Re:Zero: Starting Life in Another World, Vol. 1

As a fan of the anime series I really can't wait to see what happens after the first season so I thought I'd start reading the light novels and hopefully at some point they'll pass the series and I can see what happens next. Either that or we'll get a season 2 so either way I'm happy. Re:Zero vol. 1 is the second light novel I've ever read and I had a few misgivings. I've read that the translations can be a bit rough at times and there is quite a few "not exactly complaints" per se but I've seen quite a few reviews state how it's a bit annoying that characters aren't always giving queue's so that it's hard to tell who's speaking at times and while they are right it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting. I only had two spots where it got a bit confusing but after a quick reread it was apparent who was speaking. I was also worried that this would be a "exact or literal" translation with no thought given to narrative flow. Long story short I worried about nothing. The novel had a nice flow to it and read like any other good story. Not only that but it clarified a few things that the anime didn't really touch on. Basically it's just more of what you already love. The characters are great, the story is great and the telling was more than adequate. Could it have been better? Possibly but as is it was more than adequate. I had a great time reading this book and have already bought the second volume. With Kadokawa's recent purchase of Yen Press I'm hoping we'll get even more anime's translated into light novels, more manga and that the already good quality will improve even more. It's a win/win for anime fans. Rest assured. This is the Re:Zero that you all love, just with a bit more of it. If you're hesitant to buy this light novel, don't be. The story kept me at the edge of my seat and the illustrations while sparse were all excellent and the illustrator should really be commended. All in all it was a well put together book and I'm staying for the ride. I love Re:Zero and as far as I'm concerned one can never get enough of Emilia, Subaru and especially Rem/Ram. I can't wait to finally meet Rem and Ram again in the next book. :D

To preface this, I was blown away by how good the anime was. I watched it years ago and always wanted to know what happened next in the story. So I finally made the decision to dive right into the light novels and WOW! I like the light novels even more than the anime. Tappei Nagatsuki's writing style is truly amazing. The light novels are the best, most authentic way to experience the story and they're infinitely more detailed than the anime. The bits of lore, and character details that are not portrayed properly in the anime are very important and the light novels manage to give you a very expensive world building and it explores the intricacies of the characters. Needless to say, I love Re Zero. I've been liking these light novels so much that I'm already reading volume 6 as of this time, and I intend to keep buying all the translated volumes as I keep reading and they become available. If you're on the fence about buying these light novels, or if you aren't really used to reading, then don't worry. They're easy to understand due to the great quality of writing and I assure you that if you liked the anime, you'll like the light novels even more.

Re:ZERO is a Fantasy/Mystery novel, with light-heartened humor and love separated by violence and tragedy. It is one of the best and most original stories I've ever read. Far too often I feel stories are adhering to predictable stories and characters, almost as if they are written to be shallow and easy to digest at the cost of anything truly memorable. Re:ZERO is a brilliantly unpredictable. Each character is memorable and unique. The depth of their personalities, emotions, how they think, who they are, and their own histories are so meticulously crafted that even minor characters become unforgettable. The complexity of the characters is matched by the plot itself, leading the reader into a false sense of security, or tricking them into believing they can predict outcomes of encounters. For each mystery solved in Re:ZERO, two more often take its place. This builds suspense that engrosses and carries the reader forward from each chapter to the next. Don't let the art fool you. This is a complicated, violent, mystery fantasy novel. Yes, it was written in Japan, and yes the cover art is unlike most novels sold in in English speaking countries, but don't let what's unfamiliar to you stop you from giving this novel a chance. Treat this book as you would any famous American made series. Don't judge the outside of this book or its origins until you've given it a chance. You won't regret it. One last thing. As I said above, this novel is humorous, loving, and funny, but it is also very violent, and as the summary says, 'How do you repay someone who saves your life if all you can do is die,' be prepared for many cruel, heartbreaking moments in this story. The depth of characters makes the tragedies that much more meaningful, but you'll be happy you got to know them, even though they're only words in a book.

As someone who's watched the entire anime at this point (up to Season 3) I decided that this series needs to be supported as much as possible. After reading through this volume I really appreciate the added details and concepts that were cut from the anime adaptation. Not to say the anime's bad by any means (it's my favorite anime by far) but the novels really add depth to the characters and events and when I eventually rewatch these episodes in the anime I'll appreciate them more. Great work 10/10

Re:Zero is a series that revisits several fantasy cliches with a unique and refreshing approach. The story focuses on it's protagonist Subaru as he's suddenly thrust from modern day Japan into an unfamiliar world (called "Isekai" in Japan, meaning "Another World), equipped only with the items he had on him in his original world and food he had just purchased from a local convenience store. Unlike your typical fantasy or isekai novel, Subaru finds that he has no particular skills or abilities giving him some advantage in this new world; in fact, the only item he has of any value is his tracksuit and his nearly dead cell-phone. The only thing resembling "fantasy" that he has going for him is a mysterious power to "Return by Death", in which whenever he dies he returns to a previous checkpoint, not determined by him, bringing the pain and mental trauma of that death back with him. Re:Zero is well written, full of excellent use of spoken and internal dialogue, and displays impressive prose throughout the descriptions of the world Subaru finds himself in and the people who inhabit it. The story in ripe with mystery and the unveiling of the plots and lore behind these mysteries is wonderfully done. While the series includes many isekai and fantasy tropes and cliches, it almost always approaches them in a novel or unfamiliar way, it contains violence, but also colorful images and text; it manages to progress the story in a way that includes comedy, horror, tragedy, romance, and character development with only occasional dragging, but manages to not feel like the story is being rushed to get to the next action scene like so many of in it's genre do. This first volume covers the first arc or 4 episodes of the anime adaptation. The translation is very well done, especially with the internal dialogue, but the wording and pacing can become dry at times because of the lack of linguistic localization; it's a very honest translation, but may seem dull to some. As a whole I would highly recommend the series (and the anime) if you have an interest in lore heavy fantasy, isekai novels, or simply enjoy new takes at old tropes.

one of my favorite light novel, shipped very fast and is in good quality.

I wanted to leave a very positive review for my recent purchase. The Re: Zero, Volume 1 book arrived in flawless condition with no damage at all. It's such a relief to receive a high-quality product. As a fan of the series, I'm really happy with the beginning of the story and the overall condition of the book. I'll definitely be shopping here again!

The realistic but funny main character really sets this apart from other series where the main character travels to a fantasy world. Although it first appears to be a cute adventure story, it is actually has strong elements of horror and mystery that will keep you thinking until the end. The main character is not some over-powered Mary Sue, which keeps the plot very interesting and makes it easy to get into. I look forward to all of the character development that awaits. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the theme where a character goes to another world, horror or mystery, fantasy action, or time loops. Although I do not usually enjoy time loop stories, Subaru is funny enough to keep it as funny as can be. The anime is also fantastic, but it had to cut out a few scenes to make the show fit together smoothly. The book appears to contain more critical hints to solving what may really be going on. Both are worth investing yourself in.