I don't remember when I discovered the light novel of this (maybe last year?), but I have wanted to read Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf for a longggggg time! When I saw a manga edition had released today, I was shocked and snatched a sample up ASAP! After reading that, I decided to dive in head first!
Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! was everything I dreamed of it being and more! (HA! No pun intended, but let's keep it anyway! LOL!) The reason I was so deeply interested in this series is because the idea of an elf coming to Japan and experiencing their culture absolutely fascinated me. It was not disappointing! Marie captures the beauty of Japan as viewed in the eyes of a foreigner and brings a sunshine to the page that absolutely captures you as a reader. Her host and friend (and possible love interest?), Kazuhiro, is a wonderful complement to her character, especially art wise. They create such a great balance!
One thing I was unprepared for, but absolutely LOVED is this a dream world isekai. I absolutely love the idea of going to another world in one's dreams (one of my favorite novel series does this!) and was actually the reason I decided to continue reading past the sample. It was amazing!! I also really enjoyed how we see time pass differently because there are a few aspects that give a clear distinction that this is another world (like the food being bland in this world and Kazuhiro appearing younger). These aspects seem so subtle and natural in the story that I'm very much impressed with how the world is presented to us! This is probably my first foray into a fantasy story that had dragons and LOVED the lore behind them. The Arkdragon was nothing like I expected and definitely made me laugh!
The world building in the "real world" was equally awesome too! As I mentioned before, I really really enjoyed being able to experience Japan through a new set of eyes. While we don't necessarily see Japan through Marie's eyes exactly, I just loved the feeling of this being like a "tour guide" to Japan but much more low key and very fun (because hello Ms. Elf!). Also with this, having Japanese food be the highlight is perfection! I actually caught myself WANTING food when reading! LOL! And while it's a small thing to mention, I really enjoyed the one brief moment of Maria saying she wouldn't eat raw fish and then actually trying it and loving it because eating raw fish is still a thing that makes me nervous too. I bring this up because it made me want to try it just like she did because you never know if you just found your next favorite Japanese dish!
When it comes to characters, I absolutely adored Marie, but I have to admit that I deeply enjoyed Kazuhiro’s character! I found myself instantly relating to him within the first few pages alone and it's rare for me to feel THAT connected to a main character that quickly in manga. He is a character I feel so many people can relate to due to his “hobby” (and why it’s his hobby) and loved having that "tether" to him as a reader.
The only other thing I do want to mention is that there is some fan service in this manga. I'm personally not keen on fan service and usually stir clear of it, but beside a few scenes, everything was handled in (mostly) moderation. I did appreciate that while Kazuhiro appreciates Maria’s outer beauty, he does respect her privacy in the slightly awkward scene both of them faced
Overall, I LOVEDDDDD this manga! It was such a fantastic story and one I deeply enjoyed very much! I am looking forward to seeing the next volume and seeing what our main couple(?) will experience next in Japan and in the dream world! I really want to see more of Japan through Marie’s eyes and get hungry for some sushi!