Ninomiya Keiji is living the ultimate NEET life — thanks to saving up as a kid, taking part in the market, and working in real estate, at 24 years young he doesn’t have to do a thing. He can comfortably enjoy his days alone in his penthouse, while “normal” people work 9-to-5 shifts, sometimes with long hours, sometimes with bad management, etc.
Too bad for him that someone or something didn’t take kindly to him laughing at the people working those long, crushing hours.
The Dungeon of Black Company is an economics and work manga meets isekai, as Ninomiya is randomly transported out of his sweet penthouse and into another world, full of monsters and the people he laughed at — corporate slaves. Drowning in debt in an unfamiliar world, he’s now forced to work long hours every day, with barely any money to move out from where he’s living at or eat luxuriously. After four months with no progress, he was at his wits’ end.
But one lucky bounce led him to discover a way to make more money much faster. And he seemingly found much success in doing it, right up until he met the huge monster. Which turned out to be a monster girl (and a child one at that). And she has a huge appetite. So much so that when he thought he struck a really good deal — great food for them to mine for more stuff — he soon realized her appetite is almost bottomless, which only makes his journey to get out of debt much harder.
There’s a good amount of stuff to like about The Dungeon of Black Company, from its snarky humor to the moments where calculating expenses is supremely too adult. As Ninomiya tries to find a way in his non-adventurous body to survive, the manga shines well when it focuses on him reviewing where his funds are going and the means of how he’s getting it.
It also does well when it points out how working for soulless corporations can go, which he’s been fighting against for years. Author Yasumura goes well into it at points, showcasing those who can only accept this lifestyle and others who want to change. You even get to see a rebellion happen (chances are this won’t be the last) due to overwork and lack of any workers’ compensation for a particular group.
The big problems, however, will revolve around the characters though — first, the monster girl, who is barely clothed but thankfully isn’t taken advantage of (though considering her strength and appetite, good luck taking advantage of her). She appears a decent amount in this manga, but only to really eat and wield a brainwashing staff in a chapter. The second is Ninomiya himself, who is consistently hypocritical and can be unlikable at a number of points for some. I think these two will make or break your enjoyment of the manga. After all, how can you like a guy who’s generally looking out for himself?
The framing is more intended to be comedic, so in general, the fun factor from The Dungeon of Black Company shines through, and I’m very curious at how he plans to deal with Raiza’Ha Mining Corporation after what happens at the end of volume 1. The times where it goes into job hours and money saving is kinda neat, so I’m actually curious as to where this work will go next.