What do you think?
Rate this book
異世界おじさん [Isekai Ojisan] #1
Uncle from Another World, Vol. 1
W E L C O M E T O T H E N E X T W O R L D
Seventeen years ago, Takafumi’s uncle fell into a coma, but now he’s back like a man risen from his grave. Soon, Takafumi discovers two bizarre things: His uncle treasures video games above all else, and, while comatose, he was actually transported to another world as some heroic guardian! Now, not only does Takafumi have to room with an uncle who is literally magical, he also has to catch the guy up on two decades of history—smartphones, high-speed internet, modern anime tropes…and the traumatic outcome of the ’90s console war!
Seventeen years ago, Takafumi’s uncle fell into a coma, but now he’s back like a man risen from his grave. Soon, Takafumi discovers two bizarre things: His uncle treasures video games above all else, and, while comatose, he was actually transported to another world as some heroic guardian! Now, not only does Takafumi have to room with an uncle who is literally magical, he also has to catch the guy up on two decades of history—smartphones, high-speed internet, modern anime tropes…and the traumatic outcome of the ’90s console war!
160 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2018
31 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 30, 2024
This was a new manga dish, in that I've never tasted anything like this. The idea of how a man in a coma (post isekai truck-contact) returned from the another world and telling his nephew his story, after trying to remake his life.
So far, its an interesting enough pitch to keep me interested, meaning its the first post Isekai story I've ever seen.
So far, its an interesting enough pitch to keep me interested, meaning its the first post Isekai story I've ever seen.
June 7, 2025
3.25/5.
a few good jokes, but a lot of the humour comes from the main two guys being comically ignorant which is funny half the time and annoying for the other half. has potential though. might continue in the future
a few good jokes, but a lot of the humour comes from the main two guys being comically ignorant which is funny half the time and annoying for the other half. has potential though. might continue in the future
August 13, 2022
Takafumi’s family has had it rough. For over 17 years, they have taken care of, financially, of his uncle. That uncle is in a coma, after a car him. Uncle was 17 then, and is 34 now. The major stress and financial obligations were so severe on his family that his parents even divorced. One day that uncle wakes up from a coma!
Unlike most people who have been in a years old coma, he isn’t confused, he just speaks a totally foreign language. When the uncle finally remembers to use Japanese, he makes extraordinary claims. He wasn’t in a coma for 17 years, but was wisped away to a fantasy land, where he had many adventures and even learned to use magic. Takafumi is skeptical to say the least, but after a few not that impressive demonstrations he starts believing his uncle. From that day on, Takafumi lets him live with him, out of entirely altruistic motives – YouTube ad revenue.
Their YouTube channel becomes sort of a cult hit, with some divisive following. Slowly uncle starts to reveal what his time in the isekai was really like. Unlike in most isekai shows he wasn’t the top dog. He was hated and everyone was disgusted by his mere appearance. Town after town, he was chased out of, because he seemed as ugly as an orc to the vast majority of the population in that other land. But non the less, it seems he has found one or more companions in form of cute girls, to whom he is totally oblivious to. Seems like both us the readers and Takafumi will be watching his past adventures thanks to a TV like magical spell, that allows his uncle to rewatch all that stuff.
This is a really funny manga. The vast majority of the humor comes from reaction shots. Some of them are by Takafumi, but more often than not, it is the uncle reacting to a new piece of technology or plain news. There is a reveal from our modern times that has shook the poor man to his very core. That reveal is the painful decline of the Sega gaming systems. Uncle went to the other world believing that Sega was the pinnacle of gaming, so it came as a calamitous shock to him that it went down the drain years ago. Other humorous moments are based around his uncle’s lack in ingenuity or initiative when its comes to using magic. There are times when he could use his teleportation spell and help his nephew who graciously stepped up and allowed him to stay with him. But no, he just scratches his head, smiles and said he didn’t think of it.
For the most part the art is very impressive. The character designs are very unique. By looking at them, you don’t really get flashbacks to other series or artists. Its sort of a realistic style, that tends to sway into surrealism or absurdity. The reaction shots are by far the best expression of that. The panels on which they are presented are big, with the faces central. The artist tries hard and draws every line on the face very detailed to convey the big emotional reactions. Sadly, that isn’t always so. This might be just due to lack of time or rushing to the deadline, but the art does have a rollercoaster feel to it. The quality, at times resembling early sketches, really dips. I’ll be optimistic and just say the author lacks experience managing a long term series and that it will improve down the line. Really enjoyed reading this. Will check out more later down the line and maybe even the anime that just started to air recently.
Unlike most people who have been in a years old coma, he isn’t confused, he just speaks a totally foreign language. When the uncle finally remembers to use Japanese, he makes extraordinary claims. He wasn’t in a coma for 17 years, but was wisped away to a fantasy land, where he had many adventures and even learned to use magic. Takafumi is skeptical to say the least, but after a few not that impressive demonstrations he starts believing his uncle. From that day on, Takafumi lets him live with him, out of entirely altruistic motives – YouTube ad revenue.
Their YouTube channel becomes sort of a cult hit, with some divisive following. Slowly uncle starts to reveal what his time in the isekai was really like. Unlike in most isekai shows he wasn’t the top dog. He was hated and everyone was disgusted by his mere appearance. Town after town, he was chased out of, because he seemed as ugly as an orc to the vast majority of the population in that other land. But non the less, it seems he has found one or more companions in form of cute girls, to whom he is totally oblivious to. Seems like both us the readers and Takafumi will be watching his past adventures thanks to a TV like magical spell, that allows his uncle to rewatch all that stuff.
This is a really funny manga. The vast majority of the humor comes from reaction shots. Some of them are by Takafumi, but more often than not, it is the uncle reacting to a new piece of technology or plain news. There is a reveal from our modern times that has shook the poor man to his very core. That reveal is the painful decline of the Sega gaming systems. Uncle went to the other world believing that Sega was the pinnacle of gaming, so it came as a calamitous shock to him that it went down the drain years ago. Other humorous moments are based around his uncle’s lack in ingenuity or initiative when its comes to using magic. There are times when he could use his teleportation spell and help his nephew who graciously stepped up and allowed him to stay with him. But no, he just scratches his head, smiles and said he didn’t think of it.
For the most part the art is very impressive. The character designs are very unique. By looking at them, you don’t really get flashbacks to other series or artists. Its sort of a realistic style, that tends to sway into surrealism or absurdity. The reaction shots are by far the best expression of that. The panels on which they are presented are big, with the faces central. The artist tries hard and draws every line on the face very detailed to convey the big emotional reactions. Sadly, that isn’t always so. This might be just due to lack of time or rushing to the deadline, but the art does have a rollercoaster feel to it. The quality, at times resembling early sketches, really dips. I’ll be optimistic and just say the author lacks experience managing a long term series and that it will improve down the line. Really enjoyed reading this. Will check out more later down the line and maybe even the anime that just started to air recently.
June 9, 2021
Takafumi’s uncle wakes from a coma 17 years after being struck by a car. He might not have physically moved, but he was actually off living a life of adventure in another world. There’s some serious readjustment ahead, but it’s not like life in another world was a bed of roses either…
Boy, this might not be a black comedy, there are too many screwball moments for that, but it sure is bleak enough. It veers into some pretty mean territory, but it manages enough laughs that I came down just on the side of liking it.
Uncle, as I shall forever call him, is a hopeless gamer dweeb who accidentally destroyed his extended family (totally not his fault, but you can tell the flavour of this series when Takafumi reveals all) by being put in a coma and he’s far more concerned about who won the Sega-Nintendo console wars than learning how society functions 17 years on.
He’s not one of those high school prodigies who had it easy in another world either. He clearly picked up some tricks, which he uses in the most hilariously mundane fashion (he can fly and has a pocket dimension for inventory, which he uses to circumvent shipping charges and to post YouTube videos respectively), but faced with nothing but beautiful JRPG NPCs, they all thought he was an orc and tried to kill him (hey, I said it was bleak).
Having left earth before tsunderes became popular means he is utterly clueless around the ridiculously stereotypical elf girl, who runs away with this book as my favourite character. She’s relentless in her pursuit and affection, but having no experience with this sort of behaviour means Uncle just sees her as a nuisance who won’t leave him alone.
Later, Uncle not only skips out on helping a young lady whose sole job has been to wait for a hero to claim a very powerful sword, but he manages to impart some truly lousy advice that really puts the kibosh on her aspirations. It’s definitely interesting to see an isekai hero who does as much harm as he does good.
The book’s biggest faults show up in the latter half when Takafumi’s childhood friend shows up. There’s some borderline stuff with memory erasure here that I didn’t love and she doesn’t get the best treatment (although Uncle’s assessment of her is mostly bang on and I do love how he refuses to prove his magic ability because he’s a performer now and he won’t do it for free).
I think this book has a lot of good parts and the problem is that Uncle is only occasionally one of them. He and Takafumi have an interesting relationship, but I don’t love how he treats women. The bonus manga where the tsundelf wears his hoodie and he wants it back really crosses a line for me (although she does righteously get him back in a way I appreciated) and it didn’t leave the best final impression, even if his intent is not what you think it is. Some things you just shouldn’t joke about.
It’s so hard to put a rating on this book. It’s not the best looking thing, it has questionable taste a couple times, but it does have some good gags and is actually pretty decent at lampooning the isekai and fantasy genres. I think 3 stars, with caveats, is safe enough, since I do feel like another volume might be better, especially if it can soften the edges a little.
Boy, this might not be a black comedy, there are too many screwball moments for that, but it sure is bleak enough. It veers into some pretty mean territory, but it manages enough laughs that I came down just on the side of liking it.
Uncle, as I shall forever call him, is a hopeless gamer dweeb who accidentally destroyed his extended family (totally not his fault, but you can tell the flavour of this series when Takafumi reveals all) by being put in a coma and he’s far more concerned about who won the Sega-Nintendo console wars than learning how society functions 17 years on.
He’s not one of those high school prodigies who had it easy in another world either. He clearly picked up some tricks, which he uses in the most hilariously mundane fashion (he can fly and has a pocket dimension for inventory, which he uses to circumvent shipping charges and to post YouTube videos respectively), but faced with nothing but beautiful JRPG NPCs, they all thought he was an orc and tried to kill him (hey, I said it was bleak).
Having left earth before tsunderes became popular means he is utterly clueless around the ridiculously stereotypical elf girl, who runs away with this book as my favourite character. She’s relentless in her pursuit and affection, but having no experience with this sort of behaviour means Uncle just sees her as a nuisance who won’t leave him alone.
Later, Uncle not only skips out on helping a young lady whose sole job has been to wait for a hero to claim a very powerful sword, but he manages to impart some truly lousy advice that really puts the kibosh on her aspirations. It’s definitely interesting to see an isekai hero who does as much harm as he does good.
The book’s biggest faults show up in the latter half when Takafumi’s childhood friend shows up. There’s some borderline stuff with memory erasure here that I didn’t love and she doesn’t get the best treatment (although Uncle’s assessment of her is mostly bang on and I do love how he refuses to prove his magic ability because he’s a performer now and he won’t do it for free).
I think this book has a lot of good parts and the problem is that Uncle is only occasionally one of them. He and Takafumi have an interesting relationship, but I don’t love how he treats women. The bonus manga where the tsundelf wears his hoodie and he wants it back really crosses a line for me (although she does righteously get him back in a way I appreciated) and it didn’t leave the best final impression, even if his intent is not what you think it is. Some things you just shouldn’t joke about.
It’s so hard to put a rating on this book. It’s not the best looking thing, it has questionable taste a couple times, but it does have some good gags and is actually pretty decent at lampooning the isekai and fantasy genres. I think 3 stars, with caveats, is safe enough, since I do feel like another volume might be better, especially if it can soften the edges a little.
August 11, 2020
Isekai is a popular genre in anime, light novels, and manga where you have a person from a regular earth transported or reincarnated in an alternate world. Imagine said person actually got back to his old world. That is Isekai Ojisan (Uncle in Another World), a darkly comedic take on the genre and subverting expectations of it, turning each chapter into a gut-busting read. 4 stars.
January 18, 2021
3,5/5
Une chouette manière de revisiter les univers fantasy et ceux des jeux vidéos. Un manga original et très prenant, surtout dans le style de dessin où les personnages principaux de l’oncle et du neveu ont des traits occidentaux. Hâte de savoir ce que la suite nous réserve !
Une chouette manière de revisiter les univers fantasy et ceux des jeux vidéos. Un manga original et très prenant, surtout dans le style de dessin où les personnages principaux de l’oncle et du neveu ont des traits occidentaux. Hâte de savoir ce que la suite nous réserve !
October 2, 2021
Let's call this one strange and never think about it again.
January 24, 2021
https://lapommequirougit.com/2021/01/...
Je n’ai malheureusement pas réussi à apprécier cette nouveauté. En lisant le résumé et en voyant la couverture, j’en avais une certaine attente et ces dernières n’ont pas été comblées lors de ma lecture.
Lorsque Takafumi va rendre visite à son oncle qui est dans le coma depuis dix-sept ans ce dernier se réveille. Le plus étrange, c’est qu’il se met à lui parler un charabia qu’il ne comprend pas. Ce dernier lui dit que c’est la langue du monde dans lequel il était pendant dix-sept.
Au début septique, Takafumi doit se rendre à l’évidence que son oncle dit vrai quand ce dernier lui montre ses pouvoirs magiques et de quoi il est capable. Il se retrouve donc à devoir héberger chez lui cet oncle, qui ne connaît rien du monde moderne et qui a vécu ces dix-sept dernières années dans un autre monde.
Bon, l’humour est sympa et il est clairement présent. Par contre, je m’attendais à autre chose en ouvrant ce manga. En voyant la couverture, j’avais l’impression que le monde fantasy était omniprésent dans l’histoire, mais en fait, pas tant que ça.
On y retrouve surtout l’oncle qui essaye de vivre comme il peut dans notre monde et raconte de temps en temps à Takafumi ce qu’il a vécu dans cet autre univers. De plus, il n’y a pas réellement de trame de fond, ce qui peut ne pas me déranger, mais avec le point que je vous ai cité précédemment, cela ne m’a pas aidé à apprécier ma lecture.
En bref, c’est un manga plaisant, mais sans plus pour ma part. J’attendais peut-être un peu trop de cette histoire et au final j’ai été déçue. Je pense que l’histoire pourrait plaire à des personnes qui savent à quoi s’attendre. De plus, même si j’ai aimé l’humour, il ne m’a pas transcendé, car ce n’est pas forcément le type d’humour que je préfère. Je pense qu’un public qui serait plus réceptive à ce genre d’humour que moi pourrait sans souci apprécié l’œuvre à sa juste valeur ! 😉
Je n’ai malheureusement pas réussi à apprécier cette nouveauté. En lisant le résumé et en voyant la couverture, j’en avais une certaine attente et ces dernières n’ont pas été comblées lors de ma lecture.
Lorsque Takafumi va rendre visite à son oncle qui est dans le coma depuis dix-sept ans ce dernier se réveille. Le plus étrange, c’est qu’il se met à lui parler un charabia qu’il ne comprend pas. Ce dernier lui dit que c’est la langue du monde dans lequel il était pendant dix-sept.
Au début septique, Takafumi doit se rendre à l’évidence que son oncle dit vrai quand ce dernier lui montre ses pouvoirs magiques et de quoi il est capable. Il se retrouve donc à devoir héberger chez lui cet oncle, qui ne connaît rien du monde moderne et qui a vécu ces dix-sept dernières années dans un autre monde.
Bon, l’humour est sympa et il est clairement présent. Par contre, je m’attendais à autre chose en ouvrant ce manga. En voyant la couverture, j’avais l’impression que le monde fantasy était omniprésent dans l’histoire, mais en fait, pas tant que ça.
On y retrouve surtout l’oncle qui essaye de vivre comme il peut dans notre monde et raconte de temps en temps à Takafumi ce qu’il a vécu dans cet autre univers. De plus, il n’y a pas réellement de trame de fond, ce qui peut ne pas me déranger, mais avec le point que je vous ai cité précédemment, cela ne m’a pas aidé à apprécier ma lecture.
En bref, c’est un manga plaisant, mais sans plus pour ma part. J’attendais peut-être un peu trop de cette histoire et au final j’ai été déçue. Je pense que l’histoire pourrait plaire à des personnes qui savent à quoi s’attendre. De plus, même si j’ai aimé l’humour, il ne m’a pas transcendé, car ce n’est pas forcément le type d’humour que je préfère. Je pense qu’un public qui serait plus réceptive à ce genre d’humour que moi pourrait sans souci apprécié l’œuvre à sa juste valeur ! 😉
June 3, 2021
trigger warning
After 17 years of being in coma, the protagonist's uncle awakes - and apparently he has spend the last years in a magical realm that suspiciously looks like an rpg.
Because rent is expensive and the family in general is not on good terms with each other, protagonist and uncle move together to share a flat. Of course, the uncle has to deal with the technological and sociological changes that occured in recent history, and is eager to catch up with favourite series he used to consume, but then there is the added element of having been in another universe and having had adventures his nephew likes to hear about.
It's an interesting mix, that on one hand feels light hearted, but on the other heavy topics like xenophobia are discussed - you see, the uncle didn't exactly look like everyone else in the fantasy world did, and the time he spend there is so full of traumatic events that he frequently uses a memory loss spell on himself.
I liked this. I am not sure I would continue this series in the future because there is no urgent plot that needs solving, but if I stumble across the next installments, I am sure I will enjoy them as well.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
After 17 years of being in coma, the protagonist's uncle awakes - and apparently he has spend the last years in a magical realm that suspiciously looks like an rpg.
Because rent is expensive and the family in general is not on good terms with each other, protagonist and uncle move together to share a flat. Of course, the uncle has to deal with the technological and sociological changes that occured in recent history, and is eager to catch up with favourite series he used to consume, but then there is the added element of having been in another universe and having had adventures his nephew likes to hear about.
It's an interesting mix, that on one hand feels light hearted, but on the other heavy topics like xenophobia are discussed - you see, the uncle didn't exactly look like everyone else in the fantasy world did, and the time he spend there is so full of traumatic events that he frequently uses a memory loss spell on himself.
I liked this. I am not sure I would continue this series in the future because there is no urgent plot that needs solving, but if I stumble across the next installments, I am sure I will enjoy them as well.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
June 12, 2021
This is meant to be a parody of isekai stories. The uncle was in a coma for 17 years, but actually he spent that time in another world. He had a pretty bad experience, he was considered ugly for the fantasy standards and an outsider. When he wakes up from coma he moves in with his nephew, after he proves that he can still use magic. They find an unconventional way to make money off his powers while the uncle tells stories of his time in the other world. The setting is interesting but I didn’t find the jokes that funny. The story is all over the place from the uncle discovering smart phones and youtube to retelling depressing, traumatic stories in the fantasy world with tsundere elves. I was curious about the cute elf in the cover but she is only in the flashbacks and even then the communication between her and the uncle was really bad. The joke is supposed to be that she is a tsundere and he took her literally, but it just comes off as being rude/mean.
August 4, 2023
Takafumi’s uncle has been in a coma for seventeen years. He finally awakens and he’s been stuck in a fantasy, RPG-style world for the last seventeen years. Most of the family has fallen apart, in large part over a disagreement with what to do with the comatose family member, so Takafumi takes in his uncle as he becomes accustomed to the world again. Uncle turns out to be a huge fan of the Sega game systems, and he’s devastated to find that it, amongst other of his favorite things, have been left in the past. While adjusting, Takafumi continually asks his uncle about his experiences in the other world, where everyone was beautiful but treated Uncle like a sub-species of Orc.
Read the full review, and find more graphic novel reviews, at The Graphic Library.
Read the full review, and find more graphic novel reviews, at The Graphic Library.
February 10, 2022
The concept seemed a little unique but the cover was misleading. The main character's uncle was hit by a car and was in a coma for 17 years. He wakes up and claims he was in another world the whole time and acquired magic. His nephew was skeptical and even I was but he was able to make a cup levitate. They decide to start a youtube channel together and make money off of the ad revenue. In the meantime the uncle tells his nephew stories of his time in the other world. The art style is kind of different than most manga I have read, kind of sketchy. It was a strange story and not really sure I liked it.
June 23, 2021
Wow... got sucked in by the hot androgynous elf on the cover, thinking it might be the uncle like idk shota vibes???
I played myself.
I thought the story was a cute idea but I wasn't into the execution. It was very "Uncle is a dork, nephew is in awe" just, uh, boring. I'm not super into this genre either so that might be part of it.
Oh well.
I played myself.
I thought the story was a cute idea but I wasn't into the execution. It was very "Uncle is a dork, nephew is in awe" just, uh, boring. I'm not super into this genre either so that might be part of it.
Oh well.
June 19, 2021
Yeah....no
One of the risks of partaking in media created in another country is that much of the cultural context becomes lost in translation. This manga suffers from this, on top of suffering from odd pacing and strange artwork.
One of the risks of partaking in media created in another country is that much of the cultural context becomes lost in translation. This manga suffers from this, on top of suffering from odd pacing and strange artwork.
August 6, 2021
I received an eARC courtesy of Yen Press via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.
Amusing, though sadly flawed with it's repetitive nature. I love the concept-very intriguing and unique-but it also didn't really feel like it went anywhere.
Amusing, though sadly flawed with it's repetitive nature. I love the concept-very intriguing and unique-but it also didn't really feel like it went anywhere.
September 12, 2022
Hilarious, devastating, and hopeful.
Isekai as a genre has been popular for over a decade, producing awesome stories and memorable characters. But whether it's waking up in a video game world or getting reincarnated as a slime, the story has started to feel familiar. Repetitive even. Parodies such as Konosuba have both deconstructed and expanded the genre, but even that story is built upon fundamental Isekai tropes and conventions (protagonist dies, wakes up in another world, we as the audience watch their adventures). But one thing Isekai haven't done, in fact almost seem to shy away from, is telling the story after the adventure.
Uncle from Another World does not shy away from showing how harsh and difficult that adventure can be. Yet it doesn't go the Grimdark route, like Re:Zero. Instead, we are shown glimpses of what it would look like to wake up in another world without speaking the language, having knowledge of social customs, any elementary survival skills, and lookong so hideous compared to the gorgeous other-worlders that you'll face hostility from everyone, everywhere because they think you're a subspecies of orc.
That's a lot to deal with! Especially for a socially awkward, Sega-obsessed, NEET-coded protagonist like Uncle. But if this story was simply Uncle's journey from waking up in Granbahamal to getting back home 17 years later, I probably wouldn't have liked this story. Not loved it. I love it because of Uncle's nephew, Takafumi.
Let me be clear. Takafumi is a jerk. He doesn't come off as caring for his Uncle's well being. As soon as he learns of Uncle's magic, the first thing he does is create a YouTube channel using Uncle's magic for videos and making money off ad revenue. His curiosity into Uncle's adventure isn't driven by compassion or curiosity but by escapism, never one stopping to ask if his Uncle is okay despite the traumatic nature of his adventures.
Upon waking up in Granbahamal, Uncle was mistaken for a sub-species of Orc and sold to a menagerie for less than a scouring pad. Once he learned how, that was the first memory Uncle erased. While it is open to interpretation, I believe Uncle broke after that experience. Everything we and Takafumi see on the magical memory screen after his escape from the menagerie is from the point of view of a thoroughly traumatized person.
The memories, while often hilarious, are also tragic. The author's art-style only adds to this. The reactions and use of black in certain panels are reminiscent of Junji Ito, often leaning more toward horror than parody. Those faces capture the terror and shock that the average person would feel witnessing a family member getting burned at the stake or thrown into a cage beside monsters.
This is why the device of the magic memory screens works so well in this story. Practically, they work as flashbacks highlighting important moments during Uncle's adventure. They also distance the reader from the action itself, channeling our reactions through Takafumi instead of directly through Uncle in the moment. Emotionally, they work much like PTSD flashbacks. Uncle is watching his traumatic past with his nephew by his side and the most dangerous part is that Uncle has erased the absolutely worst memories from himself. What would happen if he accidentally stumbled upon them while watching with his nephew?
Takafumi wants nothing more than to watch a grand-scale Isekai adventure with knights and dragons and a harem of lovers/party members. He wants to escape his life, a life amidst a broken family, a broken economy, and a broken Uncle he's somehow taken in. And while he does catch glimpses of that adventure through Uncle's flashback, most of it is not grand or glorious. But that doesn't stop him from watching. Together (with Fujimiya in subsequent volumes) the three of them sit and watch and process what an Isekai adventure really looks like. In a lot of ways, this is incredibly healing for Uncle.
Uncle from Another World is a tragedy disguised as a comedy. But Uncle's story remains hopeful. After all, he's home and gets to work through seventeen tears of a harrowing adventure whether with his nephew or his Sega Genesis.
Isekai as a genre has been popular for over a decade, producing awesome stories and memorable characters. But whether it's waking up in a video game world or getting reincarnated as a slime, the story has started to feel familiar. Repetitive even. Parodies such as Konosuba have both deconstructed and expanded the genre, but even that story is built upon fundamental Isekai tropes and conventions (protagonist dies, wakes up in another world, we as the audience watch their adventures). But one thing Isekai haven't done, in fact almost seem to shy away from, is telling the story after the adventure.
Uncle from Another World does not shy away from showing how harsh and difficult that adventure can be. Yet it doesn't go the Grimdark route, like Re:Zero. Instead, we are shown glimpses of what it would look like to wake up in another world without speaking the language, having knowledge of social customs, any elementary survival skills, and lookong so hideous compared to the gorgeous other-worlders that you'll face hostility from everyone, everywhere because they think you're a subspecies of orc.
That's a lot to deal with! Especially for a socially awkward, Sega-obsessed, NEET-coded protagonist like Uncle. But if this story was simply Uncle's journey from waking up in Granbahamal to getting back home 17 years later, I probably wouldn't have liked this story. Not loved it. I love it because of Uncle's nephew, Takafumi.
Let me be clear. Takafumi is a jerk. He doesn't come off as caring for his Uncle's well being. As soon as he learns of Uncle's magic, the first thing he does is create a YouTube channel using Uncle's magic for videos and making money off ad revenue. His curiosity into Uncle's adventure isn't driven by compassion or curiosity but by escapism, never one stopping to ask if his Uncle is okay despite the traumatic nature of his adventures.
Upon waking up in Granbahamal, Uncle was mistaken for a sub-species of Orc and sold to a menagerie for less than a scouring pad. Once he learned how, that was the first memory Uncle erased. While it is open to interpretation, I believe Uncle broke after that experience. Everything we and Takafumi see on the magical memory screen after his escape from the menagerie is from the point of view of a thoroughly traumatized person.
The memories, while often hilarious, are also tragic. The author's art-style only adds to this. The reactions and use of black in certain panels are reminiscent of Junji Ito, often leaning more toward horror than parody. Those faces capture the terror and shock that the average person would feel witnessing a family member getting burned at the stake or thrown into a cage beside monsters.
This is why the device of the magic memory screens works so well in this story. Practically, they work as flashbacks highlighting important moments during Uncle's adventure. They also distance the reader from the action itself, channeling our reactions through Takafumi instead of directly through Uncle in the moment. Emotionally, they work much like PTSD flashbacks. Uncle is watching his traumatic past with his nephew by his side and the most dangerous part is that Uncle has erased the absolutely worst memories from himself. What would happen if he accidentally stumbled upon them while watching with his nephew?
Takafumi wants nothing more than to watch a grand-scale Isekai adventure with knights and dragons and a harem of lovers/party members. He wants to escape his life, a life amidst a broken family, a broken economy, and a broken Uncle he's somehow taken in. And while he does catch glimpses of that adventure through Uncle's flashback, most of it is not grand or glorious. But that doesn't stop him from watching. Together (with Fujimiya in subsequent volumes) the three of them sit and watch and process what an Isekai adventure really looks like. In a lot of ways, this is incredibly healing for Uncle.
Uncle from Another World is a tragedy disguised as a comedy. But Uncle's story remains hopeful. After all, he's home and gets to work through seventeen tears of a harrowing adventure whether with his nephew or his Sega Genesis.
June 17, 2021
Isekai - Reverse Course and Full Speed Ahead!
The main character that this story is primarily based upon (who shall be referred to as Uncle since I cannot recall if he ever gave a name) was struck by a truck at the age of 17 and was in a coma for 17 more years. After awakening to a different world then what he knew he gets to meet his nephew Takafumi who has grown up. Of course when I say the world is different I am not just talking about losing 17 years in a coma and suddenly seeing a new society. Certainly there is that too as Uncle learns about all sorts of things like how to make money on YouTube and what happened to the Sega systems during the game council wars but also for the past 17 years Uncle has been in another world of high fantasy named Granbahamal where he not only had to learn their language but he had to try hard to survive thanks to being so far below the average line for beauty in this world he was basically treated as a monster himself.
Needless to say Uncle is back in the real world now and Takafumi decides he can use his uncles magical skills that he learned in the other world to be able to afford his lodgings while also getting Uncle to spill about some of the things from the other world that are not so bad they require a memory erasure spell. Having a magical Sega obsessed Uncle with no sense of how to treat real women is going to be a challenge Takafumi is willing to endure for family. Especially if the rest of the Family is unable or unwilling to help.
So here is the basics of what you will find in this book.
1. Icuras Elran Uncle doesn't just tell his nephew about his times in the other world he has a spell that conjures a window into the past (seeing as he can zoom, change angles, and hear things far out of range when looking through them.)
2. Gritty Art Bombs While the manga can have some pretty typical art now and then when a dark moment or feeling of grief happens the art will drop into dark mode with super shades as black as the darkest of black coffees. This helps offer tension and differentiates everyday thoughts from painful recollections or thoughts.
3. Dude where is my love interest? It seems Uncle has never been the most socially adept person before the accident and being in a world that hated him for his appearance for 17 years didn't help him much. This leads to some interesting mistakes Uncle has made in the past and it seems Takafumi is equally as clueless at least by one of female friends.
4. Magic is my Life Hack If you have magical powers and powerful artifacts why not use them to make life easier? Sadly having grown up in a dangerous world Uncle does not always use his powers in an appropriate way though.
5. Man out of Time Uncle still remembers how things were when he was in the real world last and having some income form his YouTube videos he can finally get some of the things he has always wanted...however some things as coo las they were back then are out of date now or not in circulation anymore so Uncle will have to get used to how different the world is a little a a time. :)
The main character that this story is primarily based upon (who shall be referred to as Uncle since I cannot recall if he ever gave a name) was struck by a truck at the age of 17 and was in a coma for 17 more years. After awakening to a different world then what he knew he gets to meet his nephew Takafumi who has grown up. Of course when I say the world is different I am not just talking about losing 17 years in a coma and suddenly seeing a new society. Certainly there is that too as Uncle learns about all sorts of things like how to make money on YouTube and what happened to the Sega systems during the game council wars but also for the past 17 years Uncle has been in another world of high fantasy named Granbahamal where he not only had to learn their language but he had to try hard to survive thanks to being so far below the average line for beauty in this world he was basically treated as a monster himself.
Needless to say Uncle is back in the real world now and Takafumi decides he can use his uncles magical skills that he learned in the other world to be able to afford his lodgings while also getting Uncle to spill about some of the things from the other world that are not so bad they require a memory erasure spell. Having a magical Sega obsessed Uncle with no sense of how to treat real women is going to be a challenge Takafumi is willing to endure for family. Especially if the rest of the Family is unable or unwilling to help.
So here is the basics of what you will find in this book.
1. Icuras Elran Uncle doesn't just tell his nephew about his times in the other world he has a spell that conjures a window into the past (seeing as he can zoom, change angles, and hear things far out of range when looking through them.)
2. Gritty Art Bombs While the manga can have some pretty typical art now and then when a dark moment or feeling of grief happens the art will drop into dark mode with super shades as black as the darkest of black coffees. This helps offer tension and differentiates everyday thoughts from painful recollections or thoughts.
3. Dude where is my love interest? It seems Uncle has never been the most socially adept person before the accident and being in a world that hated him for his appearance for 17 years didn't help him much. This leads to some interesting mistakes Uncle has made in the past and it seems Takafumi is equally as clueless at least by one of female friends.
4. Magic is my Life Hack If you have magical powers and powerful artifacts why not use them to make life easier? Sadly having grown up in a dangerous world Uncle does not always use his powers in an appropriate way though.
5. Man out of Time Uncle still remembers how things were when he was in the real world last and having some income form his YouTube videos he can finally get some of the things he has always wanted...however some things as coo las they were back then are out of date now or not in circulation anymore so Uncle will have to get used to how different the world is a little a a time. :)
January 22, 2024
[Comments refer to as far as I have read in this series, which is v1-7]
Strange slice-of-life parody of the isekai genre, especially "gamer" isekai stories where RPG knowledge translates to alternate-world magic system exploitation. Takafumi's uncle wakes up from a 17-year coma and reveals that he has been in another world and proves it by casually demonstrating magic. This uncle credits much of his success in the other world with his youth as a shut-in Sega obsessive, with dubious "wisdom" derived from Puyo Puyo strategy guides, Gunstar Heroes etc.
The modern-day stuff is slice-of-life crack comedy, interspersed by long flashbacks showing life in the other world. Those parts are a little harder to classify, a little One Punch Man (grossly overpowered) and a lot of comedy based on total obliviousness to romantic intentions, but juxtaposed to the genuine horror of his experiences -- mistaken for an orc, he is usually attacked on sight, thrown into prison, sold into slavery and so on.
I grew up with those same game consoles and have played many of the games mentioned and even for me it isn't a slam dunk, but it's a pretty good skewering of the isekai genre.
Art quality varies but it seems to be done for storytelling effect rather than lack of skill.
Strange slice-of-life parody of the isekai genre, especially "gamer" isekai stories where RPG knowledge translates to alternate-world magic system exploitation. Takafumi's uncle wakes up from a 17-year coma and reveals that he has been in another world and proves it by casually demonstrating magic. This uncle credits much of his success in the other world with his youth as a shut-in Sega obsessive, with dubious "wisdom" derived from Puyo Puyo strategy guides, Gunstar Heroes etc.
The modern-day stuff is slice-of-life crack comedy, interspersed by long flashbacks showing life in the other world. Those parts are a little harder to classify, a little One Punch Man (grossly overpowered) and a lot of comedy based on total obliviousness to romantic intentions, but juxtaposed to the genuine horror of his experiences -- mistaken for an orc, he is usually attacked on sight, thrown into prison, sold into slavery and so on.
I grew up with those same game consoles and have played many of the games mentioned and even for me it isn't a slam dunk, but it's a pretty good skewering of the isekai genre.
Art quality varies but it seems to be done for storytelling effect rather than lack of skill.
August 31, 2023
This was... Not good. I think it's supposed to be funny, but the humour never really lands, and the art is mid at best. There's a lot of reliance on references and "nerd as funny" kind of bits, but again, nothing really seems to work here. I get where someone might enjoy it, but there's a lot that feels lazy here, and it just feels kind of off the whole time. It's a different take on the isekai genre, and I was intrigued by the concept, but this doesn't really work.
August 14, 2022
I came across this series by way of the recent anime on Netflix. Having watched the few episodes available I had to find out how the story developed, and found the Manga online.
The amusing story of a man who has been living in a fantasy world for 17 years adjusting to life in the regular world, interspersed with recollections of his adventures in that world. Lots of fun.
The amusing story of a man who has been living in a fantasy world for 17 years adjusting to life in the regular world, interspersed with recollections of his adventures in that world. Lots of fun.
September 17, 2024
Interesting start to the story. I've never played video games, so I don't understand some of the references and it doesn't always make me laugh. I was hoping for more action as well as jumps from one world to another. I hope the setting is expanded and not just reduced to Katafumi's home. The female characters are drawn very nicely.
August 6, 2024
Memang sekali-sekali perlu dilihat kelanjutan ceritanya bila seorang MC yang terlempar ke isekai gara-gara tertabrak truck-kun bisa kembali lagi ke dunia nyata. Beli manga ini karena iseng, tapi ternyata kocak dan absurd ceritanya.
Ini manga atau iklan SEGA sih?
Ini manga atau iklan SEGA sih?
January 6, 2026
Loved the anime and it brought me here. The manga has a few more tidbits so far and is more than enough to keep me interested. The story is great and refreshing and the art is amazing. Great first entry! Looking forward to more in both anime and manga.
January 17, 2021
A brilliant black comedy with the premise of a previously isekai'd person returning to the real world.
The first volume is available in the West from Yen Press.
The first volume is available in the West from Yen Press.
June 20, 2021
Fun
This was a highly entertaining read. I found myself quickly returning to it and am disappointed that I have to wait foe more.
This was a highly entertaining read. I found myself quickly returning to it and am disappointed that I have to wait foe more.
October 18, 2022
Idk, I had higher hopes for this but I was just bored
November 24, 2022
2.5 I watched the anime adaptation and found it entertaining with the twist to the genre. But I think I'll just wait for the next season the manga didn't hit the same.
January 5, 2023
So funny!
After watching the anime I totally had to read this, and I'm glad I did! There's a few extra jokes here and there and I laughed practically the whole time!
After watching the anime I totally had to read this, and I'm glad I did! There's a few extra jokes here and there and I laughed practically the whole time!
February 12, 2023
This manga twists isekai tropes. I cracked up several times as I read it. I can't wait to read more n the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews