“High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World!” welp, maybe it’s not so true anymore! That’s because the nature of the series sure isn’t the same from how it began. Ok for starters, hilariously enough the first volume was rated for older teens, but since then the mature rating’s now slapped on and has been shrinkwrapped because the erotic quota went up in volume 2. Aside from that, initially, this series introduced seven prodigies who somehow know each other being mysteriously sent to a fantasy world where they can do just about whatever they want because of their talents, so any troubles that could occur would be brushed aside.
However, after reading six volumes of the manga, it’s fair to say that because of their talents they end up creating more problems, some expected and some unexpected. Basically, their superior talents are beneficial, but none of them can fully overcome the fact they still are in a fantasy world, which also means established policies, different values, and magical skills can overrule them in their current state. Basically, maybe things aren’t so easy even in another world!
At least they did find out a nuke can indeed compete with warcraft magic though…
Anyways, Volume 5 of High School Prodigies begins with the girls (and Akatsuki) getting massages. What, you thought the erotic quota was met? Nope! We also end up having to watch Tsukasa and Ringo go on a date, which, considering the two’s personalities, would seem boring. Instead, Ringo’s troubling past as a manufactured genius is revealed, and troubling is the word considering how she was treated because of it growing up. Created by her mom, who was also smart, Ringo quickly outshined her even as a child. That was about the point where no matter how much Ringo created to please her mom, it was already over — and her mom finally getting arrested for physically abusing her ended their time together. So in her depressed state, Tsukasa eventually meets her and ends up renewing her vigor for creating new things. Not too long after Ringo begins developing feelings for him.
It’s just that Tsukasa’s personality doesn’t allow him to reveal his feelings easily and Lyrule appears to have a thing for him. So that’s one of the reasons Ringo goes on a date with him (though it was also claimed they both needed to take a break by their doctor, Keine). Tsukasa also ends up asking her to make the nuke during this period. But wait, what possible threat would emerge to shake the seven this time that they need a nuk–
Oh right, gotta take care of Duke Gustav!
Yes, he definitely did not get killed when he faced off against Shinobu and Jeanne, and like, the man was brought back, got to wear a mask, is not human, etc. And he still wants to rain on the prodigies parade. So that means it’s combat warcraft magic against one of Ringo’s superior creations. Good luck, petulant man-child.
However, the major storyline that emerges over these two volumes (and there’s a good amount) is he apparently was revived by the Imperial Grandmaster of the Freyjagard Empire, Neuro Ul Levias. His motivations are concerning, but, in a meeting with the prodigies, he offers them something that rarely happens in an isekai — a way to go back to their own world. Still acknowledging that it remains unclear how they got there, most isekai present going to another world as a one-way ticket, but Neuro was even able to prove it briefly that it’s possible to send them back home. Can’t say that doesn’t throw a wrench into their plans, but the alternative is leaving what they built, The Republic of Elm, to the Empire, who’s non-committal to what they plan to do once the seven leave.
The secondary storyline is the Blue Brigade. It didn’t seem like anything was amiss with that group, but Tsukasa wasn’t entirely trusting of them, and we find out why! While ultimately the group knew Duke Gustav was unfit, what happens after he was defeated remained a major question mark. One of their leaders, Count Blumheart, paid for not understanding that with his life, and now you have a faction that wants equality for everyone, and a faction that does not. Just saying though, if you have a faction that employs a loser that’s a clear opportunist and have knights in your ranks sexually assaulting woman, that’s not a side to support.
Also after I hoped Jeanne would get a bit more time in this series of course she’d be the one to get assaulted. Thankfully it didn’t take long for Shinobu to prevent that AND Jeanne did get vengeance.
There’s a lot more that happened in these two volumes (Keine’s medical knowledge is astounding and also dangerous; the mystery of Lyrule is still in question, and so’s her magic; the “ambush” that occurs at the end of volume 6), but the driving force for the rest of the series will be just who exactly the emperor is. It seems even the emperor was enough to radically alter Gustav, to the point where Gustav even claims humankind can’t be saved. Can the prodigies be able to create a stable situation quickly enough to face him? We’ll just have to see.