“At long last, Kousuke enters Tsukuyomi Magic Academy, the main setting of the erotic dating sim into which he's been reincarnated. But between training every spare moment and using his knowledge of Magical Explorer to win the hearts of all the heroines he can, our hero's student life turns out to be anything but easygoing. And that's all before he activates a (literal) angel of a maid in the depths of a hidden dungeon!” (Yen Press)
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Life in an erotic dating sim seems like an idyllic fantasy, and while the first book managed to tease the perks of being ‘iseakied' into a world of buxom women, “Magical Explorer” took a bit of a unique twist by having a fan of the titular game enter as a side character rather than the protagonist. Furthermore, Kousuke gets a head start in the game's storyline and the ability to position himself to overcome the substantial gap that makes him a disposable side character. All these elements made the world of “Magical Explorer”, humorous, intriguing, and playfully erotic.
However, the second volume starts to feel formulaic while losing a notable chunk of lewd charm. Certainly, Iris still has a knack for describing fantasy from an RPG standpoint and the details of certain body parts, along with sharp comedic timing and understanding of the main protagonist, but settling into a traditional fantasy narrative has somewhat dulled the experience. The root of this issue may come from the author's struggle with balancing a larger cast than the previous book, as multiple newly introduced characters seem to stumble into the story. This may mark a transitional period, yet, its slightly awkward approach gives a reason for the longevity of the series.
Perhaps worse of all for those lewd purists, the sexual elements of the release are played down in the second volume as Kosuke focuses heavily on training and has less time for the swarms of girls wanting to appease him. There are still humorous interactions, such as a whip game where the loser gets doused in libido-inducing lube, but these moments are few and far between as the second book takes a serious turn. Not necessarily a decline in quality, but it is a bit misleading of the title to situate itself in the world of an erotic dating sim only to dial it back after leaning in so heavy into these elements in the inaugural release.
Thankfully, the art included in this release is still overly indulgent in the erotic side, including an ‘exaggerated features' pull-out poster of one of the new characters introduced in this release. Besides the poster, the images are scarce but they do add appeal to the book and help make up for the reduction in lewd comedy.
Even if the second book leaves questions on how the series will move going forward, “Magical Explorer” remains a highly entertaining series and one worth following. The series exudes a love of RPGs and lewd humor that will hit all the right spots with the kind of weeb that loves silliness in excess. The manga series is also set for a release from Yen Press shortly, and the art is hinting at it being a promising adaptation if you prefer that format over the light novel.
