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REVIEW: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Novel 7


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ultimatehaki



Joined: 27 Oct 2012
Posts: 1090
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 10:08 am Reply with quote
I brought this but haven't had the chance to read it yet. looking forward to it. gotta finish vol 6 first.

Last edited by ultimatehaki on Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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AnimeMaine



Joined: 11 May 2009
Posts: 123
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:19 am Reply with quote
I think this part of the review should be tagged as spoiler. spoiler[Granted, Omori does trample on this theme a bit with a late novel revelation about Haruhime's supposed impurity, but that, like the novel's title, feels like it was thrown in to appease the market. In this case the band-aid is particularly troubling, as it stands to undo a lot of what he previously attempted to thematically establish.] However, I disagree with the reviewer. I initially suspected some explanation like this, then I didn't, so I was not surprised to find I was right in the beginning. But I do not think it undercuts Omori's message.
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GhostD



Joined: 07 May 2016
Posts: 998
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:38 am Reply with quote
Is seeing this being animated too much to hope for?
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Merxamers



Joined: 09 Dec 2013
Posts: 720
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 11:43 am Reply with quote
I agree with the reviewer, that the late revelation does undercut its themes. Fushigi Yugi had a very similar twist, and it disappointed me then too that the author wasn't brave enough to stick to his original plans.

I enjoyed this book a lot; the action and emotional developments are great, and the author is very ambitious, which I love. My main complaint is that it feels like he's trying to have his cake and eat it to; making a story about consent and sexual slavery, but also packing it with scenes describing all the "sexy" prostitutes. Good novel overall, especially for a light novel, but a few nitpicks.
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Punch Drunk Marc



Joined: 04 Oct 2013
Posts: 1741
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:07 pm Reply with quote
I'm so woefully behind (i own all the volumes but I just recently started reading 4). Hopefully I can catch up, seems like the story is really going places.
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FilthyCasual



Joined: 01 Jun 2015
Posts: 2153
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:19 pm Reply with quote
Have to agree with Rebecca on the disappointing cop-out at the end, but unfortunately it was inevitable. Otakus would never accept spoiler[a haremette who wasn't a virgin for the protagonist.]

That being said, the rest of the volume was great, especially the action-packed denouement. I'm looking forward to volume 8!
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GhostD



Joined: 07 May 2016
Posts: 998
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:24 pm Reply with quote
FilthyCasual wrote:
Have to agree with Rebecca on the disappointing cop-out at the end, but unfortunately it was inevitable. Otakus would never accept spoiler[a haremette who wasn't a virgin for the protagonist.]

That being said, the rest of the volume was great, especially the action-packed denouement. I'm looking forward to volume 8!


Yeah Im pretty sure it was to avoid the backlash from Otakus who are obsessed with that sort of thing
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myskaros



Joined: 13 Jun 2011
Posts: 598
Location: J-Novel Club
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:31 pm Reply with quote
I personally felt that this was a weaker book than novel 6. As part of the greater narrative, it felt a bit too removed. Decided to spoiler because even though I think I was good, this book incites some frustration in me that I'm sure leaked out as spoilers Mad

spoiler[Less screen time for the characters we celebrated finally joining the familia. Recycled story beats with new background story make the immediate story feel rather contrived - learning about Mikoto's background for the first time which just so happens to involve a new main character who just so happens to be the central figure to the conflict, all wrapped up in the exact same overall plot as novel 6 just with prostitutes instead of conscripted followers.

It also did not help that a) Mikoto was a co-star through a lot of the novel only to still fall to the wayside as Bell takes the climactic spotlight, and b) Haruhime felt more like a plot device than a real character. She was the worst incarnation of the damsel-in-distress trope - she starts almost completely useless, has to be inspired by the hero to take any action at all, then has to deny all of the hero's encouragement in order to give him the jumping point to come to a personal epiphany. Contrast this to novel 6 where Bell and Hestia take proactive action to solve their problem, and their friends as well step up in order to do what's necessary to help them.

From the afterword, I get what Omori was trying to do, but tying it all together with the damsel-in-distress plotline was a poor decision, in my opinion. Especially with the end reveal of "she's actually still a virgin, it's all OK now!" If Haruhime didn't join Hestia Familia in the end, I probably would have felt better about the book, but with all the other characters going through so much rigor to join, and her not really having much real rapport with the characters beyond "We kinda sorta played together as kids" and "My hero who saved me!", it feels unearned and too convenient.]


I sort of feel like DanMachi is following Bleach's footsteps a bit... there is an engaging "us vs. them" dynamic in adventurers vs. dungeon, but now Omori is starting to get too caught up in "us vs. us" with all these inter-Familia battles and the dungeon falling by the wayside. I just think the political intrigue is much less interesting than the natural mystery of the dungeon that keeps getting teased. I guess I'll have to get my dungeon fix from Sword Oratoria D:
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Engineering Nerd



Joined: 24 Apr 2008
Posts: 897
Location: Southern California
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 1:23 pm Reply with quote
Can someone confirm, this is the thickest volume thus far in the entire series, yes? I am still waiting my copy to come ( Man, how am I gonna catch up with these LN volumes and master degrees?)
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ultimatehaki



Joined: 27 Oct 2012
Posts: 1090
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 1:38 pm Reply with quote
Engineering Nerd wrote:
Can someone confirm, this is the thickest volume thus far in the entire series, yes? I am still waiting my copy to come ( Man, how am I gonna catch up with these LN volumes and master degrees?)


As the reviewer said this is definitely the thickest volume so far in the series.
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Alan45
Village Elder



Joined: 25 Aug 2010
Posts: 9798
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 2:17 pm Reply with quote
@Engineering Nerd

Volume 7 is 375 pages. The next highest is volume 5 at 279 pages. The shortest is volume 3 at 197 pages.
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Izanagi009



Joined: 20 Oct 2014
Posts: 464
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 6:00 pm Reply with quote
Any idea if the volumes after what were adapted in volume one will be adapted into another volume of Danmachi? i'm actually curious about the show/franchise if the novels are better than the anime content
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ultimatehaki



Joined: 27 Oct 2012
Posts: 1090
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2017 6:18 pm Reply with quote
Izanagi009 wrote:
Any idea if the volumes after what were adapted in volume one will be adapted into another volume of Danmachi? i'm actually curious about the show/franchise if the novels are better than the anime content


I'm not sure what it is you're asking, but if you mean you are wondering if another anime season is gonna come out then nobody knows we just gotta wait for an announcement that will likely never come.
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Slashman



Joined: 26 Dec 2015
Posts: 253
PostPosted: Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:58 am Reply with quote
Well at least we can all watch a spin-off prequel thing that no one asked for in lieu of a continuation of the main story.

Sometimes I just want to punch anime production teams...with steel knuckles. Mad
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18101
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 8:34 pm Reply with quote
Finally got around to reading this one, and I agree with every point Rebecca made. I, too, was disappointed by the cop-out at the end, and for the same reasons as everyone else, but I wasn't surprised; it was foreshadowed in Bell's first encounter with Haruhime, after all. And boy, is Freya's familia member Allen and scumbag!

OTOH, I was fairly impressed with Ottar, now that we finally got to know a little more about him. spoiler[His actions involving Mikoto were touching and seemed pleasingly out of character compared to the ruthlessness of the rest of Freya Familia.]
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