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251 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 3, 2021
Full Clearing Another World under a Goddess with Zero Believers: Volume 1 by Isle Osaki

A comfortingly familiar—if not especially daring—isekai that delivers clever underdog fun and RPG world logic, but is let down by mechanical female characterization and its reluctance to move beyond fan-favorite tropes.

Premise & Worldbuilding: Volume 1 briskly sets up its isekai credentials: a high school class disaster, a transport to fantasyland, and a world run by squabbling gods looking for followers. Makoto, the protagonist, pulls the short straw—not only does he have pathetically weak stats, he’s publicly rejected by all major deities. Ostracized as useless, he becomes the lone believer of Noah, a forgotten “minor goddess” with no other followers and a whiff of divine mystery. This starting point is both a promise and a narrative engine: Makoto is on hardcore difficulty, so every triumph feels earned—even when the odds (and stats) are stacked against him.

Characterization & Themes: Makoto’s greatest strength is persistence. He responds to constant underestimation with steady self-discipline—building up his abilities through creative tactics, manipulating terrain, and never quitting despite setbacks. There’s plenty of genre comfort in seeing the downtrodden protagonist outwit his “stronger” former classmates and powerful monsters, often through gamer logic and strategic use of his “weak” water magic. He feels less like a Chosen One and more like the guy who just read the manual and grinds harder—and that’s most of the series’ charm.

Yet this underdog satisfaction is undercut elsewhere. As many readers note, nearly all the female characters (including the goddess Noah) are written as one-note infatuates or comic relief, their actions more about increasing Makoto’s confidence or creating harem energy than about developing their own arcs or concerns. The result is wish-fulfillment that veers into cliché and, at times, cringey repetition.
Writing & Structure: Osaki’s tone is light, brisk, and occasionally witty. The book resists stat-sheet overload, opting instead for simple system explanations and action interludes—making it accessible to readers who like RPG elements but don’t need a dungeon-crawler’s spreadsheet. While the dialogue and worldbuilding aren’t standout, the pacing keeps things moving, and there are enough fair twists (especially near the end) to hint at deeper mythic intrigues and possible future growth. The use of pragmatic water magic and “tactical top-down view” showcases constant low-key creativity rather than heroic high drama.
Weaknesses: The story’s engagement depends on your tolerance for genre routine: Makoto’s progression, while engaging, feels safe, and there’s little subversion or risk outside the protagonist’s grind. The book’s handling of gender dynamics—girls exist almost solely to moon over Makoto—will frustrate anyone hoping for richer interpersonal drama or meaningful female agency. A few world logic oddities (how “secret” skills are public knowledge etc.) show plot expediency sometimes trumps internal coherence.
Comparative Note: For fans of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? or Mushoku Tensei, this series offers another slice of isekai comfort food—one with more low-level grinding and less edgy ambition than the genre’s standouts. Those who enjoy “clever underpowered MC” stories will find much to like, so long as expectations for innovation and maturity are tempered.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✩✩ (3/5) — Genre-solid, occasionally clever, but held back by lazy characterization and missed opportunities for originality.
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