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A Sister's All You Need #1
A Sister's All You Need., Vol. 1
Itsuki Hashima is a novelist who's hopelessly enamored with the idea of little sisters and is constantly surrounded by colorful characters. A world class genius and love-guru who's beauty almost seems a waste on her. A girl who's constantly troubled by her friendships, love interests, and can't even find refuge in her dreams. A ridiculously talented illustrator. Each of them have as many problems and worries as the next and they never have a dull day together as they play games, travel, and work together. From the same author of the famous I Don't Have Many Friends, Yomi Hirasaka!
200 pages, Paperback
First published March 18, 2015
38 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 9, 2020
Well that was fun. :)
There's a bit too much telling in the descriptions, but the dialogs sparkle.
A few sparks:
~ Hehehe, puns with all their ups and downs:
Or, I'm warming up for a forthcoming translation of my own. ;)
~ About midway through, we start learning some serious stuff about the workings of the Japanese publishing industry. For instance, that an illustrator pretty much makes or breaks a light novel.
And we get this choice morsel:
~ The part about how a novelist can turn playing mobile games into business expenses, from an accountant's perspective, is hilarious.
~ The roleplaying session was great fun too. If only I'd discovered live RPGs when I was younger and involved in fewer fields ....
There's a bit too much telling in the descriptions, but the dialogs sparkle.
A few sparks:
~ Hehehe, puns with all their ups and downs:
"... So am I too young to be of any romantic interest to you, Itsuki, or not?" (...)
"Oh, did you say something? Geez, they've got the music up so loud in this place, you can barely hear anything." (...)
"I need you, Itsuki."
"You need a Jew? Sorry, I'm not that religious."
"We're driven together by destiny."
"Oh, did you buy a car?"
"Let's have sex."
"Mmm, I like the trumpet more than the sax, myself."
"...Now I'm wondering how long you can keep this going. You can cop a feel whenever you like, y'know."
"Cop? Did someone commit a crime?"
"Fuck me now!"
"Hockey? On a tropical island? Yeah, right."
"...This is getting painful."
"And you're kinda stretching the definition of romantic confessions."
"I want your cummies!"
"E. E. Cummings? Boy, some of his poems were pretty off the wall, weren't they? And that's still not an admission of love."
"...Okay, let's class it up a little. It's a beautiful moon, isn't it?"
"It sure is."
"Huh? Um, that was the way that Natsume Soseki translated--"
"I know! I was just stringing you along!"
Or, I'm warming up for a forthcoming translation of my own. ;)
~ About midway through, we start learning some serious stuff about the workings of the Japanese publishing industry. For instance, that an illustrator pretty much makes or breaks a light novel.
And we get this choice morsel:
Setsuna (...) remained chipper, singing "Winter, Again" from pop group GLAY as he traipsed along the sidewalk.
"Hm hmm hmmm, hmmm hm hmm hmm hmm hmm hm hmmmm... ♪"
He was actually singing the lyrics (and he was good, too), but our published didn't want to pay the licencing fees.
~ The part about how a novelist can turn playing mobile games into business expenses, from an accountant's perspective, is hilarious.
~ The roleplaying session was great fun too. If only I'd discovered live RPGs when I was younger and involved in fewer fields ....
May 16, 2018
This isn't terrible, but my ultimate conclusion is that the character of Nayuta ruins it for me. She's obnoxious and sexual harassment is never funny.
Points for the realistic depiction of authorial anxieties, though.
Points for the realistic depiction of authorial anxieties, though.
May 24, 2018
Parts of this are really good, and then you look at the illustrations ...
June 19, 2025
This first volume does a fantastic job establishing everything this series is about. No doubt will there be some exciting things to come, but the established basis of a down-to-earth depiction of light-novel authors who indulge in their otaku hobbies is very appealing for the type of drama and characterisations Yomi Hirasaka is developing. By virtue of these characters closely relating to reality, despite surface-level archetypal traits, the emotional investment that forms after only one volume is impressively good. The fact that there are fourteen volumes to go through is a little concerning! I might get too emotionally attached to these characters!!!
Chapter 14 is a perfect example of why I love this series. It's no secret that ImoSae is a celebration of otaku culture; its characters all encourage each other and have a genuine interest in understanding one another's hobbies, light-novel details and production is explored and explained in great detail, and most important of all: it not only embraces otaku-isms, but actively participates in them. As in, this series is not simply saying these things, rather it spends an entire chapter describing a table-top RPG game (and by the "part-1" on the chapter title, I assume it'll be continued in later chapters!).
I love how ImoSae celebrates and participates in otaku culture. That's what makes this series so damn fun. And that's what makes the heartfelt dramatic elements hit as hard as they do. It's great to know that a lot of this is very purposeful by the author, as discussed in the afterword:
"The fact that I still have my head above water in this world, even after all the struggles I've had to face in this reality of mine, isn't just because I like light novels. It's in large part because I like the people I met in this world, people I could never have met otherwise." (Yomi Hirasaka, Volume 1 Afterword).
"Spending time with the screwy yet incredibly fascinating people who like getting all worked up about fiction [...] is bliss to me, and that's why I want to keep treating all this fiction seriously. That's what led to A Sister's All You Need., a very personal, very absurd love letter that extends out to tens of thousands of works." (Yomi Hirasaka, Volume 1 Afterword).
I think these quotes speak of themselves.
Great first volume!
Chapter 14 is a perfect example of why I love this series. It's no secret that ImoSae is a celebration of otaku culture; its characters all encourage each other and have a genuine interest in understanding one another's hobbies, light-novel details and production is explored and explained in great detail, and most important of all: it not only embraces otaku-isms, but actively participates in them. As in, this series is not simply saying these things, rather it spends an entire chapter describing a table-top RPG game (and by the "part-1" on the chapter title, I assume it'll be continued in later chapters!).
I love how ImoSae celebrates and participates in otaku culture. That's what makes this series so damn fun. And that's what makes the heartfelt dramatic elements hit as hard as they do. It's great to know that a lot of this is very purposeful by the author, as discussed in the afterword:
"The fact that I still have my head above water in this world, even after all the struggles I've had to face in this reality of mine, isn't just because I like light novels. It's in large part because I like the people I met in this world, people I could never have met otherwise." (Yomi Hirasaka, Volume 1 Afterword).
"Spending time with the screwy yet incredibly fascinating people who like getting all worked up about fiction [...] is bliss to me, and that's why I want to keep treating all this fiction seriously. That's what led to A Sister's All You Need., a very personal, very absurd love letter that extends out to tens of thousands of works." (Yomi Hirasaka, Volume 1 Afterword).
I think these quotes speak of themselves.
Great first volume!
October 23, 2020
This book is fun and hilarious! If you are an aspiring author, an author, or you just want something that will make you feel like you understand authors, then this book is for you! The characters in this book are easy to understand, and Yomi Hirasaka does a great job at making the reader feel like they are a part of the friend group. I loved this book, and I look forward to enjoying the rest of the series.
P.S.- If y'all could join me in petitioning english publishers to publish Yomi's other series, Haganai, that would be amazing. Either Yen On or Seven Seas would probably be the best bets.
P.S.- If y'all could join me in petitioning english publishers to publish Yomi's other series, Haganai, that would be amazing. Either Yen On or Seven Seas would probably be the best bets.
May 25, 2018
First of all, from the title one might imagine this to be some sort of siscon fantasy, it's not. Instead it's about a group of light novel authors who hang out, drink beer, play games and travel. I absolutely loved it, it was super chill and made me feel good.
June 16, 2018
Overall, this is a much better work than Haganai, or I don’t have many friends as it is known in the West. The author has clearly heard the fans criticism about her last protagonist being dull and boring, and has given us a protagonist that’s eccentric, maybe a bit too eccentric, for new comers. The first book is by far the weakest link, because of the slow introduction, but if you keep with it, it is bound to hit home around book 2 or 3. The characters get something getting used too, but you eventually learn to care for them, when you become aware of their struggles and and the insecurities they face in the light novel industry. In conclusion, don’t let the title, and the first few pages (mainly the first few pages) scare you away, this book is a great read for those who are looking for a fun light hearted novel with a quirky cast.
January 25, 2019
Finally finished it today. Took me awhile cause I was busy with work & life. But overall I loved it, plus it helped that I watched the anime.
I like Slice of Life stories that have that dash of comedy. 🤣 To be honest if your not use to nudity & randomness I say not read it. It's mainly a light bulb vel for ilder people that already have watched or read difficult kinds anime/manga. Cause I was reading the reviews for this light novel. I mean it's showing the lives of young adults working as writers & what they have to deal with.
But like I said if your not use to the anime world or manga world where they talk about dirty stuff, drink, or legal age people going after older people. Don't read, don't ruin it for others who want a good laugh. That's all I have to say. I do have the 2nd volume & I plan to read it. 😊
I like Slice of Life stories that have that dash of comedy. 🤣 To be honest if your not use to nudity & randomness I say not read it. It's mainly a light bulb vel for ilder people that already have watched or read difficult kinds anime/manga. Cause I was reading the reviews for this light novel. I mean it's showing the lives of young adults working as writers & what they have to deal with.
But like I said if your not use to the anime world or manga world where they talk about dirty stuff, drink, or legal age people going after older people. Don't read, don't ruin it for others who want a good laugh. That's all I have to say. I do have the 2nd volume & I plan to read it. 😊
October 15, 2018
I couldn’t stop reading this light novel, I found it extremely hilarious! What’s more funny, the novelist, Itsuki Hashima, who has a huge obsession with little sisters, even writing crazy stories about little sisters with super powers and making out with their older brothers, or the genius novelist, Nayuta Kani, who is in love with Itsuki and is always eager to have sex with him, which he always denies. Also, l have to mention, that there a lot of dirty jokes and lewd illustrations, so mature content. Best advice is to watch the anime first before starting with the light novel series if you are still a bit sceptical.
September 11, 2019
Read this recently on catch-up. I didn't absolutely love volume 1, but it is very short and a set up for the series and the themes sure to be revisited. Unlike a lot of other YA focused titles, this one focuses on adults and because of that maybe has less of that "progressing towards a goal" easy consumption you expect from typical light novels. There are problems presented for characters that just fester and aren't resolved, nor solutions even worked towards.
(Work in progress review).
(Work in progress review).
February 4, 2022
A Sisters All You Need is a nice and short dive into the comically life of a light novel author. As of volume 1 there isn’t a main plot to follow and it’s more just a compilation of short stories. However, it was pretty entertaining to read and it made me smile, although some characters were just annoying. I’d recommend it if you need a short light hearted read to take a break from a more serious series.
September 16, 2019
While the main character is rather odd for his strong affection (or obsession) of little sisters, the rest of the characters offer enjoyable situations and conversations to counteract it. The illustrations are beyond cute and I'm excited to see where the adventure goes from here.
September 21, 2022
Meaningful book, both mentally and socially. Not only does it show us a glimpse of true life of Japanese light novel worker, but also describes a series of different people and their lives. I am always in favor of Yomi sensei's books.
Read
June 17, 2019dnf
September 8, 2019
A silly slice of life following authors daily lives. Found my self laughing out loud on this one a lot.
August 28, 2020
Very nice
September 5, 2020
In which not much happens, but there are a lot of sexual innuendos.
December 11, 2023
My favorite series of all time
October 11, 2025
More of a 3.5 than a 4
A fun and lighthearted light novel, with nice characters. Altough they aren’t all that memorable.
Pretty good example for an ‚adult’ slice of life and perfect if you just need a quick in between read, change of pace or just want to try a more relaxed genre.
Nayuta was a bit annoying though.
Loved all the references to other series and that they play (knock-off) DnD.
A fun and lighthearted light novel, with nice characters. Altough they aren’t all that memorable.
Pretty good example for an ‚adult’ slice of life and perfect if you just need a quick in between read, change of pace or just want to try a more relaxed genre.
Nayuta was a bit annoying though.
Loved all the references to other series and that they play (knock-off) DnD.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews