Forum - View topicAscendance of a Bookworm (TV).
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Stark700
 Posts: 11762 Location: Earth |
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Season 1 - Ascendance of a Bookworm (TV) Season 2 - Ascendance of a Bookworm (TV 2) Season 3 - Ascendance of a Bookworm (TV 3) Genres: fantasy, slice of life Themes: books, libraries Plot Summary: A certain college girl who's loved books ever since she was a little girl dies in an accident and is reborn in another world she knows nothing about. She is now Myne, the sickly five-year-old daughter of a poor soldier. To make things worse, the world she's been reborn in has a very low literacy rate and books mostly don't exist. She'd have to pay an enormous amounts of money to buy one. Myne resolves herself: If there aren't any books, she'll just have to make them. Her goal is to become a librarian. S1-2 - Crunchyroll S3 - Apr. 11, 2022 (Mondays; Crunchroll) ---------------------------------- I saw the preair/BD-DVD bundled episode recently and this actually seemed entertaining with the amounts of light comedy. We got Maine introduced in the show as the young girl and get to know a little bit about her. The episode begins with Maine and an introduction of her life. There's a somewhat joke of her being short and we also meet Turi from the first episode and in general, it's a rather slice of life-ish episode. Eva also shows up too and she seems to have a good relationship with her. I'm curious to see how they plan to flesh out the character relationships in this anime. |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 1
Yep, this is my kind of show. Seems like there is some reviewer complaints about being too slow or whether she should know things about her setting from being so well read. I can explain away the second by her memories a little off from the two connecting with each other, and despite nothing really fantastical yet I do think it is such. And on being boring, for me I think the pacing is great, I actually like the basic premise of the episode that has her having to grasp the new environment in a way that starts small. Placing importance of something can seem mundane, her as a child trying to open bedroom door, is the kind of story beat I can get behind. At least the sort of story I would be interested in writing. Looking forward to the future, while hoping I have not gotten my expectations too high. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 2
A good second episode, her getting more used to the world, applying some of her knowledge in creating hair care products, and finally come into contact with writing. Kind of like the give and take in how she can work to search Myne's memory, and would seem the reaction to the boy complimenting would be off of how Myne might have felt. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episode 3
Going into a medieval setting with modern adult knowledge of basket making, crocheting, making pancakes, and mathematics. Just touches my itch for an isekai that can show how far humans have come, and not really with overblown chemistry stuff of Dr Stone. The limitations of Main's body, differing skills of a family unit, and all the character. Also, first signs of something fantasy with ice tree with mysterious fruit that disappear during the day. Everything is working well to not feel like something like that otherworld restaurant that goes on about food, but more like Spice and Wolf, where any topic can be interesting with the right eye on the details, showing a bit of passion without feeling like you are just watching a tutorial. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Episodes 13 and 14 (Season 1 finale)
Was thinking in the first episode that it seemed everyone was overreacting how scared they were of the situation, like how dangerous could the Santa priest be. That was until he saw that Myne's parents were a soldier and textile worker, after which he turned into an arsehole and resists of demands turned to an order of their execution and Myne's imprisonment. This followed by Myne activating something called the crushing and like going Jean Grey on him, which I guess ended up putting Myne in the position of power in deciding whether to show mercy, and getting all her demands. Rather interesting that this episode seemed to be the first one to really show the abuse of power that nobles could throw around, and also what an active magic ability you might find in another isekai show. Even if maybe it was not what she apparently should not do. The head priest apparently could not stand up to the high priest, but hopefully some humbleness. We at least had most of the previews give some idea of what Myne and him can be like together. Anyway, talking about the show as a whole, I really enjoyed it, I love these sorts of shows that can get into the gritty details, no reliance on tricky fantasy battles, but things that can seem more mundane can be quite entertaining. I am all for the alternate sort of takes, such as on the isekai genre, totally looking forward to its second season. A show featuring a physically weak peasant girl in a fantasy realm, cool beans. Even if it might not be everyone's thing. I give a rating of Very good (8/10), don't miss it. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Season 2 Episode 12 (Episode 26)
Oh, so we finally got the scene from the beginning of the series where the Head Priest goes into Main's/Myne's memories, although they were almost exclusively into her Japanese memories. Rather interesting that through all the events in the series, the characterisation he gets from her is some of how she was before. Myne regrets that in her past life she was kind of dismissive of her mother, telling her to leave her alone after her mother made the food she liked, and she never got a chance as Urano to apologise. Wonder if he would treat her different now after seeing that she was at one time an adult. Season 2 was actually pretty cool, with Myne having some interactions with nobility, having managed to have some power as a blue robe, but also responsibilities that saw her having grow herself. One the best parts being how she went from not wanting any retainers, to needing to use them if she hoped to move forward, and do well enough for them including that she wanted to make things good for the orphans. I was rather interested in the delicacy parts of working with the other girls, like bringing Delia to her side who thought that she would have to play dirty to become concubine for security, needing to be harsh with Rosina from thinking she was above the others, and delicate with Wilma who had been previously raped by a noble. My favourite parts of the season would have to include how absolutely angry Myne is after finding out that the library was trashed, that right there she seemed ready to release her mana like she did to the high priest. Even her retainers were afraid of just what she might do if she had seen the mess, leaving them all confused by the total 180 because she realised that it meant that she would be able to organise all the books to her liking, something we know would absolutely be something she loves. Even the head priest surprised and curious how she came up with it all as she starts quoting the Dewey decimal system and curious how magic books would fit. Also, the moment that Myne realised that she had created her first book, something that was ready for a reasonable mass production at that. Lastly, I was bummed that her beautiful robes were damaged, and happy that she indeed asked that they be replaced, even if Benno was rather cross from having been requested by the nobles. Presumably Myne got them custom made directly from his sister, so I wonder if Benno would be shocked from a head of noble knights requesting they get made from him. A great season, although in all good parts of how much of a slow burn this series is, it feels like the story is just starting. Myne seemingly needing to be away from her family for the winter (although they can visit), and the head priest, Ferdinand, now good deal aware of how much of a treasure Myne is, that he wants another noble to adopt her to protect Myne. But also kind of hints that these two do have some sort of faction thing set up with a lot going on in noble society. Somehow the mother of the knight that hurt Myne ,which caused her to be attacked, has enough pull outside of the chain of command we have so far been shown as important, that it reaches the high priest and could do something. It said that the story goes on, but not that the anime is, where ironically I am not actually a big reader but I wonder if my enjoyment of this series could convince me to find an alternative if the anime does not continue on. My rating for the second season an Excellent (9/10), it was consistently good even past the second season, and during the Corona virus thing that devastated this season of anime, I feel pretty confident to say that it easily made itself the best show of the season. So I probably would not think simply giving it the same grade as the first season would be worth it, especially since the second season did branch itself out to a bunch of things that I wanted and was consistently enjoyable. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Season 3, Episode 1
Yay, it is back. The return of main girl Myne (or however it is spelled). Stepping right into Myne need to prepare for her winter stay, while also doing business like with her new books. Only it doesn't look like the ink guild is taking too kindly that Myne is able to get around them or something with her new ink, even after she apparently sold to them how to make it. My guess based on the scene at the end, is it might even be a noble who might have a vested interest in there only being one way to make ink. Such that they have a monopoly on the plants used to create the usual ink, and he sees Myne finding an alternative as a risk to his business. This show is always fantastic at showing how the smallest things such as advancements can have huge ripples when you consider something like the economics. Also, Myne became a patron of the blacksmith apprentice, and if it is a big ask she is wanting to get metal letter types out of it. Something not at all the usual, but Myne really could change things if his work catches. I can't remember if it is new, but I noticed a choice of using what looked like live action pictures of real tools when talking about printing, which I can't say that I did not like, even if normally I might have found it a bit distracting. |
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poltroon
Posts: 104 |
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I am so pleased to have season 3 of this series!
The opener feels very true to the source material, and very well done. I am excited that it looks like the anime will continue to be wonderful. I loved the series so much and needed to know more about the story, so when it ended I started consuming all the light novel translations. I have only become more of a fan. The additional development of the scene with the Head Priest exploring her memories in the novel was one of my favorite parts. For anyone who maybe started season 1 and wasn't enthralled by the circumstances of young Myne initially, at the end of season 2, Myne gets her first view of the Noble's Quarter and... it's a whole different world again from where she grew up as Myne in the Lower City, or than the Temple. (Myne herself says something like, "wait, all this time I've been living in a fantasy world?"  ) The worldbuilding in this series is well done and it is much more rounded than a typical isekai. All Myne really wants is to read books, to keep her family and people she cares about safe, and to stay alive, pretty much in that order, and it turns out in this world that is not without consequence or conflict.
The story to unfold in the rest of this season should be excellent, I can't wait to see them all. |
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poltroon
Posts: 104 |
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In thinking about this yesterday, I realized one of the reasons it is so different from a typical isekai is that it is actually... a nesting doll of isekai.
That is, Myne is isekai'ed into the world of a commoner girl in this strange city-state like entity. She views this world with the knowledge of a former Japanese librarian, and has none of the knowledge and grounding a young commoner girl should have. And then she is isekai'ed into the temple. She views this world with a mashup of the knowledge of a former Japanese librarian AND of a commoner girl in a world where commoners know nearly nothing about the temple, except that they have to go there for baptisms, marriages, and deaths, and that it is basically terrifying and a place to be avoided if at all possible. She has none of the knowledge a young girl in the temple is expected to have, and has to work out what to do with all the inappropriate knowledge and background she has, while doing everything she can to "pass" and hide that she isn't exactly where and what she is supposed to be. It is a very neat way to learn about Myne's world. spoiler[And yes, as a light novel reader caught up to all the English translations, I am aware that this nesting isekai feature has even more shells.] |
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poltroon
Posts: 104 |
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Episode 30 (season 3 #4) gets to a fabulous action sequence, where the danger to Myne comes out from the shadows and makes its move. We get to see Sylvester showing off like an obnoxious teenage boy, leaping from Ferdinand's flying lion to make a splashy entrance for attention and praise. (Note Ferdinand aggressively lands right next to him in irritation.)
This is where we're really aware this is a fantasy universe, with the vats of mana and the flying stone lion and flying stone horse and Sylvester's magic phoenix and Myne's fierce magical shield protecting the people she cares about. The knights in full armor doing the Glico Man prayer pose, that is hilarious. Note how to the dismay of the rest of the party, she doesn't care about hurting bystanders or who they are or exactly why they are there, only protecting her people in the carriages. It's really really good Ferdinand knew her well enough to redirect that magic rage into something useful. |
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poltroon
Posts: 104 |
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We are close to the conclusion of this season, with only two episodes to go. I really enjoy the balance of everyday life but also otherworldly action, as well as the smart characters who live their lives authentically at all the different walks of life we see.
Poor Gunther. He told everyone of the warning, but the East Gate commander did not take him seriously and pass on the message. He loves his family and he loves his city and gives his all to protect them both. |
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nobahn
 Subscriber Posts: 5120 |
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I guess my bibliophile tendency is demonstrating itself; because the novellas that I have haven't, yet, been adapted I feel no need to watch the 3rd cours yet.
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Season 3, Episode 9 (Episode 35)
You know, looking forward to the new episode today, I had some interesting thoughts. One was that with Myne being targeted, I wouldn't be surprised if even the lord that they mentioned a few times recently actually knows about Myne, with the whole thing about nobles they probably would have heard something. Another thought totally separate was in terms of nobles, Sylvester was really weird, my thoughts back to the earlier episodes was who in the world was he to be so interested in what Myne was doing, and yet kind of entitled. It wasn't until part way through watching this episode that those pieces finally clicked, it was almost like Sylvester was so important that the high priest couldn't actually explain who he was, or get in the way of his requests, and there was a really easy explanation from the head priest saying a noble was interested in adopting her. And it took until after Myne brought that necklace again in saying that Sylvester lied about it being a protective, that I put the pieces together with the mention of blood being used to form contracts. Myne just became the adopted daughter of the local lord, meaning that the high priest and his noble friend just messed up in attacking her. |
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nobahn
Subscriber Posts: 5120 |
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The next episode has to explain what Sylvester is because of the chronology in the light novels. What follows are spoilers for those who have not read the light novels. spoiler[This adoption is really a big, BIG deal: In order to understand why this is the case, you need to go to the 1st light novel. Specifically, the last short story ("Unchanging Daily Life"). It's a story told media en res from the perspective of Urano's friend Shuu. In the penultimate sentence we learn about how hurt he is because she has failed to mature so as to appreciate how she is hurting the feelings of both her family and himself; and in the last sentence he issues a prayer that she be cursed in her next life by being deprived of books. And in the 1st chapter of that book we learn that Urano has been reborn as Myne in an illiterate society. And in that 1st volume we see Urano evolve into Urano/Myne and then evolve into Myne/Urano. And Shuu would be happy to observe Myne/Urano thinking, "Repeating to myself that this was for Lutz's sake, I pushed the heat back down. I could let the fever consume me after I had fulfilled my promise to Lutz. Settling matters before death was important. Last time I died so suddenly, I didn't have the time to do anything."] spoiler[And this is all important because being adopted by "the local lord" will have repercussions ─ negative repercussions ─ for Myne/Urano's family. Shuu would be proud of just how much that Urano has matured.] |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15457 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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Season 3, Episode 10 (Season Finale, Episode 36)
I was so afraid that this was going to be a series finale, before they credits they pretty much said as such with the story to be told being over, and then at the very end said that it is actually continuing. Anyway, the events of the episode pretty much fell into place as what as expected after last episode, that Myne got adopted by Sylvester, who is the lord of the area, which pretty much messed up those who attacked her. We did learn though that the High Priest is Sylvester's Uncle, clearly trying to take advantage of positions of power he could not get himself in. Also that Ferdinand is the 'bastard' younger brother of Sylvester, while I thought maybe they were just classmates, but could explain some of the political climate that he had growing up. Myne also had to leave her family, and not just that but say that Myne is now dead, and never act as a family with her new identity as Rozemyne (I think that was the name, Crunchyrole keep using Main, which I don't think is otherwise official). It created a very emotional final episode, but at least happy that they are all safe. It also felt like it ended very suddenly, kind of feeling like they were in a place of wondering if they should put this all over two episode, but worried it would feel too dragged out. At the very least Rozemyne will be able to keep her workshop, in whatever manner she can do so, perhaps along the lines that Sylvester was saying that he was interested in things like the restaurants that Benno was looking at. Benno also seemed to understand what was possibly going to happen, which maybe puts some things into perspective of this season, the progresses that he was allowing her to make. But I really liked this season, it did feel like along the lines of Myne taking the initiative of things she could, while juggling responsibilities and taking advice of not having something blow up in her face. Geez I love this franchise, it has continued to do its own thing, and do so in a way that never feels like rushes, and show how this paced story can be very interesting on its own without going crazy magic combat. Although this season kind of did that towards the end, which the lack of such made it feel more impactful. Just a guess that it kind of feels like if it went forward, it may have a time skip after this, perhaps to the magic academy, and start to show what Myne's inventions might alter the culture in some way. This season did feel a bit shorter, being only 10 episodes, which I think might push it down a bit, but I guess it was what they had to work with. My rating will be Very good (8/10), it continues to be great, but it was a bit of a smaller than I would have liked, and maybe was just missing something that would take me by surprise, now that she reached her goal of books previously, other than the noble stuff. Perhaps if I did just watch the seasons one after the other, Myne now being comfortable in her position of a blue robed priest would have felt a certain way. |
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