When things are the darkest … look beyond for help.
Creative Staff:
Art By: Grrr
Original Story By: Irinbi
Translation: Kakao Entertainment
Lettering By: Shirley Chen
What They Say:
From cooking to alchemy to even brewing tea, Ailette Rodeline is a certifiable child prodigy thanks to her secret weapon: She’s a transmigrator! Having purchased an insurance package at the moment of her untimely end, Ailette has the perks of a top-tier support system and item shop to fall back on. And in the world of a notoriously brutal time-loop novel, she’s going to need all the help she can get – because with the hero slated for an early death, Ailette might just have become an S-class heroine herself!
Content (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
In the world she once knew, news reports called it the Age of Transmigration, events where people were reported missing with no plausible explanation, causing chaos due to none knowing when or where it could happen to anyone, yet it was one of these moments which caused the accident that claimed its latest victim. As she lay in the street bleeding and emergency personnel attempted to save her life, the only thing which occupied those last thoughts were intense pain and a mysterious spam text offering the sale of life insurance, and it is through her hazy vision that she confirmed the odd purchase. Upon opening her eyes, the woman saw long lines of customers being served, but as she looked around in a daze and attempted to interpret what was going on, she overheard the term Transmigration Assessment, not knowing how to accept what now seemed obvious, when suddenly a calm voice from behind confirms her worst fear, and upon turning she sees the speaker as a cute corgi hovering with angelic wings and gazing at a tablet, bluntly stating she is dead. As it addresses her with a nonsensical title, the conversation proceeds in a very professional manner, treating the afterlife as a business transaction and the deceased as customers who are shuffled off to their next destination after answering questions concerning their reading habits, molding their next world to best suit what was their favorite literary genre, to which the confused woman replies she wants to be in childcare romance fantasy, allowing her to forget the cruelty of her past and live anew in the least dangerous place, doted upon by a wealthy family and being able to take it easy. Upon hearing this request, the cheerful pup takes every factor into consideration and tells her to look at the screen, she’s now horrified to see the title of the book and it is assigned as an S-class world, but as she falls into depression for this being the opposite of what she wanted, receptionists at the counters begin to gossip amongst themselves of how supremely difficult such a novel would be to complete. While the attendant attempts to make the synopsis sound more optimistic by declaring she will be reborn as a cute girl with pink hair, it completes the summary by proclaiming she will live in a mansion as a servant who is exploited by the nobles, with the same wicked people constantly mistreating the heroic protagonist. However, before she can protest, the poor woman is hurriedly ushered off toward the portal, only for the practiced agent to be surprised to see upon its tablet she is the first one to purchase a full transmigration insurance package, boldly affirming there is nothing to worry about, but as she pauses to ask the meaning behind this cryptic statement, swirling energy takes hold and she is whisked off to a new life.
In Summary:
For those acquainted with the isekai genre, one might have high expectations for such a brazen title such as The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine, S-class the most difficult or denoting someone as the most powerful warrior, yet upon attempting to heft this weighty tome, one cannot compare the bold prospects for this book with the high-quality print material, the cute cover by artist Grrr of our unexpected heroine Ailette immediately charming a prospective reader, with the endearing outward grin almost daring us to challenge her, even as she lovingly holds a book close to her chest, as if it is the most precious treasure, and she will not let it go without a fight, even as we may be momentarily distracted by the dazzling rainbow foil title. Yet it is not until turn past this taunting image are we surprised by what awaits us within, not the normal Japanese monochrome manga but a slick coated stock which allows the South Korean digital production to stand out, the full-color imagery presented to an appreciative audience, with each panel a marvelous page and a wondrous distraction for the reader, even if we may question if this book might be printed screenshots from some unknown anime of the same name. While the opening depiction of our unnamed character may bestow that impression, with newscasters and her accident seemingly frozen moments in time, it is the presentation afterward which are more fluid, and thus swiftly dismisses any such negativity, allowing the delightful appeal of what is to come to presented through appealing precociousness of Ailette.
As experienced isekai readers prepare to dive into this bold book, one cannot but be wary of the title itself, for while writer Irinbi may attempt to separate their work by using an unfamiliar term such as the Age of Transmigration, manga fans know it by a different name – ”spirited away”. It is mentioned within the story itself that our protagonist’s life was cut short by a system error, and even if the gods may be embarrassed by their mistake, charming Ailette easily takes advantage of them since our heroine also knows what will happen, her knowledge reinforced by another benefit granted by the giving deities called the Comprehensive Library, containing all of the books she has ever bought and thus allowing for past information to expand her chances to survive. If that was not enough, the narrative begins to become understandably exasperating since her full transmigration insurance package also includes an astonishing monetary death benefit, thus allowing purchase of fantastic skills within her item shop, causing what could have been an amusing story to drastically embrace known fantasy and role-playing game tropes, thus changing her written destiny and become someone who is mildly admirable, even if she may be cheating. As the dust clears, we cannot but smile as Ailette uses these new powers to her full advantage, changing the role she once had in this literary landscape and bettering the life of her family, all while cleverly eliminating any foul obstacles that would hinder her enjoyment of this new life.
The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine may present itself as standard isekai story with a bold title, but as the misunderstandings of a cute god make our protagonist’s new life into what could have been a miserable disaster, it is the unexpected choice of a cloudy consciousness that changes everything with surprising results, converting what could have been a depressing story into an amusing narrative with comical cheat level skills. As delightful and colorful imagery expands upon the wonderment of Ailette’s new world, powerfully reflecting her depressing past against the joyful scenes of her own made happiness, one cannot but question if the story will ever touch upon what could have been of her old character’s family, since every step she takes now has substantially changed what would have been into happier results and a better tomorrow. Yet as this confused isekai traveler charms her way into what was once a corrupt noble mansion, forever changing former enemies into friends, it makes one wonder if her once S-Class story will also become better, with the once troubled hero now succeeding by himself or will she also join the difficult fray to defeat the approaching demon army with her new allies, or find a different path toward the same goal.
Content Grade: A-
Art Grade: A-
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: A-
Age Rating: Teen
Released By: Ize Press/Yen Press
Release Date: May 21, 2024
MSRP: $20.00
