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

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I want to write this review because for the first time ever, I felt like I changed as a person when finishing a series.

I don't really want to get into analysis but more so review, so I wont be able to fully give you my thoughts on certain parts. With that out of the way, lets get into it.

The story of MT is one that really just felt alive and immersive to me. Unlike most other Isekai's the MC, Rudeus, takes on a similar perspective to most readers on an isekai world. He views those around him as NPCs and just basically uses this second ... chance he's given to do things without consequences. The realization that his actions have consequences towards other sentient and living human beings also helped the readers realize the same thing: that Rudeus wasn't in a world tailored specifically for him to be the hero, but rather just participate in another world's storyline. Yes, you heard that right, the author, Rifujin na Magnote, acknowledged the fact that most Isekais feel like they revolve around the MC. He acknowledged the fact that Isekai's feel like a game, rather than their own world, and that's the charm of MT's world-building that makes it so special and unique not just compared to other isekais, but other fantasy anime in general. It does all this while still keeping the fact Rudeus is needed to be an Isekai'd character for this story to work.

Lets talk about Rudeus Greyrat. Yes, I'd agree that his character in the earlier episodes/volumes was definitely uncomfortable to watch, but that's what makes it special. Magnote-sensei is not afraid to portray realistic human flaws in a character. Rudeus' lack of respect for women and his selfish attempts at standing out reflect this. Over the course of the series, we see him learn to interact with others, and truly make an attempt to communicate, in contrast to his previous life where he made no effort at all. This is great writing to truly convey a character's development. It sets pre-conditions you could say for his development. His shortcomings and regrets he had in his first life transition well into his characterization and development in his second. This could be seen coming into fruition in his last meeting with the Hitogami, where Rudeus finally saw himself as complete, and made the most out of his life. He holds no regret or wishes to go back in time and fix stuff. Thus, his conclusion, "I walked past the Man-god, and simply headed straight, without turning back..." In my opinion, the greatest character conclusion to graze fiction.

Side characters. Again, MT does really well at bringing its side characters to life, and not making them feel like NPCs. Each character struggles with a conflict that is well fleshed out and directed. Take Eris for example, she was a noble enough to become spoiled, but not noble enough to be of importance to the Boreas Greyrats to be taught proper etiquette, her family essentially gave up on her. The harem works really well and feels like it is necessary to the story. Each wife is given screentime during his childhood days that set up well for the future romance. This made each marriage and wife feel not only necessary, but also expected.

Final thoughts

Mushoku Tensei truly is a show that feels created by an Alien. Both the fact how weird it can get, and how masterful the writing and worldbuilding is. It truly feels out of this world. Emotionally, this level of writing is unmatched. I genuinely felt like I was Rudeus' friend, watching him grow up and also change as a person, while also cheering him on on his endeavors and disagreeing with him and being disappointed at certain decisions he makes. The conclusion is the best part in my opinion, and everything leading up to it just felt right. The conclusion didn't leave me empty and asking for more, instead it made me really glad I got to experience Rudeus' story and was left satisfied. Even thought it's apparently a prequel, the ending of MT gave me what most anime/manga/novel series fail to give: Closure.

All in all, MT was a masterpiece. McShiggy OUT!

For a very long time, Mushoku Tensei was one of the most exciting LN series I’ve gotten into when it came out. It has a very interesting case where it takes some very basic ideas from your typical Isekai and how it uses them in a compelling way. It creates a story that shows how you can learn from your mistakes and how your journey goes despite your mixed vision. This would make for a very good series… Or in this respect, you SHOULD have one. While I’ve been very curious every time a chapter has been released, as time goes on, this has turned ... out to be one of the most disappointing series ever. I don’t even mean that in a sense that makes it horrible but in the end, this falls under a definition of “wasted potential”. It has interesting elements, sure, but it doesn’t utilize them quite well.

Before I get into my problems, I should first explain what the plot is about. Mushoku Tensei starts with a 34-year-old fat bastard who has been kicked out of his family and wandering around the streets. Eventually, he would get killed by a truck and teleported to another world. And in that world, he is first reincarnated as a child named “Rudeus”. With this, he sets his goal on when to redeem himself after knowing what he was in the past. Now looking at this, it would make for a compelling story. A guy who got his ass kicked so many times to the point where he got reincarnated and starts everything from scratch is something I truly admire a lot. I really like how even for a power fantasy, it sets up a presentation where it shows you how you could challenge yourself. It may be hard to understand, sure, but I’d say it’s a great plot to look at.

However, that’s where my possible praise towards the series ends here. Look further at the series and you’ll notice something off. Now what Mushoku has to offer seems great. But I find that the amount of fanservice involved felt either grating or unnecessary. I must admit that Rudeus being a weirdo isn’t a bad thing. In fact, I think it’s part of his character as it adds more challenge to his progression. The problem is with how it’s handled. The series for the most part uses him as a goofy molester with little insights to place. He gets away with disgusting shit with very little consequences and that’s almost out of character. I’ll explain Rudeus later on. But I feel like Rudeus isn’t the only victim of this. Other characters that act as weirdos also tend to be gross with next to no context. Do you know the scene about the Roxy figurine? That’s my example of how the fanservice went wrong. The series tends to reallocate a lot of its story elements into what feels averagely gross.

Hell, even ignoring the juvenile fanservice entirely, the series’ very important aspects are pretty mid. It is way too plot-driven for its own good. You know how the story is about a reincarnated being setting his journey to learn from his mistakes? In this respect, that element is barely present in the series. The series doesn’t utilize much on that and instead, relies too much on drama that felt either cheap or filler. That aspect I’m talking about is admittedly present, sure, but the story tries too hard to use it by throwing in elements of surprises that aren’t even terrible but tend to keep the writing quality in check. Another problem I’d like to point out is the exposition. Mushoku takes too long to set up what contributes to the plot and even if we get there, what we want to see is rushed all thanks to the previous problems I just talked about a while ago.

Although these problems do invade the series from left to right, there is one more scene I would like to cover, and that in itself manages to save the series, even though it’s not too big or anything like that. Of course, what I’m referring to is the dance scene. It’s not your average dancing presentation where it is for style, it also adds charm to it that connects with the series’ main objective well. It truly shows the nature of Rudeus’ progression and elevates the amount of characterization he has alongside his chemistry with Eris (and too bad, the potential of both Rudy and especially Eris is thrown away later on).

The characters… Oh boy, now where do I begin with them? Let’s start with the main cast, most notably Rudeus, the key character, and the neet, Roxy, a goddess and mentor of Rudy, Eris, the goblin slayer, and Sylphiette, the childhood friend.

Starting with Rudy, he’s honestly weird. I already mentioned how he has interesting characteristics hindered by a certain gimmick. He’s supposed to be the kind of boy (or man) who sets his goals to achieve what he needs in order to refrain from what he did wrong back then with his obsession being his big obstacle and while that is interesting, in practice, him being a weirdo with little consequences for the most part gets in the way of his development. He pretty much molests girls he sees and yet, almost all of them weren’t addressed. But this doesn’t matter because, after all, it’s “part of his character” from now. Yeah, no. That’s like saying “Oh but mom, that “dildo” you call it is still a toy so it’s still kid-friendly”. It doesn’t work like that. The worst part? Rudy hasn’t changed at all. The first 10 chapters pretty much cemented his intended development. After that, he kinda remains to be the same loser he is. Not a bad character by any means, I’ll admit that he gets some development from the middle portions of the series but still, we could see better.

The female leads, however, are pretty much the worst offenders of the series. But first, let me make an exception. I like Roxy and she’s a decent character overall. Her role as a mentor is solid and her dynamics with Rudy are passable. Not the greatest but they definitely hold value. The other girls… not so much… Eris is stupid for the wrong reasons. In fact, she’s the worst character in the whole story. Her dynamics with Rudy are cliched and make no sense. On one hand, her rudeness is off the charts, and just pushes him. On the other hand, her confessions seem rather silly and rushed. And that’s ignoring how she’s been cockblocking Rudy for half of the series, Hell, Rudy would be a lot better venturing around without her. Sylphy, while not as bad as Eris, is just really boring. Yeah, she’s a big friend (or love interest, if any) of Rudeus but that’s about it. Half of the time, she’s merely a plot device to push Rudy’s character further with no unique substance within herself.

Side characters are ones I either don’t care or get annoyed at. Half of the side cast is just there to keep the story’s pacing in check. They aren’t too bad like heck, I prefer most of them over the main cast, but you know, they’re just walking mannequins with brains and feelings. The other half is what also pisses me off. Remember when I said that Rudy is a weirdo for giggles? Most, if not all of that logic applies to those bastards. Again, they are creeps with nothing else and they become big pushovers at this point. Now, of course, there’s another exception I have in mind and that would be Ruijerd. Ruijerd is interesting because of how he guides half of the main cast and how his development is connected to his backstory. Not much to say here honestly, he’s also a decent character.

I genuinely have very mixed feelings about the series but there’s one last aspect I would like to talk about and that is the batch of volume cover illustrations the light novel contains. While yes, they’re superficial and are not counted, they are the best parts of the series. The art style is very pleasing to look at. The details are excellent and the coloring is both balanced and adequate. The character designs, even for non-isekai standards, have a lot of heart to them and fit well with each character, regardless of simplicity and complexity.

And those are my opinions on Mushoku Tensei’s light novel. The real question is: is it good or bad? To me, that’s a difficult question. On one hand, it has among the most enticing build-ups a series could ever hope for all because of how it creates its intended story. But on the other hand, it’s filled with a handful of decisions and exposition that tend to limit its writing. To me, Mushoku Tensei is alright. It offers what tends to be pleasing and it actually tries. It’s just that how it tackles its plot point as well as the character writing tends to be on the mixed side. Apart from 1 and 2 characters, the cast could have been a lot more logical with their statistics and objectives. While the art covers are amazing and something I can’t forget, overall, this series… exists, and that’s how it is ‘ahem’ at least to me.

— PREMISE —
Mushoku Tensei, the beloved 'crème de la crème' of light novels, written by Rifujin na Magonote. The story revolves around a 34-year-old Japanese ugly fat paedophile NEET pathetic loser who was run over by a speeding truck and dies. He then embarks on a second chance in a fantastical world replete with magic and swords. You can't get more generic isekai than this.

— IMPACT —
Undoubtedly, Mushoku Tensei bears a significant influence on the trope of reincarnation into another world, emblematic of the isekai subgenre. The novel even contributes to the proliferation of the well-worn 'reincarnation via truck-kun' cliché, thereby augmenting the saturation of ... this trope within the medium. And when I say 'isekai subgenre', I don't mean 'isekai anime' or 'isekai novel' was a thing in the past. While the trope had indeed existed in past works, it wasn't recognised as a subgenre by itself.

— INITIAL SETUP FAIL —
The premise of a 34-year-old ugly fat paedophile NEET pathetic loser's reincarnation into a fantasy world offers potential for exploring personal growth and transformation. Yet, the transition between his former life and the new realm suffers from abruptness and a lack of seamless integration. His demise, sparked by a contrived act of saving strangers, raises questions, as does the rushed shift from despair to newfound determination. This alone suggests the author have not invested in or cared for this potential aspect of the story.

— PACING AND AUTHENTICITY —
The pacing of character progression stands as a detraction, as the rapid advancements in magic and swordsmanship occur at a pace that undermines authenticity. The early chapters of the first volume hurriedly portray Rudeus's swift ascension to Advanced-ranked mage within a short timeframe, eroding the authenticity of his achievements, diminishing the sense of earned growth and neglecting the crucial element of struggle that should accompany the potential character development for a failed NEET, who should have to strive and labour to seize a second chance. This detracts from the essence of the redemption narrative the fans acclaim the work for.

— INCOHESIVE —
Despite introducing an array of characters, events, and subplots, the narrative falters in weaving them into a meaningful tapestry. For instance, the abrupt introduction of the mana calamity and the disappearance of the Fittoa region further underscores the narrative's tendency to introduce major events without proper buildup or integration, the subplot involving Pax, the seventh prince of Shirone, strays from the overarching themes. This subplot could have been an opportunity to delve into political intrigue or power dynamics; however, it introduces unnecessary complexity without substantially contributing to the main story.

While these side stories may enhance world-building, they ultimately distract rather than enrich the narrative. A subplot involving Aisha's brother and Rudeus' concealed stash of Roxy's panties does not advance the main plot or offer meaningful insights—it's random nonsense.

— PROBLEMATIC —
Mushoku Tensei, as generic as contemporary isekai light novels, exemplifies the observed trend of reducing female cast to submissive satellite characters, or rather, sex objects. Lacking autonomy, they are portrayed as weak and dependent on men and in need of protection from other one-dimensional evil rapists.

Another concerning aspect lies in how the novel deal with its shameful horny and sexist content. The novel contains several instances of double-standard portrayals of sexual assault, paedophilia, and slavery, which are played for laughs or used as plot devices. Rudeus frequently engages in sexual fantasies involving underage girls, and there are several instances of sexual assault throughout the novel. The dramedy itself stoops as low as small-penis shaming, ridiculing the protagonist for having a small penis and erectile dysfunction, which can be uncomfortable or potentially offensive to those suffering from penile dysmorphic disorder.

— SUPERFICIAL WORLD-BUILDING —
While gesturing toward intriguing elements such as the convergence of worlds and the human-demon conflict, the narrative merely presents these concepts in an expository manner, lacking in-depth exploration. Infodumps abound, exemplified by the fleeting mention of Dragon God Orsted and other powerful entities, which were disconnected from the main narrative, as mentioned in the 2nd volume, and the endeavor to depict the Demon Continent as a harsh and perilous environment. Unfortunately, it remains expository, resulting in vital information such as character backgrounds and the history of the Superd being conveyed through lengthy monologues—it was boring!

— AIMLESS AND INCOHERENT —
Starting from volume 3, the narrative structure switches to episodic chapters, each presenting a new encounter, challenge, or revelation. While this approach offers variety, it also leads to a lack of a strong overarching plot. Rudeus encounters diverse characters and situations, each with its distinct focus, yet the overall direction remains unclear. For instance, the sudden revelation of Zenith's consciousness and her joyful life lacks proper setup. This twist diminishes the emotional resonance of Zenith's prior struggles and Rudeus' journey to save her. Crucial events like battles and revelations often unfold abruptly, lacking necessary buildup and thus feeling rushed and impactless. For example, Rudeus' encounter with Orsted serves as a pivotal turning point, yet the narrative fails to offer context to comprehend the event's significance or its implications for narrative. The absence of a clear central conflict or goal for Rudeus turns the story into a collection of episodes rather than a cohesive broader narrative. Some chapters can even be read out of order without feeling a significant difference. That doesn't align with the grand fantasy epic fans claim it to be, because that's not how one is written.

— SHALLOW RESOLUTION —
The story's conclusion, while offering closure to the protagonist's journey, disappointingly leaves narrative threads untied. Promised confrontations remain unrealised, leaving a sense of unfulfilled promise. If anything, it undermined the significance of the fantasy adventure aspect in favour of the harem element.

— OTAKU'S WISH-FULFILLMENT —
In light of the aforementioned pitfalls and narrative weaknesses, a pertinent question arises: How can a light novel with so many writing flaws manage to be a top-selling and highly-rated novel? It's a valid and significant inquiry, and the answer lies in the realm of Otaku's Wish-Fulfillment, a concept this novel adeptly capitalises upon.

Rudeus embodies traits that deeply resonate with the otaku audience. Plunging into a fantasy realm, he carries an intimate understanding of the tropes and mechanics inherent to such worlds. This mirrors the way genre-savvy otakus immerse themselves in fictional universes. What did you think the rushed pacing and swift development of Rudeus's ascension to an Advanced-ranked mage in the first volume for? Was it because slow-pacing is boring? No. Rather, they were calculated choices designed to cater to readers who shared that wish. It served as effective foreshadowing for the narrative's direction, successfully hooking numerous otakus. They found not only a relatable protagonist but also a vessel through which their desires could be fulfilled. Rudeus' journey serves as a testament to the 'loser to hero' transformation. His evolution from a underachieving recluse in his former life to a powerful and respected figure in the new world actualises the aspirations of the otaku demographic, thereby fulfilling the otaku's wish.

The narrative frequently revolves around Rudeus building his own harem of female characters. These relationships often follow a pattern of admiration, dependency, and protection, aligning with the wish fulfillment of having attractive and devoted female companions. The development of these relationships frequently involves Rudeus aiding the characters, which reinforces the idea of the protagonist's exceptionalism and the fulfillment of a hero role.

The inclusion of elements like magic, adventure, and world-saving quests further caters to otaku interests, as these are common themes in LitRPG fantasy anime, manga, and role-playing video games. Rudeus' encounters with powerful villains, such as Orsted, resonate with the trope of 'the everyman' being chosen for extraordinary destinies.

Compound that with the fact it's an ecchi light novel filled with horny fan-service, catering to readers desiring romantic and physical connections with attractive fictional waifus. The sex and harem present in the story serves as an outlet for otaku fantasies and desires that revolve around forming bonds with multiple partners.

— CONCLUSION —
Mushoku Tensei is plagued by a multitude of issues, encompassing thematic content, character depth, plot direction, tonal balance, double-standard depiction of problematic content, shallow characters, a meandering and aimless plot, LitRPG jargon overusage, an edgy tone, and immature presentation, detracting from what could have been a meaningful and engaging grand epic fantasy story.