Apr 10, 2024
As a fellow reviewer put it, this manga was a pleasant surprise for someone going in blind! I bought the first volume on a whim when one of Kodansha's sales rolled around where first volumes of various manga were only 99 cents and was curious enough about the concept to continue to the next volume.
The story follows Haga, a debugger, and the NPC he joins up with, Nikola. Like many other isekais before, Haga and his fellow debuggers are stuck in a video game world, unlike many isekais before however, the video game they're stuck in is a buggy, glitchy mess. The overarching plot of
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this manga follows Haga as he debugs the game, long after all the other debuggers have given up and decided to do their own thing, hoping that he will eventually debug the game enough that his friends will be freed from their too-glitched-to-move states and maybe even enough that everyone will be able to finally log out of the game. Meanwhile Nikola joins on as an NPC who wants to see the world and get stronger even though this goes against her programing as a villager.
A unique take on the isekai genre, it focuses its attention on the debugging work that goes into video games. From clipping through walls to T posing to debug mode to missing textures, this manga goes through it all. However, the premise isn't the only thing that separates this isekai from the rest, as of where I am now there is nary a power fantasy to be seen. Haga doesn't have a harem and isn't anymore powerful than his fellow debuggers. He's a simple, if a bit too serious about his job, guy and that's refreshing. The way this manga goes into the horrors of being stuck in a video game is intriguing too. "If you die in the game you die in real life" move over here comes being stuck unable to talk or move due to a glitch for god knows how long. There is also the fellow debuggers that Haga and Nikola come across who stand out as well. Having the fellow debuggers be so settled into their new life that they're willing to kill and brainwash others to stop people from finding a way for everyone to go home is an interesting way to impede Haga's progress.
Although it should be noted that this manga does have its problems. The art style is unique but nothing to write home about, the pacing can be wonky at times, and the tone needs work in places. More specifically I think the main thing holding the manga back from being a 9 or a 10 for me is that some of the scenarios in it aren't treated with the appropriate level of gravity I think they should have. Although I will say that I feel the manga has been slowly getting better at this as I go along. If I could split up the manga so far I'd say volumes 1-4 rate at about a 7.5 for me while volumes 5 and 6 so far rate as an 8.
An anime is planned to come out in July 2024, and although it is being made by a newbie I can only hope it sheds some light on this unexpected gem because as one JP comment for the Japanese anime trailer put it, "It's a story so interesting that it transcends the pictures."
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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