Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (light novel) book review

Created in Japan, anime and manga have become hugely popular in the West. If you want to explore these art forms in a new way, light novels might be your best option.

A light novel is a young adult text novel from Japan that primarily targets middle school and high school students and is usually set in mesmerizing fantasy worlds.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is a perfect example of this genre. Here is an in-depth, spoiler-free review of this book.

What is Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation about?

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (Japanese: 無職転生 〜異世界行ったら本気だす〜 or Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu) is an ecchi fantasy light novel set in the Six-Faced World. It features a number of unique tropes and interesting characters.

One of which is the protagonist, a nameless NEET who leaves his home after the death of his parents. After looking back on his life as a shut-in, he feels as if he hasn’t achieved anything meaningful. However, he refuses to succumb to the desperation.

Our main character wants to change his life. He notices a truck about to run over a few teenagers and sacrifices himself to save the lives of the young people.

The NEET dies but is quickly given a second chance and awakes in the body of a baby. But that’s not the only strange part of his reincarnation. He has also been transported to the Six-Faced World, a fantasy region of sorcery and swords.

The NEET immediately takes a liking to this environment and wants to find meaning in his new life. Moving on from his previous identity, he names himself Rudeus Greyrat.

Due to his early training and inherited affinities, he becomes adept at magic and soon becomes an apprentice of demon Roxy Migurdian, demihuman Sylphiette’s friend and teacher of Eric Boreas Greyrat, a noble heiress.

This marks the beginning of his adventures in this fantasy realm.

Rifujin na Magonote is the author of the novel. This is a pseudonym of a Japanese writer who also authored Orc Eroica.

You’ll rarely find Magonote on camera because he appreciates privacy. Whenever he makes a public appearance, he puts on a trademark helmet that covers his face. The helmet is the same one worn by Orsted, a character in Mushoku Tensei who uses it to contain his curse.

The first volume and the rest of the series feature masterful illustrations by Shirotaka. Egg Firm produced an anime adaptation of the series.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation—Our book review

This web novel is one of the best coming-of-age stories released in the last decade. The protagonist has an unforgettable journey with powerful character development.

After his death, it doesn’t take Rudeus (or Rudi, as some refer to him) long to realize his new life is much better than his previous life. This paves the way for a slow-burning story arc development that spans a lifetime.

The protagonist grows throughout the story, as the plot literally takes place from his first to his final day. Even though the character development is more subtle due to the sheer length of this light novel series (24 volumes), it’s truly compelling when it finally happens.

The fact that the protagonist isn’t overpowered is also a nice touch. Even though Rudeus is talented and has mastered elemental magic, he struggles in certain situations before he prevails.

Furthermore, it’s delightful watching Rudeus as he works hard to gain his powers—you’ll hardly find this struggle in other Isekai heroes. He practices spell casting, reads books, and goes to great lengths to improve his sword fighting. In other words, he doesn’t enter the fantasy world as a godlike creature. He’s too weak in some scenarios to overpower his opponents.

Besides his initially limited skills, Rudeus, the son of Zenith and Paul, is also imperfect from a moral standpoint. More specifically, he’s perverted. He has outlandish sexual fantasies and has adventures with three women—Roxy, Eris, and Sylphiette. It may add some character depth, but it also makes him unlikable.

This is a common character design throughout the series. There are lots of imperfect characters whose redemption arcs are largely compelling. At other times, they’re merely fanservice wish fulfillment. Nevertheless, you’ll most likely root for most main and side characters.

Another great aspect of this book series is the plot twists. Upon his teleportation to the fantasy realm, Rudeus’ arc doesn’t follow a straight line. There are countless ups and downs, with intriguing plot twists that will have you jumping out of your seat.

The pacing is also straightforward yet effective. Coupled with high-quality world-building, it makes for an enjoyable reading adventure.

That said, the most significant flaw of this series is that the world may feel slightly contrived. Although Rudeus doesn’t trump everyone else right off the bat in terms of power scale, the system seems to work in his favor most of the time.

For instance, he learns a crucial language practically on a whim. It may seem insignificant at first, but it serves a critical purpose later on.

In addition, there’s unnecessary sexualization throughout the volumes. Between his days when he was bullied in his past life to downgraded female characters and polygamy, the sexualization might be off-putting for some.

Overall, Mushoku Tensei has some downsides, but it may be a good read for some young adults. If you’re into this type of content, you may want to add it to your wish list.

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FAQ

Are the Mushoku Tensei light novels good?

Yes. Mushoku Tensei has some moments of cliché, but it’s a good read overall.

Should I read the Mushoku Tensei light novel or watch the anime?

Both the light novel and anime versions are solid. The anime adaptation might be a better choice if you want to see vivid representations of magic combat. Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with either option.

Is Mushoku Tensei age appropriate?

The series is not appropriate for all ages due to its sexual content.

Who is the protagonist of Mushoku Tensei?

The protagonist of Mushoku Tensei is Rudeus Greyrat.