Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon

PEAK ISEKAI FICTION HAS ARRIVED! Or is it...that leave ones to ponder so much about. At this point, I'm pretty sure that all of us know about the genre that has become the repetitive joke of the AniManga industry, with works written by more people thinking that they can bring something new to the table (a la Okashi no Tensei a.k.a Sweet Reincarnation) yet fall short when it comes to the overall plot, delivering the same major pitholes that plague many works like it. However, that's definitely not the case for novelist Hirukuma's Jidou Hanbaiki ni Umarekawatta Ore wa Meikyuu wo Samayou a.k.a Reborn as aVending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon, which is a work of pure art that delivers exactly what it brings to the masses: a typical Isekai, but one that's laden as an infomercial entertainment that is both fun and engaging. Even if you have not been to Japan before, like the majority of weebs on Earth, the Land of the Rising Sun, is a literate Otaku to these vending machines. Japan's obsession for vending machines is a real phenomenon that you can only experience there for yourself, as you can see at least a vending machine at every nook and cranny all over the huge lands and mountains serving more than the usual food and drinks, even Mount Fuji itself has some of them. Even more so, this is Hirukuma's wild rollercoaster of a story creating this work, which after losing his father from a workplace accident, he closed down the family business and turned to writing novels, which the Shousetsuka ni Narou a.k.a Syosetu website is the haven of any Japanese individuals looking to publish their stories of fiction. This, coupled with his father's death akin to giving him acrophobia a.k.a the fear of heights, with death constantly on Hirukuma's mind, he constantly thought of the things that he wanted to do before his death, and after unsuccessful attempts to break the mould, he created this work, which this final attempt was 4 years in the making, having described that "[it was] one that was fantastical and original, and one that I wanted to write [...] This wasn't a novel where I adjusted for the readers' needs, or had to think long and hard about constructing a plot. Instead, I pursued my own style for it, and it garnered the most popularity of all my work." And despite the web novel, turned into the 3-volume LN that was the best of his abilities, I've gotta say that this is one very unique Isekai that finally breaks the ever-so-mundane mould of the typical, boring, copy-paste premise that's actually worth more attention than we intitally give it for. For Hirukuma to develop a story out of Japan's insane likening to them, while it may be far from the very first AniManga to feature vending machines, it is the first to be used in an Isekai reincarnation setting. And while this concept absolutely works, it is accompanied by being a derivative of the usual cliche tropes found in Isekai: the reincarnated protagonist isn't an action hero, but rather a lead who distinguishes himself through clever use of commerce. And that lead protagonist, who's unnamed in real life, dies by being crushed to death from a falling vending machine, whom like the Otaku weeb that he is, gets reincarnated into an immobile vending machine, with his speech being limited to only stock phrases, and like every other fantasy work, is imbued with magical abilities like a defensive force field, invisibility and shapeshifting. How this sentient vending machine levels up is through the dispensing of items, and with sales, converted into points that work like the usual JRPG, from increasing strength to agility and most importantly, modifications to his versatile vending machine body. Not long after, with the encounter of a young female hunter, with her speciality being ridiculous strong power though at the expense of control, after some "Encounters of the Third Kind"-like familiarity, the two hit it off with a given name to the vending machine, both Boxxo and Lammis hit off to the wilderness, with the latter carrying the former on her back, and the story chronicles just as the show's title says: "I Now Wander the Dungeon". First off, Hirukuma's work here is just as many others have predicted: this is PEAK fiction, and it really is to an insane degree. Sure, you have TenSura's Rimuru and Kumo Desu ga, Nanika?'s Kumoko, but Jidou Hanbaiki really pushes the level of creativity and originality of someone who was uncertain to meet death anytime due to his beloved late father, and that stress may have taken a toll on him, but it truly is a work that is a literate blessing in disguise, going against the formation of a story that catered to the needs of the audience and primarily with the pursuant of his own style. For better or for worse, I'm glad that this is the comeback that Hirukuma would've thought otherwise of achieving something significant with his life, and it indefinitely creamed the crop to rake in the popularity. Because where else in the Isekai space will you be able to see enemies be defeated with Mentos and Coke, as opposed to the same-old sword and shield know-how, only in Jidou Hanbaiki a.k.a Reborn as a Vending Machine will you experience the ingenious genuity of Hirukuma's fan-fictional work. I am a huge fan of Boxxo and Lammis's relationship, to be frank. And though if you ever had a whiff of thought of Boxxo turning back into a human, there is the possibility, but it also loses the charm of what makes this show work brillantly. That said, the versatile Boxxo is literally versatile at almost everything: being able to transform into different vending machines (which should pique audiences outside of Japan of the insane variety of vending machine types) that serve as the purpose goes towards the people it treats to, not just the female hunter, whom due with her special ability of the Blessing of Might, makes her strong enough to carry Boxxo almost like a bag of sorts, which allows her to control her strength better like a mutual exchange. And despite Boxxo having a crush on Lammis, the latter is a genuine girl who really cares for her friends and loved ones, being that her parents being killed by monsters, essentially making her an orphan of an outcast. And like friends having each other's backs, Lammis holds Boxxo close to her, and if he ever goes missing for even a single beat, she will not hesitate to find him wherever he might be. All of these, and it stil remains in Hirukuma retaining a common first-person style but that perspective remains entirely Boxxo's, which allows for amusing running commentary as he attempts to justify some of the purchases he made when he was human. As is given, more setting details would be desirable, but limiting the world information to Boxxo's perspective is the strongest choice, and where Boxxo does his MC job best. The supporting characters are a whole party town of fun as well. Lammis's childhood friend Hulemy plays the older sister character relationship despite her tomboyish personality, whom her real trade of work as a talented magical item engineer creates a divergent role towards Boxxo, being able to sense that within this vending machine, lies a human soul within. The party that Lammis and Boxxo spends their story chronicles is called the Menagerie of Fools, led by the skilled fighter-cum-Captain Kerioyl and his mercenary of various magic users, which for the most part, also have a mutual exchange since Boxxo provides most of the survival coverage, and since Lammis's super glue-like closeness dictates Boxxo's every decision to make parties with the people around him, they're like a pair that provides both the supply and demand that is a beneficial trade to everyone. Everyone is a friend to each other, and you absolutely do not want to get on their bad side. The production values for Jidou Hanbaiki aren't really the best, no thanks to the Studio Gokumi & AXsiZ collaboration, and that decision is somehow made better or worse thanks to director Noriaki Akitaya, who has to continue overseeing Ayakashi Triangle, which made its comeback in part of Aniplex's mismanagement to delay the anime. Of course, you've heard me say this over and over again: a show that has 2 directors or a director who has to bide his/her time to take care of more than 1 anime at any one time is a recipe for disaster, though it seems that Noriaki Akitaya is more keen in this show, which makes up for the best of his directorial duties, even if seen here in its most miniscule of forms. However, the OST is just tip-top, the embodiment of a fan fiction work. BRADIO's OP "Fanfare" is a swinging banger of a song, but if you're like me who finds it uncomfortably slow, you can afford to tune the song at 10-15% faster speed to get some personalized beats, and if you do, it absolutely SLAPS. But please don't apply the fast speed at Peel the Apple's ED song, which can make you feel childlike all over again with its poppy, childlike tunes. Certainly, the one aspect where it reflects greatly to the show's accordion. Jidou Hanbaiki is a rather different kind of Isekai: one not to be forgotten for the ages as it easily has writing that is leaps and bounds above the average Isekai with its bizarre concept. It's a concept that is pretty hard to replicate novelist Hirukuma's success, transitioning from being a family business operator to a writer, and how personal tragedy played a key part in that. His hard-won success story is easily heartening, and I pray that if he has a chance to pick up and continue Jidou Hanbaiki, let the fate of gods be so, because this is an Isekai that I want to watch over and over again. It's a good breather and refreshing take on Isekai, I'll give it as much as that while it isn't perfect by any means. But what does matter is enjoyability, and if you're not put down by the absurdity of its deliverance, this will give you some good vending machines for the soul.