Jun 19, 2023
Finally got to the end of Book 1 before my vacation. Really good job on this - I'm a sucker for when anime tropes/style are applied in unexpected ways. My favorite concept so far has been the Soviet magical girl Aina fought. Also, I actually found that the Japanese phrases mixed in made the story a lot more interesting. Maybe it's because I watched so many subbed anime, but when a phrase came in I nodded along like it was English. Things like "Naze the fuck" or Karin pointing at herself and going "Boku?" really made this a unique blend of Western storytelling and anime tropes (and a self-awareness of them), which, considering the setting, enhanced the story in my opinion.
Aina reminds me of Nanoha with a dash of arrogance (not that that's a bad thing). If I can offer an unsolicited critique - I have mixed feelings about the Mari situation at the end there. I understand Aina was at rock bottom, though I haven't seen Utena, so maybe I'm missing something there, but it did seem a bit cold-blooded, even if she felt bad about it after. I'm not opposed to darker protagonists, or protagonists becoming darker, so perhaps this'll be Aina going for, but the actual catalyst behind the murder seemed to be missing. Mari didn't seem more than (admittedly, uncomfortable for her) annoyance, nor did she initiate the fight at the end. This is also only the end of Book 1, so a bit early to tell on my part. I'm interested to see how Aina's character and the story goes forward.
All in all, really entertaining. Won't be able to read more until I get back in July, but looking forward to reading books 2 and 3 (and your contest novel).
And Karin is (was) best girl. Think I'll be on Team Jin now.
