The Twelve Kingdoms, Book Six: A Thousand Miles of Wind, the Sky at Dawn, Part 2

Leave a reply

By Fuyumi Ono and Akihiro Yamada. Released in Japan as “Kaze no Banri, Reimei no Sora” by X Bunko White Heart. Released in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. Translated by Kim Morrissy. Adapted by Monica Sullivan.

This is a book – well, the whole series is, but especially this book – with a message. This whole volume shows us what life is like in a city, and indeed a county, that is so used to corruption and venality that it doesn’t even matter that the new queen is supposed to be better than the old one, things will still continue. We see, over and over in this book, the normal law-abiding folks turning away whenever there’s something horrible going on – or worse, cheering it on – because they’re scared that if they speak up, it will happen to them and their loved ones. The trouble is… sometimes that happens anyway. Youko’s friend in the village, whose name I couldn’t remember from Book Five so I just called her “tragic girl who’s going to die”, lives up to her name. Fortunately, things do get better by the end of the book, as Youko finally comes to terms with that fact that, advisers or no, in the end, she’s the Queen.

Our three heroines continue along their journey of self-discovery. 1) Youko goes touring around the land of Wa in disguise, occasionally helping people out, and discovers that things are much, much worse than she expected… then goes back to the village where she’s staying to find death and disappearance; 2) Suzu decides, after the death of her friend by the evil guy in charge of the city, that murder is okay, but fortunately before she can put her poorly thought-out plan into action she hooks up with the local resistance group, who are here to tell you “murder is okay but only if you have a plan for post-murder”; 3) Shoukei, having finished being shown the life of an abused commoner and also having finished being educated about life in other countries by Rakushun, manages to hook up with the OTHER local resistance group. Eventually the three women meet each other, and they all agree that while murder may be OK, revolution is the way to go here.

The bulk of the character development here goes to Suzu, who got the least last time. She spends most of the first half of the book in a rage, snapping and deciding that murdering Shoukou will solve all her problems, then realizing that in fact it doesn’t solve the most important part, which is that she blames herself for Seishuu’s death, and then realizing that her entire life here to date was built around passively accepting abuse without doing anything, and that changing that is what she needs to do. Youko, meanwhile, simply needs to be galvanized into being proactive, and once she gets past “I don’t know enough about this world” by going on the road and finding out, she quickly cleans house and starts what will hopefully be a prosperous reign. As for Shoukei, she’s not only had recent experience as an abused commoner, but also years as a pampered princess. I admit her character arc here was a bit too “I’m suddenly mature now”, but hey, talking with Rakushun for weeks on end can do that to a person. I’m not sure we’ll see those two again (Youko I’m sure will turn up), but it was nice to follow their journey.

Next up… short story collection? Short story collection. Till then, please read this lovely series that reminds you that overthrowing the state can be a good thing… though admittedly it helps when the leader of the state is on your side.

Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden, Vol. 10

Leave a reply

By Umikaze Minamino and Katana Canata. Released in Japan as “Kyōran Reijō Nia Liston: Byōjaku Reijō ni Tenseishita Kami-goroshi no Bujin no Kareinaru Musō Roku” by HJ Bunko. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by okaykei.

If you have been following A Livid Lady’s Guide to Getting Even: The Anime, and felt that she was perhaps going a bit TOO far and getting a bit TOO evil, may I recommend the latest volume of Nia Liston? In which Nia gets very angry, and gets her revenge. But it’s the sort of revenge that may actually make everything better, and, while she confesses this is a surprise to her, no bad guys actually die who are not giant insects. Ah yes, that reminds me: if you like to see tiny ojou-samas fighting ants with the power of fists and kicks, also good news! Nia is here to kick ass and kick more ass, and she’s not remotely out of asses to kick. She does have a soft spot for her cute l’il orphans, of course, as well as the Fourth Princess, who she, um, literally buys. OK, that’s a bit too much like Livid Lady. But it’s OK, it’s not as a slave, it’s as her next disciple.

Having had her mansion destroyed by Mech Knights, Nia returns there to find that officials are busy erasing the evidence that there was any wrongdoing done there, and shortly thereafter they send Nia a bill for all the repairs. To the neighborhood. This is, by the way, while Shylrane has been desperately trying to get Nia on their good side, as she needs her to defeat the insects that are barely being held back by the country, which turns out to be on the verge of doom much more than folks know. Needless to say, Nia is unhappy with the bill. She decides to work off her stress by beating up the head of the mafia underworld, taking the contents of his safe, and then going on a bug-hunting party, where she wipes out the first level of the bugs – the only level, so far, the nation had been able to fight. This, of course, means the more dangerous bugs are no longer held back. And then she’s arrested and thrown in prison. Really, we’re very lucky this ISN’T Livid Lady…

I’ve always found the “Nia beats people up” part of this series to be the least interesting, and I always like it when the author throws in curveballs. Of which the biggest has to be Akashi’s obsession with inventing the car. This may seem baffling, given this is a book filled with sky islands, pirate airships, and flying cars, but the idea of cars on the ground – and, in particular, the prototypes crashing into walls – is not only hilarious and fun, but a terrific Magivision idea. Which, in case you forgot, is why Nia is here at all. I am also very amused with the Lynokis subplot. I’ve never had time for her stupid lolicon persona, which is present and incorrect here as always. But now Nia not only has a royal princess who’s studious and respectful towards Nia’s teachings, but also a young prodigy orphan girl who’s blazing through leaning about chi in record time. Seeing Nia get tired of her maid/bodyguard who doesn’t really want to get stronger is magical. As in it’s basically “let’s torture her”.

We’re still in the middle of this arc, but I am hoping that the next book has a bit less people being awful and a bit more filming reality TV. Oh yes, the anime is out soon!

From Corporate Drone to Mincemaster! One Order of Dragon Coming Right Up!, Vol. 1

Leave a reply

By Minato Minato and Tsukito. Released in Japan as “Makikomarete Shoukan Sareta Genkai OL, Guild Shozoku no [Mamono Kaitai Jou] toshite Funtouchuu ~Dragon desu ka? Mochiron Sabakemasu!~” by Mag Garden Novels. Released in North America by Cross Infinite World. Translated by piyo.

I mean, it’s FINE, I guess. I enjoyed reading it. I’ll read more. The main characters are all likeable enough. But god, I do not think I have ever come across a light novel with as little originality as this one, a LN that feels like someone completed a Mad Libs for Isekai and wrote the book based on the results. There’s an office lady so ground down from overwork that the only surprise is that it’s a normal summoning and not “dead from work”. There’s her opposite number, a saint who seemingly ticks all the “evil” boxes from the moment she opens her mouth. We get an awkward dorky guy who clearly likes her, and a cool but distant guy who clearly likes her, and one of these is very clearly far ahead of the other. Sorry, dorky guy. There’s an adorable pet monster. And there’s Sachi herself, OP as hell and plucky as all git out.

Sachi Hasumi is 21 years old. Her parents are dead. She dreamed of inheriting her grandfather’s restaurant, but he told her to go to college and work a nice job. Then it turned out the restaurant was about to go under. Then he died. Now she’s working for a black company, pulling triple all-nighters for no extra pay. No boyfriend, no friends. Then, as she walks home one night, she is summoned to another world! Or rather,.. the girl next to her is. The other girl is the Saint. Sachi is a “mincemaster”. She’s essentially left forgotten by the side of the magic circle. Oh, and of course, one way trip, no returning home. Then she meets the vice-chairman of the adventurer’s guild, who thinks her mincemaster talent is just what they need, given they’re drowning in monsters adventurers have brought back.

Now that I’ve gotten the bad out of the way, this is perfectly fine, it’s just the most unoriginal thing ever. Things I enjoyed: Sachi’s growing realization that she now has a job where people appreciate her work, she has normal hours and days off, and she’s paid well. There’s no doubt this is partly written as an OL fantasy of getting out of your hellish job, and it works just fine there. I also did appreciate, even if I wish we’d seen it at the start, the brief side story showing the saint, months later, on the road, desperately trying to level up her miserable saint powers, and discovering most of her arrogant bravado came from sheer relief at being away from her Education Parents who say she will be a doctor or she will be disowned. I expect she will still be a bitch when she sees how well Sachi is doing, but at least she has a REASON to be one. Oh yes, and Sachi’s receptionist friend Ann is great fun, especially when she mocks the fact that Sachi is 100% oblivious to the two hotties hitting on her.

This does have a Volume 2, so we will get more. I expect it will remain a coloring book that does not step outside the lines, but it is… pleasant.