“The Kingdom of Clays faces a dire crisis: an assassination attempt has just been made on its own Princess Lynneburg, and its neighboring countries eye the aftermath like starving vultures, plotting the Kingdom's downfall. The ensuing conflict will shape the face of the continent for centuries to come…but Noor doesn't have a clue about any of that! Having freshly arrived at the royal capital after over a decade of rigorous, isolated training at his mountain home, he's dead set on achieving his childhood dream of becoming an adventurer, even if the only skills he possesses are useless ones.” (J-Novel Club)
Nabeshike's “I Parry Everything” (full title “I Parry Everything What do You Mean I'm the Strongest I'm Not Even and Adventurer Yet”), is a pleasant surprise in the action/fantasy genre wherein the premise is built on a solitary gimmick–in this case, the ability to parry any attack while having no other skills. Commonly, titles that entice the reader with an absurd premise offer little beyond indulging in the scenarios their convoluted titles hint at. However, “I Parry Everything” is a well-constructed fantasy backed by strong characters, explosive action, and a light-comedic tone that complements instead of dominates the narrative.
Notably, protagonist Noor proves to be an endearing lead who remains unaware of how effective his powers are due to his sheltered existence. This is best reflected in the many action sequences, where Noor projects a charismatic humbleness in refusing praise despite how others view him as an immense talent. Moreover, the supporting cast is just as defined and intriguing, all carrying their own eccentricities and fighting abilities that make them equally fascinating to follow. This culminates in a fight in the later chapters between Noor, Ines, and Zadu, which not only acts as the highlight of the inaugural volume but is one of the best fights committed to the genre.
As mentioned, the book carries a more serious tone despite the outlandish means of Noor dominating all of his opponents, yet “I Parry Everything” still contains light comedic beats that also make it a very entertaining read. There is an inherent absurdity to every interaction Noor has, and Nabeshike's joy in crafting the scenarios in which Noor's basic abilities make him a powerful seep through every aspect of the writing.
Despite its many strengths, “I Parry Everything” suffers from pacing issues and a few peculiar tangents that disrupt the flow. Notably, the book transitions between characters regularly, and not all these jumps add value. Often the book over-explains its lore through these transitions which acts to dull the imposing persona of some of the characters it introduces in the latter chapters. There is also a push in the book to create lore behind Noor that comes across as forced and an unnecessary plot device to gain him more respect among his peers who are already in admiration of him. Thankfully, these moments are few and far between yet the flow of the story does suffer from these brief interludes into the unnecessary.
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The art from Kawaguchi compliments the book by staying focused on action sequences and portraying the characters and monsters as opposed to providing just comedy or fanservice. The release itself is only available in ebook at the moment, yet, keeping to the standards of a J-Novel Club release it feels well presented in the format. Still, a physical release down the line would be ideal and there is a chance given J-Novel Club moving towards publishing more of its library, specifically under Yen Press.
Despite some inconsistency in the narrative with deviations that add little value, “I Parry Everything” is a highly enjoyable action title built off explosive action, strong characters, and a perfect amount of light-hearted comedy. This is an easy recommendation for fans of the action/fantasy genre.
