@Leon_97

I've read some of the bonus stories. I don't recall major plot points from them, or flashbacks of them later. If they are mentioned it is a sentence or two, like background information that doesn't have a short story. They are more like character moments, a chance to see the characters doing things outside the main plot. Occasionally worldbuilding or magic system details.

I enjoy them. I don't think you miss much plotwise if you skip them. Most of them have a quieter feel to them than the main story.

@jpwong update, I got an email reply; the gender swap was a mistake and will eventually be corrected.
Thank you for your suggestion.

Volume 23 (Premium Edition): A Bonus Short Story Thinking of Home

Volume 3 (Premium Edition): 2 Bonus Short Stories Sightseeing on a Rickshaw Grabbing Lunch during Our Trip

Oh, and Rimi never got to do the otherworldly presence while serving food this time, or even do much of situation solving by food. There was only the candy, which wasn't even entirely Rimi's doing, and which Tama appropriated for some goals of hers that nobody understood.

@irioth Yeah man I found it much easier to get sucked into the story if I just mentally read "five" as "fifteen".

And stopped trying to make sense of whatever's going on with his mom and the whole dryad thing with them or whatever. I mean I guess since it would seem like she reproduced by like, budding, or something, it isn't incest? Or wait, does that make it more incest. I think? I don't know man. I just don't know.

But again, not many books make me react like that so for that alone recommended. I think.

@retailed said in Supernatural Battles Vol. 6 Discussion!:

The most “meta” volume so far

Oh boy, am I ever excited for a certain scene that's coming up in volume seven!
(You'll know it when you see it)

@Shaun__
Definitely a possibility

@Pieta sleazy uncle remains the most side of side characters in the latest volumes you can almost forget he exists

@WaterDweller Fixed that.

I really really liked this one. It was sweet. There wasn't maybe a ton going on, but the characters all felt realistic and the whole thing left me feeling happy. I particularly "liked" Reece, I've met Reeces before. Complete scumbag morons that are utterly confident in their moronic sumbaggery well after it's obvious to everyone else their plans have no future. And I've met a lot of Sarges, too. Hell, I probably AM a Sarge.

Relatable characters, cute story, didn't do the dumb "people well old enough to know they're in love with each other acting like they don't know what love is" trope (at all, they confess to each other shockingly quickly in, which is to the story's credit) and was well written/translated. Glad there's more. I always think it's more interesting what happens after the love confession than before, I guess. These two are a cute couple and I'm looking forwards to seeing what they get up to next.

I guess my only complaint is that "Sarge" is a really weird name. It makes me think of like, a tough burly military guy, which Sarge... isn't. One of those "probably sounds better in japanese" things.

@BookManiaReader said in The Ideal Sponger Life Vol. 12 Discussion!:

Anyone have the link to volume 13 discussion?

https://forums.j-novel.club/topic/6972/the-ideal-sponger-life-vol-13-discussion

Slightly surprised the manga is actually mentioned in the afterword tbh. Dre-manga hasn't started releasing yet, this series is part of the first batch though, coming out later this month (23rd according to their website: https://drecom-media.jp/drecomics). I look forward to seeing how JNC is dealing with the manga there, whether it has to wait for full volumes etc.

@Zeteni said in D-Genesis Vol. 1 Discussion!:

Oh, I didn't mean to imply that you should've read up on everything, merely pointing out that you're not the first to think this way. And I'm right there with you in that tiredness of having most everyone the MC meets and regularly interacts with being young, beautiful women. Not unexpected, but eye-roll-y.

Eyerolly. Exactly.

I love books like Haibara where the protagonist attracts the attention of many a girl and then he realizes that

spoiler

Volume 19 (Premium Edition): Textless Color Illustrations

Volume 4 (Premium Edition): A Bonus Short Story Jeanne's Hard Work

@piisfun said in Late-Start Tamer Vol. 6 Discussion!:

It looks like the delay was due to changing translators.

JNC does like to have the folks picking up a title be familiar with the translations of the previous volumes, which does add some time, yes.

It's worth it.

@custodes said in Magic Knight of the Old Ways Vol. 5 Discussion!:

"And next to the lofty queen was their beloved, their partner and first knight. Whose name was known to all..."

Tenko, obviously.

@lucaslp5 It was a premature announcement. We can hope its next week but we won't know until they reannounce it

Oh, this was great. The whole trilogy was great!

I loved how much it is all about how it feels when you're on a sacred quest, as opposed to what you do. I loved how the two girls treat each other as equals and are such good and close friends (which is surprisingly rare). I loved how the companions are such a tight-knit group, and how nostalgic every parting feels. And how much everybody grows up - those who are childish at first, and those who are serious, all have ways to go before the end of the story. And how being humble, caring, and not aggressive are traits that don't prevent anybody from being a hero.

What a story twist in the second half of the volume, though! I probably should have expected that, but I didn't, and it got very scary for a time!

spoiler

In the end, I really appreciated the characters recognizing that a lot about the whole situation, starting with summoning people from other worlds, is pretty fucked up, and they shouldn't have done that, and end up taking measures against it happening again. It's so great when a story is willing to take a look at all the stuff a genre takes for granted, and make its own conclusions.

spoiler

Favourite pieces of dialogue:
"What! You're so rude! Who do you think I..."
"I think you're a nuisance, that's what. I'm above your ranks. This isn't even my home world. I'm not afraid of what anyone says, and I'm gonna speak my mind."
- Maria, using her powers for good.

"He's way too uptight with me! Really, does he think he's some kind of class rep?"
"Class... rep?" I asked, unfamiliar with the phrase.
"Um, someone who leads a group."
"Oh, he is a captain."
"Ah... yeah. But, the nuance is kinda different. Anyway, he's uptight!"
- Everybody just being silly for a change. But the banter in general was very nice.