Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

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WARNING: This novel contains mature content and many plot twists!

"This time I'll really live my life to the fullest with no regrets!" -Rudeus Greyrat

Normally, a review that is written before the manga/novel is finished should be considered incomplete. Having a review written when it lack of information lacks credibility and is unable to judge the worth of the entire story. I wrote this review because the current reviews do not give the novel justice as they're all reviews with a similar point of view. Noticing the lack of variety I decided to post my own review which will side with the other half of the ... readers (and hopefully future readers). I also would like to note that Mushoku Tensei isn't one that needs to be complete to be able to understand how amazing the novel is.

Story: 10
Upon the first volume you will immediately realize this novel is a 10. Mushoku tensei is a very entertaining and extremely detailed novel. I felt as if I was immersed in to the world that Rudeus was experiencing, whether it be the hardships he may be facing or his interaction with the other characters. Often times Rudeus is forced to make difficult decisions, which always leaves you wondering what happens next? After reading the first novel you can tell immediately the amount of effort the writer used to allow the readers to understand visually how amazing and captivating this world truly is. There are also many plot twist which are extremely surprising (BEWARE MANY ATTEMPT TO SPOIL THIS STORY FOR OTHERS!), without a doubt the story is extremely detailed and has many different stand points from multiple events which allows you to understand how each character feels during the events because the author takes the time to write in different perspectives.

Art: 8
The novel didn't come with many images (I believe there is none after volume 6) this is quite disappointing but it's not a big deal (you can check the manga for reference images). The art I've seen so far seems to really suit the novel and it really brings the environment and the characters to life. The one thing that I really loved about this novel is how the author provided a map. Yes a map of the entire world which is extremely helpful and interesting to look at especially for reference during Rudeus' adventure.

Characters: 9
The author allows you to see how the main characters grow and change. Although the protagonist Rudeus has lived about 30 years in his previous life there are MANY times he is still learning and changing, this allows for interesting plot points where his knowledge in his past is both useful and at the same time useless. The characters you meet in the novel seem really static, but without realizing I noticed the characters really changed. The changes are really subtle that they feel as if they happen immediately, but you have to think back to the previous chapters to notice the gradual change. There are minor and or major events that occur, where each event that happens reveals a little more about a certain character. NOTE: This is because the author writes the story from 1-3 peoples perspective, which allows us to be able to understand the characters thought process through each event. Keep in mind although he writes it in a different perspective it isn't as if it's a complete repeat of what happened, he usually gives a 1-3 summary, then quick thoughts about what happened and then moves on with the story, sometimes continuing from the prospective or changing to another.

Enjoyment: 10
Without a doubt this has to be a 10. I love this novel. A good phrase for this would be "never a dull moment" because that’s how i felt when I was reading this. This novel is really entertaining and I highly recommend it to those who have the spare time whether it is before sleeping or while taking public transportation.

Overall: 10
Here is the part where I persuade you in to reading the novel. I found the novel an easy read something that anyone can pick up. The content is mature and isn't intended for younger readers. There are many points that happen to leave the reader thinking WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THIS OR THAT, but it all happens for a reason. Thanks to the great details provided by the author, I was never left in a situation where I had to wonder why a situation occurred. Everything that was shown was thoroughly explained which I loved since often times in many novels I'm left with why, what or how...? I rarely read novels because I normally prefer manga's but if you're like me and you want something that is amazingly detailed with how the characters are and how their thought process is this novel is meant for you. The novel sells through its characters, meaning that if you don't like the characters then you're likely to dislike the novel.

Final thoughts:
Although it would be extreme to say this manga is the best, but it isn't one that you will regret reading. I'm often in a situation where I have to choose between finding out the rest of the novel or just do some plain ol' studying (easy choice novel of course). I highly recommend this novel to everyone to at least give it a chance, there are MANY volumes out already so there is more then enough plot to go around.

Mushoku Tensei: A Fulfilling Journey about a Broken Person’s Second Chance at Living.

Seeing that the light novels are officially done in Japan, I wanted to ramble a bit here and give my thoughts on a series that was initially one I dropped, to end up being one of the best series I have read of all time and one that played a big part in impacting my life forever.

STORY

This series is not a straight-up ‘redemption’ journey, it is about Rudeus living a life with no regrets and trying to live in a satisfactory way by the end without wasting his chances. It is not about ... him being whitewashed to being a perfect human being with zero flaws but growing amidst them and learning from his mistakes to do better and find a real purpose in his life, and stick to it as much as possible.

Knowing that, Mushoku Tensei is an exceptional story that serves as not just a character journey for Rudeus Greyrat’s life in his second chance in this new world, but as a prequel to something even potentially greater down the line. It is a series that explores Rudeus’ character in tons of depth, and progresses well over time with him constantly aging and growing – which prevents the series from ever feeling stagnant for me, as there was always a sense of direction with what the story wanted to accomplish. But it is also a series that fleshed out its worldbuilding and lore so immensely that the world felt alive when reading through the books and I was immersed in the little details of each continent and the cultural differences between all of them, and a series that also features plot elements and twists that are phenomenally executed and written in a way that Rudeus is only a part of the world and what is happening, not being the main guy the world is revolving around.

This is a series that excels too in being many different things. It can be a great adventure story like how the Dead End crew were traveling from the Demon Continent all the way back home, or a great slice-of-life story exploring Rudeus living his daily life and getting to actually spend time with people outside and bonding with them naturally, or even his chapters as a parent. It can be a dramatic, action-heavy story, or a purely emotionally complex one like with the whole Paul-Rudeus reunion in Volume 5. The series tackles many themes, and many different tones at different times and pulls them all off really well. Nothing feels forced, there’s genuine nuance and thought-provoking elements to them that made the story feel even more hearty and polished than what I was expecting early on.

The magic techniques, the hearty character interactions and moments, the excellent fights that were well-paced too alongside the detail, the great sense of progression and development for characters and the storytelling, and great payoffs too for character and narrative arcs too throughout this series as a whole. Mushoku Tensei always offered something different with each volume and excelled for the most part in whatever it was trying to accomplish narratively and emotionally.

Rifujin na Magonote’s writing shined immensely here overall, and by the end, I was left satisfied with his work and the journey of this series completely. There are just too many elements to this story besides just Rudeus’ development that shines here, so I can only praise how good the writing and storytelling were from start to finish. Everything felt so well thought out that a part of me felt like he crafted the world and many plot points before he even began writing about the main character and his story to come. It’s not something I can compliment often for any series, let alone an isekai-based series (which I normally hate in general). Even the 26-volume length it had felt just about right, the series never felt rushed, nor did it feel stagnant, just exceptionally paced and, consistently fun and engaging throughout.

CHARACTERS

Mushoku Tensei is superbly written from the narrative elements and underlying storytelling and buildup to the future series to come, to the well-thought-out, detailed and immersive world-building that makes the series and world feel real and alive. But what shines for me more than anything are the characters in Mushoku Tensei, especially one very controversial and complex protagonist in Rudeus Greyrat.

Rudeus Greyrat in his previous life was a broken human being. An overweight, demotivated, and depressed person who was locked in his room for decades after facing intensive bullying and trauma, to the point of being a reject in society in his eyes, and relying mainly on games, eroges, and anime to help him just live through. A guy that was living but felt dead on the inside and lost his ability to communicate and bond with anyone properly, and a guy who was terrified of the outside world too. He was a person with a ton of regrets about how he wasted decades of his life from being spineless to turning to help and finding the strength to give his life a second chance right there.

It's easy to understand why a lot of people hate Rudeus, especially for his perverse tendencies (early on in particular). Since he was drowned in many eroges, hentai, and anime for decades, his social skills and treatment of women were really poor early on and he thought of his second chance as a way to do whatever he wants with no genuine consequences, like a video game.

But it is when he makes mistakes that hurt others when he experiences pain in this world and realizes and reminds himself constantly how much a second chance is meaningful to him, that kept him pushing forward and enabled him to grow and mature as a character. His development does not turn him into a saint and a guy with no flaws whatsoever, but he does develop into a pretty outstanding and morally complex character as a whole. A guy who knew he was scum in the past but is living a second life to just feel satisfied and gain closure in a way that he never got to do in the past. To stop blaming everything on others and realize how much accountability he needs to take with his own actions, to go from taking advantage of his parents and thinking of them as evil, to being a father himself and understanding what they went through and how he needs to be in the future to avoid situations like that. To use mistakes as stepping stones to becoming a better person in this world and living a life that he can feel satisfied with by the end, regardless of how flawed or bumpy it can be at times. He does not care to be the strongest person ever just for fun, he grows in a way where he wants to protect and cherish his family in this world, the people that help give him happiness, and more reasons to live. Considering how he failed to communicate at all with anyone in his past for a long time, pushed his frustrations to others, and struggled with his treatment of women early on, he really did grow leaps and bounds by the end in a believable manner without just whitewashing every single trait of his in the past.

He was definitely an unlikeable person to me early on, but even before this series, I always believed that unlikeable characters can still be phenomenal characters, and Rudeus is one I could call a phenomenal character by the end. He might not have grown in ways some people might expect with a ‘redemption’ story, but the whole point of this story is to learn from his mistakes and grow from them to live a proud, satisfying life in this new world. Even if some of the morality and relationship elements clash with our world and their standards nowadays.

Beyond him, the other characters feel incredibly fleshed out and are enjoyable to read through, especially given how many of them are as morally complex to read like Rudeus. Eris was a spoiled brat who mistreated everyone when nothing went her way and was abusive, Ruijerd was a person that went to overly extreme lengths to fulfill his promises in a stubborn, clouded fashion, without trying to understand the kids and their strengths himself. Paul was incredibly talented but was lazy to fulfill his potential in the past, and a sleazebag who still was trying to be a good dad despite not being mature enough early on to understand how to tackle that situation (especially with him having a son like Rudeus who was mentally older than he was). So many characters have complex issues or flaws, but despite them, still manage to grow, develop and live in ways that feel satisfying for me to read through. Besides Eris, Roxy and Sylphie are also fantastic heroines, and the other side characters were great too. None of the development elements felt forced too in this story, all were subtly done without having any character feel static whatsoever.

One real aspect I loved, was how fleshed out each character felt and how I can easily imagine the journeys everyone were undergoing even when the series hadn’t focused on them for a long time. The series focuses mainly on Rudeus, but the writing is so strong, that I can imagine many of these characters be protagonists of their own series in this world. There are Eris and Roxy manga spinoffs for example, but those can be applied to Paul and his past journey as an adventurer with his party, Ruijerd and his journey of redeeming the reputation of the Sperds, Norn and her journey to find her worth amidst her two more talented siblings, Orsted and his journey, etc. That is a good indication of how well these characters were written and treated, all having depth, realism, and great development elements to read through. For such a complex and dysfunctional cast on the surface, this series has one of the best groups of characters I have read in light novels for sure.

ART

Like the story and characters, one huge way that the series evolved over time was with Shirotaka's art. The illustrations and volume covers early on were solid for the most part. But the illustrations from Volume 7 I would say onwards, went from solid to amazing and complimented the growth and progress of Rudeus' journey extremely well. Seeing illustrations of Rudeus and his family in the first volume, to how much they grew alongside the quality of their art was outstanding and even made me emotional when reflecting on the illustrations after finishing the series. In general, the art is fantastic, evokes tons of emotions well and captures the storytelling well. The art really benefitted from this series having their characters grow up, that's for sure. There is even a map, which is nice to have for a series that does a great job with its world-building in general. Just comparing the earlier covers with the ones by the end can tell how well the art evolved with time.

FINAL THOUGHTS

"You only realize the real value of something you discarded when you get the chance to pick it up again." - Rudeus Greyrat

That quote summarizes my experience with Mushoku Tensei. I was one of those people that picked up the series without warnings, read the start of it, and felt grossed out to the point of dropping it early. But I gave it a second chance and moved forward through the difficult times and what I got by the end was a personal, gripping, and emotional rollercoaster of a story, filled with tons of adventure, action happiness, heartbreak, complicated moments, and more importantly, tons of heart.

As a guy who was a shut-in for a couple of years and felt like there was no hope for me to recover the rest of my life and even had no willpower to brush my embarrassment aside and communicate with my loved ones about the depression and anxiety-riddled years I went through, this series opened my eyes and gave me that strength I needed to let go of my pride and open up to everyone. And to find the motivation to not give up while I still have the chance to live and push forward. To wake up and take a step. Even if the road down the line continues to be extremely bumpy and motivations might lose a bit of strength from time to time because of that, it is still important to never give up and still find a way to enjoy life. Don't aim for a perfect life with no mistakes, but a life where I can feel satisfied by the very end. Because of this series, I finally gained the confidence to abandon being a perfectionist, speak to my family after ignoring them for years, and not wallow in my self-pity anymore and grow up.

To that, I'm grateful that I got to read this series and glad to have experienced the complex, bizarre yet touching, endearing, empowering, and genuinely life-changing journey that is Mushoku Tensei. It makes me happy that I gave it a second chance, to see what value this series offered underneath all the layers of controversial elements that people criticize deeply on the surface (sometimes even superficially or untruthfully, without adequately exploring what the series was trying to portray and using stuff out of context to make the series’ image look even worse in the process). It’s definitely not for everyone, and I would not recommend it casually for anyone to read, but it is still one I would proudly call my favorite series.

A massive thanks to Rifujin na Magonote-sensei and Shirotaka-sensei for their wonderful series here, can’t wait to see the Redundancy portion be adapted and see where the franchise as a whole goes from here.

Edit (11/18/2016): This review has been edited to reflect on the series as a whole after the latest arcs that have not been included in this review during the time it was written (the arcs being Overthrow the King Dragon King, Jobless Oblige, The Ancient Dragon's Old Tale and a bunch of Redundancy Chapters.)

If you have stumbled upon this review, you are probably having trouble deciding whether or not to read this novel. This is where I come in and let you know why I believe this novel is one of the best Web Novel/Light Novel the medium has to offer.

-THE FOLLOWING IS A ... SPOILER-FREE REVIEW-

Mushoku Tensei is a 24 volume completed Web Novel that is currently being published into a Light Novel series. The author is currently writing Redundancy Chapters on the internet and is planning on writing a sequel to the series that will serve as the main plot to the story meaning that Mushoku Tensei was intended to be a prequel all along.

Do not let this fool you though, it is by far the best fantasy Web Novel/Light Novel in the market right now.

It is the highest rated Web Novel on syosetu.com and is ranked higher than series such as Overlord, Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari, RE:Monster and etc...

Now with the introductions out of the way, let us get on with the review:

Story: 9

Mushoku Tensei is a story about Rudeus Greyrat, a NEET who was reborn into a realm of fantasy and given a second chance at his life. This book is the journey of Rudeus from his baby years all the way into his adult years. As you go through this journey with Rudeus as a reader, you will see how he gradually improves and redeems himself for his past life. There are also quite a few plot twists and developments along the way to make sure the ride never gets too stale.

However, one of the cons to the story is that it does feel quite a bit cliche at times and the overarching plot isn't as mind boggling or grand as other works. There also may be a story arc or two that you may find boring because of the lack of action that goes on.

The world building on the other hand, is incredible. Each area that the novel introduces has its own culture, history and religion that they follow which are important as it impacts how some characters react to certain situations. The author did a fine job of making each city/country feel unique enough without making the world too bland/repetitive. Each country also has their own unique history which is told not through bland dialogue of explanations, but actually through arcs Rifujin wrote such as The Ancient Dragon's Old Tale and such. It really is a show and not tell kind of worldbuilding that Rifujin excels at and really makes the reader feel engaged to the MT-verse.


Art: 9

With the series being originally a Web Novel, it did not have any art at all. However, after being published into a Light Novel series, readers were finally able to get a visual image of the characters. Needless to say, the art in my opinion is really well done and Sirotaka Sensei has done great work for the series.


Character: 10

This is the department that Mushoku Tensei really shines like no other. The cast of this series is diverse and full of unique personalities, motives and quirks. Each character develops in one way or another, certain events changing their view on life and motives.

In Mushoku Tensei, almost no character is left behind to serve as fodder material for Rudeus. Even the main female cast serve as strong entities that can fight side by side or even overpower the Main Character. Not all characters may have a strong fighting ability, but these characters are definitely not useless and play a key part in the overall story. Each character has their own unique perspective on a given situation, and the author does a splendid job of detailing each thought out. It is hard not to get attached to the cast as the story moves along, as certain events pertaining to certain members of the cast will make you feel devastated and joyful at times.

Rudeus is a fascinating Main Character. However, if you are looking for a Gary Stu protagonist, you will not find it here. He is both intelligent but at the same time realistic and relatable. He cowers when he knows a certain situation is hopeless and panics sometimes as well. Some people may say this is what makes Rudeus a frustrating main character. However, it is exactly because of these traits that Rudeus comes off as a much more realistic character than other fantasy Web Novel/Light Novel MCs. Also, he is most of the time quite intelligent and uses his experiences from his previous life as well as strategies to deal with hardships that overpower him.

Not only this, but Rudeus' character development is amazing. To go from a NEET to a respectable man in the future is quite a feat, but what really matters is the process. The author does an amazing job of showing the reader the process of how Rudeus' overcomes his past, fears and insecurities to quite literally grow as a new man.

After catching up to the latest arcs, most of the cons regarding the lack of
well written motivations regarding certain antagonists as well as some unexplained plot points have been fixed by Rifujin. Literally every character we've seen has an arc (in the Redundancy Chapters or other arcs such as Jobless Oblige) written about them regarding their history and the reason why they do the things they do throughout the series.

The story may be a focus on Rudeus' journey to becoming a changed man, but every side character and antagonist is fleshed out to the tiniest detail and this alone really differentiates the series from any other fantasy or Isekai WN/LN in the industry.


Enjoyment: 10

I absolutely loved this series. From an enjoyment standpoint, there is almost none if at all any anime/manga/Light Novel/Visual Novel I have watched and read that gives me the joy that this series does. With a cast of characters that I love/care for, the jaw dropping plot twists and the incredible world with infinite possibilities to be expanded on in the sequel and Redundancy chapters, Mushoku Tensei is everything I could have asked for and more in the anime/manga/Light Novel/Visual Novel medium.

Overall: 10

Despite some of it's flaws, Mushoku Tensei is still a masterpiece of a Light Novel. Sure there are some cliche tropes played here and there with some inconsistent plot points, but that does not deter the series from it's incredible cast of characters, story and world.

Overall, it is a series I would recommend to anyone that is a reader or simply a fan of fantasy. Mushoku Tensei is a top quality fantasy novel that other Web Novel/Light Novel can only hope to be. If you are looking for a series to read that will stay with you for quite a long time, this is the series you should be investing into.

However, I would not recommend this series to anyone that does not like sexually explicit material or mature themes such as gore/violence. This is a novel targeted at young adults rather than young teenagers.

Feel free to message me if you have any questions or responses you want to make about this review. If you want to debate about the series with me but haven't even finished the series, I will not bother.

This one is a "Must Read book".
Is well written with a lot of details to help you get immerse in the story and the world of Rudeus.
realistic character development not just the MC but also the other characters, it is a slow change resulting of the different realizations that each character reach as they grow up and not just a twist of personality caused by a major event. Great twists in the story. Well is not finish that's is the only bad point and that the MC is a pervert. I pretty much read every chapter publish so a can assure you the quality ... doesn't drop.

That's all; i just gonna let that the work speak for itself you just read the first volume my friend and you'll see

Before I start, I want to emphasize that this is not just my top 1# of all time, but it stands unrivaled by any other piece of work. It is a true masterpiece without contenders, and I must admit that my opinion may be slightly biased. However, let me attempt to articulate the indescribable qualities that make Mushoku Tensei so special.

First and foremost, this series is heavily character-driven, and the entire journey is an emotionally rewarding experience unlike anything I've encountered in fictional media. We witness a person who has hit rock bottom, regarded as the scum of society, being granted a second chance at ... life. Through this second chance, he gradually grows beyond his fears and breaks down the barriers that once held him back. Along the way, he interacts with a diverse array of people and forms both short-term and long-term relationships. It is a transformative journey, taking him from a life of self-deprecation and escapism, confined to the solitude of a room, to an adventure that spans the fantastical wonders of a vividly imagined world.

What sets Mushoku Tensei apart is that it is not merely a token second chance at life; it delves deep into the protagonist's experiences, inner struggles, and personal growth. His life becomes the narrative itself, and it is executed in a way that is unparalleled in any other work. The story takes a slice-of-life approach for extended periods, allowing the pace to become extremely slow. This deliberate pacing enables readers to delve profoundly into the protagonist's core essence, understanding who he truly is, and witnessing the gradual, nuanced changes that shape his character. As a result, he evolves into one of the most inspiring fictional characters I have ever encountered.

True personal transformation does not happen overnight; it occurs through incremental shifts and realizations over an extended period of time. While the majority of the story unfolds in this unhurried, slice-of-life manner, there are pivotal "turning points" scattered throughout the narrative that significantly alter its trajectory. Each of these turning points is exceptional, but the fourth one reaches unimaginable heights, possibly standing as the greatest plot twist in fiction.

The cast of characters in Mushoku Tensei is nothing short of fantastic, encompassing a range of likeable personalities and deeply flawed individuals. The world in which the story unfolds is richly developed and beautifully explored, cementing its place as one of the finest fantasy realms I have ever encountered. The Diary and final arc of the series represent the apex of storytelling, captivating readers with their narrative prowess. However, it is the ending that defies description. It is my favorite ending and character conclusion of all time, leaving me in tears for a solid hour. I cannot even fathom how I became so emotionally attached to this fictional character.

In summary, Mushoku Tensei is an extraordinary work that surpasses any measure of excellence. It has not only captivated my imagination but has also left an indelible impact on my life. On a scale of 1 to 10, this series goes beyond any rating, scoring a resounding 100. It has truly changed my life in ways I never thought possible.

Mushoku Tensei - Jobless Reincarnation, a series that had everything I wanted from a fantasy LN series and left me feeling empty for weeks after finishing it for good.

It is a series with a main character that while problematic, actually is more compelling to read through than many other main characters I read about in the last few years as he actually has tons of issues that were built up through decades of his life, and had to spend a long time in his journey trying to just live in a way that he can feel proud of by the end. It may not be ... perfect, he is actually open to making mistakes and letting his inner weaknesses succumb him at times, but he still wants to do all that he can to not have regrets with his second life. Man was tough to read at first but the more the series went on, the more I grew attached to his journey and desire to change, and to protect the things he cared about that he discarded in his past. The series is a make or break for many purely because of his controversial traits that I see many call him out for, but I still found his character to be captivating despite his flaws. In fact, I kind of felt like a parent just reading through this series as I observe this kid try to figure out how to navigate through life. Felt proud when he accomplished progress that he never could achieve in the past, angry at his mistakes but wanted to see him overcome that and do enough to make himself feel content. I just admire stories that spend time with growing on characters, from their age to their personality and goals. Helps that his journey had an excellent ending too.

Besides just Rudeus, the other characters from Roxy/Eris/Sylphiette, to even his friends/enemies and just random characters that show up once every 5-6 volumes, all had enough depth and thought put into them to not make them just forgettable NPCs. Everyone had traits that stood out, or some background details that made them memorable. Most of these characters, having flaws in their own rights that they try to overcome or live in spite of them, which makes them even more interesting to read through for me. Whenever I got to read first-person perspectives of what side characters went through, I was always blown away with how well-thought out the author was with fleshing out each character possible, and make them feel like they are actively doing something even when the series hadn't focused on them for a long time.

On top of great character writing, the series got quick, quality action scenes to read through with high stakes, brilliantly executed plot twists in the middle and end of the series, a great sense of adventure when relevant, quality slice-of-life with Rudeus bonding with characters, which were greatly needed for him to heal and gain more and more belonging with the world, superb family drama in various volumes like 5 and 11 to name a couple, and much more. On top of that, there was the top-tier world building that felt immersive to read through, intricate work put into the magic system and lore of the Six-Faced World for the time being, etc.

Finally, as a person who gets easily bored with lengthy light novel series because they tend to drag out too much, or lose its hook with time, this series is one of the few that actually maintained its strong, engaging quality from the start all the way to the very end. You could tell that the author knew clearly how to approach the series by not having the series stagnate at any real point, instead feeling fresh consistently in different ways. Helps that the author can execute many themes well at different times. Rudeus and company growing up does help the series' progression too in that aspect.

Overall, this series is special to me and is one of the best light novels I have read. A top-tier, well thought out fantasy series where the isekai elements actually make sense for Rudeus' character without just the MC being super generic, virtue signalling and OP. Characters have depth, moments and plotlines have depth and the world has depth too. Carefully crafted and masterfully executed. Glad that the first season got a top-tier adaptation too, to go alongside these fantastic books.

This is both my review and the answer to some other reviews, so here it goes;

1. The world in these novels shares a lot of common things with other fantasy stories, yet has enough unique features to make it interesting to read. It’s very fun to learn and experience it together with the main character.

2. This story is certainly wish fulfillment; just like almost every fantasy story. Most blatant ones being something like Harry Potter. And that’s perfectly fine, because we read these stories to experience wish fulfillment. MC in this story is not Gary Stu; just having powerful magic power does to make you one. He ... has few advantages; he uses them fully, and works very hard for his power. MC makes mistakes, and does not succeed in everything. He is not a noble hero, and never becomes one. And most importantly, he understands that just having a great power does not solve all of your problems, or makes you invulnerable.

3. MC actually uses his brain, thinks ahead, and avoids any unnecessary danger. He does not seek conflict or attempt to solve everything with force, and this is why he mostly fights with opponents he can handle. It’s really refreshing compared to usual shounen protagonist not caring their lives; and that’s one the reasons this is seinen.

4. There is a lack of usual shounen clichés. There is no sudden powerups, and fights are fast and deadly. Nobody reveals the secret of their techniques in the midst of fighting. Everyone has to train years to gain any skills; there are no shortcuts for heroes or villains. While this is technically harem, there is no usual harem clichés either.

5. Characters grow emotionally, especially MC. There is no magical transformation, it takes a long time and feels natural. MC grows from a human trash into a decent human being who cherishes his family. Side characters like Chris, Luke and Zanoba can start with very bad first impressions, yet they can show unexpected depth, and slowly and subtly grow up.

6. The story takes totally unexpected shifts and yet it makes sense when you think about it. The plot does not always progress the way you expect, which keeps you interested. This is mature story; it takes risks and deals with some things other LNs usually avoid. Like MC actually getting some, getting married, and even having a child. Yet the story keeps going.

7. MC is certainly a pervert, but that’s problem only if you are a prude. The world in this series has some different moral values, yet not everyone accepts everything. MC is actually quite morally upright compared to values of others around him, and for what he could do. He does not abuse his powers, and does his best to remain faithful.

I recommend this story to anyone who wants to read mature fantasy story with interesting adventure and unexpected plot twists.

|| Novel Recommendation And Review ||

Novel - Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu
Authors - Rifujin na Magonote (Story), Sirotaka (Art)
Genres - Action, Adventure, Fantasy, War, Tragedy etc.

(Note - this review is made till i read till volume 9)

Introduction :-
The Moment when you get the chance to relive your life, What will you do? Not only that, you are reincarnated in the world of fantasy, will you try to get back? will you become the strongest in the universe? will you enjoy life like a normal? there are countless possibilities you could choose from. But, Not for the main protagonist, his life sucked in his previous ... life so he decided to never make mistake like he did in his previous world. The story follows the adventure of the lesser noble called Rudeus Greyrat who seemed to be reincarnated from real world to the world of dungeons and dragons.

Views :-
To be honest, this is my first LN and i am really proud i choose this. i read its manga but it wasn't detailed as the novel. This novel makes you jump into that world and it feels like you are experiencing it there-in. The story was well paced and in flow. That author has written the story to the point of reality, no what i meant is that if the possibility of fantasy world, how would it feel, the emotions, the adventures etc. It shows the point of reality in that made up world, thinking yes that could happen. Story takes great leap to the Epic tales, with how he was born, he grows, takes step to the world of adventure and reaching to the point of Greatness.Everything is divided into phase of his life, certainly making you feel that we are growing with him. This is one great Novel that i would give 10/10 any day.

Synopsis
A 34-year-old NEET gets killed in a traffic accident and finds himself in a world of magic. Rather than waking up as a full-grown mage, he gets reincarnated as a newborn baby, retaining the memories of his past life. Before he can even properly move his body, he resolves to never make the same mistakes he made in his first life ever again and instead live a life with no regrets with the new one that was given to him. Because he has the knowledge of a middle-aged man, by the age of two, he has already become a magical prodigy and possesses power unthinkable for anyone his age and even older. Thus begins the chronicles of Rudeus Greyrat, son of swordsman Paul and healer Zenith, as he enters a new world to become the strongest mage known to man, with powers rivaling even the gods themselves.

Story(10/10) - Yes, the story is really beautiful, it gives us the vibe of reliving our own past like a present. Better yet, the story doesn't get sidetracked but continues like a flow in a timely manner. Being it in the fantasy world, it doesn't lack any of the action and adventure that we crave for, it takes simply perfect and meticulous time for him to venture the world. Unlike other stories which directly shows people traveling to adventure without characterization, this story starts from the beginning giving him, the main character a sort of personality and how that psychology that he developed from the start pays off in the future.

Illustrations (8/10) - I don't know how to base the artworks since i have always reviewed the manga, certainly the illustrations that are provided do give a basic idea of the world. It certainly helps you to imagine the world, the surroundings, the people, the culture etc. Though it seemed that it lacked with the illustrations since i couldn't see much or none illustrations from volume 4-5 till volume 9. Since i am newbie in Light Novels, i can't base the illustrations for it but they are indeed drawn beautifully.

Enjoyment (10/10) - I have very well enjoyed it and since the time i started it, it took me around 6 days to complete around till volume 7-8. I couldn't stop it, it was very entertaining and i was craving for more, i wasn't not able to satisfy myself with just 1 chapter per day(originally what i thought cause i never intended to read LN) but the story was so beautiful, in Rudeus language i could say i was seduced by the story and my Little boy(not that tongue emoticon just my brain. little cause i am not that smart) could not stop my craving or addiction. With this, I conclude that i Enjoyed it a lot, and i will continue to do so.

Overall (10/10) I loved this a lot and this is just my opinion though cause it may differ from person to person, but i would say it is certainly this is a gem that i would recommend all to read it.

The book in question boasts some of the finest worldbuilding in any light novel that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The world created by the author is rich and immersive, drawing the reader into its depths with ease.

From the very start, the book hooks you in with an introduction that sets the tone for the rest of the novel. It may start slow, but it's incredibly enjoyable and far from boring.

However, the pace does slow down as the story progresses, but it's not to the detriment of the book. Far from it. In fact, the story takes on a whole new life ... once the plot twists begin to pile up. The action sequences are thrilling and leave you on the edge of your seat. The author has a real talent for creating tension and suspense that keeps you engaged from beginning to end.

One of the highlights of the book is the abundance of new characters, areas, and lore that are introduced throughout the story. The author has a gift for creating well-rounded, relatable characters that add depth and complexity to the world they inhabit. The lore of the world is rich and well thought-out, adding to the overall sense of immersion.

The story itself is unique and stands out from other isekai novels. While it retains the elements that make isekai stories so beloved, it also brings something new to the table. The plot is original and engaging, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

In conclusion, this book is a must-read for fans of light novels, worldbuilding, and isekai stories. It boasts a rich world, well-rounded characters, and a unique story that sets it apart from other novels in the genre. If you're looking for an engaging and immersive read, then this book is definitely worth your time.

Just a heads up, Mushoku Tensei is extremely divisive and deals with pretty uncomfortable subjects so if you don't like that stuff you likely won't enjoy it.

Right off the bat I'll say Mushoku Tensei has an incredibly detailed world, one where I often found myself wanting characters to keep info dumping about a subject to each other and got mad when they stopped. The way Rifujin details things often gives a clear picture in your head like no one else if it's something physical, or he'll go into great enough detail, I dare say, close to Tolkein, he has clearly spent a long time to ... make the world believable.

I also enjoyed that the series wasn't afraid to take a piece of shit, make him the main character, and have him grow as person, you will either like Rudeus and be happy at his growth, or hate Rudeus and potentially come to like him. Rudeus on the outside appears to be a very straightforward and perverted character, when he has amazing depth even early on (it's just not as apparent as later)

Talking about something a little more abstract, Rifujin's writing style is, in my opinion, some of the best there is, I haven't read many novels like I've seen anime, but I found myself just wanting to read more and more, once I started I only stopped when something major happened in the story or I read so much I needed to digest the info.

This series won't be for everyone, nor should it be, I love this series to death. I'm sorry if this review isn't helpful, it's my first.

Mushoku Tensei is the kind of story you read when you want to escape from reality for a bit. It's a wish fulfillment fantasy in the ultimate sense.

Story 9/10
The story is well-written with good pacing and interesting twists and turns. Some parts of the story drag on a bit with very obvious foreshadowing with a "reveal" at the end, but these parts aren't long compared to the rest of the story.

Art 8/10
Not really relevant seeing how it's a novel, but the cover pages looked nice I suppose?

Character 8/10
The characters are an interesting bunch, at some times being well-written and well-developed, and other times being ... a bit crude. The main character in particular has some pretty nasty habits that really detracted from the story, but when he's not engaging in his "activities" he manages to stay an interesting character. There's a large cast of characters that are, for the most part, interesting and well-developed, although at times they have some weakly written aspects that are obviously written for wish-fulfillment which can get really annoying.

Enjoyment 8/10
Although the weirdness of some of the aspects of this series turned me off a bit, overall the story is a good read that kept me hooked.

Overall 8/10
Decent, solid read as long as you can get past or enjoy some of the more perverted things the main character does. Some of it drags on, but it's not really an issue.

Everyone who reads this will be like:

"I would be completely satisfied if my life's biography was like this".

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I am a speed reader. I Read all the 261 chapters within 7 days.
Story flow is great, timeline is great; A real piece of art.

Notes:
... 1) When characters are brought in, enough history is mentioned for a smooth transaction (unlike bleach).

2) TIME DOES PASS, sections can be spans of time from hours to years. This really makes these novels stand out. Maturing and growing takes time.
(the reader is kept in the loop with things like, "It's been 3 months since ____")

3) Everyone has skills in their own fields of talent. This is not about becoming "stronger" than everyone else at fighting, but growing and progressing in what the person is good at through effort (balanced against intelligent-training and talent).

4) Definitely a recommended read. Warning: Has some mature parts during juvenile years.

It is every fantasy reader’s dream to be able to go to another world. However, in this Japanese light novel series, readers can actually learn what it could be like to be born in one. Mushoku Tensei—Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu, or just Mushoku Tensei, is written by Rifujin na Magonote. I loosely translate the full title to mean Jobless Reincarnation—Living Seriously If Going to Another World. This tale of swords and magic features a man from the modern world that is reincarnated into a baby of the Asura Kingdom, a nation within a fantasy world. The good points of this ... story is not only the fact that Magonote does a splendid job on world-building, but also that he depicts a man from our modern world into a world with knights and adventurers. But he is not just any guy. He is not a genius billionaire playboy philanthropist or even a normal college student stressing about getting a job. The protagonist of Mushoku Tensei is a NEET.
Magonote wrote his fantasy story in the point of view of a 34-year-old NEET, a person who is "Not in Education, Employment, or Training," who was kicked out of his home in modern-day Japan for not attending his parents’ funeral. This NEET ends up being reincarnated into another world after dying in regret of his meaningless life. Being reborn as the son of former adventurers, Rudeus Greyrat starts to realize that he has a second chance and he declares, “This time, I'll really live my life to the fullest with no regret!” Although Rudeus was once a good-for-nothing in Japan, it is moving to see how he makes the most of his new life in Buina Village. Learning from his failures and shortcomings as a NEET, Rudeus applies those lessons into socializing with his new family and friends and setting the goal to actually accomplish something in his new environment. He was not ambitious enough to want to become the hero that would defeat the demon lord, but he still wanted to give his new life meaning by making at least one “small” achievement. Readers are sure to be inspired by a man that once wasted life try his best to become someone to be proud of. I am sure it would make them try their best too.
Mushoku Tensei chronicles basically every important aspect of Rudeus’s new life as he grows up from an infant into a man. It is entertaining to read about how a person from our world reacts to the fantasy world, especially a former NEET that once did nothing but play games and surf the net all day. Rudeus sometimes regrets that there are some things from our world that do not exist in the other world (like soy sauce), but he always marvels at the new things like magic. As Rudeus makes great progress in his magic training due to his natural talent and basic science knowledge, readers can gain insight into the inner workings of this fantasy world that depends on magic. The systems of magic that Magonote creates is very comprehensive and easy to understand, which makes for a very intricate world with powerful nations that have individuals that could act as one-man armies. Rudeus encounters a wide variety of unique cultures and races on his future travels which makes for fascinating interactions and great adventures. But only Rudeus could boast a demon race magic teacher and a half-elf-part-animal-race childhood friend.
The level of enjoyment that an individual can get from reading this series is on par with the fun people get from reading J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series or Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle. The Japanese light novel series, Mushoku Tensei, is a story that features a character that everyone can sympathize with in a situation that everyone would envy. Magonote has done a great job to depict the actions and thoughts of a NEET being reincarnated into a fantasy world. He also does well in describing this new fantasy world with all of its nations, cultures, politics, continents, geography, and magic. It is almost unbelievable that the story first started out as a web novel that eventually got its own publication. Although the printed version of Volume 1 will not be released in the United States until November this year, Baka-Tsuki.org has been a wonderful source of the translated version of this unusual tale. I hope you can also enjoy reading Mushoku Tensei. Speaking from experience, please be wary of sleepless nights.

Tl;dr: Mushoku Tensei, behind the apparent otaku-pandering, is a satisfyingly concluded magical fantasy coming of age story full of action, laughs, and thought-provoking feels.
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WARNING: INCOMING WALL OF TEXT, AND SOME SPOILERS. This review may be bit hefty, but I feel compelled to explain why this series deserves to be read.
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At first glance, Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu looks like another one of those "modern person gets a 2nd chance at life in a magical fantasy setting" stories that has seen countless incarnations in past years. Having read the web novels to the main story's conclusion as of 2016, I can say that it is ... one of the most refreshing and satisfying representations of this genre and a definite must read.

Story: 8/10

One of the story's biggest draws is that it unfolds over the course of the main character’s lifetime. You don't see that very often in anime and manga, or most of the modern stories for that matter. Nowadays, an entire series can end just following the story of a character or a party for a few months, with maybe a year-long time skip or two. Meanwhile, Mushoku has multiple time-skips spanning decades. With this scope, you get to see the world and characters change and grow as they are affected by the various consequences from actions built up over the years.

This span of time also allows for a variety of stories to be told. Each of the arcs can be different genre series by themselves. There’s a travel and adventure segment, a school comedy, a family/home-based slice of life, and even a mystery/suspense /political manoeuvring arc. Now this may make it seem like the author just was randomly jumping through genres and stories, trying to appeal to a broader audience. Reading through them one by one, some parts seem more inconsequential or mundane. But it’s all put together in a satisfying way at the end, and certain turns and twists reveal that each point of the character’s life was needed to show the big picture.

Mind you, the setting and world building in MT is no Lord of the Rings or GoT with their thousands of described locales, languages, systems, artefacts and characters. Still, MT manages to portray a believable magical-fantasy world that feels alive and is full of as many complexities as our own. It starts off with the perspectives of only a couple of characters, and scenes from everyday life, but over time, it’s able to touch on broader issues like politics, religion, war--- even race-relations and gender roles and how they play out in a world where magic is a fact of life.

One of the things keeping this from getting a higher mark is the uneven pacing and parts of the narration by the main character. Later on however, this remedied by the occasional change in narrators, showing main plot points from other characters’ POV.

Still, some of the readers encountering may find their immersion in the world broken by the MC Rudeus’s… quirky actions and extensive remarks, often pertaining to his love of females. Don’t get me wrong--- at times this provides a welcome break for some heavy moments and is part of the unique charm of the character. But it can get grating and repetitive at times, especially during his hormonal teenage years. Go figure that one out. (MC is a big perv, and dare I say it, but sometimes you want more plot rather than an half an entire chapter of him just raving about his waifu)

Tl;dr: MT is able to present a complex-enough magical world, explore some deeper moral and philosophical themes, and plays out a satisfying coming of age story. Still, if I were to compare it to some of the most popular highly rated anime and manga on this site, it may feel a little boxed in by the narrator.

Art: 8/10

*Since a light novel has few pictures, I’m basing most of this rating on how the text helps the reader visualize the story in a creative and appealing way.
The writing is fairly adequate, with some moments of brilliance. Although it sometimes feels like things are lost in the english web-translation. Still, the author gives you a general idea of what characters what characters and location look like, and how action scenes play out. There is enough creative use of language like allusions or word play and some are surprisingly clever. One thing that might be limiting, and affect your appreciation is the author’s use of pop-culture (often otaku) references. Some descriptions seem to be simplified by saying a character looks like or acted like [insert anime character here]. While these may appeal to the series’ main demographic, (I found myself laughing out loud more than a few times) it can be a bit confusing to viewers unfamiliar with the culture or genre, without additional commentary.

Characters: 9/10

While I say the story seems boxed in by the MC’s narration, Mushoku Tensei wouldn’t be what it is without him as a character. In summary, Rudeus Greyrat is a former man-child reborn as a child who grows up into the best man he can be. With just this simple idea, MT makes one of the most compelling character developments I’ve seen in an anime, manga or any piece of literature.

At first glance, the character of Rudeus seems like your typical pandering power fantasy. It would seem like Rudeus is hand-fed every opportunity to become a big hero in this new world. He is reborn with ridiculously strong magic potential, along with decades of past-life modern world intel, and has early lucky encounters with the right teachers and brilliant peers which eventually makes him one of the most formidable beings (OP!) in the world. It’s pretty entertaining to see him train his skills as a simple magic-using country boy to become one of the major world powers, crushing most everyone along the way is entertaining enough, and it makes for some pretty badass fight scenes.

But the longer you stick with, watching Rudeus’s growth into becoming a better, more rounded person actually becomes the most memorable part of this series. This becomes clearer when Rudeus encounters situations where all his powers and skills prove futile (yes this happens more than a few times), and he is left with nothing but his wits and character. For the first, Rudeus has just the right balance of calculating smarts and common sense reasoning, without coming across as an arrogant cliché genius character. He acts like a sensible real-life person would, able to get a read of his situation, plan well enough, and prepare for a few unexpected things. He is pretty genre-savvy since he has read and watched a lot of stories about magical fantasy worlds, and actually uses this knowledge to prepare for what this new world throws at him. Now, having strength and smarts like this would be cool enough, but what makes Rudeus stand out is his personality and character. And the more you read MT, the more you realize that the bulk of Rudeus’s growth comes from a foundation of self-reflection and a can-do attitude born from his resolve to redeem himself from his past life’s failure.

Mushoku Tensei makes no effort to hide how pitiable and miserable the main character was in his past life. It’s so blatant that that some parts of Rudeus’s inner-dialogue (especially in the earlier chapters) can get pretty disgusting or appalling for some readers. Early on you may also find it unsettling how detached he is, as if his new life is some kind of entertaining game (he is actually a bit of a creep at the beginning). At first you have doubts whether he is really sincere, like if he’s just someone who’s keeps making promises to change, but never follows through.

Being able to read his thoughts, we see him come up with simple flowchart mindset to self-improvement: “Don’t make excuses, keep productive habits, and treat people with respect”. It sounds as simple as just doing the opposite of what he did in his past life. But every year that passes by in this new life, he encounters more and more situations that test how far he is willing to change. Many times, he has to muster the courage to make the hard, but morally right decisions. This actually becomes one of the major themes of the series. ***SPOILER [In an alternate timeline, we see how badly he could have ended if he lost his resolve to be a better person. He abuses his powers to fulfill his selfish desires, but despite all his capabilities, dies as miserable and unfulfilled as his past life.]

In the end, what starts out as a simple rule to do the reverse of what he did as a failure, becomes the tested principles of a decent human being, and later on, an admirable hero. What’s striking is that he genuinely matures and begins to care about other people in this new world, whether they be friend or foe. In part, it’s helped by his past experience as a deplorable person himself. He is able to empathize with most people, and understand them past their flaws. And this leads me to another theme of the series, which is how characters grow from interacting with each other, and with Rudeus’s unique personality.

Like Rudeus, MT ‘s portrayal of characters is pretty balanced. It might be a bit on the optimistic side of viewing human nature, but the series really tries to have nuanced characters that seem believable in real life. There are no absolutely detestable villains in the series, which some may find disappointing. All chars have their own backgrounds and motivations which influence how they act. Some characters start out seemingly following a few tropes, like a “tsundere” or an idiotic comic relief character. But they eventually start evolving based on a real world understanding of human nature.

Rudeus himself, when he sees a character that seems to fit an anime stereotype from his past life, tries his best not to end up treating them as “anime character”, but an actual person he has to respect and influence in a positive way. Rudeus himself knows that people acting like anime stereotypes don’t function well in a real world, no matter how entertaining their quirks may be. He patiently takes it upon himself to become a good influence on these bunch of people who seem like anime stereotypes, and through the course of his life, they actually end up being well-rounded individuals, and his closest friends. That’s just one example, but I really enjoyed how this series found a new way to use a protagonist’s genre-saviness and modern day insights to be a source of wisdom in this somewhat medieval and barbaric world. It was really interesting seeing him consider modern day ideas like management skills, marketing strategies, psychology and respect for human rights to improve lives--- rather than simply being a min-maxing combat god.

You can’t discuss characters without talking about MT’s apparent treatment of its female characters. Some people may see MT, read a few summaries, or see some of the art, and think it is just like all these other harem male-pandering fantasy series. “Heck, the male lead even gets himself 3 wives! Talk about blatant wish-fulfillment fantasy and unrealistic portrayal of women!”.

But the main character having actual multiple wives is one other thing that distinguishes MT from most other harem series. Just like some of the cultures in our world, this world tolerates polygamy, and this is one of the few series that actually explores the implications. MT answers every harem MC’s question “What if you couldn’t just pick one” pretty reasonably. And surprisingly, it does not devolve into harem group sexy time… at least most of the time. Each wife actually has a unique and meaningful relationship with him, with their own pros and cons in how they support each other, which is actually important to the plot. To prevent typical harem misunderstandings and conflicts, Rudeus regularly holds family meetings, and makes sure each family member is able voice their concerns, and cooperate towards their family’s goals. It’s actually surprisingy mundane at times, but it adds a level of realism that is strangely satisfying.

And yes, a lot of series design female characters to meet particular fetish or appeal. And MT is no exception. There is no denying that a lot of Mushoku Tensei’s female character designs seem to fit the mold of a lot of the common modern attractions (tsundere redheads, lolis, onee-chans, nekos, etc.). But consistent with the character development in this series, they are fleshed out and feel like believable people. In this world, it is actually pointed out by Rudeus that women are just as powerful as men, through the mechanics of magic and swordsmanship. Women are not exactly damsels in distress in this world, and there are many that play vital roles in the battles that take place. One of the enjoyable things about this series even if it’s a harem is that you actually see the female leads grow from mere children into really likeable and appealing women. And we’re not just talking about measurements here. Each of the female leads actually becomes a strong, respectable woman each with her own unique traits and strengths. (To sum it up, it’s not every series that shows your “waifus” actually being wives who have to balance the responsibility of being heads of the household, good mothers, and mages/swordswomen warriors in a fight to save the world.)

Tl;dr: MT has great characters and develops them interestingly. Point in case: Former hikkikomori recluse becomes a respectable leader of a quirky band of heroes, and becomes responsible for a family of his own, while making time to save the world.

Enjoyment 10/10
Mushoku Tensei works because it does a little bit of everything and puts it all together. While it holds special enjoyment for fans of modern pop-culture, anime, movies and games, it certainly has a broad appeal simply for the roller coaster ride of emotions it can induce, and how it can make an impact on you in a variety of ways.

MT will make you laugh. From harem hi-jinks, to absurd plot twists, to funny references and clever wordplay. MT will make you cry. It has moments when simply reading how much some chars grow and develop new realizations after all this time can bring on the feels. Be prepared though, while overall a pretty happy series, MT will sometimes sucker punch you in the gut with more than a few tragic twists. Also, it can’t be taken for granted that MT brings a special satisfaction in how plots are resolved through characters acting like real world people, with believable reactions and more than one way of thinking. (My face and palms actually remained underused for this series. It actually does not have a lot of plot holes or frustrating moments caused by people acting out of character. People actually acted like thinking and planning human beings!)

Overall : 10/10

Yeah I know the math doesn’t add up. But I think for this series, the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. It may be a bit uneven. The world and some characters could have been explored a bit more, and the pacing could definitely have been improved. It also has some limitations being a light novel, like appealing through visuals, sound ambience or music. But IMO, being a novel in text was probably the best way to introduce this series, since it adds that unique depth through the characters’ thoughts. I’m looking forward to adaptations as a manga or anime, and really hope they do it justice by keeping the core of what makes this a great series. Great characters, themes and emotional impact. If they actually manage to do so and give this series more exposure and accessibility, this may well be one of the great mainstream masterpieces of our time.

To end this lengthy review, I dare say Mushoku Tensei is one of those must-read stories that will make you a better person if you stick around to finish it. It’s not just satisfying in its cool fights and harems and feel-good moments. And I’m not even preaching or analyzing any of its deeper moral themes or implications here.

At its simplest, it’s a story about realistic change, growth and hope. After all, the title is literally translated as " Jobless Reincarnation: I Will Seriously Try If I Go To Another World" and it shows you exactly how one can "seriously try" at life. But it really makes a point about how even small steps and good habits matter and how they can add up to make you a better person. Things like being self-aware, not making too many excuses or assumptions, treating people like people, doing your research and being patient and not expecting instant results. These lessons aren’t exactly anything new, but the series does a good job of showing how they can make a difference over time. It makes you really believe that even if you’re not a super powerful magic fantasy protagonist, having these habits start a chain reaction of changes in the course of your life.

Phew, that got a little preachy. Anyway, if still for some reason you’re not yet ready to try those out in your real life, at least start making an improvement in your life by reading through this awesome series. Have Fun!

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Now what are you waiting for? If you’ve to read through this long, rambling, sappy review, you’re more than ready to read Mushoku Tensei!

"Roxy's Extra Virgin Olive Oil has disappeared, and it has lost its divinity" - Rudeus

Hey everyone, in my review I will be write about the best things of Mushoku Tensei and why I enjoyed it so much. Starting off we'll introduce the plot briefly.
So Mushoku Tensei is about a story of a 33 year old NEET who dies in a Truck accident and is sent to another world. Seems like your ordinary Reincarnation story right? Well its true, the concept seems pretty ordinary compared to most isekai stories out there but I would say this isekai stands out the most as it boasts a ... great long journey that you embark upon with Rudeus from start to end.

There were many reasons as to why this series felt so good to read.
One of the main reasons on why I enjoyed reading this series was it was mostly on the perspective of the Rudeus. Remember how he was a 33 Year old NEET, well he is quite relatable and you'll enjoy his silly monologues and thoughts of a true otaku which made it easy and enjoyable to follow throughout the story.

Rudeus is quite perverse, a massive NEET, but truly is a man of culture. A lot of different references used in the series also added a great touch to it which kind of reminds us that Rudeus was someone that lived in our world as an otaku.

I also enjoyed how they made every character they introduced in the series relevant to the story itself. No character was forgotten and each had their importance in the story.

The story itself ended on a satisfying note, had a remarkable journey and even though it was little bit cliche and predictable at times, I still greatly enjoyed reading this series and would recommend to have a go and read the series if you have the spare time.

One of the best isekai series I've read so far.

WARNING: This review contains minor/harmless spoilers.




After watching the anime adaptation, I decided to make a review of this series in order to help those newly interested novel readers. I read this light novel way back 2013 in its original WN (as well as during baka-tsuki heydays) and followed it until its conclusion. During those times I witness how this novel change and influence the creation of new possibilities for the authors to explore. The exploration of another world with modern ideals intact in order to flex our modernity, to explore the fantasy world of swords and magic with innocence, to give the loser of ... an MC a second chance, the proper introduction of character archetypes and many more. This, with the help of other series such as SAO created a hype and ripple that still evident up until now with the creation of a whole new genre called ISEKAI.

A genre that is now overly saturated and makes other people turn away upon its presence. And you may be asking, why is that? why is isekai so bad despite having a great progenitor? The answer is simple and you'll also notice it right after reading the novel: the story has so much depth, well thought pacing & world-building, it flows naturally, everything felt real despite being fantasy and lasty, it doesnt hold back diving into mature or controversial subject. Though to say the least, there are isekais that been able to properly adapt some of those points such as Re:zero that has deep characterization or Overlord that has detailed fantasy setting with mature content but like other isekais, they were also a victim of being stuck in their own premise which limits the natural progression of the story. But other than those top isekais, most of them just copied each other in other to create the most interesting or eye catching premise losing the focus on what made Mushoku tensei so good.

Which leads us to the main problem of modern isekais and its authors, the main opponent of these authors are their readers. The readers they must please as much as possible as fast as possible in order to get popular, which greatly contradict as to why Mushoku tensei is great. Its great because the author didn't hold back, the premise is plain and the pacing is slow because he doesn't feel threatened to show something. IT'S BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE TO PROVE ANYTHING. In addition, the author explored the sensitive content of trash/neet oldman being able to be born as a baby which, if you don't realize, will bring alot of controversies later. These alone made alot of people turn away and due to that, it became a barrier that other shows can't explore since they are simps for their readers, they wanted to show premise as much as possible to catch the interest of the viewer which disrupts the pacing, they copied the character archetypes [such as tsundere, kuudere, cutedere etc. ] but due to bad pacing didn't have time to properly build their character. There are alot of other points but I'm cutting it up here, summing it all up, these authors limit themselves and the story because they wanted to avoid crossing those lines and ending up focusing too much on their premise forgetting the essence & joy of exploring the fantasy world as well as its build ups.


STORY
The story began when an 34-year old neet was struck by a truck while attempting to save students. He then got reincarnated as a baby named Rudeus Greyrat into another world a typical fantasy medieval setting of swords and magic. His new family consists of a mother, father and a maid. The four of them live on the small village outside the town and both of his parents are ex-adventurers.

This premise might be abit too simple in today's standards but that is mainly why it felt refreshing. The premise is simple not because the overall story/world is straightfoward, its simple because we didn't know anything yet and those things are waiting to be explored with the MC making it felt real as we feel the same sentiment as him as he delve this well written world.



CHARACTERS
This is one of strong points of this novel which sets it apart from other isekai trash. Here, every character has a well thought motive for their choices/action and hidden flaws underneath their good facade. Flaws that are so dirty and disgustingly real. The morality of these characters differ from our todays standards and it is greatly reflected from their action. These moral conflict will be repeatedly tackled as the MC has modern ideals and it will be his greatest weapon as well as his downfall. Other than flaws, the characters has depth, they didn't just get introduced for the sake of being in the spotlight, they are just happened to meet the MC and got introduced. It meant that you'll feel that these characters are moving in its world/story even without the MC, they develop as the story goes even without you noticing it.

The main character Rudeus Greyrat is a typical neet, trash and degenerate but what sets him apart is his past trauma which lead him to the way he is and having the reoccurence those trauma into the otherworld. His past limits him even after reincarnating so he has to overcome those in order to have a good life. But it is something that he can't do by himself (well if he can, he wouldn't become a neet in the first place) which is why the author use the other characters to support and develop him in order to overcome those flaws. But overcoming those is slow, annoyingly slow for some readers, which made them hate the MC greatly and having an old man in body of young child to have romantic interaction on someone as young leaves a bad taste in reader's mouth. (You can say that in a way I'm one of those, I hate what he'd done, hes a trash and degenerately pervert but I like his refreshing character. Hes trying to change & make the best of his second chance and I learned to appreciate it especially in later part of story. He's a greatly flawed character and you don't have to justify what he'd done as he's not a hero to idolize, he's just some dude who's trying his best to have a good second chance. Just follow his journey and you'll get attached to him and everyone around him before you know it.)

The supporting cast doesn't feel as less important characters because as stated earlier, they move in the background and make choices & mistakes that affect the plot. Like MC, these characters are so unpredictable and make action based on their beliefs that will make you hate them, and after realizing their motive to like them, and hating them again because of the unexpected consequences of their action. A fun rollercoaster experience indeed. In addition, they have their own selfish goals that they would have to achieve on their own or with MC's support and is significant enough to change the flow of the entire story. It makes you feel like these characters deserves their own novel.

The heroines are mainly consisted of typical archetypes we know today, the difference is how they develop as the story goes along. They develop and support the MC even without his presence, and they progress differently, some through lengthy time and some through a sudden phenomenon that forces those changes. The harshness of this world doesn't only affect the MC but also the heroines which helps their growth as a character. They make questionable decision sometimes but the author let us view their perspectives, for us to better understand the whole situation. And lastly, each of the heroines has a balanced role in the story, noone gets left behind out of the picture.



WORLD AND ITS DETAILS
This is what sets Mushoku tensei apart from other novels, the way it provides importance to its world-building. The way it details everything from small things such as magic composition, combination of elements, different fighting styles, to a larger ones such as societal classes, political/power struggles, moral issues, different regional cultures across the continent, etc. and most important of all, the Lore.

The lore of mushoku tensei is the core of the series. Its the story of the world that goes way back before even the MC reincarnated and goes beyond even after the story concluded. A story that every child in this series reads as a hero tale and the MC will play a crucial role upon its conclusion.



MUSIC
None, its a novel.



ILLUSTRATION/DESIGN
The artstyle is really good and detailed especially the cover and rendered ones. It gives a fantasy vibes from landscape, to human settlement, weapons, dress and armor designs, etc. (Just compare its cover from other novels, its just way better considering its a grandpa. Avoid looking at the cover of volume 10+ as it provides a bit of spoiler)



ENJOYMENT
Though the story tackles more mature subject unlike its counterparts, it still has alot of chill and relaxing moments. There's a ton of slice of life chapters which is generally enjoyable since these characters have depth and having them live their daily life is a fun read. The idea of getting this sol moments while traveling across the continent to visit relatives or for work is really heartwarming. It gives us as well as the characters an emotional moment to look back and be nostalgic. It knows when to slow down and when to have a fast-paced climax which makes readers crave for more chapters especially as the story goes deeper.

Moreover, and one of its best aspects is that it stays "grounded" throughout the story. That and, with the conjunction of deep characters makes for a very immersive experience. If story turns serious and the tensions are high you'll feel it (like fr fr) since it will slap you in the face with the fact that nothing is certain here. No power of friendship will save anyone. Its not trying to be dramatic, tragic and gory. It just feels natural.


ENDING/FINALE
One of the most important for me is how the shows conclude its story, now matter how good the storyline, how hype the climax, how deep the character development, it all boils on how it closes its curtains and this series' done it in a sincerely simplistic way to give us proper closure.

Which leads us to the two (2) common conclusions good endings falls into (sadly, AOT didn't have a great one), [one] is to give a satisfying ending: conclude everything they build up until this point and give a satisfying closure to the viewers. And [two] is to give an open ending: have its viewers think their own ending interpretation and make it in a way so the world/setting goes even after story ends, which opens up a possibilities of sequels and continuation. Both of this type contradicts and good on its own but Mushoku tensei integrated both in order to create an open and satisfying ending.



OVERALL
Overall, the story of mushoku tensei gives us the true essence of isekai, a second chance. Not to save the whole world and be a hero, not to simp for a girl nor to build an empire, but to have a better second life - not for others but yourself. This novel really did left the most impression in me, from the humble beginning through overwhelming climax & turning points, and its humble ending. 10/10 Masterpiece.

Mushoku tensei can be summarized as Nanahosi said.
"Rudeus did lived a good life."

If you want a long story short, if you saw the anime and liked it, read the novel. If you saw the anime and didn't like it, don't read this.
If you'd like a slightly more in dept review, continue reading.

This novel is the story of Rudeus Greyrat, there are other works set in this world, but this novel is complete by itself.
This is not your tipical isekai story. The story is slow-paced, and sometimes you will revisit scenes by another character's perspective. The fights are also more about the meanting/situation behind them than actual crazy powers.
Again, this isn't the general isekai story.
That said, I do ... think it is good. This is a story about a good-for-nothing doing his best in another life, so that he can eventually die without regrets, unlike the first time. There are a few parts of the story that I don't like or find questionable, but it is a generally good story.
I would recommend you give it a try, but if you've already tried the anime and didn't like it, then don't waste your time here. But as far as I'm concerned, this is one of the objectively better isekai stories I have read.

I will write a short review since most of what I want to say, the user "JoeMacedon" wrote. So I thought it would be redundant to essentially rephrase most of what has been already said.

I found Mushoku Tensei to be excellent COMPARED TO OTHER LIGHT NOVELS!
don't let the negativity around this work discourage you...those too harsh or too critical opinions don't take the medium into consideration IMO...compared to Don Quixote or Lord of the Rings naturally Moshuku Tensei lacks in quality.

Although even if compared to mediocre fantasy novels you find on kindle, MT will probably stand out and be way more interesting. even compared ... to the relatively popular ones like "Eragon" or "a Court of Thorns and Roses" that everyone seems to like so much.

*BUT* compared to its medium MT is at least above average and you will definitely enjoy it no matter what your taste is. if you can tolerate reading Manga and Light Novels (Shonen, Seinen, and Slice of Life) you will find something to like here.

Personally, I like to listen to Web Novels while driving or exercising cuz they normally don't require a lot of attention from the reader and are very easy to digest. that was not the case with MT though. MT was the first LN I bought and read and was so compelled that I continued reading the fan translation of the Web Novel and was very satisfied with the ending.

So in short and bluntly I wrote all the above just on the very unlikely chance that I encourage who reads this to give MT a chance and ignore the contrarians on the internet. they probably don't know what they are talking about or are just kids who couldn't comprehend an MC having flaws or not being the generic bland good guy with no personality where they could insert themselves in.

Story 9, Art 8, Character 10, Enjoyment 10 = Overall 10*


*compared to its medium and considering it was completed (with approximately 2.5 Million Japanese characters) in LESS THAN 2 YEARS

I love this novel.I haven't read anything so well planned and descriptive in a long time.What I've observed is this novel is a hit-or-miss. I've only met people who either think that it's awesome or those that think it utterly sucks.I've never met anyone who thinks it's just average.

The story and setting are great.
The style it's written in is fantastic.

Be warned, this novel is written in first-person with a lot of fleeting thoughts, so you need to keep in mind that a lot of things in the novel are just random thoughts of the protagonist, and nothing serious.

The novel is a roller coaster, encompassing various ... different concepts and so many cool ideas.The novel falls into many genres from battle, comedy, slice of life, and adventure, following the life of the protagonist from his birth.

I personally dislike the character designs and the art is this novel.

The protagonist is a pervert, who was an utter piece of shit in his previous life, has been reborn into a new world with his memories intact, and resolves to turn over a new leaf.The journey of the MC from a piece of shit to a honorable man is something amazing.

The characters in the story are deep, mature, and go through amazing development.There a variety of characters shown, all of them unique.

I know a few people disliked this novel, and I can kinda see where they're coming from. Mushoku Tensei is by no means perfect or inspirational, It's just a masterpiece and something fun to read.

Just remember that a lot of the things written in the novel are fleeting thoughts, and nothing serious.Many people misunderstand this writing style and develop negative opinions.

This is the first WN I've ever read and I haven't read any book by choice, let alone a book in well over a decade, and to finish a complete series is just something I haven't done before in my life so you can see how significant it is for me to do so after being compelled to continue the story after the end of Season 1 of the anime.

"MINOR SPOILERS WARNING"



This is the first time I've followed through the entirety of a characters time-line and felt like I've actually read an entire life's time of experiences, because the world is so flushed out ... and you really get a sense that Rudeus lived a very fulfilling life and by the time you're done, you're just so overwhelmed that you actually made it to the end of his journey.

Story: 10/10

You start off not realizing what the story is about and you're slowly drawn in by masterful worldbuilding that makes every city/continent feel real and significant. It takes a very radical change in pacing after each turning point that you feel like you're on a roller-coaster the entire time, where you're slowly reaching the apex to be plunged all the way down each time and throughout the process you're taking in every little bit of detail from the world/relationship building it has to offer, giving more significance to each turning point. It's a story of twist and turns, betrayal, but above all of that, it's about a man who was given a second chance at life, and to experience life the way it's meant to be enjoyed, a real contrary to his first life. To not live an easy and quiet life but a life with it's fair shares of hardship, which unlocks new experiences, hardships and overcoming those hardships with the help of those met along the way, and to pick yourself up when times get hard even though it's easy to feel helpless.

Art 10/10

The character/world design are insane and unique, there's a little bit of everything given how the world of Mushoku Tensei came to be and there's not much needed to be said.

Characters 8/10

While this is easily Mushoku Tensei's weakest point, there's so much going for it that you don't need amazing characters with complex/unique personalities because it'd be exhausting to also be overly invested in characters. We need some flat characters to lighten the mood because without the slice of life elements this is a very exhausting journey to tread through and you need a break of light heartedness from time to time to remind ourselves to enjoy the journey that Mushoku Tensei takes you and it's not just conflicts one after another. Rudeus did make progress, and people aren't giving him enough slack to grow up in his second life with Paul who was not the most faithful of fathers and expect him to not take after him given his past life, because he did have doubts and morals that he chose to abide by but given the theme of the series it was pretty obvious he was going to end up where he was at, but he would never over step that boundary even though there's temptation being hinted but it was never going to happen and that's just how he's written and I wouldn't want him to become some virtuous guy who abstained from any temptation because that'd just be boring.

Enjoyment 10/10

As previously mentioned the balance of everything really works well together, and the world building is second to none from any anime I've ever read/watched even though I am probably not as deep into the genre as many others here on the platform, but it's surely still up there as one of the best. You are thrown in and grown to love these characters and their flaws, although there are some themes that I don't agree with, I try my best to not let it effect my overall experience with this series. Fortunately the LN, which is what I will considered to be cannon and the final draft has yet to include said themes, and brushed over a controversial scene in the first volume which was covered in the WN in more detail, leaving it more vague that could potentially scrap an entire story arc in the continuation of Rudeus's story in Redundancy.

Overall 10/10