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Finding Avalon: The Quest of a Chaosbringer Vol. 3 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Drama, Mystery, School Life, Isekai

Sub-Tags: Villain, Weak lead, Dungeons, Video Games, Game Elements, Romantic Subplot

Synopsis:

The Battle of the Classes draws near, and students must compete inside the dungeon for a weeklong exam to prove their superiority. Rising above their past defeats at the hands of the elitist bullies of the upper classes, the brave Class E students devise a cunning game plan to maximize their odds. Luckily, they have a secret trump card—Piggy, the overweight and overpowered former villain. His orders are “Tag along with the upper classes, and try not to embarrass us!” This is perfect for Piggy, not being a fan of the limelight! He can use this opportunity to get to meet the diva of class A, his game-era crush, as well as share diet tips with a newfound armored friend—but a spy in his class is determined to unearth his secrets. That’s the least of his problems, as the mastermind of Class B threatens the students of every class. Little does Piggy know that his greatest battle awaits him! (Source: J-Novel Club)

Class E’s Race to the Deepest Level!

With Finding Avalon’s second instalment providing Piggy with much-needed allies, the latest volume will test everything Piggy has learnt as the Battle of the Classes begins.

As one of the most major events in the original game version of Dungeon Explorer Chronicles, The Battle of the Classes makes this volume the most important of the series to date. Set up like an exam, the event serves as the first marker within the academy to decide status and power, both needed by Piggy and the rest of Class E.

Piggy’s role in the battle is to act as Class E’s dungeon diver. Under the estimation of Class E’s leaders, the role is not an important one, and all Piggy has to do is travel far enough through the dungeon to ensure that they don’t get disqualified. Unfortunately, things in fiction are never quite so easy, and Piggy is put on the same team as Class B’s villain, Suou, the heir to the sainthood, Sera, and several Class D thugs.

With Class D’s less-than-subtle antics and the foreshadowing of Suou’s scheme on the horizon, Piggy’s passages give him a lot to do as well as add a nice touch of tension to an event that’s been name-dropped since the very start of the series.

To go alongside an already action-packed volume, without the class president or his family by his side, the story also has Piggy trying to make some new allegiances with the continuance of Tenma and Kuga’s storyline.

Tenma is one of the few rays of hope in an extraordinarily cruel world. Owing to similar bodily circumstances, Piggy and Tenma quickly bond over the different dieting techniques they’ve used. As the volume speeds forward, however, it becomes clear that the bond between them stems from more than just their weight. Tenma is a truly upstanding character. She doesn’t act like the other nobles in the series and uses her judgement to know who to trust and support. This plays well for Piggy, as her friendship will lead to an easier ride through the ranks in the future.

As for Kuga, Piggy’s interactions with her lead to a fraught and shaky alliance. Deciding that having her onside is better than not, the time the two of them spend together raises her suspicions of him even further, and once they get back on the surface, it’ll be interesting to see how the author will handle the inevitable interrogation.

With the third volume signifying the end of the series’ first major event, the author has succeeded in keeping the story fresh and the action on point. This success is largely due to the volume’s uptake in tension. As several antagonists enter the fray, Piggy’s knowledge of the game is tested like never before. Moreover, the continued development of characters such as Tenma and Kuga helps provide a well-rounded read to the story overall.

Finding Avalon Vol. 3

My Rating: 9/10

If you like what you read and what I do, why not consider supporting me through Ko-Fi. Any donation helps keep this site up and keep me writing.

You can read the third volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.

Finding Avalon: The Quest of a Chaosbringer Vol. 2 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Drama, Mystery, School Life, Isekai

Sub-Tags: Villain, Weak Lead, Dungeons, Video Games, Game Elements, Romantic Subplot

Synopsis:

Betrayed and left for dead by members of the Soleil Clan, Piggy and his sister must fight against an overwhelming monster. Although they come out victorious, the battle leaves Piggy a shell of his former self. The siblings now have to dive deeper into the dungeon to enlist the help of a fiend to heal him. Piggy vows revenge on Soleil, but acting soon would put his family at risk. The only solution? A family trip to the dungeon to slaughter some monsters! Meanwhile, Akagi’s defeat has soured the mood in Class E and bolstered the rest of the school to keep them on their knees. Piggy will need to keep his true identity a secret as his classmates prepare for the Battle of the Classes. But the other students are taking notice, and something seems off about his classmate Nitta. More adventures await the overweight villain as he teams up with his beautiful classmates, fights crooked proctors, and impresses sexy ninjas! (Source: J-Novel Club)

A Glutton Faces Training Sessions and Ninjas!

Picking back up after Piggy defeats the dungeon anomaly, Finding Avalon’s sequel sees the protagonist having to buck up his ideas as important game events draw near.

After defeating such an overwhelming foe, the second instalment of the titular villain’s story sees new developments happening left, right and centre. Escaping death by the skin of his teeth has shown Piggy just how important being over-levelled is to survival in the game world and, as such, renewed his efforts to level up his entire family.

Furthermore, monsters aren’t the only thing Piggy’ll have to protect his family from. With a host of conspiracies surrounding the academy, the latest big event, The Battle of the Classes, will give Piggy ample opportunity to interact with his classmates and scope for hidden dangers, but are these dangers closer than he thinks? Downtrodden and at their lowest, Class E is hiding many secrets, including characters who might’ve come from outside the game.

Conspiracies and Corruption

Finding Avalon’s second volume confidently establishes its world-building and plot development. Starting with the enactment of Piggy’s family protection plan, it expands by showcasing yet more layers to the corrupt and conspiratorial world of DEC.

The dance with death that Piggy suffered at the hands of Volgemurt has spurred him into action, deciding to power-level his family. Trapping orcs becomes a family affair as they each head towards level 30. These fun family moments are ultimately overshadowed, however, by the seriously twisted nature of the world around them.

Throughout the first half of the novel, all sorts of corruption and conspiracies that Piggy could end up fighting against are shown – from low-level corruption and criminality amongst guild employees to the high-stakes conspiracies that lurk within the academy societies with which Piggy has to navigate on a day-to-day basis. The author makes it abundantly clear how Piggy has adapted to his new family and why he would go to such lengths to protect them.

Ready Player Two

Speaking of the academy, a plot surrounding the upcoming Battle of the Classes makes up the second half of the volume.

This plot thread holds numerous positive aspects as Piggy interacts more widely with the world beyond his family in search of allies. The class president and her roommate, Risa, are key to this change. The two of them become Piggy’s first true friends among his classmates, and their interactions during dungeon dives together make for some of the more enjoyable moments throughout the volume.

Risa, especially, makes for a good friend for Piggy. One of the many revelations throughout the volume reveals her to be a player from Japan and heralds the prospect of several players transported into the game rather than one or two. Likely to be one of the protagonist’s only player allies, they serve an important function to each other. The ability to talk about the game, its future, and its differences without repercussions.

The end of the volume reveals yet another player within the DEC world. Unlike Risa, however, their view of the world as a game and complete contempt for the characters within will likely have them and Piggy at odds at some point in the series.

By building and expanding on the world fostered in its opening act and deepening the motivations of the characters within it, Finding Avalon’s sequel makes for an excellent addition to the series.

Key to its continued improvement relies mainly on the storylines expanding the world’s corruption and those looking at other players within the game. Risa’s introduction is a particular highlight as she adds a new level of fun not seen in the first volume.

Finding Avalon Vol. 2

My Rating: 9/10

If you like what you read and what I do, why not consider supporting me through Ko-Fi. Any donation helps keep this site up and keep me writing.

You can read the second volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.

Finding Avalon: The Quest of a Chaosbringer Vol. 1 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Drama, Mystery, School Life, Isekai

Sub-Tags: Villain, Weak Lead, Dungeons, Video Games, Game Elements, Romantic Subplot

Synopsis:

When a hardcore gamer downloads an update that transports him into his favorite game, Dungeon Explorer Chronicles, he expects a life of pretty girls and epic fights. He starts as a student at Adventurers’ High, the top school for budding adventurers, eager to dive into the fantastical dungeon that’s appeared in modern-day Japan. But one glance in the mirror shatters his dreams of badassery! He’s entered the game as Piggy, the love-to-hate overweight villain whose stalker-like obsession with his reluctant fiancée spells his doom. With elitist bullies roaming the school halls and cutthroat adventurers lurking in the dungeon, our hero has to act fast to lose weight and level up if he wants to survive and break free from his scripted fate. Using his peerless knowledge of the game, he’s ready to exploit every trick to become the world’s greatest unsung hero! (Source: J-Novel Club)

Piggy and the Cutthroat Dungeon World!

Piggy in the Game World

At first glance, Finding Avalon may remind you of another series featuring a titular Piggy protagonist. Other than an overweight villain facing doom, however, this series strikes its own path. Written by Akito Narusawa and illustrated by KeG, The Quest of a Chaosbringer provides a much more serious and darker tone to the genre.

The series’ plot finds its main protagonist reincarnated into the body of Piggy, one of Dungeon Explorer Chronicles’ doomed villains. Desperate to escape his fate and save his family, he develops a plan using his insider knowledge of the world’s dungeons to become stronger. Unfortunately, best-laid plans are never quite so simple. With his arrival, the plot begins to move forward and as he explores more of the world, a series of potentially deadly mysteries start coming to light.

Concerning the first volume, the story finds Piggy starting out his new life in DEC, wherein he reveals his main goals to be steering clear of the game’s plot and keeping his new family safe. This sees two versions of Piggy come to life throughout the volume – the action-savvy family protector and the passive villain side character.

As the family protector, Piggy vows to become stronger. This part of the plot sees him become a fledgling dungeon explorer, using every possible trick from his past life to exploit the system and level up fast enough to weather any incoming storm.

Motivated by the continued survival of those he loves, the protagonist’s ingenuity is only matched by their determination as part of this persona.

As for his passive character as part of the game’s original plot, likely, controversiality among readers can quickly be put to rest given that it serves a purpose to his main goals. In a cruel world where you can never tell friend from foe, the reasons for Piggy’s inaction becomes understandable as anyone may want to exploit his skills. In the context of this volume, this is shown through the first major plot point of the game, where the hero comes face to face with elitist bullies. Whilst Piggy could solve the situation with ease, he chooses not to, given that he could draw their ire, and there’s evidence suggesting more than one reincarnate is in the world of DEC.

Enemies, Allies and Family

Alongside clear-cut motivations, character dynamics is another strong suit of the series. Of the characters introduced in volume one, two stand out as the most important – Piggy’s sister, Kana, and his fiancé, Kaoru.

As Piggy’s sister, Kana provides a constant reminder of what he’s fighting for. Later, joining him on his dungeon quests, she differentiates herself from her brother by playing the role of the immature teenager. Decidedly reckless, she makes a good example of the dangers of becoming an adventurer, something not shown with Piggy due to his game knowledge.

Kaoru represents a more complex character dynamic within the series. As Piggy’s fiancée, she shares a sizeable past with the protagonist. Throughout the first volume, their relationship can best be described as strained. With little indication of the cause of the rift, we are left with both character’s actions in the present. With the protagonist clear in his wishes to steer clear of the obsessive allegations, it’s Kaoru who comes over as unnecessarily cruel. Her ideals of a past Piggy have clouded her vision, and when he fails to live up to her mark, she berates him. Moreover, she comes across as petty, with several instances of her spreading false rumours about the protagonist, likely in an attempt to lower his standing in class.

Also of note in the series are the elitist bullies targeting Piggy’s class and the student council president. Whilst the bullies are the typical flavour of nasty, they do open up an underlying mystery regarding reincarnates. As for the student council president, she represents one of Piggy’s few allies outside of his family. Unwilling to believe in rumours, she’s one of the only characters to take a closer look at Piggy and see him and his skills for what they are.

Overall, Finding Avalon’s opening instalment makes for an engaging start to the series. Where the series succeeds best is its focus on world-building and character dynamics.

Whilst the plot starts slow, the end result provides nothing but benefits for the series. Piece by piece, the world of DEC comes together, creating a cruel reality where only the powerful and ingenious can hope to survive. This, in turn, drives the understandable motivations of the protagonist, as well as sheds light on the variety of interactions he has throughout the volume.

Finding Avalon Vol. 1

My Rating: 9/10

If you like what you read and what I do, why not consider supporting me through Ko-Fi. Any donation helps keep this site up and keep me writing.

You can read the first volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.

Only the Villainous Lord Wields the Power to Level Up Vol. 1 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Drama, Isekai

Sub-Tags: Villain, Strong Lead, War, Strategy, Game Elements

Synopsis:

Ryuichi Hasegawa, the top player in a strategic medieval RPG, is granted a special “bonus” by the developer and reincarnated into the game world—not as the protagonist, but as the villainous lord Erhin Eintorian who dies in the prologue! This means Erhin’s survival is a race against time, for his domain is set to be invaded by a hostile foreign power in just one day. In order to save himself, Erhin must use the leveling system that only he can access and his knowledge of the game to prepare his forces. The only hitch, of course, is that there’s no way a villainous lord left a functioning military at his disposal! Can Erhin forestall the tragic fate scripted for him, or is he doomed to play out his own demise? (Source: J-Novel Club)

A Doomed Lord Fights for Survival!

The Evil Lord

We’re all familiar with reincarnates being thrust into characters on the verge of doom, although they usually have more time on their hands than the poor sap who’s been reincarnated as Lord Erhin Eintorian. With only a day before his territory is invaded and he’s killed, Erhin has to work fast to ensure his survival – a task made all the more difficult given the lord’s notoriety and evil deeds.

Key in both the reincarnate and original Lord’s ability is intelligence. For Erhin, schemes are more to his forte than fighting prowess. He can easily read the emotions of others, a skill he often puts to use given the need to quickly raise an army and tempt turncoats. This is shown best in his dealings with Euracia. She’s hell-bent on killing Erhin and stopping his evil deeds, but Erhin can de-escalate the situation and later turn her into an ally.

Overcoming Martial Prowess

Erhin’s intelligence is also shown in his warfare strategies, and several battles take place during the volume.

Having the protagonist put under immense pressure brings out the best in this story. Whether it’s facing the Naruyan Kingdom in his own territory or stopping them from taking a strategic castle, these do-or-die situations take his strategies to the next level.

About more than just different attack and defence strategies, the protagonist needs to bend the game system’s rules to his advantage. This requires genuine out-of-the-box thinking and makes the system more than just an easy cheat machine.

Taking a closer look at the game system in use, beyond the protagonist’s unique application of the system in life-or-death situations, I’m conflicted as to its integration within the story. The levelling and appraisal aspects are all within the expected range; however, the systems’ work during warfare is an issue. It allows the user to access a skill without any prior training or practice, which in a strategy-based world, feels like a bit too much of a cheat.

Overall, The Villainous lord’s first volume makes for a good start to the series. Focusing heavily on the protagonist, Erhin, the reader can grasp his character, motivations and abilities by the end of the volume. Volume one ends with several interesting plot devices, all of which could take the series in promising directions.

Only the Villainous Lord Wields the Power to Level Up Vol. 1

My Rating: 8/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

You can read the first volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke Series Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, School Life, Isekai

Sub-Tags: OP, Strong Lead, Personal Growth, Villain

Synopsis:

In the popular anime Shuya Marionette, there is a character whom everyone looks upon with scorn: the so-called “Piggy Duke,” third son of Duke Denning and a student of Kirsch Mage Institute. This can only spell doom for the current Slowe Denning, who knows he’s been reincarnated into the world of that anime as said villain! There is a ray of hope, however. If he uses his in-depth knowledge of the anime and his unparalleled power as a master of all the elements, surely Slowe can gain popularity with his peers and change his fate! Perhaps this time, he can make the one small wish that never came to fruition in the anime come true: to become a man worthy of Charlotte, his retainer, and to confess his love to her! (Source: J-Novel Club)

Slowe’ll Do Anything for Love!

Now that the series Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke has finished, it’s time for my first-ever series review. Looking back at the highs and lows and discussing whether it’s worth picking up!

To Change the Future (Volumes 1-5)

Fans of action, romance and second chances should pay particular attention to this series. Setting itself within an anime, Slowe’s goals for the first five volumes of the series are simple – change the tragic events that’ll unfold in the anime, and confess his feelings to Charlotte.

Seeing the error of his ways, Slowe is determined to shed his black-hearted image. In an attempt to earn both redemption and respect from all of those he’s disappointed, he’ll use knowledge of future events to birth himself anew. Striving for a different future requires more than just information; it also calls for strength of character, which Slowe has in spades.

In the early days of the series, determination, courage, and strength all make up the backbone of Slowe’s character. Whether it’s fighting off deadly assassins, dragons or immortal Liches, there’s nothing Slowe wouldn’t do to stop the tragic war from unfolding and earn the affection of his childhood sweetheart, Charlotte. It’s refreshing to see a character from a light novel fantasy series so determined and willing to grab what they want for a change.

Joining Slowe on his journey are several engaging side characters, all needing to overcome significant problems. The obvious first candidate is Charlotte, Slowe’s beau and secret princess of Huzark. Watching her kingdom being destroyed by monsters has shaped her central trauma. If she’s to remain a Denning retainer, she’ll have to face her fears and become a lot stronger to continue being by Slowe’s side throughout his ever-growing dangerous adventures.

Alicia and Shuya, the main characters from the original anime, also join in on the hijinks. Alicia’s history is highly intertwined with Slowe, given that she’s his former fiancée. At the start of the series, her feelings about Slowe are still conflicted, and she’s struggling to find a place to go next to move on.

Meanwhile, Shuya is the original protagonist of the anime. Portrayed as the typical heroic type, his actions in the anime help save many lives and stop the war with Dustour. These events, through Slowe’s eyes, however, see a protagonist struggling to come to grips with his power. Moreover, Shuya’s hero complex is causing problems – putting his safety at risk and giving him tunnel vision on what’s really important.

Looking at the series, the blueprints of the anime not only help integrate the characters but help the story too. Having plot events coalesce into Shuya’s spirit awakening means that the story is tight and moves at a well-thought-out pace.

The Successor (Volumes 6-10)

Unfortunately, the blueprints of the anime no longer apply to the second half of the series. Without the events of the anime, the series’ latter half runs into its biggest problem, a lack of consistent direction. Moreover, this issue is compounded in the sixth and seventh volumes by the strange direction taken with Slowe’s character.

With his anime knowledge in absentia and antagonists becoming ever-stronger, Slowe loses all confidence. In the face of the spirit of darkness and her strongest fighter, Slowe is but a shadow of his former self. He struggles with what choices to make in the presence of immeasurable strength and precarious diplomacy. Yet, it’s Slowe’s confidence and determination in his decision-making that is one of the main draws of the series. Thankfully, this is only a temporary change, and things get back on track by the end of the seventh volume.

In truth, the latter half of the series isn’t all bad. This arc sees Slowe finally achieve one of his main goals, confessing to Charlotte. This is, hands down, the best moment of the series. It is done perfectly within the series’ style – both poignant and timely.

Furthermore, the final volumes develop and finish major character arcs. Slowe and Charlotte get the best treatment. Slowe finally deals with the issues surrounding his father. Whilst they’ll never be close, the closure he gets through his father’s acceptance of his decision and his love for Charlotte is enough for him to move on.

Through the latter arc, Alicia also learns to move on. Her complex feelings for Slowe were always going to make it difficult to move on, however, the dissolution of her engagement to Slowe in such a ceremonial fashion has gone some way into dealing with her feelings.

Charlotte’s character arc concludes by the end of the series as well. As mentioned earlier in the review, Charlotte’s trauma has shaped her adolescence. From being completely afraid of monsters to becoming an active participant in a battle for the soul of the nation. Charlotte has more than earned her place by Slowe’s side in more than just a romantic way.

Unfinished Business

Regardless of the latter half’s lack of direction and eventual cancellation, the series remains a fun ride and manages to get closure on the main point of the series, confessing to Charlotte. The main characters are all well-developed and, by the end of the series, have all managed to work on their issues, becoming more complex characters as a result. Readers will not be disappointed having read the series and seeing the result.

There are, however, several minor issues that crop up due to the series’ cancellation. Firstly, several of the character arcs come over as unfinished. Shuya is a particular victim. After the events of volume five and the encasing of the fire spirit, there’s very little attention paid to his character afterwards. Only the eighth volume gives him anything to do, and it barely goes far enough to showcase the beginnings of his life of heroism.

To a lesser extent, Slowe and Charlotte’s romantic endeavours are also hampered by a lack of time and writing space. Personally, I would’ve preferred a little more time spent with the two as a couple doing couple-like things. Reading about the two’s first date or development of affections would’ve been a nice welcome break from the action-heavy volumes.

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke

Series Rating: 8.5/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the series in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

You can read my reviews on the series here, and can buy the series digitally through the J-Novel Club website.

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke Vol. 10 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Isekai

Sub-Tags: OP, Strong Lead, Personal Growth, Villain

Synopsis:

Slowe thought he left House Denning behind him when he chose to become the blackhearted Piggy Duke. He walked away from his family, his knights, his reputation—all for the sake of the girl he loved. Even so, those days feel like a distant memory as, driven by his feelings for Charlotte, Slowe has proven his merit time and again. Everyone regards him highly now, so at last, he can bury the Piggy Duke persona for good… That is, until his past comes back to haunt him. The arrival of his sister and a new potential retainer is only the beginning. He’s also reunited with his father, Balderoy Denning, who drags Slowe into a new battle he can’t afford to lose—a battle that may win him true freedom should he emerge victorious. Freedom from the expectations of House Denning. Freedom to be with whoever he wants. Whether this is a blessing or a burden isn’t yet clear, but Slowe’s sure of one thing… He’s willing to wager everything he has for a place by Charlotte’s side, just like he once did many years ago. (Source: J-Novel Club)

Slowe, His Father and the Decisive Battle!

The Denning Patriarch

As the curtain closes on Piggy Duke’s story, the final volume is singularly focused on the Denning family and their business dealings.

It’s been a long time coming, but the story finally decides to deal with the elephant in the room – Slowe and the relationship with his father. Diplomatically described as tumultuous, Slowe’s father is one of the main reasons he ran away from his responsibilities. Although having finally met the patriarch, it’s clear that Slowe’s been an unreliable narrator.

Though he hides it well, there’s a depth of fatherly love that Slowe’s yet to realise. Through his final test, Slowe’s father offers him his desired freedom; an opportunity to live a life with Charlotte and avoid becoming the head of the Denning household. It’s just a shame we get this information from his father’s new retainer, Mint, rather than have a scene between father and son for this information.

A Battle Against Rust

Piggy Duke‘s final volume is very much action-packed. The main plot point of this volume is destroying Rust, a secret military organisation hired by the Dennings. Making Kirsch Academy their battleground, Slowe’s freedom rests in the death of the organisation’s head, Magna.

The battles between the organisations are fierce, appropriate for a final volume. Kirsch is completely levelled during the attacks, and several characters make important steps in their development. For one, Slowe can wield the Ring of Authority by the end of the story. An important magical item, it’s a must for anyone wanting to become the head of the Denning household.

Charlotte also sees a metamorphosis in her character. A major theme throughout the series involves whether Charlotte has what it takes to become a Denning retainer. A retainer for the Dennings needs mental and physical strength to survive the harsh lives they usually end up living. This is one of the few character arcs that plan out. From being scared of monsters to actively participating and helping to defeat Rust, the tenth volume finally shows to others that Charlotte has what it takes to join Slowe on all his dangerous adventures.

Rust is eventually defeated, granting Slowe and Charlotte their freedom, although it’s not the one they were probably expecting.

Overall, Piggy Duke’s final volume ends the story on a satisfactory note – the best you could expect of a series cut short. It manages to finish several character arcs, meaning that main characters Slowe and Charlotte end on a high note. However, others are left by the wayside, unfinished business that I’ll talk more at length about in the upcoming Piggy Duke series review, where I believe the conversation will be more appropriate.

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke Vol. 10

My Rating: 7.5/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

You can read the tenth volume of this series digitally on the J-Novel Club website.

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke Vol. 9 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, School Life, Isekai

Sub-Tags: OP, Strong Lead, Personal Growth, Villain

Synopsis:

Breaking news: Slowe and Alicia are engaged! Cirquista wants to strengthen its alliance with Daryth, and Slowe’s brothers prefer battles over girls any day. Thus, Slowe and Alicia draw the short end of the stick—and are forced into a second engagement against their wills! The entire school is going wild, but the “couple” themselves aren’t happy about it. Alicia is sick of people trying to decide her life for her, and Slowe has finally gotten together with Charlotte, the love of his life. It won’t be easy going against a decision that affects the fate of two nations, but Alicia has one last trick up her sleeve. Hoping to nip this engagement in the bud, she and Slowe take on the infamous Labyrinth of Cirquista: Demon Land! Will they make it out alive and put an end to their shocking engagement? (Source: J-Novel Club)

Slowe’s Guide to Stopping an Engagement!

Finishing off my round of three reviews, my final read from the group looked at the penultimate volume of Piggy Duke as Slowe and Alicia come to find out their engagement is back on!

A Shock Engagement!

Just as Slowe and Charlotte are getting their relationship on track, the ninth volume in the series pulls yet another curve ball out the bag as Slowe’s heroic deeds have landed him a retry engagement with Alicia.

Showcasing the development growth of his character from the start of the series, Slowe no longer reverts to the black-hearted Piggy Duke of old, thinking of a slightly more sensible plan to dissolve their engagement. As such, Slowe, Alicia, Charlotte and a hired adventurer named Blau, embark on a dangerous mission to collect the binary wand from Cirquista’s central labyrinth.

Besides the shocking announcement, Slowe’s re-engagement with Alicia allows for some interesting information to be divulged about how Cirquista treats its royals. To ensure their survival on the world stage, Cirquista uses its royals as political pawns where their marriages are chosen solely due to the potential agreements that could be made between nations.

A Mysterious Adventurer

As for the volume’s central plot, the journey to the labyrinth and the subsequent stealing of the binary wand certainly has its moments, especially if you’re looking for the relationship dynamics between Slowe, Alicia and Charlotte.

However, of particular interest in this volume is the adventurer hired for their journey to the centre of the labyrinth, Blau. A monster tamer by trade, she has quite the disdain for Slowe and clearly has her own agenda as to why she wants to reach the central levels.

As it turns out, she’s an old friend of Slowe’s uncle and a close friend to Cirquista’s royalty. By taking Slowe and Alicia to the central levels, she hopes to get the two of them to become closer, and nothing quite says closer like trapping the two of them alone to face off against Looter Stain.

Unlike in some previous volumes, Blau’s meddling lands just on the right side of things, as Slowe’s and Blau’s conversations amount to little more than bickering rather than hate-filled rants toward one another.

Stain and Skeletons

Blau’s plan to get Slowe and Alicia closer together in a fight against Looter Stain doesn’t work, but what it does do is give Slowe an unexpected reunion.

One of the labyrinth’s bosses and Looter Stain’s minion happens to be Slowe’s missing uncle, Louis. Defeated by the slime, he’s been building up subordinates in readiness for the right person to come along and defeat Looter Stain, and Slowe is just the right man for the job.

What occurs next is yet another one of this series’ signature massive boss battles. Slowe and skeletons versus a highly defensive slime and his monster subordinates. It’s epically staged and feels right for a fight this late in the series.

Overall, Piggy Duke’s latest volume is another good addition to the series. Finally solving the potential blossoming romance between Alicia and Slowe, there are some great characters and epic fights to be had here. I highly recommend this series, and as we move into the series’ conclusion, it seems Slowe’ll have to defeat the toughest boss of them all, his family!

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke Vol. 9

My Rating: 8.5/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

You can read the ninth volume of this series digitally from the J-Novel Club website.

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke Vol. 8 Review

Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, School Life, Isekai

Sub-Tags: OP, Strong Lead, Personal Growth, Villain

Synopsis:

Ever since the Great Spirit of Darkness surrendered, world peace has finally become a reality. But the antics of Neon—Dustour’s prince and royal pain in the butt—are keeping Slowe from his happily ever after with Charlotte! What awaits Slowe is a love story with many twists and turns, one not unlike his own—a romance between a prince and his retainer. Feeling an odd sense of kinship, Slowe keeps tabs on the couple until an envoy from the north crashes the party with unreasonable challenges of his own. To realize their forbidden love, the couple must overcome these daunting tasks. But Slowe and Neon must be wary, for the night of the arisen is creeping up on them. Blood waltzes in the air like an elegant dance, and Slowe can only hope that the flowers of love will come into full bloom, standing tall and strong against all adversity. (Source: J-Novel Club)

Piggy’s Annoying Prince Problem!

For the second of the pre-pub reviews, we’re returning to Kirsch as Dustour’s Prince gatecrashes proceedings!

Upon defeating his strongest enemy so far, Piggy Duke’s eighth volume sees Slowe at his happiest, finally fulfilling his romance with Charlotte. Unfortunately, reality is often cruel. As soon as one problem is solved, another arises as Neon, Prince of Dustour, arrives as a transfer student.

Despite annoying the entire student body, a kinship forms between them due to their similar circumstances. However, all is not well at Kirsch as Neon might not be the only one to have arrived from the north. With Shuya picking up the scent of something strange, the Night of the Arisen approaches and blood will be spilt.

Having reached the post-confession part of the story, the eighth volume’s best feature is finally getting all the wonderful lovey-dovey moments absent from previous volumes. Required to keep their relationship from others, there are some great secret moments shared between the two. The only issue I have is that they’re so few and far between. A lot is going on in the volume, which cuts into the much-anticipated cute couple moments.

Said story is mainly focused on Prince Neon and his attendant, Suz, and after thoroughly annoying everyone on campus, they eventually turn their attention to Shuya. They don’t get on and it often leads to Slowe having to clear the mess they make.

Slowe doesn’t have all that large of a role to play for most of the volume, and that brings with it some interesting perspectives as we follow Shuya around for a bit. He’s the main instigator of a lot of the mystery-solving – dungeon diving and looking into the causes behind the Arisen. For once in the series, he acts like the anime’s protagonist.

What role Slowe does play in the first half revolves around introducing his knight Claude and acting as one of Neon’s few friends at Kirsch. This friendship does come with problems, being behind the scenes in a dungeon comes at great mental torture and he ends up in a battle he probably wishes he’d skipped altogether.

The main battle of the volume comes alongside the Night of the Arisen. Suz, a Djinn, has been controlling them in preparation for a fight against the King of Vampires, Giabalham.

Whilst not the strongest of the series’ battle scenes, it still serves its purpose with plenty of action and tension as both Neon and Suz are left for dead and only Slowe can save the day.

Overall, Piggy Duke’s eighth instalment manages to keep the series entertaining with a host of new friends and foes. I loved how the author got Slowe to take a back seat and finally showcase some of the other cast’s potential. Although looking back, its main down point is that there aren’t enough romantic opportunities for Slowe and Charlotte, a slightly sour note given all that they’ve gone through up to this point.

Reincarnated as the Piggy Duke Vol. 8

My Rating: 9/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! My next review will be Peddler in Another World.

You can read the eighth volume of this series in pre-pub format on the J-Novel Club website.