skills which would benefit her party, she spends most of her skill points learning Party Tricks. Megumin, is an arch wizard who is also quite useless, she knows the incredibly powerful explosion magic that immediately incapacitates her for the rest of the day when cast, and stubbornly refuses to learn any other skills. And lastly Darkness is a crusader who possesses powerful offense and defense, but lacks the accuracy to deliver her attacks. She is a masochist who dreams of being ravaged by monsters and other abuses.
Despite thoroughly enjoying this first novel I wish the author had spent a bit more time on world-building as I would have loved to learn more about the land outside the starter town. And also the novel as a bit short in length for my liking (which is to be expected, as it is called a 'light novel'). Although I am a bit skeptical whether the author will be able to keep up the quality of this first book in the series in the upcoming novels rather than becoming generic like the stories he is trying to make fun of.
All said and done, I really enjoyed my first foray (as a reader) into the world of 'Konosuba' and will definitely check out the future novels as they get translated and might even watch the anime.
This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.
For more reviews and stuff check out my blog -
http://ihate00critics.blogspot.com/
August 17, 2023
Oh! My Useless Goddess! - A Hilarious Romp Through a Fantastically Absurd World
Oh! My Useless Goddess! (Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Light Novel, #1) transports readers into ahilarious and eccentric universe filled with slapstick humor, quirky characters, and a refreshing take on the isekai genre. With its uproarious antics and tongue-in-cheek storytelling, this light novel offers a delightful escape into comedic fantasy.
The novel's world-building is a twist on the conventional isekai setting, immersing the protagonist and readers in a fantastically absurd realm filled with eccentric deities and outlandish magical creatures. The
The protagonist, Kazuma Satou, is a hilariously relatable character who finds himself caught in the chaos of the new world. His interactions with the quirky companions he encounters add layers of comedic depth to the story. The novel's strength lies in its character dynamics, which drive much of the humor andabsurd situations that unfold.
The plot of Oh! My Useless Goddess! follows a series of misadventures that Kazuma and his companions find themselves embroiled in. From battling bizarre monsters to navigating theridiculous demands of their deity sponsor, the story is a rollicking ride that thrives on comedic timing and absurd scenarios. The narrative's comedic pacing keeps readers entertained throughout.
The novel's writing style is lively and energetic, capturing the essence of the comedic atmosphere. The dialogue is witty andplayfully irreverent, reflecting the humorous banter between characters. The prose adds to the overall
Compared to other isekai light novels, Oh! My Useless Goddess! stands out for its emphasis on comedy andabsurdity. While other works may delve into epic battles or romantic subplots, this novel excels in creating a hilarious and self-aware narrative that pokes fun at genre conventions.
In conclusion, Oh! My Useless Goddess! (Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Light Novel, #1) is a side-splitting and enjoyable light novel that offers readers a whimsical escape into a world of comedic fantasy. With its quirky characters and uproarious situations, this novel delivers a
Oh! My Useless Goddess! (Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Light Novel, #1) transports readers into a
The novel's world-building is a twist on the conventional isekai setting, immersing the protagonist and readers in a fantastically absurd realm filled with eccentric deities and outlandish magical creatures. The
lighthearteddescriptions of the world and its inhabitants create a playful atmosphere that sets the tone for the narrative.
The protagonist, Kazuma Satou, is a hilariously relatable character who finds himself caught in the chaos of the new world. His interactions with the quirky companions he encounters add layers of comedic depth to the story. The novel's strength lies in its character dynamics, which drive much of the humor and
The plot of Oh! My Useless Goddess! follows a series of misadventures that Kazuma and his companions find themselves embroiled in. From battling bizarre monsters to navigating the
The novel's writing style is lively and energetic, capturing the essence of the comedic atmosphere. The dialogue is witty and
light-heartedand upbeat tone of the novel.
Compared to other isekai light novels, Oh! My Useless Goddess! stands out for its emphasis on comedy and
In conclusion, Oh! My Useless Goddess! (Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! Light Novel, #1) is a side-splitting and enjoyable light novel that offers readers a whimsical escape into a world of comedic fantasy. With its quirky characters and uproarious situations, this novel delivers a
laugh-out-loudreading experience that fans of comedic isekai will thoroughly appreciate.
April 6, 2021
3.5 stars!
A super light read that was so much fun. I’ve needed something light and silly to help balance out the intense and often really depressing novels (for school and for my own pleasure) that I’ve been reading recently and this took the cake. The world may be amazingly generic (it’s a parody of the isekai genre after all, so of course it’s exploring all the stereotypes of the genre) but the characters are all so dumb and hilarious and so much fun.
I don’t expect super great or complex prose from light novels to begin with, but I was a bit surprised at just how basic and bare the prose was here. Some dialogue was really stiff at times and the world-building was practically nonexistent. The stupid dialogue from the dumb villain at the end of this book made sense as this is a parody, but even with that, I never felt that anything had stakes throughout the whole first volume, which is something I want. Obviously this is a long-running series, so I assume it’ll get more intense as I continue. I hope.
I definitely got what I wanted out of this read though - funny and engaging characters and a silly and fun plot. Despite my qualms with the extremely simple writing style, I found myself everyday wanting to come back to read a few pages and spend some time with the weirdos in this story. I’m definitely going to be continuing with the series because I’ve come to love this annoying ragtag band of dummies and the adventure is fun enough to keep me interested in reading the next volume. Time to go order book 2 and watch the anime episodes as I go!
A super light read that was so much fun. I’ve needed something light and silly to help balance out the intense and often really depressing novels (for school and for my own pleasure) that I’ve been reading recently and this took the cake. The world may be amazingly generic (it’s a parody of the isekai genre after all, so of course it’s exploring all the stereotypes of the genre) but the characters are all so dumb and hilarious and so much fun.
I don’t expect super great or complex prose from light novels to begin with, but I was a bit surprised at just how basic and bare the prose was here. Some dialogue was really stiff at times and the world-building was practically nonexistent. The stupid dialogue from the dumb villain at the end of this book made sense as this is a parody, but even with that, I never felt that anything had stakes throughout the whole first volume, which is something I want. Obviously this is a long-running series, so I assume it’ll get more intense as I continue. I hope.
I definitely got what I wanted out of this read though - funny and engaging characters and a silly and fun plot. Despite my qualms with the extremely simple writing style, I found myself everyday wanting to come back to read a few pages and spend some time with the weirdos in this story. I’m definitely going to be continuing with the series because I’ve come to love this annoying ragtag band of dummies and the adventure is fun enough to keep me interested in reading the next volume. Time to go order book 2 and watch the anime episodes as I go!
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