Magical Explorer: Reborn as a Side Character in a Fantasy Dating Sim (Japanese: マジカル★エクスプローラー エロゲの友人キャラに転生 したけど、ゲーム知識使って自由に生きる, Hepburn: Magikaru Ekusupurōrā: Eroge no Yūjin Chara ni Tensei Shita kedo, Gēmu Chishiki Tsukatte Jiyū ni Ikiru) is a Japanese light novel series written by Iris. The series originated on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website in February 2018, before being published in print with illustrations by Noboru Kannatsuki by Kadokawa Shoten beginning in November 2019. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Yukari Higa, began serialization on the Young Ace Up website in August 2020. An anime adaptation has been announced.
| Magical Explorer | |
 Cover of the first volume | |
| マジカル★エクスプローラー エロゲの友人キャラに転生 したけど、ゲーム知識使って自由に生きる (Magikaru Ekusupurōrā: Eroge no Yūjin Chara ni Tensei Shita kedo, Gēmu Chishiki Tsukatte Jiyū ni Ikiru) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Isekai[1] |
| Novel series | |
| Written by | Iris |
| Published by | Shōsetsuka ni Narō |
| Original run | February 26, 2018 – present |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Iris |
| Illustrated by | Noboru Kannatsuki |
| Published by | Kadokawa Shoten |
| English publisher | |
| Imprint | Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko |
| Demographic | Male |
| Original run | November 1, 2019 – present |
| Volumes | 10 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Iris |
| Illustrated by | Yukari Higa |
| Published by | Kadokawa Shoten |
| English publisher |
|
| Magazine | Young Ace Up |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Original run | August 20, 2020 – present |
| Volumes | 2 |
| Anime | |
Media
Light novel
Written by Iris, the series began publication on the novel posting website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on February 26, 2018.[2] The series was later acquired by Kadokawa Shoten, who began publishing the series in print with illustrations by Noboru Kannatsuki on November 1, 2019.[3] As of March 2024, ten volumes have been released.[4]
Yen Press is publishing the series in English.[5]
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 1, 2019[3] | 978-4-04-108371-0 | December 14, 2021[6] | 978-1-97-532561-9 |
| 2 | March 1, 2020[7] | 978-4-04-108372-7 | May 3, 2022[8] | 978-1-97-532563-3 |
| 3 | August 1, 2020[9] | 978-4-04-109541-6 | October 18, 2022[10] | 978-1-97-532565-7 |
| 4 | January 29, 2021[11] | 978-4-04-109542-3 | April 11, 2023[12] | 978-1-97-535048-2 |
| 5 | July 1, 2021[13] | 978-4-04-111408-7 | July 18, 2023[14] | 978-1-97-535051-2 |
| 6 | February 1, 2022[15] | 978-4-04-111409-4 | December 12, 2023[16] | 978-1-97-536755-8 |
| 7 | September 1, 2022[17] | 978-4-04-112667-7 | April 16, 2024[18] | 978-1-97-537253-8 |
| 8 | April 28, 2023[19] | 978-4-04-112668-4 | September 17, 2024[20] | 978-1-97-539158-4 |
| 9 | September 29, 2023[21] | 978-4-04-114181-6 | — | — |
| 10 | March 29, 2024[4] | 978-4-04-114699-6 | — | — |
Manga
A manga adaptation, illustrated by Yukari Higa, began serialization on Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace Up manga website on August 20, 2020.[22] The series went on hiatus in June 2021 due to Higa's health.[23] As of March 2024, the series' individual chapters have been collected into two tankōbon volumes.[24]
Yen Press is also publishing the manga adaptation in English.[5]
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 10, 2021[25] | 978-4-04-111007-2 | July 12, 2022[26] | 978-1-97-534300-2 |
| 2 | March 8, 2024[24] | 978-4-04-113414-6 | — | — |
Anime
An anime adaptation was announced during Kadokawa's "Sneaker Bunko 35th Anniversary Festa!" livestream on September 24, 2023.[27]
Reception
The novel has 50,000,000 views on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website.[28]
Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network praised the illustrations, but criticized the female characters as lacking development. On the story, Silverman wrote "from the very first sentence, we know what we're getting into, and luckily, it does it decently well".[29] Demelza of Anime UK News felt the series was a "serviceable" isekai series, though Demelza was critical of the writing.[1]
See also
- Goblin Slayer, another light novel series with the same illustrator
References
Further reading
- 独占インタビュー「ラノベの素」 入栖先生『マジカル★エクスプローラー エロゲの友人キャラに転生したけど、ゲーム知識使って自由に生きる』. LN News (in Japanese). February 29, 2020.
External links
- Official website at Shōsetsuka ni Narō (in Japanese)
- Official website at Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko (in Japanese)
- Manga official website (in Japanese)
- Magical Explorer (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia