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| Volume 1 cover illustration featuring Kuro Usagi |
Title: Mondaiji tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou desu yo?
Author: Tatsunoko Taro
Illustrator: Amano Yuu
Genre: Adventure, Action, Comedy, Games
Status: Completed
*this review will contain some spoiler*
Little Garden of gods and demons
Hello, it has been a really long time since I've posted any review or impression on Light Novels. It is now 2018 and it is approaching February, I have no excuse for not posting anything. Really.
Well, let's just forget about that and welcome the first Light Novel review for 2018. The novel that I've chosen is the Mondaiji series. It is weird that I haven't reviewed this novel since it is one of my favourites. Okay, here we go.
The story of Mondaiji took place in the fictional world of Little Garden where various gods and demons of various mythology reside. Our 3 protagonists Sakamaki Izayoi, Kudou Asuka and Kasukabe You was invited into Little Garden by Mondaiji series' poster girl, Kuro Usagi.
The world of Little Garden is divided into 7 area called gates with 1 digit area houses the strongest communities - a group of individuals sharing same flag, will elaborate more - and 7 digit area houses the weakest communities. These area are into circles with 7th gate being the outermost and 1st gate being the innermost. 1 digit to 3 digit area are known as the area where the strongest being resides like deities of various mythology like Indra and Buddha. Besides that, the Little Garden is also divided into 4 cardinal directions, East floor, South floor, North floor and West floor. Each of this floor have their own floor master such as Shiroyasha being the Eastern floor master.
Besides that, there are various communities living in Little Garden. You can regard them as individuals living together under the same flag. Even demon lords have their own community and flag. Community is an important aspect in Little Garden and its flag is all the more important than that. Without a flag, basically you don't have an identity. This is what befell the community that our protagonists have been invited into, No Name. No Name have lost their flag, name, lands and core members due to the attack of demon lords 3 years prior to the start of the story.
Well, let's just forget about that and welcome the first Light Novel review for 2018. The novel that I've chosen is the Mondaiji series. It is weird that I haven't reviewed this novel since it is one of my favourites. Okay, here we go.
The story of Mondaiji took place in the fictional world of Little Garden where various gods and demons of various mythology reside. Our 3 protagonists Sakamaki Izayoi, Kudou Asuka and Kasukabe You was invited into Little Garden by Mondaiji series' poster girl, Kuro Usagi.
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| From left: Kudou Asuka, Kuro Usagi, Sakamaki Izayoi and Kasukabe You |
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| Illustration on gates from Mondaiji series wiki |
Besides that, there are various communities living in Little Garden. You can regard them as individuals living together under the same flag. Even demon lords have their own community and flag. Community is an important aspect in Little Garden and its flag is all the more important than that. Without a flag, basically you don't have an identity. This is what befell the community that our protagonists have been invited into, No Name. No Name have lost their flag, name, lands and core members due to the attack of demon lords 3 years prior to the start of the story.
Gift Game: Trial of Gods and Demons
I almost forgot to mention the most important aspect of the story which is the gift games. Gift games in little garden played an important role as it also contribute to the income of the communities aside from doing trade. The game will consist of hosts and players. Host is the one who holds the gift game or competition while players are the challenger of the gift game. In special circumstances, there will be a judge and usually Kuro Usagi will assume this role as she is a Moon Rabbit, a special with Judge Master authority that can prevent any participants from breaking the rule. Geass Roll will be issued in every gift game hosted in Little Garden specifying the host, players and winning condition of both parties. The players will have to fulfill the participating requirement before they can enter the gift game and hosts will have to reward the winner of the gift with anything that have been agreed on geass roll, from money to Gifts.
Gift, another important aspect in the story, can be regard as special ability or skill or item depending on its characteristic. Gifts like Genome Tree can be regarded as a special ability and gifts like Deen, red sacred iron golem can be consider as a special item. Gifts can manifest either based on legends like Dun Scaith that is possessed by Scathach or it can be forged like Amalthea which was revived by being forged from diamond iron ore, cornucopia and fleece.
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| Gift cards that can store gifts from Mondaiiji anime series |
The role of gift game as mentioned above does not play an important point in main plot of the novel except in short stories and interlude novel volumes. Gift games are also used to move the plot especially in battle against demon lords and villains.
Alright, this part gonna be especially spoilery in explaining the battle plots.
In almost every battle with demon lords, it will start with the appearance of black Geass Roll. This is Geass Roll explaining the demon lord's gift game content, its riddles, winning condition etc. Demon lords can force the participation of players into their game due to their Host Master authority. Do note that some other strong character or community also have Host Master authority. However, they do not abuse this authority as demon lords do by tweaking the game content to their advantage. This is what causes some character to receive demon lord branding and being hunted by divine beings for annihilation. The way to defeat the demon lord is by clearing their game and deal damage to them. Gift games can be cleared by using knowledge or strength.
Alright, this part gonna be especially spoilery in explaining the battle plots.
In almost every battle with demon lords, it will start with the appearance of black Geass Roll. This is Geass Roll explaining the demon lord's gift game content, its riddles, winning condition etc. Demon lords can force the participation of players into their game due to their Host Master authority. Do note that some other strong character or community also have Host Master authority. However, they do not abuse this authority as demon lords do by tweaking the game content to their advantage. This is what causes some character to receive demon lord branding and being hunted by divine beings for annihilation. The way to defeat the demon lord is by clearing their game and deal damage to them. Gift games can be cleared by using knowledge or strength.
About The Story
As mentioned above, this story is about the lives of Sakamaki Izayoi, Kudou Asuka and Kasukabe You in Little Garden as well as their adventure to help No Name to gain back their name and flag. Aside from that, do note that at each prologue and interlude of the novel, there will be flashbacks of some of the character. For me, the most interesting flashback is Izayoi's since he is the most mysterious of the 3 problem child due to his gift, Code Unknown. This gift makes him to be among one of the strongest in the Little Garden but not the most powerful.
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| Izayoi using Code Unknown |
The story proceeds as they gradually getting closer to the demon lord that had caused ruin to the No Name and at the same time, due to the contribution of the 3 new No Name member, the community manage to gain many great achievements and become much more known due to their claim to challenge demon lords. I don't think I need to reveal too much spoiler about this since it would not be interesting.
Anyway, aside from the overpowered battle scene, the story also contain various sci-fi theory crammed into it due to the nature of Little Garden that exists in the intersection of various timeline and parallel worlds. This is especially important to understand the latter half of the story. Besides that, you would also enjoy the story for its gift game puzzles that make use of various historical events and mythology due to the nature of demon lords that face our protagonists.
Conclusion
I don't really have anything else to write though as it would be too spoilery if I continuing writing more about this series since I have finished reading all of the Mondaiji novels that I get from a torrent website. So I would just say, if you are interested about the story or wanting a more in-depth understanding of the story after watching the anime, go and read up the novels. It's there somewhere beyond the sound of a cat. Oh by the way, the story have a sequel, it's called Last Embryo.
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| Our protagonists, Kudou Asuka, Sakamaki Izayoi, Kasukabe You and Kuro Usagi against the 3 headed dragon, Azi Dakaha |
Although it is really late, I pray that you have a very good year ahead and may good fortune be with you in whatever you are doing this year. I shall leave Azi Dakaha's challenge here at the end, take it as a challenge from whatever hardship that may come to you and be victorious over it.
-Azi Dakaha, Demon Lord of Absolute Evil-Give your all, it's been hundreds of years, hero!Exhaust all your strength!Muster your resourcefulness!Show me your reckless courage-become a glorious sword that will pierce my heart!Rise!Over my dead body is where Justice lies
