Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash

Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash Vol 1
Rating: 3/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

By the time Haruhiro came to, he found himself in a game-like world filled with terrifying monsters. This world is called Grimgar. Armed with no more strength or ability than your average boy, Haruhiro struggles to survive with his fellow party members as they cobble out a mean existence, receiving mediocre pay in return for risking their lives everyday. What kind of future does this harsh, uncaring world have in store for those who are not destined to succeed, who have no prophecy to guide them--who are not heroes...

Okay SO, I gave this volume three stars BUT that's not necessarily a bad thing. I feel like this volume was a wee bit slow, but at the same time, it did intrigue me and it's built the groundwork for the next volume. It's introduced us to the characters and the situation and so on. And like I said...I am intrigued. 

I enjoyed the fact that rather than a quick flashback we got an in depth one showing us how they all arrived there, which provided the first point of intrigue as we still don't know the why. I also liked that we got to see how the world works and what it's like and so on. Granted it's a bit slow, but I did find myself slipping in to the world as I read. Getting well acquainted with the world and the setting, I'm hoping, is going to be important. I feel like this volume is also building the anticipation a bit too! 

I really liked the characters, they're kind of a bunch of misfits, and I'm a sucker for characters like that! Manato kind of holds them all together, although I did have a mini heart attack at one point because I thought he might be a bit dodgy and not what he seemed but I guess we'll see. Ranto I have to say is a complete moron...bless him. That's the thing...if this where like any other manga, then I'd just think Ranto is a moron for a good chunk of time, but we get to see a different side to him in this volume. I don't really have much of an opinion on the other characters yet to be honest. Haruhiro....I will say I'm intrigued to see what journey he'll take as a character. It could go a couple of ways! 

I'm interested to see how all of the characters will grow and change as the story goes on to be honest, particularly the ones that didn't make much of an impression in this first volume. Sorry guys! 

Each of the characters is struggling to survive in this new world that they've been thrown in to, and while that's interesting in itself...there was a good portion of this where I wasn't sure where the story was going. It's very....thorough, in its world and characters and so on. Which makes the pace drag a bit. And I'm still not really sure where this is going but I'm definitely intrigued. Especially as this ended on a nice little cliffhanger that could spice things up in the next volume!

Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash might not have been entirely what I was expecting, nor did it have the pace I'm used to in a manga, taking the more slow and steady approach. I feel like this is a good foundation for a series, and there's enough intrigue to make me want to pick up the second volume to get some answers, and to see where this is going to go!