Jun 7, 2024
There are two issues I have with "Country Building Story in Another World." The first how the protagonist handles conflict. Kai, the lead in the story, is naïve. He fights his enemies without concealing his identity and does not take measures to harm or kill bad people who can reveal who he is (and consequently, endanger those that follow him). Do I believe he should he kill every villain he comes across? No - but he should take steps to conceal himself and mitigate risk, which he often does not do. How Kai solves certain problems also becomes an issue. In one of the major
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conflicts of the story, he has a persecuted group start a protest in town instead of directly rescuing the hostages of said group. This is problematic for two reasons. Firstly, because the townspeople are discriminatory toward this group (meaning there is a chance of harm). Secondly, because Kai has the ability to avoid this by simply using his abilities. Ultimately, Kai makes a lot of bad decisions he shouldn't get away with. If he made those decisions, had negative results, and learned from them, that would be one thing. But that is never the case.
The second issue is regarding how Kai handles the women around him. This story is a harem, which is cool. What isn't cool is how he backs out of every opportunity at furthering the romance. Kai is not unaware about how these women feel - several of them have made it clear. Unfortunately, he delays his response to them each time. Kai doesn't really explain his rationale for this beyond commenting that he isn't ready yet. What is he waiting for? Considering his lifestyle and objectives, things are only going to get more complicated. Addressing these connections now will serve him well, even if it involves rejection/refusal toward one or more of the women. Alternatively, if he doesn't feel right about it, have him explain why that is. Having these conversations actually provides depth to the narrative. My guess is that in keeping relationships surface level the author doesn't have to flesh out that half of the story. This decision only frustrates readers, since progression is what they want to see. Hopefully something changes in Kai's approach.
In terms of the actual story, I found the central conflicts satisfactory. There is a clear enemy, objective, and road blocks along the way that need to be addressed. The cultivation skill and its god have mystery behind it, which prompts us to consider how it functions and came to be. Lastly, Kai is weak and strong. Weak in the sense that in a direct confrontation he might be screwed if he mismanages his resources (which provides some stakes), but strong because of the people around him and the fact he can teleport at will. Given his resources, Kai has navigated through most of his problems with ease.
The art is also pretty good and the personalities are distinct (though generic).
Ultimately what makes this story appealing is some of the tropes that many have come to enjoy of the Isekai genre. Unfortunately, since Kai is so trepid and naïve, it puts a damper on some of the main attractions for readers. I believe giving people an outcome is better than leaving them in stasis; hopefully the gridlock on romance breaks soon.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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