- #1
Alright, hear me out. I'm about to simp the sh*t out of this BUT my blinders are off.Disclaimer: some light spoilersI absolutely love this WN (though the LN is also great and I honestly prefer it) even though it is truly 'peak shit'. If you are at all familiar with the 'Isekai' genre then I can promise you there is nothing particularly unique in this story.It is chock full of wish-fulfillment and ego-stroking - and that's why I f*cking love it. Even more so in how shameless it goes about it too. In my opinion the author was well aware of what he was writing and wasn't aiming for any type of 'masterpiece'. Dude basically laid his stroke sessions out in novel for for us to enjoy B) what a lad.Quick warning - the following review, in homage to the author, is a bit of a stroke session itself. I really like this sh*t but I think I'm fair in my assessment. I'm well aware of why a lot of people have issues with this and don't like it/rate it well. Their thoughts are valid and if you're trying to determine whether to invest time in this or not consider those opinions too.So as many have stated the beginning does a great job of setting the hook and drawing you in. The end of the first volume establishes our chuuni anti-hero MC loaded with venom and bad-assery and our lovely lead heroine leaving you excited for more.It's here where popular opinion seems to split pretty hard and understandably so. Not too long after telling us our MC is gonna kill anyone he does like or tries to force his hand he almost immediately back tracks on it since a wild waifu appears - Shia. Shia is largely why opinion splits here as not only does the MC walk his character back a bit but Shia herself has a lot of anti-fans.I'm not a big fan of the 'sun' archtype characters in harems (I think a good parallel here would be Kushieda Minori from ToraDora for example). That being said I don't mind Shia that much but that may be due to the fact I was introduced to her character from the Manga/WN first. I didn't see the anime until later and that's where I saw the 'Aqua' parallel.I've seen a lot of KonoSuba references with those who watched the anime first who feel that Shia and Tio are basically 'downgraded' versions of Aqua and Darkness. After seeing the anime I understand that comparison but I do feel the characters are different enough that I didn't really notice it until it was pointed out to me (though Tio is a bit of an exception but that's more a consequence of 'M' characters in harems I think :/ maybe it's just me).I've talked a lot about the characters and not a lot about the plot at this point but to be honest that's because that's not only where the novel really focuses itself but, in my opinion, where it shines anyways. The plot really isn't unique or otherwise but it is well paced and generally well executed. There are certainly a number of flaws and the one that bothered me the most was inaccuracy in the timeline where Hajime was in the labyrinth.Spoiler
It said he was down there for 2 months before they cleared it and then 2 months in the mansion. In 'After Story' Hajime said he was on that floor for 'about 10 days' but it indicated he spent 'weeks' developing his first gun Donner. I don't know if it was a translation discrepancy or not but since the general timeline of him not getting to the surface until 4 months passed seems consistent through all versions I just don't f*cking know anymore. Rant over.
[collapse]Honestly, my favorite part of all of this was the development of the harem. The concept of it and it's execution left a lot to be desired but the way it developed overall was really unexpected for me. Seeing an MC devote himself to a love interest early on and hard reject the other girls was really refreshing. It made it more rewarding (in some cases) when the girls had their love reciprocated since it didn't come until towards the end. Some of the characters, as is common with harems, don't get enough 'screen time' and so they don't feel as developed *cough*Remia*cough* (or really developed at all in her case. I want to like her more, I really do, but like... when did Hajime even fall in love with her? Wasn't it just 'she's Myuu's mom so I gotta'?) Also Yue, who was presented as a Yandere, sharing her man for the reason of 'getting more important things' is just some f*cking weak-sauce. I would have much preferred if he had emphasized her fear of not being able to always be by Hajime's side to decide to share him so if something happens to her he won't break. Makes way more sense to me but nah, effort. f*ck it.So even though this is one of my favorite aspects of the story it's loaded with flaws, just like everything else in it.This whole story, setting world and all the characters exist to make the MC look badass and glorify him. His is given ridiculous abilities, doesn't shake or falter nor faces any real challenges until the end. There's no real significant plot twists as everything is fairly predictable.I love it - for me, this novel is 'junk food'. Premium junk food. The sh*t you binge when you're in a 'mood' or have a certain craving. It scratches all those itches and makes it feel so good.If you actually read to this point let me offer a 'thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed it/found it helpful'.I'll say it again - this is no 'masterpiece'. It is, unabashedly, the ultimate wish-fulfillment story. I recommend reading this if you aren't looking to take something very seriously. There's not a lot of 'drama' or otherwise but what this novel does I think it does well. There's a lot of this kind of stuff with that 'Isekai' genre. Enough stories like this create a mountain of shit.That being said, just like with any mountain, there's absolutely loads of bottom-tier sh*t that forms the base. The peak can only be home to a few though and, in my most humble opinion, Arifureta is absolutely 'Peak Shit' of that mountain. Give it a go.
