Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest (Light Novel) Vol. 8

As always, impossible to put this book down. So good, and well written,Spoiler:I was absolutely shocked that he adds shea, he’s been so “one one one” the whole book, it almost felt like a betrayal of his character to open up and even say “i guess I’m going home with 4 girlfriends” also, his personality of “survival of the fittest” changing to such an open hearted warm welcome felt too drastic, I felt that his personality, and lack of caring for people he knows, and his harsh realism really set this series apart from other similar books, but it kinda seems to be changing into the classic “harem save the world” I love the books, and I’ll read every single one that’s made, but I thought this particular book was backpedaling on too many series defining traits.

This is the latest in a series I've loved for quite a while. I've eagerly awaited each new volume and even made an exception to my rule and pre-ordered this book. Only 14 hours after I got this, despite my college schedule, i finished this volume and am already waiting for the next one. I have nothing but praises for the author and offer my full support. Thankyou for this masterpiece of a series, and here's hoping it gets made into an anime at some point!

Okay, so I detracted my original review because I realized after the fact that most of it was pointless. Here is my opinion. The series is great. Volumes 1-7 (with the exception of somewhere in the middle of volume 3) are awesome. Volume 8 is awesome through about 70% or 80% through, but then the last part kills it, and it all boils down to unnatural character progression. There are SPOILERs, so be warned.Hajime has been shifting to his kinder, gentler self, and I support that. I like when he's capable of being soft with those that are precious to him yet ferocious to anyone declared to be his enemy, but the shift at the end of this one felt a bit too unnatural and forced. I think it just happened too much too fast, but I let it go, still worth 5 stars in my opinion.The killer of any established character profile was concerning Hajime and Shia. I'll begin by saying I saw their relationship coming. The series is building up to a harem-esk ending, and I'm okay with it, but the way it happened here felt so unnatural that I physically felt betrayed and couldn't enjoy the Extra Chapter at the end at all, even though I know it was pretty good at heart. Shia deserves her win and she deserves a portion of Hajime's heart (like Yue, but less), and the way things were going at the beginning of the novel were great. Hajime unconsciously reacts to Shia as precious and admits to himself that he feels a psuedo-love towards her (again similar to Yue, but less). He even treats her as precious. All thumbs up, albeit a bit contradictory to Hajime's character who's always been "Only Yue", but again, I'll let it slide. It's his, Hajime's, personality that felt like a betrayal.TLDR; I could go a million words into everything that urks me about the scene too, but I think I can sum it up in one notion. Hajime has never been the standard harem protagonist, and I saw something in this series when I though he never would be one. I kind of want the harem route, but I want it to feel so smooth that I hardly ever notice its happening. Not sudden, rushed, and forced as it is at the end of this volume. He's been so uncompromising up until now, only bending for those dearest to him, and to see him veer sharply away from his principles into a rushed confession and then a cringe-awkward relationship progression (again only in the latter half of the last chapter; the rest of the novel relationship progress is actually good) just felt like a complete betrayal of everything I ever expected of his character.REALLY TLDR; Again I think the biggest issue is just that it was too sudden a change and so unnatural feeling that I had a hard time buying it, and I made my verdict 1 star... But because the rest of the novel was sooo damn good, I had no choice but to give some stars back and settle on 3 for being awesome most of the way through. I hope the author makes the relationships with these women and Hajime feel more real to his character in later volumes because I really want to love this series, and I hope the next volume changes my mind back to 5 stars yet again (I know volume 4 did back when I disliked volume 3 so I know its possible). I look forward to Volume 9 giving me a change of heart.

Bottom line, easy reading, good plot, good character build out. Would certainly be a real challenge to build it in only one or two books. While not liking the carry through to multiple volumes, it is clear that this plot/story-line would be hard pressed to provide the level of entertainment this one does. What is perhaps the best is the harem build out for the MC. Especially the jealousy. As Humans, we all know it is possible to care as much for more than one person as you would for a single. In this case, the focus is on a 1x1 vs 1x4. I like the fact that at the very core of the MC, he remains faithful to his beloved Yue. (at this point any way). So, from the connection stand point, it is right in line and on-point.For the others in the harem, the constant competition appears to be right on point for the emotions w/in the female gender. Not was a put down in anyway. Only a statement that, while males tend to refrain from emotional display (perhaps to a level of determent) the ability of the female to use it to their advantage is huge. How? perhaps in their ability to recognize and act upon very subtle hints from others (mail or female) through only body language that males are very challenged to grasp and use. Women's intuition is a multitude of inputs that are observed through all five senses (known or unknown). Where this is going, is that the author captures that very well, then articulates in such a way as to be entertaining while also being informative.The other piece to this is simply the applied logic that the author includes with his tome. The underpinning of the story, while not always described as to "why" immediately, subsequent words, phrases and paragraphs provide the needed information to see those logical connections. There are a lot of "oh yea! why didn't I see that connection?" type responses from the reader at time.There is little in this entire series that fails to connect to another part in one form or another.Finally, the art work is superb. There are a number of similarities between this art work and other Anime, yet, the artist brings in the subtle (and not so subtle) personal craft that usually aligns perfectly to the story line. In other like novels where artwork plays a part, the disconnect between what is depicted and what is written is most often very noticeable. The connection is not always immediate, and may very well be a preview of sorts to other volumes, yet there is always a sense that the depicted artwork plays into the story line.Many kudos to both the Author and the Artist. I can hardly wait to see when the MC finally reaches his ultimate goal. Or, if he does not, then how the Author shall weave that into the story with such art and logic to make it perfectly fit with the overall work as all things current have done.

This one certainly doesn't disappoint at all, I greatly enjoyed reading about their progression what other characters had been up to as well, seeing the relationship of Hajime and his harem develop was also lovely to see looking forward to reading more.

Great casual read. This series is very similar to its webnovel; few changes. Once the main story wraps up its still only 40% through thanks to the afterstory, this is a great series

This book has many themes coming together to produce quite the story this time. There are some very nice character developments and dungeon antics so thoroughly enjoyable.

My son will love it. Another for his collection. Can't wait to get more.

As always an excellent read. This is still in my top 5 book series of all time. Every book is great but I'm also sad when ever I finish reading one as it brings me closer to the end of the series and I stop having new and fantastic reads.