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Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Light Novel #1
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest, Volume 1
Seventeen-year-old Hajime Nagumo is your average, everyday otaku. However, his simple life of pulling all-nighters and sleeping in school is suddenly turned upside down when he, along with the rest of his class, is summoned to a fantasy world! They're treated like heroes and tasked with the duty of saving the human race from utter extinction. But what should have been any otaku's wet dream quickly turns into Hajime's nightmare. While the rest of his class are blessed with godlike powers, Hajime's job, Synergist, only has a single transmutation skill. Ridiculed and bullied by his classmates for being weak, he soon finds himself in despair. Will he be able to survive in this dangerous world of monsters and demons with only a glorified blacksmith's level of strength?
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2015
600 people are currently reading
1646 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
June 26, 2017
Another Isekai? With high schooler protagonists? Yeah. Arifureta actually pulls from a lot of different anime and manga traditions to cobble it's plot together. I was reminded of Fullmetal Alchemist, Shield Hero, and even Tokyo Ghoul. The main hero is an Otaku, and the author of the book explains in the back that this was originally conceived by the author under his pseudonym Chuuni Lover, though those Chuuni aspects were toned down and only really apparent in side stories. Still, it's apparent the author is writing with Otaku interests in mind.
Protagonist: Hajime
High school confidant: Kaori
Typical hero male: Kouki
Vampire Lolita Maiden on the cover: ???
Lets get this out of the way: This book is for mature audiences. There is blood and there is sex (Not just your typical innuendo). While nothing is ever described in super detail, it isn't left up to imagination.
The early part of the novel is solid. There's tension created between our Otaku hero and his jealous classmates over the affection unwillingly received from the beautiful Kaori. This tension comes to a head midway through the book, but because of circumstances, the book becomes less about those High schooler interactions and more about survival. I'm curious how they'll revisit these feelings in future volumes.
Battles are bloody. The monsters are clearly lethal. Much of the story reminded me of a bloodier Sword Art Online in that there is this labyrinth of monsters to get through for our heroes. I certainly felt like anything could happen to set the tone for this series. I hope grimdark developments have the potential to happen down the line and this doesn't become too lighthearted / feel good of a series. That edge, the fact that you need to have a beast like mentality to defeat the beasts, is something I appreciated.
I liked the battles, but I was eh about the quick relationship development. The story could have taken a very dark turn, but it chooses to only skirt that line. I'm hoping for maybe more drama going forward, but it appears this may become more harem focused, which I'm not totally on board for. But as a single volume, the story of a man's journey from weakling to not so weakling, it's good. It had some surprises in store, which is all you can ask for.
Protagonist: Hajime
High school confidant: Kaori
Typical hero male: Kouki
Vampire Lolita Maiden on the cover: ???
Lets get this out of the way: This book is for mature audiences. There is blood and there is sex (Not just your typical innuendo). While nothing is ever described in super detail, it isn't left up to imagination.
The early part of the novel is solid. There's tension created between our Otaku hero and his jealous classmates over the affection unwillingly received from the beautiful Kaori. This tension comes to a head midway through the book, but because of circumstances, the book becomes less about those High schooler interactions and more about survival. I'm curious how they'll revisit these feelings in future volumes.
Battles are bloody. The monsters are clearly lethal. Much of the story reminded me of a bloodier Sword Art Online in that there is this labyrinth of monsters to get through for our heroes. I certainly felt like anything could happen to set the tone for this series. I hope grimdark developments have the potential to happen down the line and this doesn't become too lighthearted / feel good of a series. That edge, the fact that you need to have a beast like mentality to defeat the beasts, is something I appreciated.
I liked the battles, but I was eh about the quick relationship development. The story could have taken a very dark turn, but it chooses to only skirt that line. I'm hoping for maybe more drama going forward, but it appears this may become more harem focused, which I'm not totally on board for. But as a single volume, the story of a man's journey from weakling to not so weakling, it's good. It had some surprises in store, which is all you can ask for.
August 22, 2019
Quick read which is good because all of the character interactions are uninteresting because pretty much everyone boils down to cartoon character or cardboard cut out.
Can I also mention how tired I am of the "looks 13, but is actually 7000 loli" trope? Can we just not have it.
Can I also mention how tired I am of the "looks 13, but is actually 7000 loli" trope? Can we just not have it.
January 18, 2020
Okay, I am going to have to be straight here. This story does have issues, I'm not saying it is perfect. In fact, the way it plays out does tickle some of the things I actually do not like when it comes to reading a book, and yet, I give it five stars.
Why?
Most light novels are power fantasies for Japanese youths, specifically boys. It's right in line with things like He-Man, Conan, superheroes, D&D, etc. Things meant to help boys (and girls too) feel more powerful, more in control of a life they very well may not feel in control of. This is why most isekai novels are about going to another world where the protagonist is overpowered due to some god or previous ability, etc.
There is a certain level of that in this book that appeals to me, as it does in most isekai novels, I have to admit. But the protagonist works for this power, well, for the most part. He does have a cheat item that ends up allowing him to break the bonds that made him mediocre, but where most protagonists are gifted by the gods, he is not. In fact, it is the gods themselves that he is retaliating against, all for the chance to get home. (something most isekai protagonists do not want to do)
I do admit that the 'nothing will get in my way, and if they do I will kill them' attitude of the protagonist gets a bit weary at points. This, coupled with Yue's predominantly emotionless state makes it a bit harder to related to them as people, but it also makes any and all emotions shared by the two characters that much more intense and meaningful. Their collected power also makes the reader look forward to where the protagonist reunites with his classmates, specifically the ones that beat him and those that chastised him for simply being himself.
The setting itself is your standard dungeon crawling one, much like one would find in books like Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Light Novels, Vol. 1 and The Unwanted Undead Adventurer: Volume 1 where you have self perpetuating dungeons that basically become a training ground/material gathering spot for adventurers. Though compared to the two books mentioend, Arifureta makes it dungeons a lot more brutal and punishing than other isekai dungeons.
So in the end, I do give this book 5 stars, because I enjoyed the storyline, the characters, and how things played out. Sure, it has some flaws and normally I would dock it a star for that, but I enjoyed this enough I watched the anime and bought the manga, so yeah. Much to be said I am kind of invested in this story and will continue to read the series in all its variations.
Why?
Most light novels are power fantasies for Japanese youths, specifically boys. It's right in line with things like He-Man, Conan, superheroes, D&D, etc. Things meant to help boys (and girls too) feel more powerful, more in control of a life they very well may not feel in control of. This is why most isekai novels are about going to another world where the protagonist is overpowered due to some god or previous ability, etc.
There is a certain level of that in this book that appeals to me, as it does in most isekai novels, I have to admit. But the protagonist works for this power, well, for the most part. He does have a cheat item that ends up allowing him to break the bonds that made him mediocre, but where most protagonists are gifted by the gods, he is not. In fact, it is the gods themselves that he is retaliating against, all for the chance to get home. (something most isekai protagonists do not want to do)
I do admit that the 'nothing will get in my way, and if they do I will kill them' attitude of the protagonist gets a bit weary at points. This, coupled with Yue's predominantly emotionless state makes it a bit harder to related to them as people, but it also makes any and all emotions shared by the two characters that much more intense and meaningful. Their collected power also makes the reader look forward to where the protagonist reunites with his classmates, specifically the ones that beat him and those that chastised him for simply being himself.
The setting itself is your standard dungeon crawling one, much like one would find in books like Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Light Novels, Vol. 1 and The Unwanted Undead Adventurer: Volume 1 where you have self perpetuating dungeons that basically become a training ground/material gathering spot for adventurers. Though compared to the two books mentioend, Arifureta makes it dungeons a lot more brutal and punishing than other isekai dungeons.
So in the end, I do give this book 5 stars, because I enjoyed the storyline, the characters, and how things played out. Sure, it has some flaws and normally I would dock it a star for that, but I enjoyed this enough I watched the anime and bought the manga, so yeah. Much to be said I am kind of invested in this story and will continue to read the series in all its variations.
August 29, 2022
Bullied high-school underachieving geek gets transported to another world with the rest of his high school class, and they all get super-powers under a video-game like system to defend this world from a coming evil -- all but our our high-school geek, who gets average stats and the most commonplace "magic" available in the world. However, tragedy and betrayal strike, and our geeky nobody is left for dead under impossible conditions, and through a god-tier stroke of luck combined with an iron will, manages to break the game-like system and surpass its limits, become ridiculously overpowered, and if he ever sees those bullies again, they will be totally cowed by his nigh-invincible awesomeness!
Okay. Yeah. This is a straight-up adolescent magical power-fantasy. You've seen it before. It's a superhero origin story, chunibyo-style, from Japan. The core is nothing original. It's all in the execution.
There is humor, however it is generally played pretty straight... at least in this first volume. While the writing / translation can be rough at times, I commend the author for taking the half-baked melodrama of what amounts to an edgy dark-hero origin story and making it more-or-less fully baked, loaded with interesting characters (who often subvert the tropes they are based on) and some decent world-building. It's full of over-the-top action that borders on (or delves completely into) the ridiculous, but in all the right ways for those who are into that kind of thing. Which, okay, my inner 14-year-old was totally there. I don't even feel guilty about it.
It's hard to talk about the first book of the series without talking about the series as a whole, so I won't even try. This book is a really good start to a pretty uneven series. The author doesn't really let on that this story is actually in no small part a PARODY of the genre. The next book in the series, in particular, takes this grimdark hero and drops him in absolutely ridiculous situations with Warner Brother cartoon level silliness (if, say, Bugs Bunny also contained bunny girls in skimpy outfits and plenty of sexual innuendo). It's a jarring change of tone, and the author bounces around a bit before settling on a more consistent flavor for a few books. That's the part that doesn't work for me. While my love of comic-book style action hasn't changed much over the decades, my sense of humor has.
Like many great parodies, I think the series overall ends up transcending the in-joke (eventually) and becoming a standout example of the genre. It remains wildly over-the-top, for good and bad, throughout the series. The awesomeness and the cringe are both high, but it never gets boring.
I wish the entire series was more like this first volume (or the more recent ones). Then I could give it a stronger recommendation. As it is, four stars feels right for the first book, with a caveat that your mileage may vary wildly depending on taste. For me, it's a high-water mark that doesn't get hit again until later in the series.
Okay. Yeah. This is a straight-up adolescent magical power-fantasy. You've seen it before. It's a superhero origin story, chunibyo-style, from Japan. The core is nothing original. It's all in the execution.
There is humor, however it is generally played pretty straight... at least in this first volume. While the writing / translation can be rough at times, I commend the author for taking the half-baked melodrama of what amounts to an edgy dark-hero origin story and making it more-or-less fully baked, loaded with interesting characters (who often subvert the tropes they are based on) and some decent world-building. It's full of over-the-top action that borders on (or delves completely into) the ridiculous, but in all the right ways for those who are into that kind of thing. Which, okay, my inner 14-year-old was totally there. I don't even feel guilty about it.
It's hard to talk about the first book of the series without talking about the series as a whole, so I won't even try. This book is a really good start to a pretty uneven series. The author doesn't really let on that this story is actually in no small part a PARODY of the genre. The next book in the series, in particular, takes this grimdark hero and drops him in absolutely ridiculous situations with Warner Brother cartoon level silliness (if, say, Bugs Bunny also contained bunny girls in skimpy outfits and plenty of sexual innuendo). It's a jarring change of tone, and the author bounces around a bit before settling on a more consistent flavor for a few books. That's the part that doesn't work for me. While my love of comic-book style action hasn't changed much over the decades, my sense of humor has.
Like many great parodies, I think the series overall ends up transcending the in-joke (eventually) and becoming a standout example of the genre. It remains wildly over-the-top, for good and bad, throughout the series. The awesomeness and the cringe are both high, but it never gets boring.
I wish the entire series was more like this first volume (or the more recent ones). Then I could give it a stronger recommendation. As it is, four stars feels right for the first book, with a caveat that your mileage may vary wildly depending on taste. For me, it's a high-water mark that doesn't get hit again until later in the series.
March 1, 2022
Arifureta, Vol. 1 (My Kindle Review)
Being a huge manga reader, I’ve heard about these light novels that are supposed to be like reading manga but as a novel. So I’ve had a few volumes of “Arifureta” in my Kindle library for a long time now and I was surprised it was a light novel series.
Jumping in the first book, we meet our protagonist, underachieving high school pervert Hajime Nagumo who is seen by his classmates as lazy. A huge surprise comes in the form of a magic summon circle that transports him, his crush and class to a dowels of fantasy where they receive magical powers and train to become heroes. Hajime, on the other hand, his powers seem like the short end of the stick but in his moment of despair, he will slowly find himself with unforeseen powers and saving a young vampire from her icy prison.
It really is a good start to a fantasy story with a lot of action, excitement and a few cute girls to boot. The fantasy action really drives in quickly and it immerses myself completely over time. Manga and fantasy readers will find “Arifureta” a fantasy riot. A- (91%/Excellent)
Being a huge manga reader, I’ve heard about these light novels that are supposed to be like reading manga but as a novel. So I’ve had a few volumes of “Arifureta” in my Kindle library for a long time now and I was surprised it was a light novel series.
Jumping in the first book, we meet our protagonist, underachieving high school pervert Hajime Nagumo who is seen by his classmates as lazy. A huge surprise comes in the form of a magic summon circle that transports him, his crush and class to a dowels of fantasy where they receive magical powers and train to become heroes. Hajime, on the other hand, his powers seem like the short end of the stick but in his moment of despair, he will slowly find himself with unforeseen powers and saving a young vampire from her icy prison.
It really is a good start to a fantasy story with a lot of action, excitement and a few cute girls to boot. The fantasy action really drives in quickly and it immerses myself completely over time. Manga and fantasy readers will find “Arifureta” a fantasy riot. A- (91%/Excellent)
March 25, 2024
Rating: 3.5 stars
I actually really liked this book, I thought it was going to be a bit more male teen inner fantasy oriented (it was, never doubt that, there were weapons, explosions, the expected loli - that was actually 300 years old - and the popular girl that actually was infatuated with the main male character), but I liked Hajime's journey and the writing was fluid and well constructed (contrary to some other light novels that were poorly written (I'm looking at you "Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon"). The plot never felt contrived or overly unrealistic (of course the main character got overpowered but there were... reasons).
Overall, I really liked this and I was surprised because I really thought the anime was really meh. Now I know they crammed a lot into the episodes and important parts of the story were missing.
I shall continue this series.
I actually really liked this book, I thought it was going to be a bit more male teen inner fantasy oriented (it was, never doubt that, there were weapons, explosions, the expected loli - that was actually 300 years old - and the popular girl that actually was infatuated with the main male character), but I liked Hajime's journey and the writing was fluid and well constructed (contrary to some other light novels that were poorly written (I'm looking at you "Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon"). The plot never felt contrived or overly unrealistic (of course the main character got overpowered but there were... reasons).
Overall, I really liked this and I was surprised because I really thought the anime was really meh. Now I know they crammed a lot into the episodes and important parts of the story were missing.
I shall continue this series.
December 19, 2021
I almost want to call this one of the most unintentionally hilarious books I've read in a while, but I don't actually know how serious the writer wants me to take it's "bullied gamer nerd returns from near-death and becomes a stone badass with a vampire princess girlfriend" premise.
Regardless of a narrative steeped in shallow characters, questionable ideals of masculinity, and sexism, the writing is enthusiastic and earnest enough to make for a legitimately fun read that has the energy of a fantasy role-playing session between a bunch of high schoolers eager to show how edgy and cool their OCs are.
Regardless of a narrative steeped in shallow characters, questionable ideals of masculinity, and sexism, the writing is enthusiastic and earnest enough to make for a legitimately fun read that has the energy of a fantasy role-playing session between a bunch of high schoolers eager to show how edgy and cool their OCs are.
March 4, 2022
Honestly the anime is what brought me here. I found it a while back and thought nothing of it until I found myself thoroughly enjoying the first season and was beyond ecstatic to realise season two was out and ongoing. Watching season two only fed my obsession with this anime and I found it strange because I'm normally not a fan of harem but this one totally entrapped me.
As I waited for the next episode of season two I went ahead and started doing some research and was even more intrigued and happy to find the books available for purchase. Reading the novel made the anime a lot more appealing and enjoyable. A few things I never truly understood made sense.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
As I waited for the next episode of season two I went ahead and started doing some research and was even more intrigued and happy to find the books available for purchase. Reading the novel made the anime a lot more appealing and enjoyable. A few things I never truly understood made sense.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
May 20, 2024
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest: Volume 1 - A Riveting Tale of Transformation
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Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest: Volume 1 by Ryo Shirakome is a captivating entry in the isekai genre that offers a fresh take on the familiar trope of an underdog's rise to power. This Kindle Edition brings the story to life with vivid descriptions and a fast-paced narrative that grabs the reader’s attention from the very beginning.
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Arifureta follows the journey of Hajime Nagumo, an ordinary high school student who, along with his classmates, is transported to a fantasy world. Unlike his peers, who receive powerful abilities, Hajime is left with a seemingly useless skill. However, a twist of fate leads him to embark on a perilous journey where he evolves from an underdog into one of the most formidable beings in this new world.
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Comparing to Contemporaries:
![Hiatus] Professional NEET](https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1716139533ra/35535873.gif)
In the realm of isekai light novels, Arifureta stands out for its darker tone and emphasis on personal transformation. Compared to series like Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World by Tappei Nagatsuki and The Rising of the Shield Hero by Aneko Yusagi, Arifureta offers a grittier and more intense narrative. While Re:Zero is known for its psychological depth and time-loop mechanics, and The Rising of the Shield Hero explores themes of betrayal and redemption, Arifureta focuses on survival, self-reliance, and the protagonist's evolution from weak to overwhelmingly powerful.
The character development in Arifureta is also noteworthy. Hajime's transformation from a timid, ordinary student to a hardened and resourceful warrior is both compelling and inspirational. This contrasts with the protagonists of its contemporaries, who often rely on external factors or companions for their growth. Hajime’s journey is more solitary and introspective, making his evolution feel deeply personal and earned.
Spoiler Alert!
In conclusion, Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest: Volume 1 is a must-read for fans of the isekai genre. Ryo Shirakome has crafted a thrilling tale that combines elements of survival, transformation, and dark fantasy. With its unique take on the underdog story and its compelling protagonist, Arifureta offers a refreshing and engaging experience that stands out among its peers.
July 19, 2017
I review Light Novels on YouTube
Click on the link to view my Review of Arifureta Volume 1
Click on the link to view my Review of Arifureta Volume 1
December 15, 2021
[Magic] [Other world] [Monsters] [Demons] [dungeon] [vampire]
a boy who gets bullied in this world as well as the other for being weak.
their whole class is summoned in an otherworld where he is the weakest and got betrayed by one of his friends and was left in the dungeon to die, but in turn, he becomes even stronger by killing and eating monsters.
end up clearing the dungeon on its own and becoming overpowered and found out about the other dungeons too and went hunting for them.
a boy who gets bullied in this world as well as the other for being weak.
their whole class is summoned in an otherworld where he is the weakest and got betrayed by one of his friends and was left in the dungeon to die, but in turn, he becomes even stronger by killing and eating monsters.
end up clearing the dungeon on its own and becoming overpowered and found out about the other dungeons too and went hunting for them.
May 1, 2019
I liked the Book. It's really good but there are some parts that make me want to stop reading it. This book took longer to finish because there is actually around 400 pages and not 200 pages like what good reads says.
January 11, 2021
Arifureta: From commonplace to world's strongest by Ryo Shirakome
This isekai light novel / web novel is well written, it is better than the usual/regular isekai light novel series. It has been made into an anime (2018). It's as if the author wanted to write an isekai but maybe used “magical steroids”, so I consider this the "Terminator on steroids” of the Isekai genre light /web Novels.
Hajime Naguno (17) is bullied at school because he is liked by the most popular girl at school, Kaori. He is different in that he spends most of his time at school sleeping. He spends most of his free time helping out his dad's game developer company, and his mom's manga writing careeer. Naguno and his classmates are sent to a different world. There he is given the most common of all job skills (synergist, equivalent to a blacksmith). His classmates receive incredible job skills. They go to train at one of the toughest dungeon labyrinths. There one of Naguno’s biggest bullies set off a teleport-trap, that sends all the student-heroes and soldiers down to around the 60th floor. Naguno saves one of his fellow students Yuka, then slows down the Behemoth monster, so as to allow the escape of his fellow hero students and soldiers, he then runs out of mana (magic potential) and runs back, and his biggest bully sends a fireball, that sends him into an abyss. Everyone thinks that Naguno is dead.
With no real physical strength, power skill available or way out of the abyss in the labyrinth, Naguno decides he must to what is necessary to survive and travel back home. He is attacked by several high level monsters, they rip off and eat his left arm down to the elbow. He only barely survives because while trying to escape from the bear monster, he transmutes part of the cave, and finds a highly concentrated ambrosia liquid stone (basketball-sized crystal stone) called a divinity stone. It was an all healing, super powerful liquid. This liquid heals Hajime and allows him to survive, get stronger, become not affected to the poisons, monster attacks, etc.
As he tries to find a way out of the labyrinth abyss he discovers a sealed vampire princess (who he names Yue “Moon”) that becomes his biggest ally and best company. Together they are able to escape from the abyss months later, then because of the rewards that Oscar Orcus (labyrinth creator) gives them, set out to conquer the rest of other 6 labyrinths to find a way to return to his world. On the way, Naguno finds new team members and part of his “harem”, the bunny girl Shea, the dragon girl Tio. His team has the opportunity to help those around him. Hajime then decides to help, Kaori, the girl who has a crush on him, out of the labyrinth. Hajime then saves an aquatic girl named Myu. By the end almost everyone falls for him, because Hajime has become that world’s almost strongest being.
Hajime’s strength is his enormous imagination with his basic then incredible skill to transmute (create) anything as a synergist and everything he can imagine. He designs weapons (revolvers, rifles, missile launchers, vehicles like motorcycles and hummers) as he becomes more and more powerful. With the awards he and his team receive, his magic and power improve as the story progresses.
What I like the most of this light novel / web novel series, is its positive ethical values: determination, perseverance, loyalty, love, truth, etc. and it’s no-limits to the imagination approach to the main character’s problem solving and overcoming of adversity and all of the problems he and his team face. Hajime is able to overcome betrayal, weakness, even death, because of his positive attitude and goal to return to his home.
This light novel is currently on volume 11 in English even though the web novel version, is already finished. The author, Shirakome, has already published a side stories volume and an Arifureta: Zero volume origin story to complement this. The anime was premiered on 2018 with 13 episodes. It appears to have plans for a second season.
This isekai light novel / web novel is well written, it is better than the usual/regular isekai light novel series. It has been made into an anime (2018). It's as if the author wanted to write an isekai but maybe used “magical steroids”, so I consider this the "Terminator on steroids” of the Isekai genre light /web Novels.
Hajime Naguno (17) is bullied at school because he is liked by the most popular girl at school, Kaori. He is different in that he spends most of his time at school sleeping. He spends most of his free time helping out his dad's game developer company, and his mom's manga writing careeer. Naguno and his classmates are sent to a different world. There he is given the most common of all job skills (synergist, equivalent to a blacksmith). His classmates receive incredible job skills. They go to train at one of the toughest dungeon labyrinths. There one of Naguno’s biggest bullies set off a teleport-trap, that sends all the student-heroes and soldiers down to around the 60th floor. Naguno saves one of his fellow students Yuka, then slows down the Behemoth monster, so as to allow the escape of his fellow hero students and soldiers, he then runs out of mana (magic potential) and runs back, and his biggest bully sends a fireball, that sends him into an abyss. Everyone thinks that Naguno is dead.
With no real physical strength, power skill available or way out of the abyss in the labyrinth, Naguno decides he must to what is necessary to survive and travel back home. He is attacked by several high level monsters, they rip off and eat his left arm down to the elbow. He only barely survives because while trying to escape from the bear monster, he transmutes part of the cave, and finds a highly concentrated ambrosia liquid stone (basketball-sized crystal stone) called a divinity stone. It was an all healing, super powerful liquid. This liquid heals Hajime and allows him to survive, get stronger, become not affected to the poisons, monster attacks, etc.
As he tries to find a way out of the labyrinth abyss he discovers a sealed vampire princess (who he names Yue “Moon”) that becomes his biggest ally and best company. Together they are able to escape from the abyss months later, then because of the rewards that Oscar Orcus (labyrinth creator) gives them, set out to conquer the rest of other 6 labyrinths to find a way to return to his world. On the way, Naguno finds new team members and part of his “harem”, the bunny girl Shea, the dragon girl Tio. His team has the opportunity to help those around him. Hajime then decides to help, Kaori, the girl who has a crush on him, out of the labyrinth. Hajime then saves an aquatic girl named Myu. By the end almost everyone falls for him, because Hajime has become that world’s almost strongest being.
Hajime’s strength is his enormous imagination with his basic then incredible skill to transmute (create) anything as a synergist and everything he can imagine. He designs weapons (revolvers, rifles, missile launchers, vehicles like motorcycles and hummers) as he becomes more and more powerful. With the awards he and his team receive, his magic and power improve as the story progresses.
What I like the most of this light novel / web novel series, is its positive ethical values: determination, perseverance, loyalty, love, truth, etc. and it’s no-limits to the imagination approach to the main character’s problem solving and overcoming of adversity and all of the problems he and his team face. Hajime is able to overcome betrayal, weakness, even death, because of his positive attitude and goal to return to his home.
This light novel is currently on volume 11 in English even though the web novel version, is already finished. The author, Shirakome, has already published a side stories volume and an Arifureta: Zero volume origin story to complement this. The anime was premiered on 2018 with 13 episodes. It appears to have plans for a second season.
Read
June 10, 2018I can’t really think of a score. The world building was interesting but doesn’t go into a lot of detail aside from how the magic and power ups work. The problem I have with modern isekai is that they’re focused on the power ups the way a Shonen manga would be, but use statistics to it like a video game. Whereas I am personally more interested in the fantasy world building, and personally would rather see more of the mythology, culture or politics. But that’s not what’s popular in fantasy right now. I’ll give it this, the characters where at least developed enough that I understood they’re main traits.
Kouki is the stereotypical hero, and believes in the good of people and can’t see such obvious flaws. Which actually makes him delusional.
Himiya is the selfish bully who is willing to commit murder to get Hajime out of the way because he’s jealous of the fact that Kaori likes Hajime and thinks Hajime is a loser.
Kaori is good natured And has a crush on Hajime even though no one understands what she sees in him. And is determined to get him back, whereas no one else care enough.
So this fantasy is noted as having an overpowered protagonist which all the girls love. These tropes appear a lot in modern isekai. I know a lot of people dislike those aspects of modern isekai. But because I personally haven’t read a lot of those other light novels with premises that are similar to this one, I can’t say I’m sick of it. But I was never interested in that aspect when I look for a fantasy story to read, which is why I haven’t read a lot of those other books. I can clearly see how those tropes can be done poorly, but surely it can be done well too. Is it done well here? Hard to say.
Hajime does suffer a lot, in rather dark and gruesome ways before he becomes powerful. At the beginning, he’s considered the weakest out of everybody. So when he gains these powers, it feels slightly earned. It doesn’t go into a ton of detail, but if it did, it probably be great. There are probably other stories that have handled things worse. Kaori has reasons for liking Hajime, but the promise of she makes to protect him is a little rushed. But other than that, her determination to get him back is believable.
Yue’s backstory leaves more to be desired but her growing attached to Hajime is believable.
And while these isekai/harem elements might be considered cliche, at least the book is self aware of it, so it doesn’t tease the romance, it makes it clear.
The biggest criticism is the inclusion of the bonus chapters at the end of the book. They look like scenes that were originally in earlier drafts of the book. Given how unnecessary they are to the main story, it was a good choice for them to be taken out. But the other seemed to love them so much he included them in the volume anyway. Which just makes the book longer than it has to be. If I read the sequels, and there are bonus stories at the end of volume 2, I’ll probably skip them.
Also a fair warning that this book demands you read the next volume, because by the end, only 1 thing is actually resolved. Everything else isn’t.
Kouki is the stereotypical hero, and believes in the good of people and can’t see such obvious flaws. Which actually makes him delusional.
Himiya is the selfish bully who is willing to commit murder to get Hajime out of the way because he’s jealous of the fact that Kaori likes Hajime and thinks Hajime is a loser.
Kaori is good natured And has a crush on Hajime even though no one understands what she sees in him. And is determined to get him back, whereas no one else care enough.
So this fantasy is noted as having an overpowered protagonist which all the girls love. These tropes appear a lot in modern isekai. I know a lot of people dislike those aspects of modern isekai. But because I personally haven’t read a lot of those other light novels with premises that are similar to this one, I can’t say I’m sick of it. But I was never interested in that aspect when I look for a fantasy story to read, which is why I haven’t read a lot of those other books. I can clearly see how those tropes can be done poorly, but surely it can be done well too. Is it done well here? Hard to say.
Hajime does suffer a lot, in rather dark and gruesome ways before he becomes powerful. At the beginning, he’s considered the weakest out of everybody. So when he gains these powers, it feels slightly earned. It doesn’t go into a ton of detail, but if it did, it probably be great. There are probably other stories that have handled things worse. Kaori has reasons for liking Hajime, but the promise of she makes to protect him is a little rushed. But other than that, her determination to get him back is believable.
Yue’s backstory leaves more to be desired but her growing attached to Hajime is believable.
And while these isekai/harem elements might be considered cliche, at least the book is self aware of it, so it doesn’t tease the romance, it makes it clear.
The biggest criticism is the inclusion of the bonus chapters at the end of the book. They look like scenes that were originally in earlier drafts of the book. Given how unnecessary they are to the main story, it was a good choice for them to be taken out. But the other seemed to love them so much he included them in the volume anyway. Which just makes the book longer than it has to be. If I read the sequels, and there are bonus stories at the end of volume 2, I’ll probably skip them.
Also a fair warning that this book demands you read the next volume, because by the end, only 1 thing is actually resolved. Everything else isn’t.
December 30, 2018
Hajime never expected his class to get summoned to a fantasy world. But the dream-like awakening everyone else experienced never came for him---he's just as average in his new life as his old. Worse, the prettiest girl in class won't leave him alone . . . which results in him falling to the depths of a monster-infested labyrinth. He'll need to change himself drastically if he wants to have any chance to survive.
This was more interesting than I initially expected, although parts of Hajime's journey feel rather compressed.
I liked that Hajime loathes the way Kaori pays attention to him, because he's not interested in her, and he's also become the target of all the guys who are. Even when he finds out her true reason, he doesn't seem interested in her at all as a girlfriend. He's just trying to get her to go away in the nicest way he can think of. Because her attention is poisonous to him, and she either can't see that or refuses to.
It's also interesting that the biggest "villain" of the piece is likely Kouki, whose inability to accurately perceive and react to the world around him is causing all sorts of problems, even when he's trying to be helpful. And because nearly the whole class got pulled over, Hajime remains the target of the people who tormented him.
The labyrinth part felt like it could have been several books, instead of about half of one. This is where I would have liked to see far more of Hajime's adventures in the depths, but what we do get is still a lot of fun. I had to laugh when he starts lovingly describing the features of the various guns he's creating, although my favorite moment by far was the exchange:
Although the bit where he's completely ready to ignore that sealed block is probably my second favorite scene. Him figuring that if someone went this far to hide something, it's probably better off sealed was hilarious. Hajime is not interested in the typical heroic tropes for the most part. He'd rather avoid the trouble.
I'm not that fond of Yue. She's more interested in sleeping with Hajime than anything else---and picking the middle of a fight to seduce the man is not conducive to anyone's survival. I also really dislike the trope of making a very young-looking girl legal by saying she's a few hundred years old, she just stopped aging early. And she won't take him telling her no, so it feels like she rapes him in the end.
Overall, though, I'm at least interested enough to see where this goes next. I can't wait for his reintroduction to the classmates who think he's dead, as that should be entertaining in a lot of ways (Hajime's stay in the labyrinth was brutal, and his body reflects that). I rate this book Recommended, as long as Yue's visual age and sexual aggressiveness isn't a barrier.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
This was more interesting than I initially expected, although parts of Hajime's journey feel rather compressed.
I liked that Hajime loathes the way Kaori pays attention to him, because he's not interested in her, and he's also become the target of all the guys who are. Even when he finds out her true reason, he doesn't seem interested in her at all as a girlfriend. He's just trying to get her to go away in the nicest way he can think of. Because her attention is poisonous to him, and she either can't see that or refuses to.
It's also interesting that the biggest "villain" of the piece is likely Kouki, whose inability to accurately perceive and react to the world around him is causing all sorts of problems, even when he's trying to be helpful. And because nearly the whole class got pulled over, Hajime remains the target of the people who tormented him.
The labyrinth part felt like it could have been several books, instead of about half of one. This is where I would have liked to see far more of Hajime's adventures in the depths, but what we do get is still a lot of fun. I had to laugh when he starts lovingly describing the features of the various guns he's creating, although my favorite moment by far was the exchange:
"Don't mind me, shoot!"
"Wait, really? Thanks." Bang!
Although the bit where he's completely ready to ignore that sealed block is probably my second favorite scene. Him figuring that if someone went this far to hide something, it's probably better off sealed was hilarious. Hajime is not interested in the typical heroic tropes for the most part. He'd rather avoid the trouble.
I'm not that fond of Yue. She's more interested in sleeping with Hajime than anything else---and picking the middle of a fight to seduce the man is not conducive to anyone's survival. I also really dislike the trope of making a very young-looking girl legal by saying she's a few hundred years old, she just stopped aging early. And she won't take him telling her no, so it feels like she rapes him in the end.
Overall, though, I'm at least interested enough to see where this goes next. I can't wait for his reintroduction to the classmates who think he's dead, as that should be entertaining in a lot of ways (Hajime's stay in the labyrinth was brutal, and his body reflects that). I rate this book Recommended, as long as Yue's visual age and sexual aggressiveness isn't a barrier.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
January 14, 2019
Isekai, done differently!
First of all I have to admit that im a huge sucker for Isekai novels. I understand that they are all over and people get angry at the OP main characters and what not in these types of novels but i really enjoy them.
That being said this book takes everything you know about the genre and changes is.....kinda. The way things are done is a little different but it still has alot of similarities to other Isekai books. That in no way makes this book boring, it can be dark and brooding at times and fun and funny at others. The characters are memorable and the MC is different than alot that are presented in this genre which is refreshing. That being said it does have some issues but not enough for me to really mention or complain about.
Love this series and look forward to future volumes!
First of all I have to admit that im a huge sucker for Isekai novels. I understand that they are all over and people get angry at the OP main characters and what not in these types of novels but i really enjoy them.
That being said this book takes everything you know about the genre and changes is.....kinda. The way things are done is a little different but it still has alot of similarities to other Isekai books. That in no way makes this book boring, it can be dark and brooding at times and fun and funny at others. The characters are memorable and the MC is different than alot that are presented in this genre which is refreshing. That being said it does have some issues but not enough for me to really mention or complain about.
Love this series and look forward to future volumes!
June 16, 2019
Yes. Another Isekai story.
But this one is actually really good!
Not just 1 or 2 ordinary everyday people summoned to another world - but an entire school classroom of students AND their teacher!
There's also the added twist that the main character is the odd one out and has absolutely average stats and skills compared to his classmates.
Things swiftly go from bad to worse for our main protagonist in spectacular fashion.
This book is well written and well paced. This being a Light Novel of a Manga series, there are a few of the usual let downs - namely occasional fan service moments. But the story is more than strong enough to make you overlook these.
I am definitely reading more of this series.
4.5 out of 5.
But this one is actually really good!
Not just 1 or 2 ordinary everyday people summoned to another world - but an entire school classroom of students AND their teacher!
There's also the added twist that the main character is the odd one out and has absolutely average stats and skills compared to his classmates.
Things swiftly go from bad to worse for our main protagonist in spectacular fashion.
This book is well written and well paced. This being a Light Novel of a Manga series, there are a few of the usual let downs - namely occasional fan service moments. But the story is more than strong enough to make you overlook these.
I am definitely reading more of this series.
4.5 out of 5.
May 27, 2021
Cliche Isekai story with multiple characters at first but takes a dark turn of desperate survival, decapitation, a vampire lolie waifu, and one wild ride to hell and back From...
July 10, 2020
It was a really great story I really loved the characters (especially Hajime and Yue), while reading I marked some of my favorite quotes:
“It’s easy for strong people to solve things with violence. People like Kouki-kun can easily fling themselves into trouble and just fight their way out of it... but few people who’re weak have the courage to stand up for others, and even fewer could bow down like that for someone else...[...] that's why I think you're really the strongest out of everyone here, Nagumo-kun."
"But most importantly, she remembers the promise she made with Hajime that night. The promise to protect him."
"Hajime's pure heart slowly grew sullied"
"What is it I want? I want to live. And what’s stopping me from living? The enemy. And just who is the enemy? Everyone and everything that gets in my way, everything that pushes this unreasonable fate onto me. So what is it I should do? [...] Kill them."
"Anything that threatened his life was an enemy. And all enemies were to be... Killed."
"He swore to himself. That he would survive... and... make it back home.
“That’s right... I just want... to go home. I don’t care about anything else. I’ll make it home, no matter what I have to do. I’ll grant this one wish of mine, by my own hands. And no matter who they may be, anyone that tries to stand in my way...” Hajime opened his eyes and smiled viciously.
“Will die by these hands.” "
"she had been tortured for centuries by her own abilities. Unable to even sink into the release of madness."
"Still, he hadn’t sunk so far that he’d abandon someone. Even now, after all this time, he still had some semblance of morality. No, rather it was more accurate to say that he had regained some semblance of morality. And the one who had reminded him of that, of who he really was, was none other than Yue."
"At the critical turning point that decided whether or not he became as terrible as the monsters he consumed, he had chosen to remain human."
“I won’t let you take anyone else from me. I’ll trample over you and make my way back to his side.”
"Normally this would be a scene where the main character said something like, “There’s no way I can do that!” or, “I’ll save you, no matter what it takes!” and strengthen his bonds with the heroine. And in fact, the old Hajime might have done just that. But the current Hajime was a much harder man.
“Wait, really? Thanks.” Bang! A single gunshot resounded through at the room."
"He did not enjoy fighting. He just wanted to avoid pain."
"He’d known for a while that Yue had feelings for him. It was actually part of why he’d promised to bring her back home with him. Plus, he’d realized he loved Yue, but had given himself flimsy excuses like telling himself he needed to keep his mind focused on the goal or he’d never make it back home to keep himself from acting on those feelings."
“So you are proposing.”
“How many times do I have to say no before you get it? It’s just equipment I made for you.”
“Hajime, you’re so shy.”
“Do you just ignore the words coming out of my mouth or something, Yue?”
“...You’re shy in bed too.”
“Can we please not go there!? Please?”
“Hajime...”
“Uh, yeah?”
“Thanks... I really love you.”
“...You’re welcome.”
“I’ll protect you, and you’ll protect me. As long as we watch each other’s backs, we’ll be stronger than anyone. We’ll beat down anyone who stands against us and bust our way out of this shitty world!”
“It’s easy for strong people to solve things with violence. People like Kouki-kun can easily fling themselves into trouble and just fight their way out of it... but few people who’re weak have the courage to stand up for others, and even fewer could bow down like that for someone else...[...] that's why I think you're really the strongest out of everyone here, Nagumo-kun."
"But most importantly, she remembers the promise she made with Hajime that night. The promise to protect him."
"Hajime's pure heart slowly grew sullied"
"What is it I want? I want to live. And what’s stopping me from living? The enemy. And just who is the enemy? Everyone and everything that gets in my way, everything that pushes this unreasonable fate onto me. So what is it I should do? [...] Kill them."
"Anything that threatened his life was an enemy. And all enemies were to be... Killed."
"He swore to himself. That he would survive... and... make it back home.
“That’s right... I just want... to go home. I don’t care about anything else. I’ll make it home, no matter what I have to do. I’ll grant this one wish of mine, by my own hands. And no matter who they may be, anyone that tries to stand in my way...” Hajime opened his eyes and smiled viciously.
“Will die by these hands.” "
"she had been tortured for centuries by her own abilities. Unable to even sink into the release of madness."
"Still, he hadn’t sunk so far that he’d abandon someone. Even now, after all this time, he still had some semblance of morality. No, rather it was more accurate to say that he had regained some semblance of morality. And the one who had reminded him of that, of who he really was, was none other than Yue."
"At the critical turning point that decided whether or not he became as terrible as the monsters he consumed, he had chosen to remain human."
“I won’t let you take anyone else from me. I’ll trample over you and make my way back to his side.”
"Normally this would be a scene where the main character said something like, “There’s no way I can do that!” or, “I’ll save you, no matter what it takes!” and strengthen his bonds with the heroine. And in fact, the old Hajime might have done just that. But the current Hajime was a much harder man.
“Wait, really? Thanks.” Bang! A single gunshot resounded through at the room."
"He did not enjoy fighting. He just wanted to avoid pain."
"He’d known for a while that Yue had feelings for him. It was actually part of why he’d promised to bring her back home with him. Plus, he’d realized he loved Yue, but had given himself flimsy excuses like telling himself he needed to keep his mind focused on the goal or he’d never make it back home to keep himself from acting on those feelings."
“So you are proposing.”
“How many times do I have to say no before you get it? It’s just equipment I made for you.”
“Hajime, you’re so shy.”
“Do you just ignore the words coming out of my mouth or something, Yue?”
“...You’re shy in bed too.”
“Can we please not go there!? Please?”
“Hajime...”
“Uh, yeah?”
“Thanks... I really love you.”
“...You’re welcome.”
“I’ll protect you, and you’ll protect me. As long as we watch each other’s backs, we’ll be stronger than anyone. We’ll beat down anyone who stands against us and bust our way out of this shitty world!”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2021
3.5/5.0
Arifureta is one of isekai story where protagonist transported into another world. But the difference from other isekai story, protagonist isn't the only one who were transported. They were transported together from the same place.
For reader perspective, the first half of the story was extremely difficult to read. Original author used a lot of repetitive sentence, repetitive event, and same format of content for over and over. For example, author introduced the protagonist was a student who spend all night playing video games and sleep during class. But this thing doesn't stop there, the author keep using that protagonist hobby to introduce other characters over and over that I personally feel it were exaggerated.
Protagonist's mind were written too, and it was really difficult to read and repetitive saying the same thing over and over that makes me personally felt annoyed. For the first half, it's really difficult to read while being relaxed.
Let's move and review the last part.
Unexpectedly, the writing format were totally changed. Author isn't using bunch of sentences in a paragraph anymore, it's easier to read with like 2 to 3 sentences in a paragraph for light novel format. It was more easier to read, and I'm really hoping that this new format will keep remains to the rest of volumes.
Despite all of that uneasiness, I still gave it 3.5, why?
I amazed by how the author able to describe the weaponry in such detail way. It's part of spoiler so I won't say it clearly but compared to other isekai story, Arifureta got its own uniqueness in weaponry. Actually I'm looking forward on what kind of weapon will be made in the future plot so I will wait.
Aside from weaponry, there is unnecessary fan service. I said it is unnecessary, but somehow I keep read it without stopping. Yes, there is a fan service in the last part. I don't think I could recommend this title to kids who haven't reached 18 y.o. yet.
Fan service in Arifureta were divided into two kind of fan service. First of all it's a visual fan service where the artist drawn an illustration of something like showing "that part". It was in the first part of volume tho, people who already read it probably will understand what I mean.
And the second fan service is descriptive text fan service. I mean like the author write something 18+ scene that you will understand it quickly.
I'm really disappointed how author could write such fan service but unable to make the first half of the story easier to read. But yeah, I'm looking forward to next volume to see what kind of fight are they going to face.
Arifureta is one of isekai story where protagonist transported into another world. But the difference from other isekai story, protagonist isn't the only one who were transported. They were transported together from the same place.
For reader perspective, the first half of the story was extremely difficult to read. Original author used a lot of repetitive sentence, repetitive event, and same format of content for over and over. For example, author introduced the protagonist was a student who spend all night playing video games and sleep during class. But this thing doesn't stop there, the author keep using that protagonist hobby to introduce other characters over and over that I personally feel it were exaggerated.
Protagonist's mind were written too, and it was really difficult to read and repetitive saying the same thing over and over that makes me personally felt annoyed. For the first half, it's really difficult to read while being relaxed.
Let's move and review the last part.
Unexpectedly, the writing format were totally changed. Author isn't using bunch of sentences in a paragraph anymore, it's easier to read with like 2 to 3 sentences in a paragraph for light novel format. It was more easier to read, and I'm really hoping that this new format will keep remains to the rest of volumes.
Despite all of that uneasiness, I still gave it 3.5, why?
I amazed by how the author able to describe the weaponry in such detail way. It's part of spoiler so I won't say it clearly but compared to other isekai story, Arifureta got its own uniqueness in weaponry. Actually I'm looking forward on what kind of weapon will be made in the future plot so I will wait.
Aside from weaponry, there is unnecessary fan service. I said it is unnecessary, but somehow I keep read it without stopping. Yes, there is a fan service in the last part. I don't think I could recommend this title to kids who haven't reached 18 y.o. yet.
Fan service in Arifureta were divided into two kind of fan service. First of all it's a visual fan service where the artist drawn an illustration of something like showing "that part". It was in the first part of volume tho, people who already read it probably will understand what I mean.
And the second fan service is descriptive text fan service. I mean like the author write something 18+ scene that you will understand it quickly.
I'm really disappointed how author could write such fan service but unable to make the first half of the story easier to read. But yeah, I'm looking forward to next volume to see what kind of fight are they going to face.
May 29, 2019
So I was going to give this 5-stars. I was really enjoying it. That is until the last 70-80 pages. It is impossible to tell you why without spoiling some things. So I'll put in a spoiler tag when I get there.
It may be a bit contrived that Hajime is able to survive and build his powers because of a lucky find of the Divinity Stone. But nearly every plot has a protagonist encounter something they need. I liked how he was actually using his transmute powers and that's how he did it, rather than someone else just dumping powers on him. He used them in unique and unusual ways that ended up allowing him to become successful. I liked the concept of how he gained his new powers (to a degree). Obviously without the overpowering Divinity Stone and Ambrosia this would not have been possible. But I enjoyed it. I like how there is a subplot or twp going on with his classmates but that this book didn't focus on them a whole lot.
But the book fall apart when
So yeah, while the end left me a bit disappointed, on the whole I really liked the story and am certainly interested in what's going on so I'm sure I'll be picking up more of this one.
Verdict: A fun, primarily enjoyable isekai adventure. Worth picking up if you like the genre and probably worth picking up if you're not 100% sure but want to give it a try.
It may be a bit contrived that Hajime is able to survive and build his powers because of a lucky find of the Divinity Stone. But nearly every plot has a protagonist encounter something they need. I liked how he was actually using his transmute powers and that's how he did it, rather than someone else just dumping powers on him. He used them in unique and unusual ways that ended up allowing him to become successful. I liked the concept of how he gained his new powers (to a degree). Obviously without the overpowering Divinity Stone and Ambrosia this would not have been possible. But I enjoyed it. I like how there is a subplot or twp going on with his classmates but that this book didn't focus on them a whole lot.
But the book fall apart when
So yeah, while the end left me a bit disappointed, on the whole I really liked the story and am certainly interested in what's going on so I'm sure I'll be picking up more of this one.
Verdict: A fun, primarily enjoyable isekai adventure. Worth picking up if you like the genre and probably worth picking up if you're not 100% sure but want to give it a try.
September 2, 2020
A rough start
First of all I really wanted to give this book a 3/5 but it just didn't feel right. The parts that were good were really good, but the same can be said for the bad parts. And had I not seen the Anime first, then I would not have made it past the "sample" pages. The first half of the book in just High School drama that was not needed. Also in the beginning the author introduces like 8 characters by their full name ONCE. Then he uses their last name in dialogue, but first name in narration. So its really confusing in the beginning until you're familiar with all the characters names.
Spoilers ahead
That being said I really like how Hajimes power works. And Yue is a very interesting character too. But I don't like how the author nerfed Vampires out of existence. It would've been cool if she was like one of only a few pure bloods left. I also really like the Hajime Yue pairing.
That being said I want the give the author props for creating the most annoying char ever, Kaori. I've come to love to hate her. Seriously, good job. She's just so dense you have to feel bad for her.
I also thought that the fight scenes were better in the book than in the Anime. And as usual with Light Novel vs Anime, the book set the scene better and went into more detail about everything.
All in all i don't regret reading this book and will continue to follow the series. I can only hope that things will get better as the series progresses.
First of all I really wanted to give this book a 3/5 but it just didn't feel right. The parts that were good were really good, but the same can be said for the bad parts. And had I not seen the Anime first, then I would not have made it past the "sample" pages. The first half of the book in just High School drama that was not needed. Also in the beginning the author introduces like 8 characters by their full name ONCE. Then he uses their last name in dialogue, but first name in narration. So its really confusing in the beginning until you're familiar with all the characters names.
Spoilers ahead
That being said I really like how Hajimes power works. And Yue is a very interesting character too. But I don't like how the author nerfed Vampires out of existence. It would've been cool if she was like one of only a few pure bloods left. I also really like the Hajime Yue pairing.
That being said I want the give the author props for creating the most annoying char ever, Kaori. I've come to love to hate her. Seriously, good job. She's just so dense you have to feel bad for her.
I also thought that the fight scenes were better in the book than in the Anime. And as usual with Light Novel vs Anime, the book set the scene better and went into more detail about everything.
All in all i don't regret reading this book and will continue to follow the series. I can only hope that things will get better as the series progresses.
March 13, 2024
Oh wow I knew what to expect story-wise from watching the anime, but... reading was just worse. It really is a chuunibyou guy wet dream and nothing more. It begins by naming and describing way too many characters to really care about them and I wanted to close the book forever after 20 pages. I have no idea why I did hang on, there is so much building up for the MC to not care about it. The narration changes from third to first person without notice or even a paragraph break. Some problems I'm not sure if it's the translation or just the author. It looks like the author forgot his MC only had one arm at some point. The character development tries to feel badass but it just feels so forced and cringe. Yue is... fine, the relationship with Hajime is fine, but her attachment issues are annoying to say the least. On the plus side, the illustrations are pretty (I wish we could have seen Hajime's chuuni final look instead of just more Yue, I know girls sell better but this would have been nice) and the action, most of the time, is very vivid, seems cool and is easy to follow. I'll continue but that's only because I found all the books for cheap. Also it helps me sleep.
October 7, 2021
Well that was not very good.
The writing is atrocious, the prose is worse than stuff I've read from non-fiction, and the story is as generic as it gets, even for an isekai. Characters are not interesting either, nothing like putting in a loli love interest, but hey, she's 300 years old, so it's cool! The main character can have sex with her.
There's also some inconsistencies here and there: At first character A is holding a bamboo practice sword, then the next page, he's holding his holy sword. Can it transform? In another instance the author talks about Hajime in the third-person, then suddenly, it switches to the first person a few sentences later.
Description of battles and scenery are just not up to standard. I sometimes have trouble following the action. I would just watch the anime if the animation wasn't so bad on that one.
Did not find any typos. Maybe that's the only strong point.
2/5 because I have read far worse.
The writing is atrocious, the prose is worse than stuff I've read from non-fiction, and the story is as generic as it gets, even for an isekai. Characters are not interesting either, nothing like putting in a loli love interest, but hey, she's 300 years old, so it's cool! The main character can have sex with her.
There's also some inconsistencies here and there: At first character A is holding a bamboo practice sword, then the next page, he's holding his holy sword. Can it transform? In another instance the author talks about Hajime in the third-person, then suddenly, it switches to the first person a few sentences later.
Description of battles and scenery are just not up to standard. I sometimes have trouble following the action. I would just watch the anime if the animation wasn't so bad on that one.
Did not find any typos. Maybe that's the only strong point.
2/5 because I have read far worse.
October 19, 2022
Most of the anime i see on chrunchyroll these days is based on Isekai ("otherworld" a genre of japanese portal fantasy and science fiction). I have read a couple of good light novel book series that i enjoyed. They are usually pretty good as portal fantasy with a lot of magic,demons, monsters, dungeons. It is a lot like LITRPG,progression fantasy.
This looked like just another Isekai with high schooler protagonists, Arifureta pulls from a lot of manga and other fantasy light novels to cobble it's plot together but the interesting, fun twist is how the author makes fun of the typical hero, the other stereotypes since the protagonist of this story, Hajime Nagumo has a much different journey. He is an Otaku, his experience of the new world is not having powerful magic, skills like some of his classmates. Arifureta as LN book series, the lolicon covers doesnt do this story justice and Nagumo has a Edmond Dantes like story, journey in this new world. His mindset, view of the world becomes about survival and his morality becomes grimdark after a certain betrayal.
This looked like just another Isekai with high schooler protagonists, Arifureta pulls from a lot of manga and other fantasy light novels to cobble it's plot together but the interesting, fun twist is how the author makes fun of the typical hero, the other stereotypes since the protagonist of this story, Hajime Nagumo has a much different journey. He is an Otaku, his experience of the new world is not having powerful magic, skills like some of his classmates. Arifureta as LN book series, the lolicon covers doesnt do this story justice and Nagumo has a Edmond Dantes like story, journey in this new world. His mindset, view of the world becomes about survival and his morality becomes grimdark after a certain betrayal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2022
incredibly epic epic
It’s good. It’s really, really good, and if you’re reading this review, you should really stop wasting your time and get started on the book instead. It’s worth it.
Lovable, intriguing characters that develop through hardship into something even better? Check. Dastardly yet believable villains? Check and check. Mystery and intrigue to bring you back for more? Oh, yeah. It’s got that and more.
Romance? Adventure? Action? Growth? Fantasy tropes? Cyberpunk edge? You are gonna be so thrilled you won’t be able to put the book down. Go ahead and try—I dare you.
It’s good. It’s really, really good, and if you’re reading this review, you should really stop wasting your time and get started on the book instead. It’s worth it.
Lovable, intriguing characters that develop through hardship into something even better? Check. Dastardly yet believable villains? Check and check. Mystery and intrigue to bring you back for more? Oh, yeah. It’s got that and more.
Romance? Adventure? Action? Growth? Fantasy tropes? Cyberpunk edge? You are gonna be so thrilled you won’t be able to put the book down. Go ahead and try—I dare you.
December 19, 2022
Hero summoned to a new world is given a "weak" common class while all the rest of his classmates are given an overpowered super class. Attacked because of his relationship with the class beauty, Hajime is cast down to the lower levels of a dungeon and is forced to find a way to survive eventually becoming "god" level in his powers by eating the monsters he encounters (even though it will kill him). Finding an ally in another prisoner trapped in the dungeon he seeks to survive so he can return home to our world.
Great, fun easy read. Was looking for the manga but library sent me this instead and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I might need to read more light novels.
Great, fun easy read. Was looking for the manga but library sent me this instead and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I might need to read more light novels.
July 21, 2019
Fun read that definitely didn't follow the norm. If you're a fan of anime with strong male protagonists, this is a good addition.
Pros
-uses some of the best pieces of the genre while being original
-detailed world building
-some litrpg elements (lit lite) to explain character development
Cons
-like all lite novels, it is short compared to western literature
-a 180 plot progression (fun but a little jarring)
-the litrpg usage is central at the beginning but seems to be thrown out by the end
Pros
-uses some of the best pieces of the genre while being original
-detailed world building
-some litrpg elements (lit lite) to explain character development
Cons
-like all lite novels, it is short compared to western literature
-a 180 plot progression (fun but a little jarring)
-the litrpg usage is central at the beginning but seems to be thrown out by the end
August 4, 2019
Nowelka spoko. Czytałam ją parę lat temu i oczywiście uważałam ją wtedy za o wiele lepszą, ale mimo wszystko czytało się całkiem nieźle. Podoba mi się pomysł przeniesienia całej klasy, tego jak zazdrość potrafi doprowadzić do tragedii, żałuję jednak że autor nie poświęcił więcej czasu na przyzwyczajanie się klasy do nowego życia, nowych obowiązków, treningów. Ta część została napisana po macoszemu, a bardziej skupiono się na trudach życia Hajime po zdradzie... Szkoda. Mimo wszystko, całkiem ok nowelka.
August 17, 2019
I really enjoyed it
I loved to watch the change that Hajime went through from loving and caring to ruthless and selfish. The action also was very fun to read and I feel like it was written well. I support Yue's and Hajime's relationship 100% and how it's progressing but at times I feel their intimacy is a little much. Most of the time I don't mind it but I don't want the book to constantly talk about how Yue is all over Hajime. Other than that I loved it and am really excited to continue reading.
I loved to watch the change that Hajime went through from loving and caring to ruthless and selfish. The action also was very fun to read and I feel like it was written well. I support Yue's and Hajime's relationship 100% and how it's progressing but at times I feel their intimacy is a little much. Most of the time I don't mind it but I don't want the book to constantly talk about how Yue is all over Hajime. Other than that I loved it and am really excited to continue reading.
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