This is just going to be a general review and thoughts of this story since volume 1 and up to the current volume I’ve read of volume 11. I have finally caught up, and with volume 12 around the corner I felt like it was a decent time to collect my thoughts on this light novel series. This review will probably contain some spoilers.
So the general idea of the series is pretty simple, incredibly simple. A teenage guy who can kill anything with an instant death ability by the name of Yogiri Takatou is summoned to another world along with the rest of his class. And after joining forces with his classmate Tomochika Dannoura and her guardian spirit Mokomoko, they wander around the world getting involved in all sorts of crazy events. Occasionally they will work with their classmates, or other members of this world.
All of this with the general goal of being able to return home to Earth eventually. There are crazy events and characters and backstories, all sorts of elaborations and expansions as the story continues. With some crazy power creep and fights starting to involve entire planets and universes. It really does get crazy along the way, honestly to an almost silly and ridiculous degree.
And all these events and travels are very enjoyable to read. It is a super fun and enjoyable series and it does a great job at wanting you to keep reading and buying the next volume. But it has a major issue that after 11 volumes hasn’t changed, and shows no signs of actually progressing at all.
That would be any actual progress at all. Like at all in general, whether that is their goal to leave the planet and return home to Earth, or character growth and progress. After 11 volumes the two main characters in Yogiri and Tomochika have had basically no growth at all. They are the exact same characters who we started volume 1 with. They have the same personalities and abilities, and they haven’t gotten any closer as in a relationship or anything. The same goes for many of the side characters you meet, most of them stick around for a couple volumes and than just get killed off. Without them really having any growth or point to the story.
It just kinda is getting tiring after 11 volumes of this, for that to be how volume 12 will start off. I really get the feeling the author doesn’t know were to go with this story at all, they have no real plan on how it will all end. So they have just spent volume after volume creating crazy new enemies and encounters that involve the thing just dying, and have now just given up and decided to reset things. Instead of figuring out a natural way things would progress from where they were in volume 11, they just decided to redo what they already did. I’ll probably read volume 12 and update the review when I do, They are fun books and super short and easy to read, but it just all has started to feel really pointless.
Well after a fair bit of time, I have finally gotten around to reading volume 12 & 13. So what are my thoughts after the major events of volume 11, is it being handled well? I'm not really sure. It is still a very enjoyable novel series and I greatly enjoyed both volumes. That isn't an issue and has never been an issue with this series, but it hasn't made any progress with my main issues. Which are a general lack of any real character progression at all. Though I guess we are closer to their end-goal now compared to the relative mess we were left with in volume 11.
Now as to my thoughts on the spoilers from volume 11, it isn't as bad as I expected. But it just comes to feel a bit pointless by the end of volume 13. I don't feel like all that much actually changed at all, the threats are still largely the same. There is a bigger and technically more powerful antagonist they will have to deal with in the future. But generally things are still moving forward at the same pace, only now we have a bunch of characters who are back. And the new antagonist is using a new method to attempt to deal with Yogiri in a roundabout way that you don't really see a win condition in for the antagonist.
I do get the feeling we are starting to reach the end of this series though. I don't really see how the author can keep it going at this point, they are so close to this goal they had at the moment, that it can't be pushed very much more. Which also means I hope we can start getting some more actual information about who/what Yogiri is, being some odd lovecraftian horror that is inhabiting a human body because it is bored I guess. I really want to learn more about what he actual is, and where he came from if possible. But if not I would be satisfied with just some solid character development between Yogiri and Tomochika and finally doing something about their relationship.
Wait what, this series is over? Like that? Yea, that is very disappointing for me, not because I loved the series or anything. But more because of how little I feel like I care about it ending after reading 14 volumes. After 14 volumes I should care deeply about these characters, want to see more or their relationships, see them develop and grow even more, and learn even more about the universe they inhabit. But with this, I just feel kinda sad that it never developed any of those things at all.
It directly continues the events from the previous novel, still dealing with the new situation. But very quickly works through various events. Resulting in a situation that just feels haphazard and rushed in many ways. Essentially getting black screen wipe transitions to different fights and people we have meet along the way. And than it all kinda just doesn't matter. In the traditional way of this series, something crazy happens and everything falls apart suddenly and without any warning, involving characters you don't know at all. After everything is said and done, I guess you could say everyone's goals were accomplished and everyone was successful on some level.
Ending Spoilers Within
Side Note, still don't learn anything at all about the wider universes really. Or what exactly Yogiri is. We basically still know just as much.
And so after 14 volumes, I can say this series is over. Moving onto something else that hopefully has more character development, and possible an actual ending that feels more concrete and solid. Rather than what we got, which just leaves me feeling disappointed. Honestly I wouldn't be shocked to see this series randomly get a sequel series in the future set after the events of volume 14. Because there is just so much left that could be done with this series and universe that they just ignored at the ending of it all.
Now would I recommend this series? I don't think so, unless you are really bored and have nothing better to read.
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