TNT: Isekai and Tensei

Hey all I’m back with a quick information post on some terms I realize I didn’t explain for some readers. It’s all about Isekai and Tensei!

Isekai, Tensei?: I’ve been throwing these terms around and I really should’ve made an explanatory post a long time ago. My apologies, I do get busy with devouring enough material to keep writing this blog in addition to my book and game reviews.

Isekai is a term that the Japanese have termed for a genre, which literally translates into “Another World”. It revolves around the idea of a character, or characters, being transported in their current bodies into another world completely, often a brand new dimension. Some examples of this is Death March, Shield Hero and Arifureta. There are of course plenty of examples, some I’ve even covered in other columns, but those are some quick and easy ones.

What is Tensei?: Well Tensei translates into “Reincarnation”. However there are couple branches of the genre. These can be termed as Reincarnate and Transmigration.

Reincarnate: This is to completely be born again, from infancy. This is the most standard and typical Tensei route, but there can be some differences between stories. Sometimes characters will remember everything from their past life, other times it’ll just be hazy memories or nothing at all until an event shocks them into remembering. Mushoku Tensei is a good example of this occurring. Rudeus grows up from infancy with memories of his past life. And that influences him greatly in his new one.

Transmigration: This is a little different, as this involves someone’s soul taking over another’s body, often right as they would otherwise die. Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss is an example of this, although there are plenty of other examples out there you could find.

That’s it for this week’s Translation Necessary Thursday!

Anime Sunday: Adaptations Never Likely To Happen

This week for Anime Sunday I’m going to cover series that will probably never have Anime adaptations. Which is a real pity!

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari: The series’s whole premise is interesting and would totally get animated, if it weren’t for what happens to Naofumi within the first few chapters. The subject matter is too much for most anyone to make an adaptation of it. Chances of it ever being adapted: 2/5.

Monster no Goshujin-Sama: Boy does this series scream awesome Anime potential, if it weren’t for the facts leading up to the Female Lead’s appearance. In fact after we get that reveal we learn so much that it’s just way too much violence for it to ever be animated properly. Chances of it ever being adapted: 0.5/5

Mushoku Tensei: This has a possibility to make for an excellent series, but since it’s such a huge piece of work it’d be a huge undertaking and if they adapted it poorly it’d be a real shame. There are also various other reasons for it not to be adapted, but the sheer length of the series is the biggest reason. Chances of it ever being adapted: 1.5/5

Yobidasa Reta Satsuriku-sha: Boy I’d love to see ufotable get their hands on this material, but because of the sheer volume of violence in the series I doubt it’ll ever get aired on television and thus will never be adapted. Chances of it ever being adapted: So close to 0 that it may as well be 0/5

Against the Gods: I’d actually say this had a pretty good chance of being adapted if it weren’t a Chinese web novel. There’s so much tension between China and Japan that it really needs to be amazing to even get attention from the Japanese. Again this is a series I’d love to see ufotable get their hands on, if only because the fight sequences would amazing.  Chances of it ever being adapted: 0/5

I Shall Seal The Heavens: Now this Chinese Web Novel series, it’s pretty freaking popular around the world and it may just one day end up being adapted. Maybe, here’s to hoping ufotable sees some amazing potential in the series and has it on their backburners for the next few decades.  Chances of it ever being adapted: 1.75/5

That’s it for this week’s Anime Sunday! What series would you love to see get an Anime Adaptation?

Light Novel Thursday: Knights and Magic by Amazake No Hisago

This week I’m covering a series I just read a couple weeks ago for Light Novel Thursday. It’s Knights and Magic by Amazake No Hisago!

Plot Synopsis: A young man from Japan passed away after a traffic accident. His soul was reincarnated in an alternate world into the body of a pretty young boy Ernesti Erchevalier with his memories intact. Influenced by his hobby from his previous life, Eru is a ‘robot nerd’ in this life too. He meets the giant humanoid battle robots in this world — Silhouette Knights. The elated Eru started a series of plans in order to pilot the robots. He drags his childhood friend in this world along as he messes around in this world to satisfy his desire for robots.

Plot: This series is quite like Mushoku Tensei, and that’s a great thing because I love that series it’s probably among my top favorite Light Novel series ever along with Toaru and Sword Art Online. That said Eru, Ernesti’s nickname, is much less of a pervert then Rudeus is in Mushoku Tensei.  Eru is also a hell of a lot smarter than Rudy, because instead of being a NEET and overall scumbag in his previous life Eru was a decent person working a job and was a very successful computer programmer. So when he see’s Humanoid Mechas in this new world he instantly is enamored with them due to his prior life’s hobby of constructing plastic mecha models, in fact it’s probably just Gunpla. There are plenty of great battle scenes as well. So far I’ve only read the first volume, which was amazing, and can’t wait for the rest.

Characters: Like Rudy in Mushoku Tensei, Eru is an aspiring magician and quickly learns magic and starts training it every day to increase his mana capacity. He meets a pair of twins named Archid and Edeltrud, or Cid (pronounced as “Kid”) and Edel. Edel is the girl pictured above looking over Eru’s shoulder who is reading, and yes he really is a guy (apparently he takes after his mother quite a bit). The rest of the cast is interesting and I really can’t wait to read the rest of this series. If only I had the skills and money to read the original Japanese versions.

Art: The art for this series is great, although not as good as No Game No Life’s fantastic work.

Overall: If you like reincarnation stories, or just good old Magic mixed with the Mecha genre, you’ll love this series.

For those who like: Reincarnation stories, Magic, Fantasy, Epic battles, Great art, Mecha.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

Light Novel Thursday: Mushoku Tensei by Rifujin na Magonote

This week on Light Novel Thursday I’m covering a series that I really love, it’s Mushoku Tensei -Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu by Rifujin na Magonote.

Plot Synopsis: A 34-year-old Hikikomori NEET otaku was chased out from his house by his family. This virgin, plump, unattractive, and penniless guy found that his life was heading towards a dead end. He recalled that his life could actually become much better if he can get over the dark history of his life.

Just when he was at the point of total despair, he saw a truck moving at a high speed with 3 high school students in its path. Mustering all of his strength he saves them, but ends up getting run over by the truck, which kills him.

The next time he opens his eyes, he had been reincarnated to a world of swords and magic, as Rudeus Greyrat with his previous life’s memories intact. Born to a new world and a new life, Rudeus declared to himself, “This time, I’ll really live my life to the fullest with no regrets!” Thus begins the journey of a newly made man.

Plot: Like I said I really like this series, and that’s because while Rudy is a failure in his previous life he realizes that he was a failure for his arrogance in that life. So he always tries to be humble in this new life. It makes him a really likable character. It also helps that his new father is a natural playboy and Rudy inherits that gene from him. The first volume covers his first seven years of life, while later volumes cover relatively less time as the story goes along, by the time you reach the third volume Rudy is only ten years old.  The series is also slightly Harem like, but not nearly along the lines of other Harem series.

Characters: Rudy is a blast to read, and the rest of the characters are awesome as well. My favorite other than Rudy is probably Zanoba, a prince from a minor kingdom who is obsessed with “Dolls”. Rudy is also quite a bit of a pervert, but he isn’t nearly as open about it as Ise from High School DxD is. However you never feel too creeped out by Rudy.

Art: The artwork is pretty great, nothing spectacular though like No Game No Life’s artwork though.

Overall: If you enjoy a story about redemption and love adventure stories, you have to check this one out.

For those who like: Fantasy, Redemption stories, Perveted Main Characters, Amazing Characters, Great World Building comparable to Brandon Sanderson’s work.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above, but if you hate all of that you are no fun whatsoever.