Review by Frank Plowright

Waz is good-hearted and incredibly powerful, accompanied by Meru, a baby dragon. He’s also a wanderer, his meanderings prompted by learning his beloved wasn’t prepared to wait the two years he spent acquiring enlightenment, during which she married someone else. Never mind, as revealed in The One, Later On… 1, after an initial mistrust Sarona the elf has decided he’s worth bothering with and is trailing his journey. A recurring theme is how Waz lost his guild card, so lacks accreditation from the Adventurer’s Guild, and an early scene in this volume sees him dragged into their office.

As before, Miya Kazutomo adapts a novel written by NAHAaTO, with Waz characterised as impetuous, keen to take on tasks he feels will inflate his status, but without thinking the possible downsides through. It’s why he accepts the task of dealing with a dragon, an assignment most adventurers would steer well clear of. It turns out to be both a little easier and a little more complicated than assumed.

The first volume suffered from a lack of logic, too many things either randomly introduced or happening because it was convenient, impacting on enjoyment. That hasn’t entirely vanished. We now learn, for instance, that Meru can make objects disappear, and another randomly introduced ability of dragons has a greater impact later. However, this time it doesn’t diminish the comedy to the same degree. Perhaps it’s just a case of needing to slide into synch with The One Later On…

Concerns about artist Nariie Shinichiro’s ability to draw clear action scenes aren’t as obvious here because there aren’t any. It better highlights the definition of people and what they’re feeling. The drawing slips between comedy and more serious matters with ease, and Waz is given the personality of an amiable goon.

However, all too often distasteful aspects intrude. Waz having a harem is an ongoing ‘joke’, and while this is a fantasy comedy of embarrassment, was there any need to have Waz rewarded with a visit to a brothel? It supplies a new plot, but that could have been introduced in any number of ways. Complications with that plot take us into The One, Later On… 3. There’s a definite cultural chasm here, with items seemingly trivially funny in Japan leaving an uneasy feeling, and it’s difficult to divorce that from the light-hearted tone that otherwise prevails.