Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: May 19, 2015
Price: $13.00
Creator(s): Kunieda (Artist/Writer); Fujino Omori (Original Story)
Format: 192 pgs., B&W, Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-3163-0217-3
Age Ratings: Teen
ICv2 Ratings: 4 Stars out of 5
One of the hottest properties out of Japan right now is the title Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?. Taking place in a fantastical city which contains a monster filled dungeon, the main character is a young adventurer named Bell who wants to be a hero more than anything else. Working alongside his goddess Hestia, Bell continues to work hard in order to grow into what he dreams of being.
Originally a light novel before becoming an anime and a manga, this is a title that has surged in popularity over the last few months but the question is does it deserve the level of hype that it has gotten? After reading the first volume of this manga and knowing where the story is going to go next from watching the anime, I can tell you the answer is yes.
One of the best things about this volume of manga is how well it builds the world within its pages. In less than 200 pages, not only did I feel like I knew the world that this series had created but I felt like I was a part of it. It was fantastic. Every little detail is explained so that the reader will never feel lost by any of the jargon or details being tossed about. Sometimes it felt like things were being over-explained but this ended up being a pretty small complaint by the time I reached the end of the volume.
The artwork is another big plus. Characters and monsters alike are designed with wonderful detail and the action is fluid from panel to panel. You could argue that the sparse backgrounds are lazy but with the characters and their actions being so eye grabbing it's not like you're going to notice that very much anyway.
This is a series for readers who love RPGs and want to see the genre they love so much come to life in manga form. The fantasy and story elements are strong parts which when put together create a very fun whole.
This is a solid title for fantasy fans who are craving something new so don't let this one slip through your fingers.
--L.B. Bryant