By Shigeru Sagazaki and Tetsuhiro Nabeshima. Released in Japan as “Katainaka no Ossan, Kensei ni Naru: Tada no Inaka no Kenjutsu Shihan Datta noni, Taisei Shita Deshitachi ga Ore o Hōttekurenai Ken” by SQEX Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Hikoki.
Last time I wrote a review of this, the anime was just starting, and as I write this one, the anime has just ended. Most people agree that it was stolid, unremarkable, did not really do anything wrong but was nothing to write home about except the fight scenes were very well done. Folks also agree that the Japanese voice of Beryl really nailed the part, that sort of world-weary “I am forty years old, sigh” quality that he has a lot of the time. I thought the voice was excellent, and it also helps as I read this seventh volume in the series, where Beryl’s soul-searching monologues are at an all-time high. And while it’s just a coincidence, the fact that folks who finished the anime and decided to buy this new book get a volume that is almost a direct sequel to the end of the anime is very nice.
Beryl has been asked to help provide security for the wedding of Princess Salacia to Prince Glenn of Sphenedyardvania, a wedding that, of course, takes place in that country, which also recently resurrected the dead, including Mewi’s sister, and is in the middle of a holy war. So, extra protection is recommended. After stopping off in Flumvelk to rest and so that Beryl can get seduced (spoiler: he does not get seduced), they arrive there to find everything seemingly going well… until the wedding is invaded by undead, and the city outside is invaded by horrible chimera. Fortunately, Beryl and Allucia have help, including a mysterious masked woman, as well as… the enemies from the last book?
As always, it can be very hard to take Beryl’s aw shucks attitude in large doses, and there’s an extra helping of that in this book. I am hoping that it’s because he’s actually trying to figure out how to live going forward beyond “be best at sword”. He loves being a dad, and I think would be happy for Mewi to have a mother, he has no real concept of what a wife would be like. This is most obvious in the scenes with Shueste, who does everything short of lying naked on his bed and saying “take me now, big boy”. He clearly GETS it, but the idea of another woman liking him, be it student, noble, or anyone, makes him deeply uncomfortable. Which is a decent ongoing dilemma for a harem series to have, but dragging it out too long loses readers, who won’t always be happy with 100 pages of cool fights. I’m honestly rooting for Shueste, but I suspect first girl Allucia still has the advantage right now. We’ll see how shopping for swords goes next time.
If you enjoyed the anime, you know what you’re getting with Beryl. So as long as you’re not the sort who asks if there is snu-snu, this should make you perfectly happy.
0 Comments