I Was a Sword When I Reincarnated (WN)

I admit I'm not the best speller or very skilled at grammar. So I understand if my review lacks quality in writing.

I really like this story so far. It's quite cute. Unlike many stories where the main character (MC) is overpowered (OP), in this one, the MC isn't that OP. They encounter a lot of people who are stronger than them.

(Spoiler: All the guild masters are stronger than Fran and Sword Bro. It might not seem obvious, but they are indeed stronger. The A-rank adventurers are also stronger than our MCs, as stated multiple times.)

Additionally, I love how the sword isn't a complete pervert wanting to look at the young Fran inappropriately. Instead, the sword wants to protect her and would kill anyone who tries to look at her that way, much like a good father would protect his 12-year-old daughter. I find this aspect of the story really nice.

While it's not the best story out there and it's not for everyone, I think it's worth a read and a chance, in my opinion.

I will admit that some chapters have really poor translations, making them hard to read. But that's not the story's fault; it's due to the translator's inability to understand the original story and their lack of care. I'm glad the previous translator dropped it and let this new person take over. The new translator is a lot better and updates more frequently.

Great, not a moment wasted reading this. Ignore all those bashful comments from people who only read 20-50 chapters.

Trust me, this novel is what you'd call a "late bloomer." It might not be for those who want something extravagant right from the start, but just wait. This isn't your typical reincarnation story. For me, it helps cultivate a sense of "caring" for something I love, rather than just making everything love the main character like in most Alpha Male MC stories.

Go read it; it's not a waste of time at all.

It would really be a decent read if the main character stopped mentioning how it’s not indecent for him to go underwear shopping or bathe together with his protégé, and how he can’t have sex either way, neglecting to mention that Fran is 12. A literal 12-year-old, and the author deems it necessary to point out that the main character isn’t actually attracted to her, which just makes it sound like that’s exactly the case. Is it so hard to just not say it?

If you're looking for a Fluffy x Serious Business story, this is definitely one of the better ones.

The Male Lead (ML) and Female Lead (FL) share the leading roles, but the narrative primarily focuses on the ML (the sword) for the overall storyline and the FL (a petite, succinct catgirl) for interactions and the bulk of character development. This approach works well for developing what would otherwise be a rather timid and quiet character.

The relationship between the ML and FL is mostly teacher-student, which adds a refreshing dynamic, especially when so many stories in this genre (particularly Japanese ones) tend to focus on romance. There is, however, room for interpretation in their relationship.

The action takes place in a gamified fantasy setting, and the execution is quite well done. The duo, consisting of one catgirl, has the typical growth advantage but is severely lacking in many other areas, from combat tactics to social skills and general world knowledge (one is a reincarnated soul, the other was a save file until recently).

Without delving into too much detail, the plot fits together nicely. There's an overarching mystery, the world has a palpable internal consistency, and there are various interlocking subplots and sub-mysteries. Characters introduced in one arc often reappear, and side characters have their own agendas, which may align or conflict with those of the main heroine and her sword-sensei. However, since this is a fluffy story, the antagonism rarely escalates beyond "highly suspicious" or "dangerous unknown," rather than outright hostility toward the main heroine.

If there's a downside, it's that the world itself is fairly average. It's not bad—quite consistent, in fact—but there's nothing particularly groundbreaking about it. You'll find towns, monsters, countries, dungeons, and so on, all of which are as average as you might expect.

In summary:
- The ML and FL form a tight-knit party that sticks together throughout.
- The action has strategy and depth, with plenty of political conflicts.
- The story features a gamified Western-style cultivation system.
- The relationship between the ML and FL is intriguing.
- The world and its conflicts are logically consistent.
- There are plenty of interesting characters. Followers appear in chapter inserts but don't permanently join the main party or follow every whim of the main heroine.
- The villains receive ample exposition on their backgrounds and motivations.
- The translation is good, though the first few chapters are a bit rough. Quality improves significantly once CardboardTL takes over the project.

Take from that what you will.

Sure, here is the rewritten content:

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*Read the light novel, so opinions might differ.*

If you ask me what I thought at the beginning, I'd say this was boring as hell. The protagonist reincarnates as a sword and spends a lot of time grinding. We don't get any explanation as to why he's a sword or why he reincarnates in this world, though we might find out later. After three volumes, not much has changed, so you'll likely have to wait a long time for answers.

I dropped it because I couldn't get into it even after all the pointless grinding in the beginning. He meets a save girl and rescues her, and like many light novels, of course, this first girl he meets becomes an important character that the main character (MC) keeps helping and making stronger (similar to *How Not to Summon a Demon Lord*, *Skeleton Knight in Another World*, *Demon Lord Retry!*) for no reason other than being "super nice." I don't understand why these MCs don't have any goals other than just helping a bunch of girls. (Not that that's bad, but it's 3 volumes of a sword just helping out a girl for no apparent reason.)

The plot doesn't change much even after three novels. The MC and the girl just travel around a lot, and while they are very powerful, the girl often gets underestimated just because she is powerful. This trope is somewhat less frequent than in *Average Abilities*, but at least the girl does rank up, unlike the girls in that book.

, I give it a 3/5 because it's still somewhat interesting to see a talking sword, but I'd recommend reading *The Eminence in Shadow* or *Overlord* if you want a more engaging skill system and better world-building.

One note first: I would recommend the Light Novels (LN) instead. They are only about 2/3 of the volumes behind the web novel (WN) story as of now, and the translation quality of the WN has noticeably declined since the previous translator left the project to avoid DMCA or C&D issues following the series' licensing by Seven Seas. Digital versions of the LN are also released three months before the print editions.

The current state of isekai is, frankly, a mess. Everywhere you look, you find either a) a power trip fantasy with no tension, filled with gratuitous violence and edginess, b) a misogynistic oversexualization fantasy featuring one male lead and multiple flat female characters with zero-dimensional development, or c) both at once.

In this chaotic landscape, *Tenkan Tensei: The Transmigrated Sword* (often referred to as *TenKen*) is a refreshing breath of fresh air. While it is not incredibly original, drawing heavily from standardized Japanese Tolkien-esque tropes and adhering to many conventions of the modern isekai genre, the story uses these tropes respectfully, and they do not detract from the overall quality.

The story is a blend of slice-of-life and traditional shounen. One unique aspect is the protagonist design; while the titular sword is our perspective character, the active character driving the plot forward is the secondary protagonist, Fran, the girl featured on the cover. This doesn't mean that our point-of-view character lacks depth. At the end of Volume 1, he reflects:

> "I actually felt more alive in those five days than I ever had in my previous life... It'd only been five days, but I didn't even want to think of leaving Fran alone. If someone offered to send me back to Earth, I would reject it."

This scene, illustrated in the manga, is a masterclass in emotional storytelling, especially for a genre as often campy as light-novel isekai.

The relationship between these two characters is paternal and filial, and in a positive way. (Not like some of the incredibly creepy, quasi-pedophilic grooming stories out there. As a side note to authors, if you describe the relationship between two characters as father-daughter, you are not allowed to make it romantic.) An important point is that their relationship, despite the generational gap, is very much equal. Early on, the protagonist notes:

> "I saved her from slavery, and she saved me from the magical forest."

They are not a lopsided duo where the male character solves every problem; they are true partners.

Primarily, this story is fun and enjoyable in a healthy way. It’s a delightful ride to watch two lovable protagonists navigate a traditional fantasy world. You won’t find melodrama or romance (which is good, given that the secondary protagonist is a 12-year-old girl), and the overarching narrative is minimal. Crucially, there are no toxic polygamous relationships, as the male protagonist is an inanimate object with no sexual drive.

Despite being a slice-of-life story, there are real moments of tension. While our duo grows tremendously, they are never the most powerful group in the world. The story establishes that there is always a bigger fish; after every victory and every defeat, we encounter characters even stronger. And there are defeats; this is important because it shows that, despite being the protagonists, they can still lose. They have plot armor protecting their lives, like in almost every story, but they experience losses or partial victories more frequently than in most isekai.

All in all, I highly recommend reading this; it infuses fun into our dreary times.

Rating: 3.5-4, Translation: 3.5-4

(My reviews may sound negative, but my format is short on positive comments (avoiding spoilers), and often lists reasons why I didn't give 5 stars.)

Intro: A guy gets hit by a car and reincarnates as an "Intelligent Magic Sword" in a fantasy-RPG world. He has the cheat abilities of floating/flying around on his own, absorbing skills from defeated enemies, and sharing them with his "owner." He meets a 12-year-old cat-girl, and they decide to level up and travel around the world.

Positives: This story contains all the regular elements of an Isekai reincarnation tale, but with a unique twist of reincarnating as a non-human entity. Becoming an inanimate object is a less common concept, making it a fresh idea for many readers. The storytelling is straightforward and focused, avoiding the pitfalls of jumping around too much or having poorly developed plot arcs. The relationship between the intelligent sword and the middle-school-aged cat-girl adds a cute dynamic to the narrative.

Negatives: The scope of the storytelling might be too narrow for some readers, as the secondary main character is a child who doesn't engage in significant world events. Their adventures primarily involve traveling from one town or quest to the next, which can feel slow-paced to some. The introduction, particularly the first 15 chapters, may seem especially slow. The main character's numerous cheat abilities and rapid leveling up might not sit well with all readers. Additionally, the story includes typical Isekai tropes, such as spending an entire arc on a cooking contest, which may not interest everyone.

Other: There is a Light Novel (LN) version of this Web Novel (WN); I'm not sure about the differences between the two. The LN translation is not very far along. The recent translation rate is quite fast, with 2-3 chapters released per week.

Translation: There have been multiple translators, and most are quite good, around a 4 on my scale. However, there is a potential issue with the current translator, who may be taking creative liberties with the translation. For instance, the use of mild profanity has increased, whereas it was almost nonexistent in previous translations.

: This is a somewhat different take on the Isekai genre, featuring a main character who becomes an inanimate object and partners with a cute cat-girl. The story is cute and straightforward, though it has its issues. Despite these, I believe most fans of reincarnation stories will enjoy it; it's close to a 4 on my scale.

This might not be the best Web Novel (WN) I've ever read, but it's the one that has captured my heart the most, and for one simple reason:

The protagonist, the adorable catgirl Fran.

That's right, I consider Fran the actual protagonist of the story because she definitely is: everything that propels the plot forward aligns with her motivations and wishes, and she is the one who undergoes the true hero's journey. The supposed main character, Master, may be who the story is titled after and serves as our viewpoint character, but he mostly fills the role of the supportive guardian responsible for Fran's power-ups. His primary goal is to support Fran's aspirations. While both Fran and Master have their own goals, Fran's is undoubtedly the more compelling one, and the majority of the adventures in the story stem from her decisions. Even as the story progresses and Fran achieves her initial goal, her motives extend far beyond herself and that objective, ensuring she never lacks direction or motivation to drive the plot forward.

Fran as a character is extremely likable: she strikes the perfect balance between being taciturn and seemingly blasé in her expressions without coming across as a stiff, cold-hearted robot. When her emotions do flare up, we definitely know it. Additionally, she isn't a wishy-washy character who wavers in her convictions at the slightest provocation; she is incredibly resolute. Once she sets her sights on something, nothing will stand in her way. This resolve extends to life-or-death situations, where she can be quite merciless to those who deserve it and won't hesitate to enact torture and murder on her enemies. Yet, she never becomes one of those dark and edgy antiheroes for whom the ends justify the means; she remains pragmatic. She also wholeheartedly displays her childish side, such as her love for food and her absolute boredom with anything that doesn't involve battle or eating. Despite everything, she is still a child, and this combination of childishness with her taciturn ruthlessness makes her a very appealing and adorable character.

I also appreciate that, despite Master's cheat abilities and her own genius, Fran is far from being the most powerful character in the setting. One of the novel's overarching lessons is that there is always someone or something more powerful. She is definitely overpowered (OP), but the story provides opportunities to show her struggling or even losing against more powerful enemies without downplaying her abilities.

I enjoy the presence of many reasonable characters in this story. While there are the usual characters who are too stupid to live, there are also many characters with a good head on their shoulders, despite their quirks, and they interact well with Fran.

I'm glad I found the manga first before reading the WN, as the manga clearly understands that Fran is the best way to start the story. It condenses the first dozen WN chapters, which focus solely on Master, into a single chapter. This allowed me to come in knowing that Fran is the best part of the story and worth sticking around for. It was definitely a mistake on the WN's part to focus so much on the sword at the beginning.

Slow start, but don't let that deter you from reading this. The story builds nicely, and spoiler: it really picks up the pace when the MC finds his wielder.

Far from perfect, as my standards are quite high, but!

I really appreciate that the main character (MC) is very rational, and the heroine can be heartless and cruel to enemies while still being kind to others. This isn't something a child could typically manage, which makes her seem a bit... too perfect? She embodies the qualities of a true hero! At least in terms of temperament—her unyielding will, naivety without foolishness, kindness without hypocrisy. Despite her awful past, it never truly shackles her, unlike what we see in many other characters. She’s not afraid of pain and never complains, among other admirable traits, but let's skip those for now.

She is so good that it sometimes feels unreal, but it's still a lot better than those MCs who are kind and merciful to both allies and enemies, or those who are cruel and merciless to everyone, including the innocent. This is unfortunately common in many Web Novels/Light Novels, especially in Xin Xia. I don’t hate these characters; "disgust" is a more fitting description. For example, Yun Che from Against the Gods—I used to love it, and I still read it occasionally, but only because I have a thirst for blood. Ew, he is so disgusting in so many ways.

I give this story 5 stars purely because I really like the characters a lot! Plot-wise, it’s quite average. There’s nothing really special here other than the MC and the heroine. If you’re looking for a grand plot with twists and a realistic, well-written story, you won’t find that here—at least not so far. If that’s what you’re after, go try reading "Kumo desu ga," "Overlord," or "Dungeon Defense." Sigh, I really hope this story develops similarly to "Kumo desu ga," but that might be asking too much. If the author can keep the characters consistent from now on, that would be enough for me. If you enjoy a more laid-back, slow-paced adventure in another world with a decent, rational character, this might be for you. However, the heroine is quite the battle junkie, so it’s not entirely slow-paced.

The story might be good, but the only way to read it is through some of the worst websites I've ever had the misfortune of encountering. I would not recommend reading from any of these terrible sites.

It feels a bit like a fluffier, less philosophical version of *Kino's Journey*, with the reincarnated character taking on the role of the sentient inanimate object. While it’s not nearly as sophisticated as *Kino's Journey*, the main duo do show visible growth from their experiences, even if it mostly manifests as leveling up their stats.