Reviews for Konosuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!
Back to MangaKonosuba is an isekai for people who dislike isekai. Well, can be a fun watch for people who like the genre too of course, but if you’ve grown tired of the overused tropes and carbon-copy protagonists this one is a nice change. This is a tale of a dysfunctional dungeon party and the chemistry between the characters is what makes the series so enjoyable. Starting with the main character who is a lazy, unmotivated, good for nothing, cowardly and with personal gain as the primary goal. In other words, actually relatable protagonist. Next in line we have a goddess with negative IQ that others thinksis crazy for claiming she’s divine, a literal meat shield tank whose masochism is levelled much higher than any close combat skills and a dps who is completely useless except for being a portable nuclear explosion with a 24h cooldown. There is not one properly heroic among the protagonist, just a bunch of lovable defects with a writing that sneers at traditional isekai stories.
It is thanks to this that Konosuba achieved such entertaining chaotic energy and reading it feels like riding a train with no brakes on planet comedy. Now of course, comedy is quite subjective matter, which is why the genre is more difficult to review than others. Just trust me that it’s not common for books to make me laugh out loud and Konosuba did precisely that numerous times. I’m amazed by how it keeps inventing hilarious situations with character flaws that could be seen as one trick pony if used wrong.
Now, there is one small problem and that is the finale of the last volume. Before it was even translated there were already leakers calling it weird and disappointing, and claiming it ruined the series. So I was understandably worried as I picked it up and as I was reading through it. Thankfully, those worries were entirely unfounded and I have no idea what was there for people to dislike. The finale stayed true to the Konosuba spirit with no derailing and gave me some good laughs.
So, this is a series I wholly recommend. Unless you hate fun or something.
This story is action-packed and full of funny tales. I couldn't contain myself when reading and it felt as though my sides were hurting the whole time. They call me an Aqua-Simp hehehe. I also like megumi bc her character design and attitude is very funny and amazing. Furthermore, I relate to the main character a lot. I would honestly do the same things he does if i got isekai'd myself. In fact, I would want to get Isekai'd and sent to another dimension and live funny tales like these guys. 10/10 recommend if u want to laugh all story long and if u like giggles.
This review contains minor spoilers. I have tried my best not to subtract any enjoyment from reading the novels by carefully selecting which minor spoilers to use within this review. ---------------- Basic plot outline ---------------- Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! tells the story of Satou Kazuma who is a shut in that dies in quite the pathetic way and ends up getting transported to a fantasy world. In this world he has a choice to have any weapon , skill or talent , however he ends up choosing an idiotic and slightly more than useless goddess to be his companion. ----------------Genres Breakdown
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Ecchi - It contains fan service and often shows the girls in provocative ways.
Comedy - The comedy is very gag oriented, and tries to play on the fact that it goes against the norms.
Romance - Slightly touched upon , however never the main focus and unfortunately never really develops past blushing.
Action - It contains fighting , however more in a comedic sense ,, and whenever
it takes the serious approach it usually breaks all the build-up of tension for comedy relief.
Harem - A guy adventuring with 3 girls who all have a crush on him... Yea it's a harem.
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Setting
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The setting of Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! takes place in a fantasy world which contains many elements that are prevalent in RPG games such as
monsters , quests , guilds , XP , dungeons , boss monsters etc.
If you like this type of setting then you will be in for a treat simply because it takes these elements and turns them on it's head and then asks them to start yodeling while blowing fart sounds from the rear.
It incorporates the setting very well and does so in a funny way. This just adds to the enjoyment , and never fails to keep you entertained.
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Characters
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The 4 main characters from Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! really help
shape the novel into something that can be seen as a lighthearted and delightful read simply because of how they stick out like a bunch of misfits who have more than a few screws loose.
Aqua is a goddess of healing and specializes in being an idiotic goddess who enjoys party tricks more than doing anything constructive despite having quite a few talents not too apparent to herself.
Darkness is the typical knight who happens to be a masochist who wants nothing more than being covered in slime or being ravaged by monsters.
Megumin is a loli arch-wizard who loves explosions more than anything else
in the world and would most likely choose explosions above eating.
Kazuma is the main character who has to deal with these bunch of idiots
and would like it nothing more than to get rid of them (Who could blame him)
,unfortunate circumstances that keep crossing his way prevent him from doing so.
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Plot
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The plot progression is almost non-existent as the plot is clearly
not the focus of this novel. The main sliver of a plot that the novel contains
is that Kazuma must fight and defeat the Demon Lord in order for the goddess
to return to "heaven" and for him to just live in peace.
It is an overused plot that many other anime/light-novels and manga have followed,
the difference is that Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! often shines
because it doesn't try to take itself seriously.
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Art
----------------
The art that the LN contains is well drawn and is colorful while still being soft on the eyes. It complements the story well and allows the few images that the novels contain to accurately portray the comedic as well as ecchi moods without focusing too much on either.
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Quality of writing
----------------
I cannot comment on the original source materials writing , however the fan translation unfortunately suffers from many flaws that detract from the enjoyment.
It often is victim to very broken English as well as many grammar and spelling mistakes. If you can get past the bad translation quality and want a funny and enjoyable read then this will not fail to meet your expectations.
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Overall
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Some of the character troupes have been used before and some jokes are
recycled and lose their shine after a few times, however there is still
enough variety to make it funny and entertaining.
The plot doesn't really go anywhere except for defeating of bosses which
do not seem to have any importance to the story despite the story claiming
them to.
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! contains nothing new or groundbreaking,
however it does do well to incorporate many different forms of comedy and troupes
to make it one enjoyable ride.
I have read the first 4 volumes of the Light-Novel series and would
recommend it for anyone who enjoys comedy and doesn't mind it being put ahead
of any plot or plot progression and overall just wants a nice fun read without
having to think too much.
----------------
Similar recommendations
----------------
Maoyuu Maou Yuusha [Anime,LN,Manga]
Hataraku Maou-sama! [Anime,LN,Manga]
Yuusha ni Narenakatta Ore wa Shibushibu Shuushoku wo Ketsui Shimashita. [Anime,LN]
No Game No Life [Anime,LN]
Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri [Anime,LN,Manga]
(Recommendations based on personal experience and preference)
-------------
I will update this review in the future.
(Please be gentle as it is my first review.)
KonoSuba is a perfect case of the writer trying to have her cake and eat it too. The initial volumes seem to be a parody of the many fantasy settings and harems found in other LNs. And it was done pretty well. The protagonist and his companions each had a distinct personality, and the hijinks they got up to could be pretty funny, even though I think their full effect is felt much better through animation. However, in the later volumes, the novel falls prey to the tropes and cliches it was initially parodying. That too in a pretty blatant way, though the serial nature of thenovel might be to blame for that.
For example, at the end of one of the volumes, one of the female characters comes up to the main character Kazuma, and tells him she wants to have his kids. Now, this is pretty clearly a 'tease', a hook to get the reader to buy the next volume.
It reads like the author knows exactly what she is doing, and is making use of it to get more male readers. There are three types of stories: stories the author thinks would be good and able to stand on their own (see: Les Miserables), stories the author writes as a form of wish fulfillment for themselves (see: Mikael Blomkovist in the Millennium trilogy), and stories the author writes as a form of wish fulfillment for the readers (see: 50 shades of Grey). Most stories are a combination of these three (as are the aforementioned books). KonoSuba is clearly leaning towards the third one, and I think that is a shame. It cannot really effectively parody what it itself has become.
Still, it has its moments I suppose. Don't let this review dissuade you from reading it, just know what you're getting into, and don't set your expectations too high. Nothing wrong with waiting for the upcoming anime, having read the LN and having watched the season already out, I have to say the anime is better, or rather, Konosuba's premise, characters and jokes transfer over to anime much better.
This novel... I don't know where to start. Now, after reading through from Vol.3 to Vol.7 in 2 days, I felt a vast amount of different emotions in so little time. Be it anger, joy, sadness or a sense of familiarity towards the characters, it was such a refreshing and pleasant to read LN. I am glad that this, as well as an anime adaptation of which I have yet to watch exists. You may be asking why vote 7, which is considered a below average rating here for some reason, but I think it can neither receive a lower, nor a higher rating than "Good."With its good and bad points which I will talk about, "Good" pretty much justifies it better than any other score. Also keep in mind that I will not talk about the main outlines of the LN which are covered at the synopsis above, but some details you might want to know before starting to read. Thus, it will contain some minor spoilers.
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!, or KonoSuba has, I believe, a very character-driven story. The novel introduces a MC, a set of heroines, makes a chemistry between them and throws them around different events while you read their reactions, and are mainly interested in how they react. This type of style is not bad, in fact it is one of the main reasons why KonoSuba is enjoyable to read. Breaking down the elements:
- Story -
The story is basically what will happen when you decide to play Dungeons & Dragons with a group who REALLY knows how to have fun. Think about an adventuring party where the tank cannot do anything other than tank, a mage who can only cast a single devastating spell a day (and has an obsession about it,) a jack of all trades who is the tsukkomi of all the hilarious hijinks and a healer who is retarded. They run from one trouble to another, and you never get tired of it. The overarching story is something like defeating the final boss and returning the goddess to where she belongs, but who cares about that? After some time even the LN itself stops caring and has fun on its own. A bad thing? Certainly not.
- Characters -
Let me talk about the three girls accompanying the MC first. I should say, I am amazed at how interesting all of them are. Bless the mind who has come up with these three fictitious ladies. Aqua, a goddess who has been dragged to troubles and can't be treated like a goddess anymore is an idiot. The way she talks and acts without sparing a single thought to consequences spices up everything, and I love it. Megumin, as Kazuma says, a loli type character who leans more on the insane side. Like, her parents dropped her headlong at her infancy or something. And Darkness, a pervert and an open M with an eccentric personality. There is a wide range of different side characters, and while some of them (Vanir and Wiz combo) are just hilarious, others can feel like they exist solely to deliver fanservice, or some two dimensional and annoying people. Speaking of annoying, here is the first rage inducing element. Excuse me for being vulgar, but the main guy Kazuma Sato is a huge, majestic faggot. I have lost count on how many times I have been pissed of his actions. Seriously, this guy is such a bastard and an ill-natured person that it is possible to get amazed about why he, as the main character is written like this. He not only loves to badmouth his party members as a way to show affection, but is a completely undependable asshole in many situations. I wouldn't care if he were to be a bland self-insert character since that type is very much acceptable and normal as a Light Novel trope, but as you read, Kazuma will dance on your last nerve. Or not, maybe you will justify his actions because of what I am about to say in the next paragraph, but it is a fact that he is selfish as hell.
The other thing I mainly hated about this LN is the fact that these four party members treat each other like trash. It is unsettling when each of the girls talk shit about Kazuma for absolutely no reason, and he talks back with a similar attitude and they have a fight. It would have been better if they were more chill about stuff in my opinion.
- Art -
Considering the style of Light Novels, the art of KonoSuba is pretty neat actually. Liked the smooth illustrations of Kurone-sensei a lot. Characters are, what do you say, moe? Easy on the eyes, nice to look at. Close to the pinnacle of what 2D can offer. You catch my drift.
- Enjoyment -
When I finished the seventh volume, I was pretty surprised about how it was actually a ride I didn't regret taking. To not give spoilers, I couldn't talk about plenty of other reasons which prevented me from giving this a higher score, but if you become mentally prepared for characters acting spoiled from time to time, the flaws can be glossed over.
Overall, I can guarantee that you will enjoy reading this novel, despite it having many flaws and bad execution. I apologise if the review has become a wall of text after some point, I'm not used to writing them. ^^ Would I recommend KonoSuba? Yes, actually. Don't let the 7 rating bother you and go for it if you want to enjoy a nice fantasy comedy.
I love that anime version, and now i'm falling in love to with this novel. It's so fun and refreshing to read this type of novel. Story have a plot and continuity. Conversation look so good, so natural, and so enjoyable. They have fun with each other, have fun with adventure, have fun mocking the enemy (LOL), and yeah .. Have fun for everything. The story maybe little generic, but their conversation is one of the best for me. If you want a romance that you couldn't find in anime, you can read this novel (if you can't wait to S2) Art was so good. I likeall character, especially Megumin and Darkness. They look so beautiful. If i have a time, i will try to draw Megumin :)
Character is the best aspect for this series. That 4 protagonist have different character and i love them. Kazuma with that lazy attitude, Megumin with that explosion's obsession and her chuuni, Aqua with being selfish and annoying, and Darkness with that outstanding performance as Masochist. And yet, you can love another character in this novel.
KonoSuba is the first LN that i read from 1st until now. It's so fun and hilarious, although comedy seem have same pattern and maybe feel bored for some people.
Overall, i recommended this novel for a good laugh after your work.
You know how junk food tastes good but you know is bad for your health? This is it. In the form of a light novel/manga. Konosuba is an isekai light novel that differs in it's genre, because it never takes itself seriously. With it's premise being the overused cliche of the hero being transported into another world, just to defeat the greatest evil of said world, it manages to stand apart from the rabble by turning that entire premise on it's head. What if the hero doesn't want to defeat the 'Big Bad'? Konosuba's greatest strength and weakness lies with it's characters. Starting from the main hero whois a 'NEET', a lazy scum and a pervert with a heart of gold (somewhere hidden deep inside him) and his unwilling companion in the form of a 'useless' and usually drunk goddess, hilarity is bound to ensue. Joined by the explosion crazed mage and a masochist crusader, this cast of characters can do no wrong. Well, mostly. While the usual tropes are turned on their heads in a way that leaves the reader laughing their heart out and begging for more, it is hard not to point out a big flaw of the series. The shenanigans can get a bit repetitive (if only a little), however the author makes sure to introduce enough new characters and attach interesting plots to our main cast to stall that impending feeling of repetition from clogging the flow of the story. However as mentioned before the characters are also the true bane of this series. In order to keep up the hilarity of certain situations later in the story, many characters' growth is severely hampered, which can sometimes seem a little strange and a bit off-putting knowing past events and interactions. Nonetheless if someone can get past this, this series is going to fill you with countless moments of laughter (or eye-rolling and facepalming).
The art is great, whenever we manage to get a glimpse, so there's not much to say about that.
Now, let's talk about enjoyment. Personally I really enjoy the series, mostly because it reminds me of trashy fan-fiction I used to read (and hoped to write) when I was 14. These novels to me feel like some cheap unadulterated fun, like ordering a double-cheeseburger, or eating an entire bag of chips by yourself when you're on a diet. It feels so wrong yet so good at the same time. But sometimes all you need to do is to let go and have some fun.
Konosuba has much to offer for anyone looking for some simple fun. But remember humor is subjective, therefore you should be informed that the humor of this story is better described by the adjectives used earlier to describe the main cast of characters. Should you enjoy these sort of jokes, then you will not be disappointed by Konosuba.
I hope this review can be useful. English is not my nacional language so It will probably has some mistakes. Story: The story is simple, a boy who died and reborn in a parallel world focusing on his adventure trying to become a hero. You may think "I've already watched/read something very similar to that more than once". However, Konosuba is different, because it's a parody of the cliches "fantasy/medieval/harem/romance" (that has been overdoing the industry recently). On this aspect, it does a great job, taking fun of all the cliches (It's very hilarious). Characters: Normally on this type of anime all the characters are outstandingpersons with good convictions, but Konosuba is different. The main characters are Kazuma, Megumin, Darkness and Agua. Kazuma is a scumbag from another world that wants to have an idle life. Megumin is a Crimson Demon (Genetically Modified Human) who is mad about explosion more than anything (she is a chuunibyou as well). Agua is a goddess very dumb and Darkness is a hard level masochist. They all are very funny and charismatic.
Art: It's very well-made and beautiful.
Enjoyment: I enjoyed it very much. I liked everything here. The Demon King Bosses, the characters, the comedy, the romance, the battles and even the story.
Overall: So, yes, I recommend this novel. You should at least take a look on this novel if you like comedy. As I said before, it's a great parody with charimastics characters.
I picked it up after watching the anime and I was surprised at how funny this is even knowing what's going to happen. I won't take your time to explain what this story is about as i'm sure you already know the anime or you can read about this anywhere else. So if you are wondering if you should read this I would say absolutely go for it. The writing is lighthearted and funny, and, what surprised me the most, it keeps pace and originality the whole way through. There has not been a single chapter that bored me. I remember at some point probably around vol5 or so I was laughing my ass off and thinking "ok now this will get repetitive and jokes will start to get old" because I just couldn't fathom how the author could keep up with ideas coming. And boy was I wrong. Then the castle arc started and I was mindblown. The tricks the characters use, the ways they blow through obstacles and the crazy situations they get themselves in. It's just absolutely brilliant.
Sure there is not some deep plot twists or big romance dramas or meaningful philosophy. It's just pure genius, absurd fun, and pure adventure. And everything is written and developed perfectly from start to finish.
This is peak D&Desque adventure comedy 10/10
After finally reading the last volume (volume 17) of my first ever LN, I have decided to write my first ever review. Keep in mind that this is from someone who loved the anime. After watching the anime, I thought that I should read the LN and I was not wrong. It simply is just enjoyable to read. The strongest aspect has to be the characters. The quirkiness of these characters and their interactions with each other had me in stitches. While everyone talks about the character, what I think is equally as good is the story. The story is shaped by the personalities of the maincast, however from simple quests to boss like fights all have their own uniqueness that never seems to amaze me. Yes it might be generic however the way the author casts his own twist on it, really makes it enjoyable. The story compared to the anime is also more serious (more romance) but still has that comedy that everyone loves.
I prefer the character design (the art) in the LN compared to the anime, as it has a more mature look you could say.
Basically if you liked the anime, you should definitely read this. While the anime is only adapted to volume 5, I can say that so far I the LN is better than the anime.
Even without all the comedy and the anti-isekai trope throughout the length of this novel, the author went all out with both the world-building and the character-building, resulting in those rare moments when the story went to the actual serious side with the war and the relationships of our protagonist. Especially Kazuma, he gets a point from me whenever he reminded everyone of his pathetic back-story while actually being productive with his own strength. He truly has the charisma of the main character( despite his trashiness personality). And the main casts are unique in their own way. All and all this is a great findand I highly recommend giving this story a try.
Hey guys, its me, Donald Duck. After finish watching the anime of Konosuba, I can easily vision the tone of the series when reading the light novel because I have an ape brain despite being a duck. Now, as a duck that despise isekai genre for being a generic story every damn time, Konosuba proves me that generic stories can be good if the characters and the interactions are handle well. This series is filled with dumb characters doing dumb stuff, but the dumb characters have consistent writing that I can't help but laugh. Their encounters with the Demon King Generals are the best partsof the series because the team/party isn't overpower, the main character has the weakest class, the mage can only cast one spell, with a crusader that can't land any hits on any targets and a useless goddess with bad lucks. So, when there's a problem ahead of them, they will solve it in either the stupidest way possible or stupid but with big brain moment for almost every problems or conflicts, making it a very funny or satisfying thing to read. It's an entertaining ride until the very end. It's not a masterpiece of a story, it's just a very fun adventure that anybody would like to get into.
This would easily be a 10 if they add a duck as a monster or boss.
As fans of the anime should expect, this series is in no way serious. It's goofy, campy, and at times completely off-the-wall. But, precisely because of that, it's perfect for when you're just in the mood for something light-hearted and fun. These novels contain content skipped by the anime, and content that proceeds beyond the end of the anime, so it's a good read even for people who've already watched all the episodes. Readers looking for any kind of insightful storytelling would be well advised to look elsewhere, however... this series is the literary equivalent of junk food... delicious, delicious, junkfood.
Hello guys! This will be my first review I have ever written so be warned! As I person who has read many types of mange, and has watched many types of anime, konosuba has personally touched my heart and soul in the way it portrays itself. Setting: typical middle age magical fantasy land Characters- anti- trope heroes Review: I love this anime! If your a person who needs a good laugh then this anime/ manga is for you! The story does not take itself seriously at all, the main character is an absolute anti-hero, and his friends all has some uniwue Qurky thing going on with them! Tenout ten for me personally.
Reccommended Other Anime to watch: Re:Zero
This is great even for both people who like and dislike isekai, also it’s the god of comedy light novels, but the end is just like a copy of the webnovel version so the author promised for an after story but till now there isn’t any new information about that;-; Perfect for me Also: the character dev is good, the world building is good too but it’s not finished yet, there are still so much secrets that should be solved in the promised after story The story is unique, the illustration art is nice , the characters are funny and cute
God, Don't even know where to start talking about this masterpiece. There are things I think could be better, but there's zero doubts that the good points extrapolate the bad ones in number. The read is extremely enjoyable and I think the way the author builds the environments and the characters encounters is just peak. Art: 9 Normal anime art. The drawings are not usually an important aspect of LN, like it is regarding manga, anime and VNs, but well, it is still nice to comment about. Art is cute, depicts the characters in an enjoyable way. Not much more to say. Story: 7 Hear me out. It's not like I'msaying the story is bad or something in those lines, it's just that it's a normal story with normal plot events, but the story is not what really makes this novel a 10 (IMO). There's not really a more profound view in the aspects of the world, like the cultures, countries (geo-social-political way) or psychological insights, but it's a comedy, so we can leave that aside.
Even though I said that, it's important noticing that, even with me saying those aspects are not really exploited, if not just not exploited at all, the comedic build-ups and the general pace of the events is just top-tier. Made me giggle in more scenes I can count with my fingers. And those last, idk, 3 chapters of the 17th volume T-T
Characters: 10
This is where the story shines, and it shines really bright.
Each character is specific, meaning every individual has it own traits. Each character is highly memorable and each of them serves a purpose in the story as some "archetype". Each of them is a gear, without which, its not presence would be highly perceived. Sometimes the whole machine would stop working. Every character is different in many ways, and the interact with each other differently. That's where it shines. If you would take Aqua off the equation at some point, for example; her missing would be perceived. The characters interaction would feel a little less brightfull. It would feel like definitely something's not right. Even though she is sometimes annoying as fuck, she would still be missed, for her being a important character in the general web of interactions. Not sure if what I'm saying is strange, but that's it.
So far am really enjoying this series, out of all the manga I've read so far this is the only manga that's managed to get a laugh out of me. It's a fun tale for all to enjoy, though I personally haven't finished the light novels as of yet. Where I live getting volume 16 and 17 is becoming more of a pain in ass than it's worth. And it's getting more annoying to find the right version of the series since there are so many different ova's, spin-offs, and etc. so am posting a review for this series simply to get some help, oh?And I did get v17 once but it had no illustrations so I thought I got the wrong book and sent it back. Just wanted to say that in case I was just being an idiot
A very solid story that will make you laugh and entertain but not much more. Konosuba is, for the most part, a very well written comedy. It does not take itself seriously in the slightest which allows itself to put it's funniest characters in any situation imaginable. The comedy itself does not stand alone however, there are plenty of bits of world building, character progression arcs. What jokes could become mundane in a lesser work are exponentially better because of the tight character writing, any old joke is naturally phased out with an in universe explanation, the relationships of the characters change so the jokes.No core jokes or any writing trope used gets old.
The cast is very likeable, the volume to volume plot is mostly just placing the already good cast in a whacky place. Side characters introduced all have a purpose and are rarely if ever forgot about. With all that being said you won't get much more out of it. You'll laugh, but there are no real deeper meanings in it, it was written to entice in the short term, not to develop a long-standing plot. Meaning once you have finished you're not really left with anything other than thinking " that was fun, next!" I enjoyed my time reading, but gun to my head I could not recall much of anything in the big picture. No settings, nor major plots, no major villains. They feel well written enough in it's volume but once you look back you cannot describe those environments at all. It is a popcorn action flick, the ride is wild at all times then it is over. Overall I would like to be left with at least something more than " that was good" Konosuba just never seemed to go beyond that.
I would still recommend reading this.
A great story, a wonderful but chaotic alternative world, well delimited rules (even tho some are a bit crazy) and a subversion of a lot of chliches about fantasy worlds. Main characters are great, every single of them it's awesome in one thing but terrible in everything else, except Kazuma, who put order and make the team able to work. Secondary characters are good too, specialy Chris, Vanir and Wiz. and there are a lot more that makes the world feel truly alive and not just an scenario where the story happens. I would like the romance has been developed a bit more but it's not badand makes sense. You won't find here the typical harem even tho there are more than one romantic interest.
About the anime adaptation: I feel the anime has been so unfair with Kazuma, it's a different character. In this novel it's a funny character too, but also a good tactician and a powerful adventurer. Traits that in the anime barely can be seen.
I did watch a few episodes first a while back. I though it was a bit unique, but it didn't really draw my attention to watch the whole series. Then, sometime later I found out the light novel was to be released in English and decided to find out what the fuss was all about. And I am glad I did, cause my first impression wasn't that accurate at all. As the novel is quite a fun read with interesting characters and a plot that is designed to poke fun at the all too familiar transported to another world trope that is so familiar now-a-daysin Japanese fiction.
Konosuba tells the story of a video-game loving shut-in Kazuma Sato's whose life as a young schoolboy in Japan abruptly comes to an early end by a tragic accident...or at least it was supposed to. When he opens his eyes, though, he sees a beautiful goddess that offers him a once in an after-lifetime chance to be reborn in a parallel world. The catch is that the world is violent and threatened by a growing evil, the Demon King! Fortunately, he can choose any one thing to bring with him. But instead of a powerful weapon or magical stuff he chooses the goddess, Aqua! And so his adventure with his gorgeous companion begins in a game like world. But it's just a struggle to just get enough money and food to survive, keep his goddess out of trouble, and avoid grabbing the attention of the Demon King's army!
The story tries to poke fun into these immensely popular setting, which has taken the world of Japanese fiction like a storm. From the start it makes fun of how stupidly the protagonist had died in the real world and keeps making fun of him being a 'hikki/NEET'. It also has side characters to make fun of generic hero in such fictions and also makes fun various character tropes in such a setting.
The characters are the driving force of this light novel and the strength which makes the story enjoyable. Kazuma Satou is the main protagonist who used to be a video-game loving shut-in, he is very unlike hero characters as he lacks any special ability and is quite selfish in his ways, aiming to survive in as peaceful a way as possible with no intention of taking part in any conflicts. Aqua is an energetic and simple minded girl who likes to receive reverence for her status and gets upset easily. As an Arch priest and a goddess, she is quite powerful, but rather than learning skills which would benefit her party, she spends most of her skill points learning Party Tricks. Megumin, is an arch wizard who is also quite useless, she knows the incredibly powerful explosion magic that immediately incapacitates her for the rest of the day when cast, and stubbornly refuses to learn any other skills. And lastly Darkness is a crusader who possesses powerful offense and defense, but lacks the accuracy to deliver her attacks. She is a masochist who dreams of being ravaged by monsters and other abuses.
Despite thoroughly enjoying this first novel I wish the author had spent a bit more time on world-building as I would have loved to learn more about the land outside the starter town. And also the novel as a bit short in length for my liking (which is to be expected, as it is called a 'light novel'). Although I am a bit skeptical whether the author will be able to keep up the quality of this first book in the series in the upcoming novels rather than becoming generic like the stories he is trying to make fun of.
All said and done, I really enjoyed my first foray (as a reader) into the world of 'Konosuba' and will definitely check out the future novels as they get translated and might even watch the anime.
This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.
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