Log Horizon

Description

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By its eleventh expansion pack, the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) Elder Tale (エルダー・テイル Erudā Teiru) has become a global success, having a following of millions of players. However, during the release of its twelfth expansion pack: Novasphere Pioneers (ノウアスフィアの開墾 Nōasufia no Kaikon), thirty thousand Japanese gamers who are all logged on at the time of the update, suddenly find themselves transported inside the game world and donning their in-game avatars. In the midst of the event, a socially awkward gamer called Shiroe along with his friends Naotsugu and Akatsuki decide to team up so that they may face this world which has now become their reality along with the challenges which lie ahead.

Associated Names
One entry per line
ログ・ホライズン
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
The Tutorial Is Too Hard (2)
Reign of the Hunters (2)
Noble Emblem (2)
Sword Art Online (1)
The Trembling World (1)
Mages Are Too OP (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. enjoyed my time
  2. ALLJP+
  3. my tbr
  4. The Favorite Story
  5. Personal Fav

Latest Release

v.7 c.3-5 by Skythewood (08-18-2014)
v.7 c.2 by Skythewood (08-13-2014)
v.7 c.1 by Skythewood (08-13-2014)
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5 Reviews sorted by


Raiyu
Raiyu rated it
January 15, 2018
Status: v7 afterword
Okay, let me do the obligatory SAO vs Log Horizon, since that topic crops up pretty often in reviews. Honestly, from my standpoint, they're not all that similar and they really shouldn't be compared. Yes, both works feature the isekai/trapped in a game world setting and an OP male protagonist - but that's about it. SAO is a work primarily focused on the relationships with other players/offline characters and an initial plot endgame of taking down the villain & getting out of the game alive (Note: I only made as... more>> far as volume 6 of SAO as of this review). In this sense, SAO is your classic fantasy/survival-horror shounen work with a pretty straightforward plot and a harem, even after the author introduced multiple game worlds. In gamer's terms, this work would be endless raids mixed with occasional romantic/sad side quests and interspersed with IRL people trying to shut you down - it's all about the endgame.

Alternatively, Log Horizon is a work focused on the protagonist's/protagonists' relationship with the game. The story is primarily about living and surviving in the world they're trapped in, and interacting with other elements of the game like NPCs and mob spawns along with your usual cast. Getting out of the game is a goal, but it's not as in your face about it as SAO is, and neither is the romantic subplot.
Spoiler

Burgeoning harem - can you call it a harem with two girls and vague third? Either way, romance is waaaay down the list of priorities for the OP.

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Despite have the traditional shounen traits, it's technically more of a strategy/mystery novel than anything else. In gamer's terms, this would be your questing aspect of MMORPG mixed with the occasional dungeon quest. The plot's moving along, but not at the hellbent pace of the other.

Now, I prefer Log Horizon over SAO, but neither work is better or worse than the other. As I said, they're not the same despite the initial setup, so I think it's s*upid to compare the two.

Actual Review of Log Horizon:

-HALLELUJAH it's the first heteros*xual light novel I've come across that doesn't overly focus on harem or girls! The romance is pretty subtle for the most part, but it's still nice. +10

-Protagonist is not an idiot or a perv. +1

-Good descriptions of the game and its mechanics. +1

-Interesting plot and subplots. +1

-Decent exposure to the other characters. +3

Overall, I loved this work. <<less
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Leilaila
Leilaila rated it
June 15, 2016
Status: v5c1
Interesting history, people full of character, magic, strategy and 'inner demons' (thoughts and emotions).

10/10!
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Iryu91
Iryu91 rated it
September 21, 2017
Status: --
On the contrary to what people said this story isn't that great/intelligent epic or whatever you want to call it. The real reason why this story received so much praise was because people were searching for a story to compared to SAO and to make SAO look bad that's all. When you put the SAO hate factor out you will find that this is just another Isekai story with OP character and easy to predicted storyline something the Overlord do 10 times better. Honestly it's a good story but just... more>> like SAO it was overrated by fan and SAO hater <<less
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akariji
akariji rated it
April 15, 2019
Status: --
Let me start by addressing the SAO vs Log Horizon trend. First, the two CAN be compared just as any 2 pieces can be compared based on overall merit in narrative, character development, details, consistency, etc. Not only that, but they are both of the isekai genre, which is specific enough to warrant a comparison. However, why bother comparing the two? If the reason for drawing a comparison is merely due to one's dislike for one or the other, then there is already a bias, and thus that opinion shouldn't... more>> be be considered all that much valid. Personally, I don't care for SOA. I feel Log Horizon is better. My reasons? Log Horzion doesn't beat the dead harem trope; it includes a broad variety of disciplines and arts, making it rich in culture; the characters are, in general, more 'alive' with depth and development; there's consistent progression in the plot, which builds on its history by presenting fans with fresh content; the elements inherent to MMORPGs are made analogous to real life itself, adding a sense of realism and doing the isekai genre justice (think about EXP points representing memories, the MP being the psyche, and so on) ; the NPCs (or People of the Land) are made real and distinguished from the players (or adventurers) in a manner coherent with the Apocalypse; oh, and MC being OP isn't your typical "I can beat your ass" type. All in all Log Horizon is more akin to a literary piece of work whereas SOA is best described as a power fantasy/harem. I'll give it to SOA though for doing what it does well as a harem and excuse its attempt to take itself too seriously with the actual death delivered poorly and then being glazed over with more side-quest scenes that seem to have no major point. I think Log Horizon made immortality a lot more dreadful than the actual death scenario in SOA. But of course this is just my opinion. At the end of the day.. If you enjoy it, then it did its job. After all, the initial Dragon Ball series indisputably told a far better story than Dragon Ball Z, and yet Dragon Ball Z is very popular. However, this is also why shows like Ergo Proxy are all too often swept under the rug. So be it! <<less
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Konstantin
Konstantin
March 2, 2019
Status: v2
Dropped this novel after completing first volume when I read it long-long time ago. Why, you ask? There is big flaw this story have - "gameplay", it is flawed to the point of becoming a plot-hole. This is supposed to be based on popular MMORPG. Did someone played one like WOW or Lineage 2? High level characters have tens of skills (at least 20-30), all of which should be used in right way. And what about "Elder Tale"?

MC treated as OP just because he could use 2 common support skills.... more>> Based on what I read in first volume it is an MMORPG with character development on level of first DOTA where each class have very limited amount of skills, to the point of it being absurd. It would be fine if it was supposed to be an VMMO game from the start, because you don't need much skills in a game where player control his own body. But in keyboard+mouse type of game? It just doesn't make sense. It feels as if author never played MMO game. "Oh, wow, MC could cast support skills!". Well, in almost any MMORPG support classes are very important, why would it be so super rare in this one? Also IDK why people compare it to SAO, other than some similarities in setting they are completely different novels with not much common points. <<less
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