Mushoku Tensei (WN)

Description

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A 34-year-old NEET otaku, chased out from his house by his family, found that his life is reaching a dead end. He then recalled that his life could actually have been much better if he had made better choices in the past.

Just when he was at the point of regret, he saw a truck moving at fast speed, and three high schoolers in its path. Mustering all the strength he had, he tried to save them and ended getting run over by the truck, quickly ending his life.

The next time he opened his eyes, he is reincarnated to a world of sword and magic as Rudeus Greyrat. Born to a new world, a new life, Rudeus decided that, “This time, I’ll really live my life to the fullest with no regret!” Thus starts the journey of a man yearning to restart his life.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Jobless Reincarnation ~ It will be All Out if I Go to Another World ~
無職転生
無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~
Related Series
Mushoku Tensei Redundancy (Side Story)
Mushoku Tensei (LN) (Light Novel)
Mushoku Tensei – Jobless Oblige (Spin-Off)
Mushoku Tensei – Old Dragon’s Tale (Spin-Off)
Mushoku Tensei: Subjugation of the King Dragon King. (Spin-Off)
Recommendations
Sevens (6)
The Second Coming of Gluttony (5)
Release that Witch (4)
Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN) (4)
The Elf Is a Freeloader (3)
Dream Life (3)
Recommendation Lists
  1. An actual attempt at ranking
  2. favourite
  3. Isekai Fantasy | #1
  4. Masterpieces in their own category
  5. My Read

Latest Release

Date Group Release
11/14/21 Mushoku Tensei Discord christmas 2019 ss
12/24/17 Ebisu Translations Christmas 2016 ss
05/16/15 Kaezar Translations v24 epilogue
05/16/15 Kaezar Translations v24 final story
05/16/15 Kaezar Translations v24 side story
05/16/15 Kaezar Translations v24c261
05/16/15 Kaezar Translations v24c260
05/11/15 Kaezar Translations v23c259
05/06/15 Kaezar Translations v23c258
05/02/15 Kaezar Translations v23c257
04/29/15 Kaezar Translations v23c256
04/28/15 Kaezar Translations v23c255
04/27/15 Kaezar Translations v23c254
04/27/15 Kaezar Translations v23c253
04/22/15 Kaezar Translations v23c252
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126 Reviews sorted by


Mocte
Mocte rated it
April 5, 2020
Status: v1
The MC is simply disgusting and the novel bored me a lot, it took me more than a month to try and read the first part. But I couldn't stand the MC. I came here to see if he would change for the better as I expected, thankfully I stopped reading in time.

He thinks himself an adult but is an annoying loser who finds other people disgusting out of jealousy. What's that sh*t that he forgives his parents for having sex?

The world building is boring, I struggled to read the... more>> explanation of magic because it was like a textbook.

Seriously I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. <<less
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unseen_hz
unseen_hz rated it
October 6, 2019
Status: Completed
Urgh, this was the first novel I read and it was great but not without some dissatisfactory parts. The beginning was extremely great and I felt that everything was great up till the last few arcs. I feel like the MC is far less OP than he should be and fights almost always end up with MC and co ganging up on a single person and still barely winning. He almost never gets stronger after some point, only his armor sort of does. I do not know if it was... more>> just me or the ending left a slight irritation in me with the MC being forgotten in history and it being ambiguous whether MC beats the antagonist or not.
Spoiler

I think I just wanted a conventional happy ending rather than an ambiguous sense of nothing important happened until MC died of old age.

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June10
June10 rated it
April 24, 2019
Status: christmas 2016 ss
To say I have lots of conflicting feelings about this novel is an understatement. This was undoubtedly my first Isekai/Reincarnation novel and what got me hooked on reading more of the genre and LN/WNs in general. Given all that I've now read however, I can't really call this a great novel as it has so many strange writing choices and unnecessary plot developments that really irk me. *Spoiler at the end of this 1st section*

I'd split this novel into three parts: The first six volumes, the school arc volumes, and... more>> the rest of the series. The first six volumes are my absolute favorite part of the series and I personally think they're easily the best parts overall. Rudeus starts out as a pretty good protagonist that has a good head on his shoulders. As dense and pe*verted as he is which might be off putting at times, Rudeus tries to really be a better person and disconnect himself from his previous life. Once paired with Eris, the initial main heroine, his character shines even further as they become a really interesting, cute, and dynamic duo. Her absolutely awful personality brings out the good in Rudeus as he does all in his power to make Eris into a better person and slowly succeeds over time. Put Rujierd, an outcast to society who faces extreme racism and discrimination wherever he goes, into this wacky duo and suddenly you have a very strange but interesting trio going on this life and death adventure. The climax of the 6th volume is simultaneously great and awful at the same time. On one hand, the plot develops in an extreme way that really makes you look forward to whatever may happen next. On the other hand, the author probably had a stroke and suddenly decided he wanted to completely overwrite all of Rudeus' character development and also get rid of Eris. I won't go into detail and while I don't think separating Rudeus, Eris, and Rujierd was a bad idea, it was definitely executed in the worst way possible. It's such a jarring and forced development that makes little sense, and eventually you find out that this was purely done on the author's whims to increase Rudeus' harem.

I have tons more things to say about the rest of the novel, but I'll stop myself here. I really do think the first six volumes are some of the best I've read in the reincarnation genre and I would highly recommend them. Just be prepared for jarring character development on a whim for the sake of harem once your honeymoon phase with the first six volumes is over. If you like harems though then you'll probably find this fine. <<less
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BlueNightMan
BlueNightMan rated it
February 9, 2019
Status: v11
Personally, I like it

Ive read until volume 11, chapter 5 (no sure about the chapter)

I will keep reading it, but there are certain situations that I hate, the author's point of view on things and how a person should act (as far as I can tell by the way the characters act and "think") is extremelly different from mine at times, so much that I think he is almost the exact opposite of me.

Also, the author appears to ignore the power and capabilities of the MC for the sake... more>> of making it harder to find a solution of a problem <<less
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nevergod
nevergod rated it
December 1, 2018
Status: v20
Honestly I quite like this series, it has a deep story and well built world. It's not your average isekai novel where the MC gets cheat like ability bullshit, but still quite strong with his own effort (although he has like the biggest magical capacity in that world but I don't think that's a cheat ability). At least it was like that but I was disappointed in the later chapter, starting with his reunion with Eris and then the Asura Kingdom Arc. The MC was such a naive and coward,... more>> I thought he could be better but I was quite disappointed. Even so it was still a good read. For the moment I'll give it a 3 stars because I quite enjoyed it. <<less
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ItsAlive
ItsAlive rated it
October 14, 2018
Status: --
Story started pretty good, a MC that gets powerful through effort instead of a cheat buff. But the story gets spoiled by his nasty character, good for nothing attitude and scaredy cat behaviour. If you can ignore that in the entire story there is almost no character development go ahead.
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AlienZombieNecro
AlienZombieNecro rated it
August 19, 2018
Status: v24 epilogue
This book had me staying up late at night reading. Not like your other thick plot armor books where the MC always gets what he wants. There are tragedies, doesn't have 1000+ chapters of repetitive plot, ending wrapped everything up so well.

This is the book that got me into reading novels. I'm still reading novels hoping to find something as good as this was. It was a short read, but better than those popular 1000+ chapter books. People can call the MC garbage, but have they seen those other isekais?... more>> Clearly you haven't seen "In Another World With My Smartphone"

Overall, great story, characters had different personalities, roller coaster, must read. <<less
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Guy_Chat
Guy_Chat rated it
June 24, 2018
Status: v24
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The main character is not perfect, he is someone who is trying to improve his self-worth and is always putting forward his best effort. His grand journey captures my interest as someone who wants to observe his joy and sorrow along with him. It feels really complete as you are able to witness his whole life, from birth to his death bed. Ofcourse they were plotholes and some mistakes but overall I believe that the author did a great job in planning the settings and... more>> plots. The last fight felt like a rush but it was more than I could have asked for so I'm grateful for it. Wishing to improve myself as a person, reading this novel really reminds me that you should always try your hardest and that people can change despite their past. <<less
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cherryboy
cherryboy rated it
March 6, 2018
Status: v24 epilogue
I love this WN so much that I was surprised that I actually read all 24 volumes. I stopped around vol 13 for a month and didn't know if I was ever going to pick it back up but I'm glad I did. I remember reading this every day after coming home from class for the span of about 2-3 months. Mushoku Tensei is what got me hooked on isekai but unfortunately I can't really find anything I like as much as it. After finishing it I was left with... more>> a bittersweet emptiness and no other series I have come across could fill that hole. I'm not saying this is the greatest sh*t ever because it has a good amount of flaws but I really loved it a lot. It had everything I wanted in a fantasy novel: great world building, characters, twists, magic, battles, tension, humor, romance, fulfillment, and responsibility. I highly recommend reading the WN, I haven't read the LN yet but I probably will when it's finished and I don't really like the manga so I can't recommend those versions. If you are looking for a great isekai novel then read this <3 <<less
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tyrn
tyrn rated it
December 4, 2017
Status: v24 epilogue
There's a lot of good things to be said about Moshoku Tensei. It has a wide cast of colorful characters, a surprisingly unique story line (it does fall victim to the occasional trope) and a good mixture of comedy, action and drama. It was one of the first few breakthrough isekai (transported to another world) stories and it's clear that it stands head above water in the sea of generic stories that now populate the genre. While Moshoku Tensei is fundamentally a wish-fullfilment story the novel constantly reminds the reader... more>> of the protagonist's shortcomings and his earnest efforts to improve himself. In doing so it alleviates the nauseating idea that the protagonist is some perfect superhuman.

With all that being said it's hard to give the story 5 stars because there are places where the novel is lacking. The premise can be hard to swallow and for some readers just plain off putting. Even more importantly the characters can feel shallow. Even the main character's love interests, despite their screen time, can feel one dimensional. The plot also loses all the character building it has done when
Spoiler

the protagonist joins the magical academy and is left by Eris.

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To fans of the genre, well versed in other isekai stories, Moshoku Tensei comes highly recommended and to newcomers and fans of other types of novels I would still recommend that they give the novel a try. If you can accept the premise for what it is Moshoku Tensei can be a supringly fun read with the occasional twist. <<less
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SorrowTheSlayer
SorrowTheSlayer rated it
November 7, 2017
Status: v21
Exceptional! Though I must admit the the MC's "Pe*verted" actions (masturbating on his parent's death) are a bit too much. But the story doesn't lack on the good parts too. Great character depth, well planned story (especially the plot twists), romance (although it's a Harem). All in all, a well rounded Novel!
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hillmon02
hillmon02 rated it
September 29, 2017
Status: Completed
this wb / ln is without a shadow of a doubt, the best about isekai that japan has produced.
I love how much the characters are real, how many different points of view there are and without doubt, she gives a lesson on how to make an end for any Japanese author, the story never leaves the motivation of the protagonist (that for the people who find the rudeus horrible, which is to "live" a second life, with all its mundane aspects) about having otakus cliches, let's remember that this... more>> was the way MC previously lived.
but the best part of the novel, is the character building, from his father to the cliff. <<less
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Khalagar
Khalagar rated it
September 28, 2017
Status: --
By far the best WN of all time, bar none. This series has the greatest world building of any LN or WN series I've ever read, and honestly, it can compare to top tier fantasy series like Wheel of Time, Lord of the Rings, A Song of Ice and Fire etc when it comes to world building and character building.

An absolutely amazing series
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chimerajun
chimerajun rated it
July 22, 2017
Status: v24 epilogue
This is the first novel I've ever finished reading here. At least not counting redundancy chapters and spin-offs.

Some of you gave up too soon, I am sometimes annoyed by the MC's overthinking moments, but that fits his personality and multiple lives experiences. Occasionally they work as comedy reliefs. Moreover, I appreciate the pop culture references here and there.

I'm in the pro-harem faction, so personally this novel is quite compelling. The author has developed interesting characters on both sides, protagonists & antagonists, their relationships, as well as story turning points. Sometimes... more>> I find details mismatched or not clearly explained, but still very satisfactory. Again, there are more extras planned to be released by the author, so that point might be well taken care of.

I wish the LN version to be resumed soon. <<less
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Destrucfor
Destrucfor rated it
April 22, 2017
Status: v24 epilogue
Great story.

Author focuses on personal relationships and show character growth far better than most of the novels I have read. This remains one of my favorite novels I have read. Well I also really liked rise of the shield hero, which is similar enough in certain respects.

Multiple POVs, well constructed story line. Lots of foreshadowing. Which is of course quite rare among long novels; to have a consistent story flow - without deliberate stalling.

Lots of twists and turns, heart jerking and tear jerking moments, a wonderful coming of age reincarnation... more>> story. If anyone loves reading stories with adventure, fluff, family values and dynamic characters - (even mobs show character growth) then this is a great story to read. I'd even go as far as suggest reading this first if someone wanted to get into reading webnovels, it's just that great.

Cons. - Of course there are.
Spoiler

a couple poorly constructed plot devices here and there to reduce the sense that the main character is too strong.. I don't think that it isn't required.. Just poorly inserted into the story.
Also; with two lives you'd think that the character can learn some social skills..

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Megzie Ssyk
Megzie Ssyk rated it
April 12, 2017
Status: v15
So far, it is a really good read. There is good character development, story development and is gripping. It is interesting, funny, well thought out and has elements of magic and swords. There are a few minor flaws, but nothing can be perfect, although it comes really close to being just that. It doesn't disappoint as the story progresses, although I am not a fan of harem, it is within a handle-able degree. The main character is not too overpowered, nor is he too dumb, wimpy or a jackass; which... more>> is all thumbs up in my opinion. All in all it's a great read and is worth your time. <<less
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mechafanboy
mechafanboy rated it
October 23, 2016
Status: Completed
Slightly overdone premise by now, solid development of characters if they're given attention but some characters fall by the wayside more often than not and aren't given the time to shine, I also have a pet peeve that I threw into the spoiler code below for potentially being one. The world building is very solid as well, creating a solid believable world with it's own rules and then having the character interact and break those rules.

The weakness is one nearly all web novels have, the ending parts feel rushed. Not... more>> as severely as in other series of this genre though, also owing to the webnovel format, a lot of chapters feel like filler, it's not enough to justify a lower score, but enough to give pause.
Spoiler

Owing to trauma though, the main character's development is severely stunted and even until the end of the novel, his severe lack of confidence in himself despite achieving what should rightfully be called demigod level of achievements seriously got on my nerves.

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BQDJ
BQDJ rated it
October 27, 2015
Status: --
I really loved it, it deserves a 5 more than a 4 but some pieces of the LNs made me a bit frustrated when I was reading it so I decided to go for a 4.

I'm going to start with the positive points. The story and the characters are nice. Rudeus Greyrat starts as a genius child, the beggining of the LN is dope, it's very dynamic. We discover the universe setting and the possible abilities. We already feel that the character will be pretty OP, he masters elemental... more>> laws in magic and he develops as a warrior as well. The unforeseen development is quite well handled by the author, so we slowly discover the bad guys, etc...

But, it's still 24 volumes of Web Novel. Even if I can't say that the work was unequal, still, the pace is slow at some times. It's really not the shonen feeling at all. The characters stop developing, only the story goes on and that's frustrating since the author shows us a kid with unlimited potential. But the kid doesn't want to be the strongest among all the mages and that's shocking for a guy like me who read Chinese LNs where they have to be at the peak of the world or japanese manga or LNs where they desire to dominate the world or govern a place of power. Then, the author said that Mushoku tensei is just a work as universe-setting and the prologue for the real story so maybe it deserves a 5 for doing just that. But I was not perfectly satisfied so it ends up as a 4. <<less
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Zlysium
Zlysium rated it
November 18, 2022
Status: Completed
I don't understand how the reviews are so high.
I just don't understand how people say the ending is good (it's not, it's not even an ending at all)
And I don't understand how people don't just want to beat Rudeus over the head with a baseball bat from beginning to end because of his cruelty.

But to explain all of that will require spoilers so here we go.

... more>>
Spoiler

First of all the ending is Rudeus dies before the main villain is even close to defeated, there is no buildup to the final boss fight its he dies, and in his death he is shown a vision of the future where his descendants have already won. We don't actually get to read anything about how they did it, their journey/adventure to accomplish it at all. It's entirely unsatisfying

So that's why the ending is *** but why is the romance crap too you might ask? Well its simple really Rudeus is a cruel heartless bastard to anyone not one of his 3 wives but is also a love interest. He intentionally excludes any possible addition to his harem in a terrible way.
The easiest example is Aisha who was raised for the sole purpose of serving Rudeus. Ignore the ethics/morality of that to pay attention to the fact that this girl is incredibly smart and at first does not want Rudeus but eventually grows to love him, and at every turn she is shoved away her affection rebuffed.
It is never resolved, it actually causes a rift in the family because she wants him, but he only has eyes for 3 women and refuses the idea of a 4th even though Aisha was around from decently early on in the story.
There is even an extremely controversial short story related to Aisha's love life that the author had to scrap because it was universally hated. And that's just one of the potiential love interests that is handled terribly and cruelly.

If you ignore the awful half-hearted harem (its one example where more harem would have been better) and the s**t ending where the MC dies before his loved ones who then have to survive decades without him because their lifespans are much longer (like seriously there was no way to increase his lifespan???)
You would find that everything else is really quite good, I just feel like these are very huge negatives that definitely detract from the rest of the story.

Also Badigadi is an extremely contrived antagonist that is just super contradictory, he's helping Hitogami who tricked him into splitting a good guy, creating 1 bad guy (Demon God) and 1 neutral guy (Technique God) and also killing his own wife. Even knowing that Hitogami is evil, even telling others not to trust him, he still decides to help him, even forgetting about his own wife and everything... wtf?

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There are also many other unresolved plot threads such as Nanahoshi for instance. but really they're too numerous to count because of the garbage "ending" of the series.

And to anyone that mentions a sequel, why do you keep reiterating the misinformation so much?
Rifujin na Magonote the author says repeatedly that while he intends to write a short story set 80 years in the future it isn't a sequel and he has no intention of ever writing a sequel. Check his tweets for proof.

He also stated that this short story isn't going to have anything to do with any of the main characters of Jobless Reincarnation. And he isn't going to write it until the anime is finished.

So what we've got is it folks, don't polish the turd in your head because of future hope from a nonexistent never coming sequel. It had great potential. Hopefully the anime does a lot better than the novel. <<less
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Genji-san
Genji-san rated it
January 6, 2022
Status: Completed
Nothing I tell you about Mushoku Tensei can't be found in other reviews. The story is good. It has flaws, but it pulls you in until you're wrapped up in the world and having thoughts about the characters. There is harem, so depending on your thoughts on that genre the romance can be hit or miss. However, Rudeus Greyrat is a very well written character who has possibly one of the greatest wn endings I've ever read. This is a full course meal in terms of story writing. If you... more>> plan on (or are) watching the anime there is no reason not to read this.

Side Note: History-wise this series predates all other Isekai and is considered the founding father of the genre. <<less
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