The idea of setting up shop in another world isn’t exactly a unique one, but seeing all sorts of different takes on similar ideas is part of the fun of light novels. Peddler in Another World: I Can Go Back to My World Whenever I Want! doesn’t really do much to stand out, but it seems like an idea worth exploring.
Peddler in Another World is only available digitally in English. If you’d like to pick up physical copies of the Japanese version of light novels like this for your collection, using ZenMarket, who have kindly sponsored this article, is a convenient way to get them. They’re an import service that focuses on helping to order items from Japan, consolidating packages to keep the delivery costs down, and sending items worldwide. We’ve given an overview of our experience with their service and how to use it in a previous article.
Equivalent Exchange
Peddler in Another World opens with Shiro Amata wandering into another world. His grandmother went missing, leaving him with her house, a letter explaining that she was a witch from a fantasy-esque world, and a few items.
Considering that he walked through a closet to see two moons in the sky, he quickly comes to terms with the fact that it’s real, as are the items granting him special skills and the ability to use the language of that world.
These skills grant him the ability to store items and change money between the local currency and Japan’s. Perfect to go into business selling more advanced items to the locals, and it certainly came with great timing too as he recently quit an exploitative company, and having even won money off them in court. He’s got funds to try something new, plenty of time, and the motivation to go his own way.
He finds himself earning money quickly, and blessed with fortunate encounters, often with cute girls or beautiful women. Peddler in Another World is very much a wish-fulfillment fantasy and is not reserved about it at all. Everything goes Shiro’s way more or less with plenty of opportunities to show what a good guy he is.
With that said a few things did seem a little too convenient even with the suspension of disbelief needed for an isekai fantasy. The first eight-year-old girl he runs into both needing help and being able to help him is already a stretch, if not too unusual in fiction. That she happens to know the average monthly salary, how to register a shop, and being able to do some maths despite an apparent lack of schooling seems too far.
Isekai Merchant
While Peddler in Another World doesn’t have much in the way of tension or adventure, it’s enjoyable to see how he builds connections with new people.
Between Shiro’s willingness to throw around money and showing his kindness at every turn, he attracts quite a few people. There’s Aina, the young girl who he finds selling flowers who needs to earn money, the beautiful mayor who wants to revitalize the town, the money-loving guild receptionist, and a good-natured party of adventurers.
Many of them have their own issues which Shiro helps them face, but as this is a rather low-tension story, there’s very little in the way of challenges and even the most serious are resolved quickly. Instead, it spends more time on moments like showing how cute Aina acts, teasing the easily-flustered major (Aina often trying to pair her with Shiro), or mentioning how cute the characters with animal ears are.
The scenes showing off the effect new items have are entertaining too. The sheer shock people have at seeing matches was amusing to read and it actually takes their introduction and knock-on effects further than I expected, instead of just having them sold and used to make a ton of money.
Art
The art is by Takashi Iwasaki, who worked on the light novel of The Dawn of the Witch. It highlights a number of key moments and all of the key characters. There was some particularly nice detail in an image where a character found himself being punched and the character designs look great.
Verdict
On reading Volume 1 of Peddler in Another World: I Can Go Back to My World Whenever I Want!, I can’t say it feels like anything special. Despite this, it has a charm to it. It’s that slow-life fantasy to briefly escape from a life of work and boredom. Not every novel has to be filled with action or laughs and instead I found how relaxing and laid back this story was to be its appeal.
Even if the plot doesn’t feel like the main attraction, it does add an important hook hinting at the plot for volume 2. I already enjoyed reading this, but that left me wanting to pick up the next book even more to see where it leads.
PEDDLER IN ANOTHER WORLD: I CAN GO BACK TO MY WORLD WHENEVER I WANT! IS RECOMMENDED
Thanks again go to ZenMarket for sponsoring this article. If you’d like to import any goods from Japan, please consider checking out their service and don’t forget to use code NOOKGAMING when signing up for 800 Yen worth of ZenPoints toward delivery.
If you’re into light novels, check out our review of volume one of Management of Novice Alchemist. We have also covered many other light novels, which you can check out here.
A gamer since the days of Amstrad and DOS and someone who has dabbled in a variety of professions. He enjoys a wide variety of genres, but has been focusing on visual novels and virtual reality in recent years. Head Editor of NookGaming. Follow him and the website on @NookSite.
