The Spring 2024 Light Novel Guide

After-School Dungeon Diver

What's It About? 

Why not unwind in another world once in a while?

High schooler Akira Kudo happens upon the ability to travel between Japan and the fantastical world of Do-Melta. Not bound by any dire mission or duty, he leisurely enjoys exploring his way through the massive dungeon in the center of the world and all the trappings that come with it. The guild receptionist is trying to mooch off of him, his magic instructor has “rewards” for him, and he just might have some fun with a girl he saves...

A brand-new fantasy adventure from Hitsuji Gamei begins!

After-School Dungeon Diver has a story by Hitsuji Gamei. English translation by Hiroya Watanabe. Published by J-Novel Club (March 29, 2024).

Is It Worth Reading?

Lauren Orsini

Rating:

Oh boy, a new isekai fantasy! I sure hope it doesn't involve slavery—(looks at the first line of the book). Well, that's unfortunate, but sure, there won't be any sexual assault—oh, never mind. Not ideal, but at least there isn't any colorism or transphobia? Wrong again.

Early in the book, the protagonist of After-School Dungeon Diver, Akira Kudo, says that he deserves praise for merely ogling the “savage weightiness” of a rescued woman's breasts instead of enslaving her again—despite his admitted interest in doing so. In this same way, I deserve a medal for reading this entire book without throwing it across the room.

In their author's note at the end of the book, Hitsuji Gamei wrote that they were “completely shocked” to hear this story was going to be made into a book, as the content, lacking in a consistent plot or narrative peaks, “is generally not the kind of story you want in a novel.” I'm just glad they're aware of it. Dungeon Diver does not follow a standard novel's structure with rising action leading up to a climax and consequent denouement. Characters are introduced never to be heard from again. There is zero suspense because there are no stakes.

Everything comes easily to Akira, from the prized rare items like “soy sauce” and “potato chips” that he bestows randomly on this parallel world to the women who are forever throwing themselves at his feet. Like something out of Ready Player One (which I also hated), Akira makes references to stuff like Dr Pepper, Super Mario, and Rozen Maiden. We are presumably supposed to say, “I recognize that!” and fawn over him as a result. Akira is arguably the strongest mage in this world, the only “purple mage” in existence, the only person in Japan who can transport himself to this parallel world (through a portal that is never explained), and the only person who regularly speaks to this world's God. But for some reason, he's also a self-professed coward who leaves fights to other adventurers because he just wants to relax: to him, this world is his playground. There are no consequences for him dividing his time between these two worlds. He is literally colonizing this parallel world through junk food, and yet Akira never attracts any attention—and only surface-level questions about his far-flung point of origin. This sloppy worldbuilding drove me insane!

I listed all of those complaints without even getting into the pig monster who immobilizes female dungeon divers with his semen (don't worry, there's an illustration), the “dark-skinned” drag-wearing potion seller whom Akira constantly worries is going to sexually harass him—a concern that is true to his character, since he often finds himself “accidentally” sexually harassing women. In each of these “lucky pervert” situations, Akira portrays himself as the victim, accidentally poking too-forward ladies with his unintentional boner or checking out a lady's “pretty armpits” on display. At the beginning of the book, the formerly enslaved Scrael responds to Akira's pervy banter by wrapping her fingers around his throat and squeezing. She should have suffocated him for just a little longer.