I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too Volume 1 Review

I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too Volume 1 may be a wordy title (I’m noticing a trend of wordy titles), but I love this light novel from Yen Press. The story is terrific despite one part making me grit my teeth in annoyance. Written by Miku with illustrations by Rein Kuwashima and translation by Noboru Akimoto, I stayed up till the early morning to read this. After all, who would not want to get a skill from a game-like world and bring it here? As a gamer, I hands down love this! I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World Volume 1 has a sweet, clueless central character and a fascinating story. 

Yuuya Tenjou is the eldest of three. He is overweight, with thinning hair and acne, and feels inferior to everyone around him. His twin siblings, Youta and Sora, classmates, and teachers bully him. His parents are not any better. They may not abuse Yuuya to the extent he is at school, but they neglect him. When Yuuya’s grandfather dies, leaving everything to him, Yuuya’s parents write him off. After moving into his grandfather’s home, Yuuya finds a strange door that leads to a cabin in another world. 

A Game World That Transfers To Our World

Inside, he finds rare weapons in the cabin and receives a set of titles that make the home and surrounding property safe for him. This world works like a video game where Yuuya can check his stats, level, and skills. Thanks to the overpowered Absolute Spear, it never misses its target—Yuuya kills a level 300 Blood Ogre trying to enter his property despite Yuuya only being level 1.

Any gamer knows the more formidable, higher level the opponent, the better item drops and the faster you level. BP is what a person earns in this world to spend on whatever skills they want; Attack, Agility, Mana, Intelligence, Defense, and Luck. He spends most on Attack, Defense, and Luck but does not realize those skills also transfer to the real world.

As a gamer, I enjoyed reading I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too, because both worlds exist together. In other stories, the player is in a game or the real world, but here this world seems to lie alongside our world. To be able to level stats and have it crossover to the real world is already tempting, but to be able to sell rare items in that world and get money to spend in the real world is a dream come true.  

Yuuya Is Too Good To Be True, But We Need Those Kinds Of Characters Now

Another critical part that makes the story enjoyable is Yuuya’s first-person narration. As events unfold from his perspective it shows a glimpse into how he views the world and himself. Before he gets attack skills, Yuuya steps in to protect Ousei Academy student Kaori Houjou when some guys try to grab her at a convenience store. He stepped up while others watching did nothing. As his stats increase in the other world, Yuuya’s body changes in the real world, yet Yuuya stays Yuuya. Yuuya struggles to communicate because he is nervous and scared, but he has a strong sense of right and wrong, thanks to his grandfather.

While Yuuya’s appearance changes drastically, Kaori recognizes him because his kind eyes do not change. Kaori and her father convince him to attend the elite Ousei Academy because of his kindness, not his looks. I loved when Kaori drags Youta and Sora when they claim they deserve to attend Ousei more than Yuuya. To hear Kaori explain that their elite school prizes character above all needs to transfer our world asap.

Like A Daydream Come To Life

I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Became Unrivaled in the Real World, Too Volume 1 is an excellent escape because our world does not measure worth by character. I am tired of the “big person loses weight and suddenly everyone wants them” kinds of stories. But this light novel does not rely on that to be the source of entertainment. The story blends fantasy and slice-of-life well with Yuuya’s narration, making I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World Volume 1 a delightful read.