Konosuba is selling us a story involving a shut-in gamer transported to another world. If that sounds familiar, then yes, it is totally familiar to readers and watchers of works like Sword Art Online, Log Horizon, Re:Zero, etc. Konosuba attempts, as far as Volume 1 goes, to be more comedic in tone, which makes me think of Ixion Saga DT. That anime was inconsistent. The manga version of the popular Konosuba is mediocre.
Yes, popular. Based off Natsume Akatsuki’s light novel, the anime version of it premiered to some praise this past Winter, and its second season airs this upcoming winter. Yen Press decided to license the LN and the manga. We won’t be getting the LN until February, so for now, you’d have to make do with the manga.
Maybe you should watch the anime or wait until February.
I have no idea if the anime is actually any good, but from general experience, whenever original anime or light novel series get adapted to different mediums, the manga version is bad. I’m sure there are exceptions (FLCL manga was probably not bad; if we count movies, 5 Centimeters Per Second was awesome). But this version of Konosuba is bad.
Kazuma Sato tried to be like Yusuke Urameshi by saving a high school girl from getting hit by a car. Like Yusuke, he dies. Unlike Yusuke, he is totally dead, and he finds herself in front of a goddess who gives him the chance to be reborn in a new world. His task? To find and defeat the Demon King. Needless to say he’s not going to do it alone, so he ends up teaming up with the goddess (who’s not useful at the moment), and then later runs into a “one big blast and done” loli wizard and a busty, blonde haired knight that’s straight out of a 18+ doujinshi, or at least, fantasizes stuff like that happening to her.
The comedy bent is very strong as the main lead learns the ability to steal, but while the ability intended for stealing random items, Kazuma steals the panties of young girls. The only funny thing of note was the constant daily attacks on the Dullahan’s castle, which brought the Dullahan into the town to find out who’s doing it. Of course, Kazuma’s “one blast and done” magic user is the main culprit, who then never faces the headless knight in battle. Outside of this, everything else felt lackadaisical.
I’m not going to completely believe the anime is this poor. The anime will probably have some oomph, better movements, etc. This version however doesn’t feel enjoyable to read, or look at for the most part. Okay, the detail on things like cabbages and the bra on the knight was well done…
…I think that’ll be it for now.