Ascendance of a Bookworm (2019)

[本好きの下剋上〜司書になるためには手段を選んでいられません〜]

Part 1

Director: Mitsuru Hongo
Studio: Ajia-Do Animation Works
Starring: Yuka Iguchi, Show Hayami, Megumi Nakajima
Episodes: 14

Synopsis:
A bookworm is reincarnated in the body of a peasant girl in a medieval-style world and makes it her goal to become a librarian.

Impressions:
This series is such a breath of fresh air compared to the vast majority of the isekai trash that's been dumped on the market lately. While our heroine does have certain advantages, she's got a lot stacked against her, being reborn in the body of a sickly child to a lower class family where her greatest passion in life, books, is a luxury relegated to the aristocracy and the clergy. A lot of attention is paid to the worldbuilding and unlike many other series, Myne's Japanese mannerisms and modern thinking is never given a pass. Her single-mindedness often causes problems both for her and her family, so the occasional bone tossed her way doesn't feel nearly as cheap as the benefits enjoyed by most isekai protagonists. You might argue that it could be taken farther, but that would probably sap what mass market appeal the show has. There are no world-ending threats or demon lords to contend with, just the slightly fantastical tale of a girl who wants to make her own book. If you like a slower-paced character-centric story, you should enjoy this. Give it a watch.

Rating:
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