“Broke and desperate, Souta signs up for a gig to warp to a fantasy world and ascend a dungeon tower to claim the treasure inside. However, an accident in the transfer process separates him from his teammates, leaving him stranded. Will his adventure end before it even begins?” (Yen Press)
The transition from a light novel to a manga is often a bumpy road, with perils of content being lost in adaptation, leaving the impression the reader would have been better served to check out the source material. Unfortunately, “The Otherworlder, Exploring the Dungeon” teeters on the edge of mediocrity with perceived gaps due to the rushed pace and lack of context that leads to the impression that the light novel would be the better choice for those willing to invest the time. That is not to say that the manga is entirely unenjoyable, however, and it still has some charm to make it stand on its own.
To give due credit, the art by Karou Hoshino is impressive in bringing the book to life, and his attention to detail on characters injects a lot of energy into the series. This extends to the comedic elements, which give the book a jovial tone that proves to be one of its most endearing charms. Furthermore, worldbuilding, from creatures to landscapes, is wonderfully realized and quite enjoyable.
His depiction of Souta and his ability for his relaxed calm demeanour to quickly transition to rage is a notable highlight, that makes his acts of domestic terrorism in the inaugural release a quirky deviation from the stone-cold persona. For those who like fan service, there is also a decent amount that manages to please without being too gratuitous or offputting. Despite any issues with the final product, Kaoru Hoshino's visual presentation is undeniably well executed and will be reason enough for some to check out the series.
Unfortunately, the series slightly fumbles the story, and there is a sense of rushing through key elements in favor of running toward jokes or action. The main protagonist Souta feels vastly underdeveloped for an introductory volume, and even a tragic backstory does little to endear one to his odd mannerisms and overconfidence– as entertaining as they are in the manga portrayal, Souta seems unhinged. This lack of background is made all the more frustrating given the foundation of exploring another world as a mercenary, acting as an intriguing take on the fantasy genre. There is still hope that the underdeveloped elements will come together in later volumes, but the inaugural release does leave this questionable.
Ultimately, the positive elements of the manga are enough to garner interest in the light novel, also by Yen Press, which shows there is strength in the story and worldbuilding. Personally, after reading the manga I intend to check out the light novel to quell my frustrations with the manga and explore the positive elements expressed in the adaptation. Still, the strong art direction and the successful comedic beats of the series make it an enjoyable read, but it is surface level at best and the light novel is, likely, the superior choice in this instance.
