I've been liking this one so far, but I don't like how empty the description is. Let me expand on both.

[Story/Summary:]

The novel starts with quite a familiar setup, our MC finds him/herself in the body of a girl from a novel he read a long time ago. However, there are quite a few problems for our MC:

A) It's a high school girls body, and our MC used to be a man... The body also comes with a lack of memories and some pretty suspicious pentagram tattoos. The name on her... more>> student ID reads Kurosawa Kotone.

B) The world is from a light novel series she read 20 years ago as a child. She lost track of the series over the years and never finished it. She also doesn't recognize her ''character''. She ain't all knowing, but she knows there is trouble in the future.

C) She is kind of just dropped into this without an explanation, she doesn't even know where her school is, why she lives by herself, and how she fits into the story. Bonus confusion points for being originally Korean and now in Novel-Japan.

The plot kind of kicks off from here, puts a lot of focus on both the supernatural incidents that drive the original novels, as well as her everyday high-school-girl-life. The story really leans into those novels that combine casual school life with the supernatural.

[Now to what I personally like about the story:]

-The main character has an actual character, she is a gloomy loner with troubled circumstances and it creates some decent character dynamics with the rest of the cast.

-Fights are bloody, and power comes at a price. The main character naturally has special circumstances, but she far from overpowered right now.

-The world runs on 2004 Anime/Novel logic. And it is integrated into all the characters and supernatural phenomena. And I'm talking about both the Anime and the 2004 part.

-The MC is not in the same class as the ''real main character'' of the novel. Sure they have encounters, but they actually let our MC have her own story and friends. I like that they aren't just checking off plot events from the novel until they get to an ending. Instead, they try to fill the world with events and things that didn't get covered/mentioned in the novel.

-I personally just love stories where the MC has big secrets and some mysteries about them, the title is already hinting in a direction, but how and why we get there is still very open.

(I won't go into the negatives too much because I'm not in the mood for that, but I still feel like I should mention some things for the sake of fairness. ''Novel world'' means a lot of tropes, so expect to see a lot of stuff you might already be overly familiar with. Especially food/poverty related running gags.)

[Conclusion:]

Well, I'm looking forward for more, but it's only been like 51 chapter at this point (with high school girl pacing), so it's hard to judge the novel as a whole. The story is currently moving towards a big reveal, that could give the story/MC more direction. I hope things develop well, and I don't get to choke on my praise. I'd give it a (4, 2/5) on NU standards if I could, but I might be a bit biased.

I hope this review made the decision to try or avoid this novel easier. <<less

Pretty decent one, it's a bit early to give out clear elevation, MC suddenly appear in a different country, different culture and different time period, story is like those old yokai manga, jjk or smt. 5/5 currently, don't know if the pace can keep up with it but rn this one is a promising novel. Update: The first part is written quite bland, but well, after getting over it the pace start getting pump up, not recommended for ppl who want to know the whole context of the novel thou, since the author pick the mystery troupe, many info were hidden behind dialogue, cutted off abruptly, and also MC is weak ahhh, not for OP MC enjoyer currently the MC past was just been released, the description on the MC inner thought are truly realistic, to the point it give me goosebump, 5/5 for the time being too. The whole point of the story is for the MC to pick up a will to live again, move on from the tragedy, a real meaningful story, very emotional.

Update: I have manage to find a mtl and finished the main story. Truly GOLD, it get so emotional at the later part of the story, all side character are focus and have their own screentime, real gem no cap.

5/5, must be one of the greatest, peak psychological novel. Honesty I have never thought the psychological side would be focus on the most, even more, the story and plot have a clear purpose, creating a goal for the MC, really different from all those action fantasy novel of there.

By the way, Kagami and Yuka are probably my most favorite character of the whole story aside from MC, the build up was so peak!

Oh and here a little spoiler for those one who like to know before actually reading the novel:

Update: currently at chapter 405, the IF2 was written suprisingly well, Kagami now is definitely having the best character writing. Btw IF1 is kinda mid thou, mediorce, can't really get into or feel for any character exept for Kagami (since our MC doesn't appear, it feel like a 3rd party vision, the IF1 Kotone is just pitiful, doesn't impactful enough). Going toward IF2, seem like the author start picking up on this story again, I might say the first part of IF2 is equal to the main story. While the main storyline focus sorely on MC development, I think it's great that the author chose Kagami's psychological side as the main objective. (In IF2 we can judge MC like a observer since the whole idea of IF is to dig into the side character since MC development have already completed in the main story).

At this point, 5/5 for me, this novel was so good, bringing me to tears several times, so much that I want to start getting close with my family again.

This gives me the same feeling as when I first started watching anime in the 2000's. They flawlessly captured the vibe, it really is "that era's light novel"

All the characters are lovable and interesting, the story is incredibly imaginative and goes in WILD directions I could never have predicted in a million years. The existence of Koko, for example, and how they introduced her? Nuts. Absolutely out there, in the best way. I love how characters you think are just side characters are explored and expanded far beyond what their... more>> initial descriptions would imply, meeting a person is never enough to know what role they'll actually play in this, or to have any idea of just how important they really end up being.

There isn't a clear obvious line between "main character" and "background characters" like in most books I read - a flaw that's incredibly hard to correct, and that they pulled it off and avoided that does so much to bring the world to life. Eg, the character development of characters like Yamashita and Kagami, and even the club seniors? And that even her boss at her part time job - who doesn't even have a name BTW, she's just "the boss" - gets a whole side quest story to herself and is a recurring character with a tangible presence in the story? Chefs kiss. Amazing.

Every last person in the world reads like they really are a person, a protagonist of their own story and not just set dressing or the extras cast. Even people with just a handful of lines feel alive and have their own independent motivations. That is a capital F Feat the author achieved and I just want to take a moment to appreciate it.

As of writing I'm at chapter 200ish so I'm only halfway through, but actually the story is already completed. There are another 200 chapters of slice of life afterstory, which is a huge signal of the love and care the author put into it. Not only did they finish the story, they went out of their way to depict the happy ending to a degree extremely rarely seen.

It's really well made. A talented person put their all into it and it shows, it's well worth reading. The translation is flawless and doesn't get in the way while reading.

I want to buy a physical book copy of this if I could, I would easily drop $100-$150 USD on that. (Buying a whole light novel series usually costs about that much) in fact I actually did spend a chunk of change buying advance chapters, it's that good. So in all - quality enough that it was worth my real money, let alone just some of your time. The most solid recommendation I can think of. I love this story! <<less

AI LOVES LOVES LOVES EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS NOVEL

reading chapters 170+ with the made in abyss soundtrack in the background made ai cry to tears, everything about the story made ai feel so full inside yet so empty, kotone koko kagami, kagami especially. Ai loves her growth and seeing her develop as a person. It was so heartwarming yet breaking to see how everything played out

Ai loved every single second of this novel, not once did it feel as if it "tried to hard" or forced itself to go a certain... more>> way, it was fluid and well thought out, having clues that the reader could piece together and think "please no, anything but that" and then when it happens you cant help but feel your heart break in two, at othertimes it has you at the edge of your seat, almost begging for reprieve, for a saviour. Everything gets a call back, in a meaningful way

This novel pulls at your heartstrings, it makes you connect with the characters, they feel real, they feel complex, they may exist only in words on a page but in your mind and heart, they are as real as one could ever be

Ai loves Kagami, Ai loves Kotone, Ai loves Koko

Read this novel, I beg of you <<less

This story is pretty freaking amazing. No, really. Probably one of my favorites. I say "probably" because I haven't finished it yet, and I don’t want to jinx it. But if the chapters so far are anything to go by, the destination is bound to be something special. Surely. I hope so.

This is NOT a battle shonen. Sure, there are battles. But if you're here for power-ups and tournament arcs, you might as well pack your bags. The meat is all internal, the characters' choices and emotions.

Also, the protagonist isn't... more>> "suddenly gloomy because the plot demands it." Their gloominess is well-earned by a past I won’t get into (spoilers). They’ve been dodging their own feelings for so long that when thrown into another world, they can't keep up the act anymore.

Not saying it's perfect, though. The narration sometimes lingers. And lingers. And lingers. There are paragraphs so dense they could collapse into black holes, and yes, occasionally, it feels like work to get through. But knowing what’s waiting on the other side makes it worth it.

If I had to categorize this, I’d call it a school slice-of-life with a dash of horror and a nice amount of drama. Like an ordinary academy story sprinkled with existential dread and fluff. <<less

There has been a glut of Korean stories getting translated recently where the main character is reborn as a girl with special powers and attends a school. This is among the best, I think, but partly because it's doing something a little different.

This isn't a "magic academy" story; you aren't going to see training scenes, duels, a cast of students all with their own special powers, and so on. The genre is rather modern fantasy-horror, where the main character balances her school life with the violent, dark and supernatural underbelly... more>> of society. That's what "that era's light novel" means here; think of something like Fate/Stay Night. As such the story is almost evenly split between showing Kotone's ordinary life and more fantastic scenes.

The story's strong point is the broad cast of ordinary friends Kotone has. They generally aren't super-complicated characters, but it's clear that the main character actually does have a normal life and real friends, which does a good job of adding tension and motivating the more exciting action scenes. She has multiple friend groups! Do you know how rare it is for the protagonist in a series like this to have multiple friend groups? It's a lot rarer than it should be. The action itself is fine, but not particularly impressive. Similarly, the world-building is as developed as it needs to be and no more; the focus of the story is really Kotone's ordinary life and her efforts to protect it.

The style is the really close, stream-of-consciousness perspective you often see in Korean web novels like this. I don't mind it but I know some people do. The gender elements are not emphasized; there's no dysmorphia, for instance. Kotone struggles with her own mental issues but isn't the sort of crazy heroine you sometimes see.

I recommend this story as long as you're okay with the amount of time spent portraying normal school life. <<less

OG review at ch. 438

Honestly one of the best web novels I've read, the author has some mad talent in character chemistry. I've read some of their other works, this seeming the best with how much care there is in the world building and characters. It's literally like what the title says "That Era's Light Novel", it feels so in tone with that atmosphere as the story beats go on.

There's a lot of slice of life, suspense, and psychological themes in the novel; the best part is they aren't bad... more>> like most other series, since there's character development and a feeling of dread along with it.

Clarification on the title:

Spoiler

'Final Subjugation Target' refers to 'Final Boss', more than 'Final Heroine'

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Epilogue:

Spoiler

After the danger is over, it basically become slice of life entirely, finishing off character arcs and giving closure. Even with an epilogue almost worth 80 chapters, there are still mysteries left unsolved—which is where the side stories come in.

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There's actually side stories after the main story that gives revelations that weren't revealed in the main story; one being the OG Light Novel, the other being a what-if Kotone was transmigrated when she was a baby. The latter gives lots of info and complexities that weren't in the main story, since:

Spoiler

She's basically childhood friends with all of the main story's side characters and the original protagonist of the OG Light Novel. And her childhood isn't seen as pitiful anymore since she was given lots of love from her mother, Kagami.

The childhood arc last for more than 100 chapters until it reaches the main story point in time. And since Kotone was young, some of the characters made different choices, making the the setting different from the main story—most notable being Kosuzu: who left her family earlier to chase after Kotone.

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The most amazing thing is that the what-if isn't even over yet, as of writing this review there are 289 chapters of the what-if; making it have more chapters than the main story (albeit shorter chapters). I've been reading the reviews of the untranslated chapters, and it looks like there's a lot to look forward to. I even tried to make an account (on novelpia, where it's written) to read them with mtl, but I can't since I'm not Korean.

So yeah, 5 stars. Honestly underrated; it's funny, interesting, and nostalgic for the Light Novels from the early 2000's. Wish more people on novelpia would notice it.

Update: review at ch 573

Okay, finally learned how to buy membership to read the untranslated chapters, and actually think the IF story is greater than the main story (some of the Korean readers think the same too). In the main story, Kotone kept all the pain and responsibility to herself, but in the IF story—everyone else is trying to take the pain for her or with her.

A clear difference from the main story:

Spoiler

In the main story, there was a big turning point of Kotone's mind had screamed "I WANT TO LIVE" when she was set on fire during the hunt of the Satori at ch.135. But in the IF story, since she's been helped by everyone since she was born: felt like a burden to everyone, thinking that everyone would've been better off if she wasn't born. Since it's been years since she's reincarnated, barely remembers the original story compared to the main—which already had a problem due to not reading the Light Novel decades prior to reincarnation.

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We get scenarios that didn't reach their full potential in the main story, making the outcome more fulfilling and cathartic.

Spoiler

We see Kotone's friend group join her in the yokai hunts; Mako joins first since she was there during the Oni fight (didn't leave cause trauma from last time Kotone was injured), Yuu next after Kosuzu attacked (taught by Kagami for self-defense), then Sota (OG MC) when Kotone asked if she had any stalkers (then was attacked by Kosuzu's spy monsters then awakened). Everyone else in the friend group knows about the yokai too, but can't fight. Nanami kinda sees Kotone as a rival for Sota's affection, despite constantly saying he's like a younger brother to her. Hagiwara is still quite distant, actually even more so in the IF story since OG MC is now Kotone's childhood friend, but still helpful to the main cast.

A bit of Hagiwara in the IF story

Spoiler

Shii calls Kotone in the morning that something's wrong, so she runs off immediately to find Hagiwara in front of the Sasaki house (btw Hagiwara barely knows Sota, she just thinks he's hot). Hagiwara makes up lies for the reason why she's there, with Kotone concluding that Hagiwara knows about her situation and who's close to her.

Meaning Hagiwara's closeness to Sota in the main story turned to observation of Kotone in the IF, since they (Sota and Kotone) live around each other and are in the same club. She ends up saving Miki (Maid Cafe owner's sister) in Kotone's place compared to the main story, and locates Kosuzu before she set up her big attack. What is she? Some kind of eminence in shadow? Lol

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Update on Hagiwara: Ch.628

Spoiler

Holy shit, dude—Hagiwara is such a badass. Like—when the Government finally decides to hunt Kotone down, Hagiwara actually decides to side with Kotone in helping her escape Japan (since the events of the Satori hunt changed, thinking Kotone to be like Jesus since she'd rather die to make people happier). She warns Kotone that she might turn into a test subject for study to improve humanity, and is along with her on the run from the Government.

Remember her original stunt in the main story where she went on top of a car and opened it? Well, it's a car chase this time! She does some movie stunts and stops cars from chasing them, it was awesome! Yuka also does insane stuff too, but this is about Hagiwara, no?

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And even when Kosuzu is gone, the remnants of the cult still linger + gods and government still present, so there's more to be delivered.

[collapse]

Now the IF chapters are at 318 (was 289 from OG review), it seems to be ending soon from where it is in the plot unless the author wants to make slice of life content; I'll wait a bit before reading the rest of the IF chapters so I can save on my monthly membership to access them. <<less

This is seriously so good of a novel.

The story is just chef kiss. The characters have true in-depth emotions that it just blows my mind, and also I really recommend it 10/10!!! Just I really wish there were more scenes of Yuka and Kotone together;-;

This is a really dull read, not worth picking up. It suffers from the usual trappings of an amateur writer, such as the MC having the personality of a stale bread and being a complete pushover, and awful pacing. We're supposed to believe that he used to be a heroic firefighter in his previous life before he died and reincarnated here, but she has no agency in this new world. She's a total doormat. You're probably picking this up expecting something like a badass Japanese teenage girl wielding a sword... more>> from her own blood, slaying yokai, but that very rarely happens (if you want that, read something like Strike the Blood instead). Instead it's just her rambling in her inner monologues while everyone else does the work. Even when she's bullied and nearly mutilated by a box cutter, she doesn't react.

The review below me mentions how she has "character" because she's gloomy and has a troubled past. But this isn't HER character, she's a reincarnated Korean fireman, remember? "She" has no reason to be so bland and lifeless and gloomy. She clearly remembers her previous life and personality as a Korean, so that's not an excuse. It might be a side effect of the bad translation, but either way she barely qualifies as a sapient being.

What also annoys me about the writing is that the author refuses to let conversations naturally happen. You'll get one (1) single line, which is then interrupted by the MC's inner monologue where she drones on about whatever is on her mind for upwards of 5 pages, before the next line in the conversation is allowed to continue. So what could have been done in a single page can take 20. It makes for a very exhausting and annoying read.

The translation is passable, it's very dry and stiff. It wouldn't surprise me if it's a machine translation since Fenrir has used MTL before. It makes common MTL mistakes such as saying "What" when it obviously should be "Why, " etc. At least the pronouns are consistent. <<less