[This review will tackle the first 3 volume of the LN and the expected adaptation coverage of the anime]

I once saw a review on NGNL anime saying that it is a guilty pleasure. I won’t deny that as someone who tries both anime and LN because that seems true but it doesn’t mean that the content itself is terrible that there is nothing that can be considered “unique” or “refreshing” from it. NGNL is simply a story that hasa unique setting for a commonly abused theme.

Story: 7.5

Normally, when the story deals with people suddenly transferred to another world/dimension, the plot revolves on how they live through the new world while trying to look for a way to return back to their original world. NGNL is other way around. The people who were thrown into another world decided to stay on it because they felt that staying there would be more meaningful instead of trying of a way to return back. The plot simply revolves on how they will live in that world but there is a twist on it. The character that got thrown into the another world is a duo of NEET named Sora and Shiro who holds an urban legend of being undefeated in every games they tried and the world they got thrown into is a world where every conflict is to be decided by games.

The fantasy world where everything is to be decided by games is called “Disboard”.It has 16 races/countries but since it is easier to recall each by races, I will mention them by races instead. As of 3 volumes, the story gives information about human, flugel, elf and werebeast race. Human as simply as its sounds, is a race consist of human. In the world of Disboard, they are in the bottom line in both magical ability and rank by country. Then we have the Flugel would be in the 6th place from the top and are being considered as angel but actually has the strength that can annihilate any opponent if they want to but due to the world rules, they can’t use their power to invade other countries. Due to that, this flugel race only play games where they will gain knowledge or books as they wanted knowledge. We also have the Werebeast race and well known undefeated for their games and already has a big country and technology development due to their unbeatable games. The knowledge about their games is zero as part of the pledges they suggest, the loser will forget the game content. And finally, we also have the elf race that has high affinity with magic. Considered in par with magic with flugel and has hatred to the flugel race due to their war destruction done to the elf’s nation before everything is to be decided by games.

As for how the story goes, it is how Sora and Shiro wins each game they encounter. Starting from an invitation into the coronation game and finally with games that deals with how human race wins back what they lost from the previous king games. The strong point of the story is how the NEET duo wins every games where the games is similar to politics of every nation but the both of them simply think of it how to win each games. The method how they win each game makes the story interesting. After all, games itself are enjoyable but NGNL make it more interesting by adding “additional” elements to make each game worth it. Like how a game of chess can end up in a war between 3 groups when it supposed to be a war between 2 opposing sides.
Additionally, perhaps for the utilization of the ecchi genre, the story has ecchi here and there for explaining things outside the game, ecchi scene in game and even bath scene after every end game once per volume. Though that said, those didn’t happen in the first volume except the bath scene. Im not sure why but that’s probably deal with the story progress as volume 1 does not really have the win an ally plot.

Character: 7

Just like its story, the characters of NGNL are different from the usual stereotype. They are also outstanding on their own way. Some of them are:

Sora – one of the NEET duo. The tactician of the duo and the one who starts everything when it comes to games. If the name of Sora and Shiro is combined, it means “Kuuhaku” or blank which happens to be their name whenever they play against anyone.

Shiro – the little sister of Sora and the genius of the NEET duo. She is the one who understand Sora’s thinking the most. Also, she happens to be the one to be least surprise wheneverSoraproposes his crazy plans.

Jibrel – a flugel that been defeated by the NEET duo and someone who pledge loyalty to them. She also happens to be the one who hold possession of human’s national library something she obtained from defeating the previous human king in a game. Her personality is simply showing that she has a big obsession for knowledge and as long as it is something new for her, she would like to learn it.

Stephanie – the daughter of human race previous king and a character mostly used for comedy relief. Probably the weakest character of the title because she often treated as an idiot. Also, the one that can be treated as heroine in the story due to her love interest to Sora but that is made vague on the story.

Izuna – the representative of the werebeast that stays in the human country. She has a sharp tongue and similar to the NEET duo, someone who has a big interest in games.

Kurami – a human spy from the elf’s side. As of first 3 volume, what can describe her is way too limited to the story setting to the point that adding more than what I mentioned is simply assuming details.

If there is any possible issue for the characters, that is the lack of character development. Normally, that is a big minus to the rating but NGNL proven in the novel that development is unnecessary for the story. If NGNL character were given character development, it would destroy the main attracting element of this title, namely the duo of Sora and Shiro. If ever that they develop and ended up not wanting to take the risk a game, then that would lessen the value of their characters and so does the excitement the story offers.

Art: -

I decided not to count the illustration on the rating as it didn’t affect my rating overall for the title. If there is anything to say, the colored illustration of the novel is way too colorful that sometimes it is hard to look at.

Enjoyment: 10

This is definitely enjoyable. I didn’t find any moment that would bore me and even it has many moments that leave me wanting for more. At some point, this seems to be similar to Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha but instead for magical girls’ genre, it’s for the stories that deal with alternative world.
Any recommendation to NGNL? There are some titles for that. I think some would be the following.

Mondaijitachi ga Isekai kara kuru Sou desu yo? (Light Novel)– The problem children series is without a doubt the best recommendation to NGNL for both anime and light novel. Both are similar to the idea of people transferred into another dimension and the transferred characters were not interested on going back to their old world but simply wanted to enjoy the new world. Additionally, both title shares the idea of solving conflict through “games”. Games on NGNL are simply games with additional element like an FPS game has an additional element of tag but instead of touch, it would need to be hit by a bullet while games on Mondaijitachi are games because they are called that way by system but the content normally consists of war like situation. The big difference on the two is that, the problem children series manage to insert character development without destroying the concept and characters value.

Log Horizon (Light Novel) – concept wise, Log Horizon and NGNL are contradicting titles. So what make LH recommendable to NGNL? That would be the idea of living through on the new world they are with a main character of both tactician. In both story, the tactician is the reason why majority happened in the story progress for the better of their own.

Oda Nobuna no Yabou (Light Novel) – same case with Log Horizon but on this one, the MC for both story are gamers that use their game knowledge for their own benefit. Additionally, the game knowledge they use ended up on their benefit for the war situation they encounter though NGNL is more of game encounter.

Verdict: Be it the anime or the light novel, NGNL is overrated but unlike the usual overrated titles, it is one of the few that actually worth of a try. What most certain, it is very easy to enjoy.

Oh right, the rating I have on this review is not my final rating for the novel but only momentarily until I finish or decided that the novel is already good to the point of receiving a definite rating. There is still the possibility that I lower my rating for this one.

Opinion, suggestion, criticism and the likes? Please direct it to my wall.