Life at the Ranoa University of Magic suddenly gets more interesting when Rudeus discovers the mysterious Fitz's true identity. What will this unforeseen reunion bring? And what if it is too late for him and his long-lost friend to repair the bond they once had?
And as for my criticisms raised in the previous book. I can gladly say they were unjustified lol
It was refreshing to see that her family's loss wasn't just swept under the rug. Sylphie is affected by the tragedy, it just turns out that she's coping in her own way. The moment Fitz lost his cool and just flat out attacked a person was quite a surprise and refreshing to read of.
In the previous book, I mentioned that the concept of 2 Fitz being a writing gimmick and nothing would had come about from thinking who was impersonating fitz when it wasn’t Sylphie.
Well it turns out there really was another person. It is left for us to guess who it is, but one can reasonably assume their identity.
Now... there are gripes here as well But hopefully they will be taken care of in the next books perhaps
The fact that Ariel would throw away years of planning for Sylphie to be with Rudeus, while writing seems a bit unreasonable. Even though she is a good person and owes sylphie, I can’t say that I wouldn’t be disappointed if later on it remains such a shallow relation or characterisation.
Regardless, while the writing is still the same. There is a genuine tenderness when chapters shift to Sylphie. Of course my fears of her becoming very passive in the sense of just supporting Rudeus seem more likely, and it feels like she would loose some of her agency. We can still hope there is something to make her a good character with her own agency in the story. Still, her being the most purest of foil for Rudeus is nice to see indeed.
Enjoyed this one like the previous. The school now feels more solid than just a model of a Japanese Highschool, albeit with magic. However, there are still nagging issues, like for example, a god being enrolled there. It ingrates me to no end. Someone who's lived this long should have had been made a professor to share his knowledge. It's camp to be sure so I guess it's just one other thing to endure while we enjoy the story. (But why couldn't he be a teacher!????!? He could clearly be seen as more eccentric when, as a teacher, he would be hanging around students and even taking classes. I find it a missed opportunity.)
Again, I may seem a bit harsh to these books. But that's because I really have been enjoying them very much, and want to see them be even better then how they are.
Like I've said since the first book There are glimmers of well though out plot, story and world building. But the writing, and questionable decisions, at times mars its brilliance.
This volume can be skipped, little to no development at all. Just Sylphy and hentai. So just read the first chapter and the 2nd to the last and you're good.
The main character is a terrible person, but this reads as a redemption story. You get to go on a journey with a weird creepy dude that is starting his life over and trying (sometimes failing) to stop from slipping into his old habits. The story is set in a world with magic and skills. There is plenty of sexual references and terrible internalized monologuing, but the actions of the MC are his attempt at redemption and thank goodness there are no actually graphically detailed scenes in the audio. Guessing by this having been released as a manga/graphic novel or whatever the correct word is for this type of asian comic book, I will absolutely not be interested in the visual imagery.
I couldn’t put this book down. With three more volumes translated into English and another 11 released so far in Japan, I'm happy this story isn't ending anytime soon.
Volumen 9 Le doy un 4/5 porque más que historia, me reí bastante sobre todo los últimos capitulos, tiene un par de capitulos muy pero muy interesantes e importantes en cuanto a la historia y la importancia del primer y segundo punto de inflexión, pero fuera de ahí es mucho más tranquilo en todo, tirando más a bromas, más a relaciones, etc, tampoco se le puede decir relleno tal cual ya que aparte de los capitulos importantes, ocurren otros eventos también importantes, en general bien...
Seguimos en la universidad, el tomo nos responde varias preguntas que llevábamos arrastrando de tomos pasados y nos genera nuevas, además ocurren eventos que esperábamos desde hace tiempo, muy bueno, retomo esa acción y comedia que le hicieron falta en el tomo pasado
I'm not the biggest fan of the Sylphie route, so I hope some sort of development happens where they're separated. She's fun and all, but compared to Eris or Roxy? miss me fam
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Out of all the volumes so far, *Mushoku Tensei* Volume 9 was the most challenging to read, mostly because it was jam-packed with information. That’s not a criticism—it’s still fairly easy to follow, just more dense than the earlier ones. This volume reuses the same setting as the last one, focusing on life at the university, but with new characters and dynamics that make things feel fresh. While Volumes 1 and 2 felt like a coming-of-age story, and Volumes 3 to 5 had a travel-adventure vibe, since Volume 8, the series has leaned into a "school life" narrative.
The shift in genre works well, thanks to how the university experience is presented from Rudeus’ perspective. We see him go through the school’s annual traditions (like the mating season), learn about his lessons, and slowly build a social circle that becomes the focus of the plot, while the rest of the university runs in the background. This works because new characters are introduced gradually, through their own small story arcs, not because they weren’t already around, but because they only become relevant when they intersect with Rudeus’ life. Take Linia and Pursena, for example—they were already part of the university, as hinted in Volume 7, but they only become important now due to their interactions with Rudeus. Similarly, Cliff had an earlier appearance in Volume 5, Badigadi was briefly mentioned in an extra chapter, and Nanahoshi was introduced in Volume 6. And of course, Sylphie has been a constant presence since Volume 1.
This gradual introduction of characters makes the world feel alive, and Rudeus' relationships feel organic. As readers, we can see how his circle of friends grows naturally, rather than it feeling forced. Each character’s arc is well told, using the episodic format to establish conflicts and show why each character becomes connected to Rudeus: Cliff, because Rudeus helped him with Elinalise; Badigadi, because he’s fascinated by Rudeus' strength; Nanahoshi, because Rudeus is her only link to her past world; and Sylphie, who is slowly falling in love with him. At the same time, each of these subplots introduces key elements that will be important later. For example, Cliff’s interest in curses leads him to magic circles, which connects to Nanahoshi’s story. Badigadi’s exposition builds on his earlier relationship with Pursena and Linia from Volume 8, while also highlighting Rudeus' vast mana reserves—something important for Nanahoshi’s story as well. Nanahoshi’s arc ties these threads together and links back to the Displacement Incident that Rudeus has been investigating. And finally, Sylphie’s subplot weaves all of these character arcs together—Zanoba, Julie, Lilia, and Pursena from Volume 8—culminating in her deepening relationship with Rudeus.
This episodic format shines because it’s held together by these underlying narrative threads. The subplots aren’t just random—they follow a clear, logical progression, with each one building on the previous.
One potentially controversial aspect of this volume is the focus on Rudeus' impotence. It might be uncomfortable for some readers since topics like sex are often considered taboo, but it’s a part of life that shouldn’t be ignored, and Rifujin handles it with a refreshing honesty. The way the issue is addressed feels natural, not sensationalized, and is treated as just another challenge for Rudeus to overcome. The resolution is satisfying: after several volumes of watching Rudeus suffer from impotence and seeing how it affected his relationships, his recovery is an emotional turning point. Much like how he idealizes Roxy for his childhood successes, Rudeus views Sylphie as the key to his recovery and transfers a deep sense of gratitude onto her. Without being too explicit, the moment Rudeus wakes up next to Sylphie—finally able to have sex again—makes it clear just how important she has become to him. Sylphie’s perspective is also explored more in this volume, especially in the final chapters, where we witness her feelings for Rudeus and understand why she was so hesitant to reveal her identity at first, how she missed her chance, and why her fear of losing Rudeus as a friend eventually outweighed her hope of being with him romantically.
Beyond the characters, this volume was also one of the most important for expanding the lore of the world. This added to the complexity of the read, especially in the middle of the book, where a lot of information is shared. We learn a lot about the traditions of the beast people and the demon world during Badigadi’s story, and in Nanahoshi’s arc, we discover that there are other people from Japan in this world, while also getting more insight into magic circles and artifacts. Both of these stories also delve deeper into how mana functions in this universe. Nanahoshi’s arc, in particular, is filled with real, human emotions—Rudeus has a panic attack when he sees her because it reminds him of his near-death experience with Ostred, and Sylphie loses her temper when she suspects Nanahoshi might be responsible for the Displacement Incident. These moments remind us that the Displacement Incident was a life-altering event for everyone and not just a footnote in the story.
I also have to mention the extra chapter—it was great. We finally find out what happened to Eris, and while Sylphie had a similar subplot before, now Eris takes on that role, ensuring that when she eventually returns to the main story, it will feel natural and earned. I also liked how Nina’s actions tied the extra chapter chronologically to the main plot, adding context to a seemingly minor character. My only complaint is that some of the character descriptions were lacking in the extra chapter. Aside from Eris and Ghislane, I struggled to picture the new characters, which was a shame, given how many were introduced—and they’ll likely play important roles in future volumes.
All in all, I really enjoyed this volume. The genre shift and new narrative structure, combined with the organic introduction of new characters, worked really well. It also feels like Nanahoshi’s arc is setting up something big that will likely unfold in the next few volumes. I’ll share my thoughts on Volume 10 soon, once I’ve had the time to sit down and write them out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
After eight volumes of compelling worldbuilding, heartfelt character development, and yes, the occasional cringe-inducing perviness, Jobless Reincarnation hits an unfortunate low with Book 9.
This volume manages to gather all the least appealing elements of the series awkward sexual content, meandering inner monologues, and unnecessary melodrama,while leaving behind much of what made the story great so far. There’s little action, minimal plot progression, and hardly any of the character growth or emotional payoff readers have come to expect.
Instead, we’re left with a frustrating, aggravating read that feels more like filler than a meaningful continuation of Rudeus’s journey. The pacing drags, the tone feels off, and even the humor which normally helps balance the more uncomfortable bits is largely absent or lands flat.
It’s rare for a series this enjoyable to stumble so hard, but Book 9 is by far the weakest entry to date. Hopefully, this is just a temporary misstep on the road to better things, but if you’re reading through the series, be prepared to grit your teeth through this one.
Bisa dibilang bahwa volume ini merupakan volume yang cukup singkat tapi mampu menjelaskan banyak hal salah satunya tentang siapa sebenarnya identitas dari Fitts- senpai. Diceritakan di volume ini bahwa Fitts-senpai adalah Sylphy yang merupakan teman masa kecil Rudeus. Di volume ini, kita akan dimanjakan oleh berbagai usaha dan upaya yang dilakukan oleh Sylpy, Ariel, dan Luke dalam mengungkap identitas asli dari Sylphy kepada Rudeus. Di volume ini, akhirnya Rudeus dapat menyembuhkan penyakitnya dan akhirnya benih-benih cinta antara keduanya pun akhirnya tumbuh sehingga keduanya memutuskan untuk menikah.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Oh, Eris is back! I haven’t seen her in a while, it’s nice to know what she’s been doing all these years. There’s quite a lot happening in this book (no wonder it was so big), Fitz’s story finally moves a lot, we encounter a certain girl with a white mask again after many books, we learn a whole lot about the Displacement Incident, Zanoba’s friendship with Rudeus keeps growing… I finally caught up with the anime… and now I’ll have to run a little because they have already announced the next season for April.
Rudeus Is a special student at the magic university. As his research moves along, he becomes attracted to Fitz. He doesn't understand since Fitz is a guy, or is he? Rudeus's exploits cause him to be feared and respected by students and professors. Will he remember his long missing childhood friend? Will his ED be cured? I like the action, humor and romance. I look forward to the next book.
So I started watching the anime then the manga then picked up this book when I finished where I caught up with the manga. In summation, though I am glad I started reading the light novels too I love the characters the world-building everything. It doesn't go stale and it keeps you interested in everything that goes on and develops.
Been reading this series from the start and it just keeps me hooked. Can't wait for the next book. Btw for any that don't know it now has an anime adaptation, check it out.
The reveal that Fitz is actually Sylphiette was not at all surprising. However, it was a good book since there was progress in explaining the Displacement Incident, Rudy learned Fitz's real gender, Rudy and Sylphiette became a couple, and Rudy overcame his ED.
I admit I'm a sucker for this romance. Hidden identity, mysterious circumstances, being SHY to the Nth degree, and eventually revealing yourself to your crush? So precious. :)
And it's ABOUT TIME. It almost got insane. To think it took this long to reach this stage!
Yeeeeeah, Rudeus! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! As yes beautifully put in close to the edge, " I get up, I get down" to business. As an anime-only until relatively recently, skipped content always hits hard. BUT IN SYLPHIE'S VOLUME? RIFUJIIIIN