Ascendance of a Bookworm (2019–2022) User Reviews

Ascendance of a Bookworm

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 8 January 2020]

Motosu Urano always loved books and reading and was looking forward to working as a librarian... then an earthquake strikes and she is buried under a pile of books. Her dying wish is to be reincarnated in a world where she can read as much as she wants. She then awakens in the body of Myne, a sickly five year old in a world where books are rare and can only be afforded by the nobility. She is undeterred... she will make her own books. She still has her memories from the previous life and decides to use that knowledge to make her own books... theory and practice are different though and early attempts aren't too successful; she perseveres, along with her friend Lutz. She also uses her knowledge to make other items unknown in this world so she can buy the things she needs. As the story progresses she learns why she is so sickly.

I really enjoyed this series. It moves at a gentle pace and manages to avoid the fan service and violence that feature in many series; especially those in alternate worlds. Myne is a fun protagonist and her attempts to make something to create books with is a joy to watch... and one even learns a bit about ancient writing materials as she works her way up to making more traditional paper. The characters are all fairly likable; I don't think there is anybody who be considered an antagonist. The final episode promised more to come; hopefully we won't have to wait too long for a second season. The character designs are good and the animation is solid. I'd certainly recommend this to anybody wanting a gentle anime series.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

This is a GEM

[peterfmodel · 8/10 · 2 January 2020]

Expectations were low, but once I started watching it I was hooked. This is a well grounded story, nothing silly or over the top and everything seems plausible. There were a few forced plot lines, which some were due to the English translation of the Japanese, and some critical information was missing which left the viewer wonder. These generally were cleared up later, but after some episodes you are left wondering, why didn't Myle do this, or that. There is no fan service so this is totally family safe. I am looking forward to season 2, I hope they create it.

Really enjoyed seasons one and two - can't wait for the third

[nodlimax · 8/10 · 22 June 2020]

This is one of those wholesome anime you can easily enjoy with the whole family. The characters are fun and interesting to watch and I really want to see where they will go with the story in season three.

I think the animation is well done and the opening songs of both seasons are really good. I never skipped them.

The show isn't perfect as some stuff seems to be a bit rushed at times, but overall I'd easily recommend it.

Surprisingly good

[bloodyhana · 10/10 · 28 December 2019]

I had known going in that this was going to be a slow burner so i thought I probably wouldn't make it through series since I get bored easily....but I was super wrong thank goodness and the world building and characters hooked me into the show! At the time I watched it there were only 4 or 5 episodes out and I binged them all. I'm glad that this show actually took the time to build character relationships so that I cared. I wish a lot more anime did this with their characters. The animation isn't anything to write home about but that kind of took a backseat compared to the plot for me.

The anime for anime haters

[saijanai · 10/10 · 14 October 2021]

I'm 66 and my significant other is 67. Over the past 30 years, she has dutifully watched 1 or 2 episodes of the various anime that I raved about and yawned... never watching more than 2 in any given series.

And then came Ascendance of a Bookworm...

She binge-watched the English dub version 3 episodes at a time until she had seen them all, and then watched the remaining 15 or so episodes in English subtitles two-at-a-time, despite being so severely dyslexic that it was physically painful her to both read and watch TV at the same time.

After the first series concluded, she then read the English translations of the light novels back-to-back-about 12 in a row - and avidly reads each new novel as it is translated (did I mention the painful dyslexia?).

She just finished light novel 15 and is awaiting the release of the next one at the end of October (2021). Her stated intent is to not only read all 27 light novels as they are translated, but to watch every season of the anime as it is released (even in subtitle form) and then read and watch the planned sequel.

My impression is that the series appeals more to older people, even/especially those who have never even heard of anime or Japanese light novels and that the series (animated and written) is being marketed to entirely the wrong demographic.

The older you are (until dementia has totally set in), the more likely it will be that you will enjoy the series... far more likely than if you are a regular anime fan as, other than officially being an Isekai ("other world") story, it is so radically different than all other anime out there that it is only by accident that any typical anime viewer might enjoy it.

10 out of 10 for being the only anime my significant other has ever binge-watched.

Learning your way in the...medieval world

[bhermann-40608 · 10/10 · 31 March 2020]

As a person who studied to be a librarian, this story warms my heart a bit. Apart from that, this story is about a young girl, Mei, who ends up in a medieval world after she is killed by falling books. She tries to remain intellectual in a world where books are reserved for nobility, doing her best to be industrious. It seems right to give this a rating of 10.

Entertaining

[Linnzy · 8/10 · 2 May 2020]

Quite entertaining, it's alot worldbuilding and how people lived in the old days, how to make stuff as books, but there's also a fair share of entertaining characters. The longer you go into the series the more entertaining it'll become.

Confusing Main Character

[jtaylor-15297 · 6/10 · 6 April 2022]

The main character is an adult in a child's body and they emphasize how mature and smart she is in the beginning, but later on to create drama, she's super naïve and immature about most things.

The novelty of the premise fades and is replaced with drama created by an annoying 8 year old.

A little gem

[georgebanister · 10/10 · 25 December 2020]

At first it comes across as very much one lined childish stuff, but it really is not, it's uplifting, it has a dark side, it's well worth adding and I can't wait till the next season starts, in fact I can see this story go to many seasons.

Watch it!!

[sevybrich · 10/10 · 11 November 2021]

I had this show as background noise while trying to find a different "better" anime. Wow when they say don't judge a book by its cover, they could not be more right. This show is amazing. It really took me by surprise, very good and hits the ground running. I definitely recommend(:

Perfection rushed to trash

[londonelim · 4/10 · 15 March 2024]

I'm really disappointed with this anime. Season 1 was perfection with it taking it slow adding importance to characters and dialogue, with season 2 being great too with the characters and story. But Season 3 is where it started going downhill eventually ending with a horrible last episode! Season 3 seemed rush like they wanted to end the series as fast as they could without any concern for the characters or audience, the last episode is sad and lacks what they had in season 1 & 2 with it just being cold and joyless. If you watch this anime you should just watch season 1 & 2 because season 3 throws away all the joy and characters that connected us to the series.

High Quality Medieval Historical Fantasy for the Family

[bill_allison · 9/10 · 5 February 2022]

This story has fine animation, video editing and sound editing. The original novels are lengthy, but the script writers have done a good job of condensing the story. The Chibi style inner thoughts add humor. The after-credits shorts are a hoot! The English voice actors are well known and quite good. You will recognize voices from series like Re:Zero and SAO. The story is family appropriate. If you don't like books, you may not feel the same excitement that book-lovers will find here. The author has done extensive research into the history of paper and printing and this series is genuinely educational.

The premise is the soul of a girl from modern Japan is reborn in the body of a dying little girl. The new girl is still sickly and could die at any moment. She has some memories of both lives, and she begins pushing her modern ideas onto those around her. She is constantly experimenting and creating inventions in a medieval world. She desperately wants books, so she invents paper, tools, ink, and printing technology. She also promotes cleanliness, new fashions, shampoo, and new cooking methods. In her old life in Japan, she was an isolated, self-involved book-lover. Now she is desperate to accomplish things before her soon expected death and her accomplishments far exceed her view of herself.

The story chronicles her rise from poor commoner toward greatness. She faces many challenges and dangers. Will she die of fever, will the nobles kill or kidnap her, will the rulers label her dangerous and execute her?

Season 3 should have been the most powerful season thus far, but the abbreviated season of only 10 episodes does not give the story the time it needs. Even so, you will be rewarded by an excellent season finale. If you want more, read the books by Miya Kazuki. English translations of fine quality are available for the first 20+ novels. Manga are also available. The initial web novels are available online in Japanese.

Brilliant series

[kennyT-19987 · 10/10 · 28 December 2021]

I love this anime, it a great watch for real life scenarios.

There are great scenes to learn the conducts of business and assets management. Its a great watch for a person such as myself. I love seeing personal and professional growth and this anime series truly shows that.

Apart from a slow start (Its relevant and I appreciate the time I took to watch) in the first few episodes, the story progresses quickly after a few.

The characters are very relatable and pleasing.

Well done team for putting together this production!

Initially I didn't think I'd like it but...

[katelynterra · 10/10 · 27 August 2022]

Wow, what a great surprise.

Normally I don't like this art style, but I decided to play it while I ate dinner.

Let's just say I'm hooked. I watched 3 seasons in two days and just finished googling if there will be another season. This anime has fun fresh and fresh fantasy ideas, a multi-faceted medieval setting, non-main characters that actually have good back stories and build as you go, potential love interests without it being a romance (I mean she's a kid still, kind of, ya know?), a bit of fighting, inventing, great plot twists, etc. It easily jumped into my favorites list. It gets better and better each episode, I definitely recommend you give it a try.

Simple Anime, but story was too deep

[shinra-network · 9/10 · 13 June 2022]

Its not usual isekai anime, the story and character build was outstandingly good. Its a very-very fairy tale classic stories like from common people become lord daughter of domain and story of sacrifice for a greater good. Between episodes sometimes gloomy, sad, happy or even "get rid of these kind of people".

Animation itself is average, the music somehow calming. If you know or watch Violet Evergarden, this anime should on your must watch list.

Amazing...I couldn't stop watching

[christian-conde19 · 9/10 · 21 August 2022]

At the beggining was going slow, but how the main history and characters developed later it was amazing.

Totally recommended. Once you start yo can not stop.

Very good slice if life isekai

[AngelofMusic1998 · 8/10 · 27 September 2023]

Ascendance of a bookworm tells the story of Myne,a young girl. A young woman named Urano from Japan dies in an earthquake and is reincarnated as Myne. In her medieval world,books are rare and only nobles enjoy them .Hence Myne's wish to make books available to more people and herself. This anime adapts Part 1 and Part 2 of the light novel series. The end of the story really hits you and homestly,I was so sad when I finished reading Part 2. The animation is nice and chibis are funny and make you laugh. The story is generally slice of life and not very dramatic,with the saddest part definetely near the end of the anime. Voice actors are also good. Overall,cute and funny slice of life isekai.7,5/10.

Genuinely bad.

[invisibleunicornninja · 3/10 · 2 October 2019]

After reading the description and seeing the cover, I assumed that this was going to be a nice cute story, or at least somewhat entertaining. I was expecting something nice. What I instead got was some of the most flat and lifeless animation, exposition, and voice acting I think I've ever experienced. Usually when I drop a show after episode one it's because I'm just bored by the experience of watching it, never before have I just gone "wow, that was trash." I guess there's a first time for everything.

My Review

[onscareweak · 10/10 · 22 April 2024]

Myne, She's not your typical hero with flashy powers or epic battles. Nope, she's just a bookworm (hence the title), but man, does she make being a bookworm look cool! Myne's determination to get her hands on books in a world where they're a luxury item is both inspiring and heartwarming. You can't help but root for her every step of the way.

The world-building in this anime is top-notch. From the intricate societal structures to the magical elements seamlessly woven into everyday life, you'll find yourself completely immersed in the world of "Ascendance of a Bookworm." And let's not forget the attention to detail in the setting - it's like every frame is a work of art.

Now, onto the supporting cast. Myne's relationships with those around her - from her family to her newfound friends - are so genuine and beautifully depicted. Each character feels fleshed out and important to the story, adding layers of depth and emotion to the overall narrative.

And can we take a moment to appreciate the animation? It's absolutely stunning! The colors, the fluidity of the movements, everything is just chef's kiss. Whether it's a quiet moment between characters or a bustling market scene, the animation brings the world of "Ascendance of a Bookworm" to life in a way that's truly breathtaking.

Sure, there might be a few minor gripes here and there - maybe an episode feels a tad slow or a subplot isn't as developed as you'd like - but honestly, they're like tiny specks of dust in an otherwise gleaming masterpiece.

Awesome Anime

[redselkie · 10/10 · 21 May 2023]

I loved it. Ascendance of a Bookworm is a blend of everything I adore in an anime. There's magic, science, developing technologies, good vs evil, and looking at how humans interact with each other. Overall I found it to be an exciting healing anime.

It's unique and complex, and while other reviewers may complain about the dichotomy of the primary character's personality, it is easily explained by looking at her previous persona's aversion to interactions with others. Of course she has some immature qualities, she never developed the interpersonal skills needed to be an adult, and as a child in a new world she's still learning the rules of society.

I can hardly wait until the rest of the manga series is released in anime form.

Do NOT watch the second season

[Aleta_Nook · 5/10 · 9 May 2020]

The first season is decent enough. Myne was okay. I get confused with her connection with Urano, why did Urano travel from a present time to the past? This kind of time paradox situation could've been decent I guess if it were explained more but the series never got into that. Nor did they explain how she was able to take over Myne's body. I'm guessing it's just a Freaky Friday sort of situation that never got explained. I'm still waiting for her catchphrase "Darn those lucky nobles" to become a meme though. But she has a strong personality that makes it hard not to root for her to succeed and feel sorry for her when her fever overpowers her and how she can't even express emotions such as anger or excitement due to her illness. Lutz and Tuli are sweet characters. Almost all of the male characters such as Gunther and Benno are too obnoxious to like, though. With Gunther being a possessive father who gets angry whenever his daughter Myne starts getting friendly with males and Benno frequently attacking Myne whenever she accidentally makes a mistake. None of the characters were amazing though since none of them go through any development.

The story of how Myne fights her sickness to become a successful writer was compelling. Though, there were times where it started meandering off and became boring possibly due to it trying to stick to the conventions of a slice of life. I also loved the worldbuilding. The idea of Myne's magic powers being some sort of illness, it made me more and more intrigued by the series the more we see what her illness can do.

I rate the first season a 6.5 out of 10.

However, the second season made me go "What were they thinking?" when they came up with this story? This story is awful. I believe this part was in the book but that doesn't make this premise any less awful. Why did they recruit bullies to babysit this kid in the first place? Like are all the other kids in the orphanage brats? Because that is just unprofessional and they should've been fired right away. I also felt the orphan aspect was unnecessary and I don't know why they particularly need orphans to work at this church. It's just so mean-spirited. I watched up to episode 3 so I know that they grow out of it but still, this type of story makes no sense to me. Maybe they are doing this to try and find some way to give Myne character growth because the character went through no growth in the first season but for whatever reason, they could've came up with something better than this.

Not to mention, the only new character I liked out of this was Fran because he was the ONLY one that wasn't a jackass. The OP and ED weren't near as good as the ones in the first season.

I rate the second season a 4.1 out of 10