Has its highlights, but certainly not the best thing since sliced bread.

MT takes big points for its appealing premise of taking a complete loser who failed at life, giving him a second chance, and making a man out of him. In a sense, it is a redemption type story with an uncommon approach, harnessing the modern belief of YOLO and positive motivation instead of say, moral guilt. It is also a rare light novel propelled by detailed character focus, strong growth, and... functional, believable relationships.

My only problem here is that these were never <strengths> of the light novel franchise to begin with. If I wanted detailed characterization I'd go read a traditional novel. LNs are usually categorized for their fast story that keeps the audience constantly entertained -- this pacing is where MT often bogs down.

Furthermore, it's also plagued by some really big minuses.

*Like the fact the main character is so perverted that even as a baby he disgusts people. It's hard to read the MC's thoughts without feeling more than a shade disturbed, unless one is also a hormone-addled teen in the midst of puberty.

*The MC succeeds at learning even complicated tasks with relative easy. Sure, he is described as a diligent person. But it's hard for the reader to <feel> that way when he say, successfully casts his first spell within a minute of trying in story.

*The world is super-generic, with a magic system so simple even the most amateur game designer would laugh at. The medieval society they depict isn't any better, and I question if the author ever read anything historic outside of video games. Suffice to say, the writer is no worldbuilder, which becomes a problem when so much time is spent traveling the nooks and crannies of the fantasy world. Every time something is explained about the world, I feel like I just ate a sleeping pill.

My conclusion is:

Yes, MT is much better than maybe 75% of light novels out there. But light novels are hardly the apex of literary finesse. Meanwhile, what good LNs often has to offer -- creativity, alacrity, sympathetic main leads -- is sadly lacking in MT.

... Last updated on April 25th, 2015, 9:35am

This web novel is simply a masterpiece, you will never be bored a second. It has to be considered that Mushoku Tensei is really focusing in the seinen demographic. Simple writing and an epic story, makes it enjoyable through the 200 chapters that are now. This is one of the many reincarnation novels that are trending, so if you have read others already, it might become repetitive. So if you are searching for time to spend in awesomeness, you are a bit perverted, and like light but funny readings; this is just for you! It's not rated 9/10 by accident.

... Last updated on April 11th, 2015, 5:12pm

For me this is the crown jewel of the "transported to another world" genre and is just...difficult to describe. It's really really good and you should read it right now, realize its greatness, then come back here and give it a 10. Make an account if you have to. This is a masterpiece, certainly not flawless, but a masterpiece nonetheless.

First off, before reading this you need to know that what you're reading is basically an escapist fantasy of how a complete loser is given a second chance in life and becomes a much better person.
Now if you know what it is and you're ok with it, then go ahead. It's a one hell of a ride.

You might think that you'll see a shallow story which what I expected at first, but it was a pleasant surprise to see that it was so much more, and how it was unraveled. Volume 2's progression is very generic but at the end of the volume, you'll see that it's just to set the stage.
It also has a pretty impressive world building. For one, it has detailed map of the continents, the history and progression how the major powers in the world played out is very well thought out.

I saw many people complains about how he already surpassed his teacher by the age of 5 aka how OP he's gonna be and drop it. Well for starters, he only surpasses her in one aspect and their magic ranks are actually equal. And even this isn't enough, to those complaining of how OP they think he's gonna be, then try to actually continue to read it first. Because he's far from those standing at the top of this world's power tier, not to mention many of them have lived for hundred-thousands of years so they have more battle experience.
There are many people stronger than him, but he finds the way to overcome them be it with strategy or his comrades.
For normal people he might be too strong, but what he's facing isn't normal people. They are monsters among monsters who some of them hold the title of "God".

One other thing that impressed me is the content. You need to know that the translations are not the translations of the Light Novel but the Web Novel. Which is the raw, unpolished version of the series before it's officially published and overhauled/edited to make it better. As such Web Novels are usually sparse like a draft containing of mostly only the major points of the series. Yet, Mushoku Tensei is pretty detailed and immense. Most of the volumes have more than 10 chapters, hell, the recent volume 23 has over 20 chapters and counting.

Anyway, this is probably the best and the most enjoyable escapist fantasy novel I've read. Definitely worth every seconds of time which I read it.


@Rielco: About brutal end, well the author has already posted the final chapter and some epilogues. Yea, Mushoku Tensei ended, and let's just say you shouldn't have anything to fear, It's a pretty complex feeling reading the ending, but it was satisfying. And it's not completely ended because it's just "Mushoku Tensei" aka Rudeus' arc which ended. His next series is about to unfold.

@mercio: gr8 b8 m8 i r8 8/8

A lot of good reviews here so I gave it a try and what I get in return is a pie thrown in my face. Not an ordinary pie, a pie filled with human fecal matter.

It is not that good. The MC is a loser who remain a loser throughout the story. Basically a powerless fat smelly loser who turns into an overpowered younger skinny loser. There's nothing likable about him. The romance is bland. The comedy... wait... there's comedy?! Well, unless you have a sense of humor of a roadkill you'll probably will never see it in this lifetime.

The whole novel is basically a fantasy of a fat lazy loser hikikomori. Which is probably what 90% of the fans of this novel are.

Think of the worst novel you've ever read... This is worst.

I was surprise to see that a lot of people called this great novel bad because of the issue about Pedophilia and lot of loli sex intercourse?
First of all I want to pin point that most people who comment about morality and pedophilia are just ashame to admit that they are one. So stop ruining the Image of this great novel just because you felt insecure about your self.
Many people say that the MC is 40 years old sleeping with little child?
Then again let me ask again the mc is reincarnated with as a child its not his fault he has a mind set of an older person thats what you call ADAPTING to any situation.
The hypocrite people who based there comment in this are just a bunch of REAL PERVERTS and REAL Pedophiles. Just ignore them you can't argue with them because they are like that.
No matter how NORMAL they say they are their action and words speaks for them selves.
Their Imagination keep on giving them extreme realistic view to themselves as such when they compare them selves to MC they feel disgusted not because of the MC but because they are like that in REAL life. As they read they see their self raping and sleeping with little girls.

Theres nothing wrong with this novel all characters are decent adult all sexual intercourse is justified and they are old enough for it.

The MC progress is great for a normal person point of view his evaluation is decent enough thinking that he was once a shut in. He promise to change himself from the start and was lucky enough since his new body has a photographic memory. MC is also not OP people who bad mouth him clearly haven't read the whole novel and was just saying half hearted. MC skills and ability was not biased he gained all of them from working hard. The characters surrounds him is all well balance. They come and Go but the story isn't destroyed in the process.

The Plot has a decent twist and turn you should read it twice if you don't understand it and see you might miss something. As the story progress you can see a new door being open and it well surely be interesting.

The Harem is almost perfect, one reason why this novel is great is because it well balance harem.
Its has a great romance with every girls and nothing was left hanging. The MC also clearly doesn't pick random girl to add in his harem but this Girls are well introduce and has clear history towards the MC. Most harem I have read are just girls randomly appearing out of nowhere but this one is clearly explained. Although most people say the the sexual intercourse are rather indecent and some even accuse it of pedophilia all I can say is KEEP YOUR PERVERTED THOUGHTS for yourself. I already stated this at my first introduction just to remind most people and let them aware of themselves. The MC clearly had sex with them and it was even detailed BUT they are all adults in there world so note they are adult in there world not in our world.

The Enemies is also surprisingly challenging as such you can't help but read more!
So Ignore those negative comments they are just a bunch of random comments from real perverts.
Read it for yourself and you decide if are you also one of those perverts?
As for me this is the best story I have read so far in Light novel.
==================================


- You want attention that badly? seriously saying the worse thing you read are you illiterate perhaps? or your little brain failed to understand anything? All I can see is a loser wanna say loser to everyone here.
If you have nothing good to say just be quiet the world well be most peaceful if people like you just disappear. haters well always be haters! and at least your not a pervert just another random haters.

... Last updated on March 21st, 2015, 6:23pm

First, I would recommend reading this LN it's good.
Second, there are a lot of complaints about how the author writes about women, or how he stereotypes characters, or how there many things pulled from anime and gaming. Remember that this story is written (mostly) from the perspective of the main character and that the main character was a shitty NEET (his own words) for the majority of his life. Rudi describes many of the things in the world as through the lens of his past life. Things like adventuring Rudi will describe in RPG terms, while Paul looked at it as mercenary work. I like how the author uses the main character's past to influence his perception of the world, and how it contrasts with the other character's views. As the series continues you can read a shift in Rudi's perspective over time.

An amazing flow to the story, endearing characters, a really well execution of harem/romance elements that actually afects the story, characters that actually grow and develop over time (most of the novels cover around 8-12 months and there are 22 volumes).

Most importantly for me above all, a consistent internal logic, one thing that really bothers me of the genre is that characters eventually can roflstomp whole armies by themselves, and at this point to me a series stops making sense, I mean why have armies or countries or kings or money or whathever if some random dude can arrive and just kill everyone and can only be stopped by an OP MC. Now this series does have monsters, it does have an OP Main, there are people capable of roflstomping small armies, but they are not invincile, even amongst the "gods" of the story a suficiently capable person is capable of besting them, and the world in which they appear makes sense and sticks to an internal logic thats constant throughout.

And then theres the romance/harem element, OH MY GOD, this is how each and every harem work should be made EVER, I dont think Ive seen a series in which the harem is this interesting, now it is a little bit misoginistic, but not offensibly so, nor outside the conventions of the genre, I mean this IS a harem work, it kind of comes with the territory, so if it REALLY REALLY bothers you to see girls falling all over for the MC (they are 3 I mean come on its not that exagerated), then...well Im sorry maybe the harem genre isnt for you?

Overall as of now this is THE BEST LN I ever read in my opinion a good harem, cool battles a consistent world and an interesting story combine in a work I honestly didnt expect I would see in my life.

... Last updated on February 27th, 2015, 11:32am

This daily life bullshit sucks. Sylphy arc sucks, most of magic uni sucks, by the way this is like 10 worth of content too, and it's all terrible... But intro arc + return arc + labyrinth arc etc... pretty much all the arcs where the story moves forward are great. Read this. It's good. Lot's of sorcery and swordplay, monsters, items too. MC is over-powered which is always great, but he's up against absolute monsters so there's still tension. recommended.

... Last updated on February 18th, 2015, 5:11pm