So I'm a Spider, So What? Light Novel Review

[@linkhuesitos15]

Well, Shun chapters are infact made to be generic (a more common isekai) and make contrast with Kumo story (exactly how you said). Way later (even the japanese LN hasn't reach this point so only the Web Novel readers know it for now) on the story these chapter are crucial to the plot as pieces to the chronology. Fun fact: the author said in a Q&A that the "S" in the chapters name is for "Mary Sue", at the start she planned the side story with another female protagonist but later changed it to be more generic (male MC with an harem) but she still wanted to use the "S" and this is how Sue was created as a joke to herself.

[@Lowlightt]

Exactly this. Shun chapters are used to draw contrast to the main characters plight. Its used to create a GAP. Something sadly lost in the manga version. MC has to eat poison to survive. That sucks when we read it. We feel bad for the MC. However when that is followed or proceeded with Shun eating a feast, we instead create a GAP. The stark differences in experiences for Shun the (typical iseki character) and our MC makes her plight seem even worse. A perfect example is when she thinks shes a cheat character because of all the bonus points she started with. Only to have a shun chapter where his bonus points are more than 100x more than hers. The shun chapters while not necessarily as interesting for the MC significantly help paint the MC as a more likeable character. The contrast accentuates all of her characteristics making her more endearing.

[@android19willpwn]

Which is great and all but... in the LNs those chapters take up half the story. Which is too much for something intentionally generic. Kumo Desu is annoying because there's no best way to read it. The LNs give Shun to much screentime, the manga cuts him out entirely (which is better but his contrast is a nice touch) and covers the least material by far, and the WN is overall much rougher and less well paced, in addition to lacking high quality translations. I personally think the manga is the best available for what there is of it, but... it's annoying that the pieces are all there but are never put together in the same place.

[@linkhuesitos15]

​@@android19willpwn The point of S chapters are that they only works as Worldbuilding, Foreshadow and show how much some characters from Kumoko's time has changed. This is why in the moment Kumoko starts her adventure on the outside world (after volume 5) the S chapters are completely forgotten and new Sub-Plot Lines start (Blood, Oni, Old Man, etc chapters). Another point that the S chapters show is that no matter how well intended you're, if you're not prepared the enemy is going to swep the floor with you. Shun and Co had what? 3 years of combat trainning in school and had almost no coordination between the Reincarnators meanwhile their enemies had 18+ years of pure battle experience and had a well defined strategy for that battle. Shun had a fantasy life but it ended in the moment he set a foot on the real world. Also Shun being so generic/stupid has an in-universe reason and is later explained on Kumoko's story (Hint: He's sometimes called the "Corrupted Hero" by the other party). Personally I like the manga but it's far from being the best adaptation of the story. It's just ridiculous how much the mangaka needs to go out of the story and canon to stay in his comfort zone (introducing with it some plot holes). Did you noticed how in the battle with humans Kumoko it's treated as a monstrosity but we never see her as such because she is still in her chibi form just a little darker. Meanwhile on the LN Kumoko's entries on the Monster Enciclopedia always have both appearances. And without mentioning that that battle is a censored version of the same scene on the LN which is also a censored version of the WN scene.

[@android19willpwn]

@@linkhuesitos15 I did notice that. It was the right call. Having the main design for a character being a self-interpretation that doesn't reflect what they actually look like works fine when you only see that character on the cover and the occasional insert illustration (even if I don't care for her LN design much). However manga is a visual medium, in which we are constantly seeing our main character. Having that design be completely different from what she actually looks like would not work in that context, and the manga design strikes a good balance between spider-like and expressive for it to work both ways. Cute and goofy with access to all of her internal expressions, but creepy and monstrous with the blank stare seen from the outside. And I don't give a shit how much of an explanation there is for Shun being boring, if you spend half the novel on a boring character I'm going to get bored. Better to cut him out entirely than give him that much spotlight, though I'll admit again that the WN handles that plotline best. That's not enough to put it ahead of the manga though, given all the other issues it shares with most other web novels (especially for a Western reader)

[@Avatarbee]

I wouldn't really call Shun a "Mary Sue". He is a goody two shoes but the story makes it quite clear that he is easily manipulated, to rightous for his own good and honestly a bit slow on the uptake. After volume 2 I enjoyed his chapters almost as much as kumoke her chapters.

[@VladLad]

Kumoko is peak introvert. We get to see all the thoughts going through her head, and they are all over the place, but as soon as she actually has to talk to someone she just freezes and resorts to one word answers if she even decides to speak in the first place

[@snuckytoes8427]

Spoilers This continues even after becoming a literal GOD. It’s hilarious to me that she is one of the most powerful beings in this world and is theoretically capable of anything and she STILL keeps her introverted personality.

[@igorporfiirio4915]

I just read a chapter where she fainted because someone touched her shoulder

[@spideymenz5738]

We came into the series for Kumoko We stayed for the plot twists and reveals in later chapters All hail our arachnid goddess

[@yakisoba1816]

Spoiler I really liked the part where power of friendship can't save shun and his party from getting their ass kicked by crazy yandere vampire Sophia.

[@perfectpreps6786]

SAME. It was one of the only parts of shuns story I liked

[@solitzpvp4166]

actually his power of friendship totally saved Karnatia xD

[@perfectpreps6786]

@Noor_Rot1 all honesty I think thats what they where going for I mean they did all reincarnate

[@thonker]

I love this series so much, Kumoko is really a refreshing isekai protagonist been a female monster who is self aware and savy. Both the LN and the manga are interesting and can hook you up quickly. LONG LIVE KUMOKO. P.S. When she start thinking in magic... Hilarious.

[@hugoresendiz3045]

I just read volume 4 from the LN should I start the manga?!! Or even worth reading the WN? since the LN has newer material and the anime apparently will follow the LN D:

[@Shiraori.]

@@hugoresendiz3045 Honestly, if I was you I would read both. IMO the WN is pretty good as well. I don't like the Manga as I don't think it works well. Anyway, the WN and LN will differ a lot when It comes to a certain point. I guess it's your choice ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@hugoresendiz3045]

@@Shiraori. Oh hahaha its 10 months old I finished the last translated LN and started the WN after :P

[@Shiraori.]

@@hugoresendiz3045 nice lol

[@hugoresendiz3045]

@Sher Thiss it means webnovel

[@thegardenofesim1174]

Nai waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I love the part when she got treated as something akin to a god and even starting a war

[@nicholasgonzalez531]

Pretty sure that is the web novel

[@khulmach9662]

Does it happen in the light Novel as well?

[@nicholasgonzalez531]

@@khulmach9662 idk. I only read the web novel but the web novel is further ahead

[@khulmach9662]

@@nicholasgonzalez531 okay

[@WormyMaster]

I just got to chapter 225 or sth of the Webnovel. Damn that power escalation... Where do you read the WN? The translation I'm reading kinda ruins the whole thing with terrible grammar and emotionless speech. Basically like reading a bad synopsis...

[@ruud9761]

Agree with the review. I found the side stories also lacking at first, but in volume 3 this changed for me. The contrast is really big between both sides (spider and the classmate Shun) which made me really start to look forward to the first inevitable interaction between them. But this will take volumes to take place. But this inevitable upcoming interaction gave the side stories an actual meaning to exist, and thus made them more interesting for me to read. Another point you need to keep in mind. The spider, Shun and hero stories do NOT follow the same timeline. The side stories of Shun take place 10+ years after the spider was actually born if I'm correct.

[@VladLad]

It is a story that makes you think. Granted it makes you think by way of withholding information, which seems counter productive to me but I think it is fine. Practically all of the side stories that take place from the perspective of the 'demon side' leave you with very little clue of what is going on, who the characters are, and who they are talking about, although this makes it more exciting when we finally get a clue of whatever the hell is going, I think they should've atleast given a tad bit more context.

[@asiank9633]

In all honesty it took me 300 chapters to realize that the side stories are timelines from the future.

[@TheMyuken]

Shun is the trope for isekai protagonist. His part of the story can be boring if you're looking at it as an independent story but it is a supporting story, it brings worldbuilding you can't get in the dungeon with kumoko and for later events it brings a lot of elements to the intrigue throught the time scale difference and an other point of view than Kumoko's own I must also point out that the build up for some fights are amazing

[@bloody4558]

I also have to add that Shun is not the only character that gets his sidestory, other characters also get their turn, including some that happens in the same timeline as kumoko herself, such as the summoner and mage who enters the dungeon to investigate rumors of a unique spider monster, and other characters which are actually are pretty unique and fun to read unlike Shun.

[@slevinchannel7589]

It started good. I'm a spider so what starts out really good but goes downhill HARD. I mean, really: I was a big fan and was outright astonished about the Quality Drop. ...Wow. Rarely have i seen a light novel mess up like that. The Author ruined the stuff and one can pinpoint the exact Page, which is not normal. Pinpointing the exact page, i mean. It's sure special, this light novel. It ruined itself and went to the extremly wrong Route (The God-Route or however you want to call it.) Impressive. It really ruined itself completly.

[@Gamerkid124]

@@slevinchannel7589 When and how? I'm reading the official english translation of the LN amd eagerly awaiting the next volume and I haven't seen this quality drop that you're talking about.

[@ItsDaKoolaidDude]

@@slevinchannel7589 I'm sitting here waiting and wondering where's that quality drop as well, mate

[@slevinchannel7589]

@@ItsDaKoolaidDude Yeah. And yet, this Spider-Light-Novel/Manga/Anime is a rather low-level case. Theres worse. So much worse.

[@ryldmeh251]

One thing I find interesting is the authors use of foreshadowing. Whenever it goes into the shun sections of the story, it has little hints about what might happen to kumoko. Considering the massive 10 year gap between the shun storyline and kumoko’s, we don’t know what happened to her and where she is. This actually made me enjoy the chapters narrated by shun and the other characters, because it provided clues as to her whereabouts 10 years later, building up to the big reveal.

[@greggaygayakutami1402]

Slime Loli Rimuru: *English YES* Spider Waifu Kumoko: *NAI WA*

[@levylost8550]

@Siddharth wtf

[@sprucedragondimensions3543]

@Siddharth yeah agreed. The mc in that show is... questionable

[@DKQuagmire]

Rimuru is a 37 year old man! his human form when reincarnated as a slime is androgynous, since a lot of his features mimic those of the woman Shizu, who he ingested after she died. but i love Kumoko! currently waiting for a dubbed version of episode 21 to come out, while i watch the dub of slimey boy!

[@Dragonian05]

Truth be told, I enjoyed the Shun chapters every bit as much as Kumoko’s chapters. Granted he does come out as generic, but there is more to him than simply being “the hero”. He has some of his own personality flaws and quirks to have individuality in his own right.

[@mrshark797]

At first I dislike the Shun chapters but later enjoyed them as the story progresses and we see how the actions and plots in his sections affect the story.

[@brendaluv2017]

It might be the author's way of roasting the hero trope

[@kirbyjoe7484]

For those who enjoyed this story you should check out "The Girl Who Ate Death" and "The Girl Who Bore the Fire Ring." They are well written novels with interesting and morally grey female protagonists.

[@sancturillore]

I second that.

[@Lowlightt]

Or read the Faraway Paladin, or my personal fav "Release That Witch"

[@noariiat2121]

@@Lowlightt I agree, Release that witch was a fun read... until the 2nd big arc

[@eliasschellenbaum6353]

I'm a Spider so what? and the Girl who ate a Death God are my favorite LN.

[@joshlamb3058]

The girl who ate death is on the top of my list more so became of its almost legendary world building and how it made a fictional war that on spaned 34 chapters into a war you could look at being told in history class for its impeccable strategy and underhanded undertones. A true mini masterpiece. Never read flame ring but I have that on my radar

[@Master10k2]

Shun's storyline became interesting to me, once they finally cleared up the timeline in volume 2.

[@gabrielamaral55]

can you tell me where to read shun's storyline, the place where I read this novel only has kumoko's storyline

[@android19willpwn]

ironically enough I thought his storyline tanked as it went on. There's fun world-building and character interactions throughout volume 1, fewer of them in volume 2, and by the time we get to volume 3 all the characters have become bland cardboard cutouts. It gets rolling again in the second half of volume 5 but it's not enough.

[@dr.ordinary4505]

Yo can you tell me which chapter of the light novel is synced with the latest chap of the manga? Or is the much of the storyline of the manga different from the novel?

[@slevinchannel7589]

It started good. I'm a spider so what starts out really good but goes downhill HARD. I mean, really: I was a big fan and was outright astonished about the Quality Drop. ...Wow. Rarely have i seen a light novel mess up like that. The Author ruined the stuff and one can pinpoint the exact Page, which is not normal. Pinpointing the exact page, i mean. It's sure special, this light novel. It ruined itself and went to the extremly wrong Route (The God-Route or however you want to call it.) Impressive. It really ruined itself completly.

[@Za_Ra_bruh]

@@slevinchannel7589 what you don't like about that?

[@flameloude]

I enjoy how shun chapters are played stright. It really helps kumoko's as a type of support chapter. Also the world building adds alot

[@Aurilion44]

Thanks for reviewing one of my most favourite Novels :D This series is incredibly good, and there is a shift of general direction in the story later on. It is from that point that characters and story becomes even better. Moreover, there is also some pretty heavy deconstrucion elements present which are always good :)

[@arent2295]

It's confusing at first but you'll get used to it.

[@stefanob.6838]

This is without doubt one of the best isekai ever made. SPOILER DON'T READ: I love how the side stories will be represented from Kumoko/Shiro's point of view later because are disalined from the main timeline, they happen in the future. And how they were incredibly directly influenced by our Mahou Shoujo Magical Kumoko⭐ it gives a sense of completeness to all the story. And it was incredibly when she met D and we finally understand what you Kumo desu ga nani ka really means 😂😂😂. Damn i really love this story and its protagonist

[@Fisherman___73]

I personally loved shun’s side of the story. But not because i loved shun and the rest as characters, but because it was entertaining to (spoilers) See the whole story of kumo and Sophia, and to see where kumo is, in contrast to the actual chapters that depict her story as a spider.

[@israelnarvaez3593]

no me encanta shun no seda cuenta del entorno en el que vive

[@tfavors28]

Once Shun’s storyline ends in volume 4, they strongly focus on Kumoku’s story or events that directly correlate to it. However by this point the charm of her earlier fights against monsters is slipping as the story focuses on relationships and friendships a bit more.

[@LukasJampen]

Glad the web novel I read first skipped all the shun stuff completely since there it was all from kumos perspective. So it only was about what she actually saw of them.

[@assgoblin3981]

You got a good translation link?

[@sauciine]

Regarding the S-chapters, I agree with you somewhat. It started off as boring and generic as hell and I always had this urge to just skip it and go back to Kumoko. But after a while, with more and more information coming into play and how it started tying into Kumoko's story, I was beginning to like them a bit more and even started anticipating them. I really enjoyed piecing together the timeline and the feelings of euphoria I got when I solved something. And when I saw the reveal at the end of S7 in Volume 5, I was DESPERATELY wanting more. Unfortunately as of the ninth volume, there hadn't been any new S-chapters ever since and probably won't be until the tenth or maybe even eleventh volume. I finish these volumes to damn fast and they come too damn slow...

[@t84t748748t6]

so i read the manga and i like it unlike overlord she doesnt start out high lv and unlike a certian slime shey does get in live or death places wich i like beeing overpowerd/ perfect gets old fast

[@mdpyosu4497]

I think I just fell in love with this channel

[@davifelizardo4187]

02:58 *Major spoilers for the later parts of the story, if you still don't have reach the end of volume 09 please don't read my comment* I could not disagree more for what you said, the case of Hugo turn in a psycopath is much more link with the fact that he was reborn in a military nation where power is the most important thing to stay alive and well, he staying isolate from other reincarnated people when he is a baby and dealing with the fact that he is now in another world with magic, doesn't know how speak the language of that world and again have to deal with the pressure of being a prince of a military nation because if he is weak he will be discarded by his new famile and probably will die, combine with the cheat rate of progression that he has as a reincarnated and the incredible amount of Skill Points that he recive whem born( remenber that Shun has 100.000 and Katia 50.000) give him the mental excuse for beliving that he was the protagonist of this world, hence the psycopathic tendences, and the motive behind his narrative is to shield and protect him from all the shit that is happening to hiw, but his narrative is broken when he meet Shun, somone with a fast rate of grow that him and after this he loses all the skills because Oka-chan futher droving him mad. And the final nail in the cofin is that the only friend he has in the school died when he was a baby(Hugo doesn't know that but this not change the fact that his only friend, the only person who could understand and empathise with him is now dead cutting all hope of he been redeeming). Sorry if my comment is difficult to read because english is not my native language and I have a much better time listening that speaking or writing. *Fun Fact:* Wrath is for me a character that the autor treat as a foil to Hugo, both decide discard their names, both are in really mess up situations after being born with Wrath watching the massacre of his village, being turn into a slave and killing his sister and eating her and Hugo with the situation addressed above, both have a significant relationship with Shun before the events in the story( with the only difference being that Wrath was a friend of Shun and Hugo doesn't get along very well with him) and both being troublemakers with Wrath often enter into fights and Hugo being kind of a bully in class but both being considered nice guys by the people who know them. The only major difference in the story is that Wrath is save by Kumoko after he is almost consumed by the Wrath skill and is given a purpose by her after the event( *side note:* I think that the relationship between Shiro and Wrath is poorly devoloped in the Web Novel because she doesn't do much for him and he doesn't get a solid motive to join Shiro and Ariel side but with the changes that the story is suffering in the oficial publication of the Light Novel I'm anxious to see if the relationship between them will be improve) and Hugo doesn't recive the help or suport of nobody instead Oka take all his strength and hold him capitive in a dungeon with guard to watch him, nice job teacher👍 kkkkkk.

[@tzeyuon6089]

Holy sh1t a new video

[@AshenVictor]

There is a point to the human side of the story. It shows all the different ways they have engaged with and adapted to the new world as a contrast to Shun who really hasn't. Shun has been sheltered and nothing has really made him change the way he thinks about the world, he still has a mentality rooted in modern Japan and its expectations of the rule of law and modern morality. Meanwhile the others around him, Yuri and Katia, have had vast changes in their circumstances, either being born with a completely different body or being orphaned and raised by a church. Hugo has taken all the gamelike elements of the world to heart and started treating it as a game and the people in it as NPCs which is what starts him on the path he later takes.

[@zlacyosh6533]

Ah yes spider queen

[@kingdoppelganger8951]

I really like your channel a lot. You explain these in an entertaining way that makes sense and don’t have a lot of annoying fluff. And I appreciate it a lot. I’m glad this video helped me find this channel

[@names1139]

I feel like the fact that they give they spider a god damn nose in some drawings irritates and disgusts me to no end.

[@alejandrocastro966]

Glad I'm not the only one that groaned and hoped shuns chapters would end.

[@chrishubbard64]

When the start of spiders story was a near direct ripoff of slime I realized early on that the shun chapters were similar. Written the way they were to provide a contrast. When rimuru is reborn as a weak slime monster he quickly stumbles over nigh ultimate power via veldora. When spider meets this dungeons version of veldora (her spider momma) there is no loving embrace and supreme power up. instead she spends like 3-4 novels, i forget how many, desperately fighting for survival as she grows strong enough to TAKE that power. When rimuru gets all these powerful skills right off the bat, she gets a near useless appraisal skill that takes a significant length of time to become useful, and has to figure out how to use the rest of her abilities the hard way, fighting for her life. So the slime comparison that many make was done on purpose to demonstrate that in many ways its the exact opposite. Rimuru leaves the cave in less than half a book as a slime god, our spider leaves the caverns multiple books later much stronger but VERY aware that she is not the biggest fish in the pond by far. So yeah, back to the start, the shun chapters to me seem meant to demonstrate how not like a normal isekai spider is by showing us what a "normal" isekai would be. As you said, bland protagonist with some super special bonus, in his case absurd skill points to work with, ready made harem with dramatic issues involved there, the smart pet best friend, vague nonspecific threat to humanity the Hero (tm) must fight, the smart guide who has their own agenda, etc. Its all pretty standard stuff, and we see how much it sucks in comparison to our main character and her adventures. Though its also giving us info we will eventually need. Im only just now about to start book 8 myself, so a big change happened and this book will be dealing with that im sure, but so far im loving the series and cant wait to see how it ends.

[@DT-vc7hd]

Best LN series I've read in a long while

[@FoxElliott]

Crazy how when you don't make the main female protagonist just some generic eyecandy you can actually focus on writing a good character and story.

[@MaxHDAvenger]

I'll looking forward to Kumoko soon.

[@mrcat4508]

And apparently they are so generic that the manga just cut it all out (4/2/2019)

[@thewiggleman4199]

It sorta sucks though, there’s A LOT of foreshadowing in the side chapters ( or atleast in the WL ) also the side chapters rarely talk about Kumo indirectly, giving a tad more info on how the humans see her.

[@HeavyMoonshine19]

Biggest mistake of the manga, which is unfortunate considering that the manga has such a great artstyle of kumoku, unlike the light novels weird human eyes on actual spider.

[@apolyon72]

@@HeavyMoonshine19 she does not actually have those eyes, those are just the result of her own delusional mind (in the LN she literally admit early on that she has no idea what she really looks like). vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/kumo-desu-ga-nani-ka/images/3/3e/Ede_Saine_Sheet.PNG/revision/latest?cb=20180816193212 See that form in the background? That's what she actually looks like, that's what the humans see when looking at her and that's why they're so terrified of her.

[@HenriqueErzinger]

The worst part of the manga having cut those chapters is that those characters are important later on, so it most likely mean they are not planing to adapt the full story, and it'll provably deviate and end early, working just as a promotional tool for the LN.

[@yumri4]

@@HenriqueErzinger Well time line wise the chapters cut out go around where volume 9 of the light novel is. So due to the in story time difference it might have not made sense if they went farther along and stuff that didn't happen yet in one time already happened in the other. You also have all the humans die in LN volume 3 after which it just follows the spider girl around until i think volume 5 or 6 at which point the vampire baby girl is introduced and they group up together. The story follows them. The spider girl dies again but is saved by D ( a god ) and is made a goddess herself by him trading all her skills and levels in for her being made a goddess and a human. She does not seem to like to be human anymore as she got used to having so many eyes legs and mouths. Still even when she was made a goddess to "save" her timeline wise all the humans who died in volume 3 were alive.

[@chaflem6333]

2:21 ceazy ?? Ithink it's bizarre Ya know . cuz that's a jojo reference

[@sniclops15]

*WEB NOVEL SPOILERS* Later on in the story it is discovered that Kumoko's story takes place 10 years before Shun's. The two stories are ultimately going to merge together later on in the storyline. By then... well... she is way more powerful than she is now

[@Torauth]

I actually just started on this series yesterday. Thanks for the perfect timing and great review Bel!

[@t4washere384]

So mad that I missed the official translation being released last year...

[@motherhoodsbeauty9279]

Spider girl is my favourite character. The rest of the characters are just boring. When it’s their turn I just skip it. I like that spider girl is funny, cheerful, crazy, foodie, cute and smart. She have plan when she fight. She use her brain. Her killing stuff is normal. When you are a spider, It’s kill or be kill.

[@pro.G]

What chapter are you on?

[@raitoiro]

Well another serie to add to the never ending list of "i should definitly read that" ^^ The way you describe Kumoku part remind me a little of Dungeon Seeker (in less edgier) with the same type of quick, scheming, eat to evolve protagoniste.

[@greggaygayakutami1402]

Except Dungeon seeker is another Arifureta Ripoff that depicts cliche male harem trope and the author is a satanic retard "Sakamoto 666" What the hell kind of name is that

[@jacobsawyer8918]

Wow this seems really cool , thanks for bringing this series to my attention.

[@shoobzy3431]

The anime came out and I watched the first episode and my god I really hate the parts about her class and wanted to see if anyone else thought that way or was it just me. Like you literally take the words out if my mouth when you said the mc carries the show. I enjoyed her parts a lot, her character looks cute and she has a strange sense of humour along with her gaming knowledge that I like but her class on the other hand are the most bland thing ever. Even if it's for world building like you said idk for me if the class segments continue I might skip them entirely.

[@justaspider6451]

Then you'll probably miss all of the foreshadowing

[@saarah0006]

Don’t skip the humans. Thats where the plot is. This review is very outdated and probably only covered the first 2/3 volumes. Seriously you will miss a lot by skipping other povs in the anime.

[@aquamentos]

This video is so good to watch for people on the fence about watching the anime...

[@HenriqueErzinger]

She brute-forces thing plenty more ahead in the story, man hahahaha Also, there IS a lot of gore, but at least for the first few volumes, we see the world through Kumoko's eyes, which are kinda... unconventional and pink colored to a degree. There's a definite shift when we start to see her and her actions through other characters later on. On that as well, all the proposital bore of the S chapters will eventually pay off, they were not just to serve as contrast (although they do that job well). I didn't read the light novel yet, just the original web novel, and going by the comments it's not that far ahead yet, so my overall opinions were about the same as your at this point. I liked it but nothing extraordinary. There's a single story beat and twist coming up that made it jump straight up to one of my favorites of all time, so keep following it and I look forward to seeing another video full of spoiler warnings talking about it in the future. o/"

[@naimurrahman1406]

Spider concept is that if there's a good story beside a really bad one, you'll come to like the good one.. comparison psychology

[@tellmesomething2412]

In 10 to 20 chapters (Many more times less) the character becomes OP, and little to no challenges being effective against them.

[@azuretao]

Shun’s the literal epitome of generic, but after watching the anime and taking a look at the LN, I always do feel some interest in his side. Spider 4 ever though!

[@ambuj64]

Good work orignal content keep it up

[@rumbleyoichi4365]

If you enjoyed this novel i highly recommend you reading Death Mage who doesn't want a fourth time, Teogonia, Her Majesty's Swarm or Re Monster. MC are awesome in all of those stories, plots are amazing and you will get lots of fun reading them

[@David-hw8oi]

I just caught up with the light novel. Honestly I can somewhat agree with shun being boring. But after a little while the plot picks itself up. Also characters such as the pontiff, demon lord, and even guli-guli all are extremely intriguing. But I know these guys are kinda introduced in the later volumes.

[@calebcomet1868]

5:19 Ikr. XD

[@MrIvanm10]

Another great review! Just bought the first volume on Amazon

[@luckyblah9166]

the manga didnt even feature shuns story up until now witch is pretty cool!

[@autumn-sagenarwhal5366]

the only redeeming quality about that was the fact that we got to talk to Julius every now and then or maybe that's just me

[@Emmy_Universe]

I literally get so bored of shin's story I could sleep through it but the person keeping me watching is shun's pet it adds some backstory to kimoko

[@hintowolf9163]

You are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@legitcatalog7594]

Gorgon from Evolve in a fantasy setting where the character is aware they are in a fantasy setting and so can minmax all the cheese. I am interested.

[@GAMEcube12]

Welcome back

[@spawner2469]

If you like the group isekai thing, check out Grimgar of fantasy and ash, it's slower than most, but still very good.

[@judgenitsuj4402]

A Web novel which starts similarly to spider is one by the name "the snake report" it's an addictive read

[@zexumus4064]

Instead of the power of friendship it’s the power of *hunger*

[@samuelrodriguez9801]

I honestly liked the concept of Isekai Survival Mode with the spider. It puts a super serious existential threat, although the second narration sounds like a boring version of Kirito that didn't have to earn what he has. I honestly imagine how Kumoko meeting Rimiru would be like.

[@olthdorimirth6055]

At this point I'm just waiting for book number 13. Wondering, do y'all know where vol 12 ends at in the webnovel?

[@normalkids.mp4634]

oh boy.....​after finishing volume 10 i can say that your weaknesses part do not age well at all lmao. i will spoil un der this comment.

[@normalkids.mp4634]

so here is a thing spider took asuper weird turn after v.7 and v. 9 it is not about shun and kumoko anymore we will get introduced to the concept of system and about how this world is about to end from the effect of magic and skill so there is no shun for like 3 volume now pretty nice and kumoko that now called shiro have bacome a god and loose all her stat and skill and btw did you know that kumoko is related to D? yeah so. that is all my spoiler

[@saarah0006]

Exactly the Shun side gets good in volume 3 and continues being great until his pov is gone and then were left wanting more but have to wait years before we get more Shun.

[@wenecylmanuel8293]

@@normalkids.mp4634 so she became weak or something since she lost all her skills? Or maybe she lost it then got new ones?

[@normalkids.mp4634]

@@wenecylmanuel8293 yea she is weak ass god now her stat is all 0 and got no skill

[@onlyagermanguy]

Should be said that Shun basicly dosn't get a Chapter anymore after Volume 5. (Ive only read until Volume 13, so he might get one later again)

[@JuaniB_1806]

shun story boring as hell until it actually collides with kumoko's one with sophias first appearance

[@trinstonmichaels7062]

Trinston was here . . .

[@woris1801]

i watched the anime of So i'm a spider (first 10 episodes) and that time i got reincarnated as a slime. And its kinda annoying how much people compare it to slime. I would say that both isekai have the same premise (getting reincarnated as a radom thing) but the execution is completely different. Spider has dirrection and seems to know where its going while slime seems to make stuff up as its happening. I would say slime is a 5 (average) while spider is a comfortable 7 (good). if you dissagree feel free to comment

[@voodooozo3755]

*kumoko is on screen* Me: Nice *shun is om screen* Me: *fighting the urge to slash by phone with claymore*

[@shakiraamor5775]

I know what you mean he’s chapters are so boring I fell like biting my fingers to keep them from skipping everything completely!!!

[@frogslayer6981]

Don't worry the skill section will gets smol real fast.

[@smolangelo9969]

A review of our spider overlord? nai waaa~

[@Alex-qz3kd]

Do you think its the strongest dungeon and when she makes it out shes super powerful and shes just a spider

[@everythingonyourmind2454]

WELL gotta say that even the part about protagonist is one giant monologue although charming but it will get boring after 100 chapters plus the absolute mess of mystery of the world (past arc) which you have to wait for 400 chapters to get to it while the characters will talk about the history of world very vaguely as if the audience should be aware of it from chapter 150 onward so its a game of suspense for around 300 chapters

[@johnlerch7699]

so Kumoko literally became a Thief in a Spiders Body

[@Chrisfragger1]

Not being eaten by your own brothers, sisters, or parents, 5 minutes out of your egg.

[@eliandervalderen5849]

Yeah I started with reincarnated as a slime then I read spider after hearing about it boy Volume 8 and 9 were something else. Now I'm working my way through ascendance of a bookworm I just bought book 8 which is part of volume three I believe so yeah these are getting away from me

[@tashuawheeler1834]

Kumo Desu is soooooooooooo funny in light novel and manga and I can't wait for the anime

[@condor-yz6bo]

Dang the light novel sounds way cooler than the manga

[@mau228]

It really is I was surprised how better it was

[@Naomi-qi5qt]

Please tell me what chapter is when kumuko meet shun and he's party at elf's village battle?!?! I rlly need to know!!!

[@yumri4]

I agree with him until Light Novel volume 7 where she is turned into a god and a human. Mostly as it seemed to have reverted the plot back to when she was weak which was ok but also the time skip backwards to after a major plot point happened was at the point of why it happened where it did. I did not care for reading about that so i stopped. You also have instead of having to work to be a god she just eats something and turns into one but those pages of skills go away with the transform of her. Her um i guess the lineage would make her the spider's grandmother is still nice to her and the grandmother doesn't instantly eat her even though she is a human shape now with no immortality skill, Kin control skill nor any of the other tricks she used to escape death with skills. Yes she did die with the immortality skill so that's a thing.

[@LetsDaze]

At first the s chapters are boring but in my opinion that change because basicaly shit got down, the best part of the s chapters are the secondary characters other than the second main and the conections between the main story and the secondary, you follow the s chapters just to see or hear of kumuko and i gues spoiler when she finaly apears and just say a word the s chapters stop and you continue whith the main storyline wonthering what happend next because it stop in a cliff hanger.

[@sane1042]

I wander if she's going to receive an ability to make her have human form

[@motherhoodsbeauty9279]

That will be sweet. She can become the first spider who able to transform into a human. We can call her spider sage.

[@saming2998]

Bruh.... I just got spoilers reading right now damnit

[@Solizeus]

There is also the isekai that the guy is reborn as a baby dragon

[@Hellstorm901]

I never minded the S chapters. The interaction between Shun and Katia were really interesting since Katia loves Shun who is genre savvy enough to know it and Shun clearly likes Katia but is struggling to come to terms with that given the circumstances Sue is a bit annoying and never really gets any punishment for the crap she pulls Yugo is another interesting character who could have been wrote slightly better as what the author was going for with him was him thinking he was the protagonist of an Isekai story who is lashing out at everyone around him when he sort of realises he's not the MC but just an overpowered ass. The teacher is a hit and miss really. A lot of problems with Shuns story seem to be caused by her refusal to actually just be straight forward with people and trying to resolve them on her own because she's a teacher.

[@linkhuesitos15]

Spoiler about Hugo part - - - - - Unlike with Shun & Co Oka didn't spend enough time talking with Hugo and didn't realized that Hugo never fully understood in what situation they were. All the time Hugo thought that he was asleep in class and everything was a dream. That's why he was pretty mad with Shun taking the spotlight. Unfortunately the only person that could be able to convince Hugo (his best friend in Japan) died at an early age in the hands of a shitty elf. By the time he kind of started to understand that it wasn't a dream Shiro attacked him and planted a brain parasite in his brain to control him. The Light Novel skipped some chapters from his POV. In the Web version Hugo's last thoughts were if he was finally able to wake up from that Dream/Nightmare. P.D: The Light Novel left if pretty ambiguous if he died after the parasite left his head (he just dropped to the floor and didn't moved again) but in the Web Version he was decapitated and his head crushed by Wrath.

[@cronus4227]

you should make bretne the spider with the green hair

[@plasmancer6104]

I came to check this vid out because the trailer for the anime showed up in my recommended, heard it was like Slime which I loved and decided to check it out... I've done nothing but binge read up to the seventh book in 2 days. Iz gud reed

[@therats9321]

Also why is killer queens head on her 2:21

[@based980]

I'm kind of excited for the anime to come out, I mean I didn't read the light novel but it looks interesting.

[@maesyap5816]

Huh, is it just me that enjoy the "S" chapters? Looks like most people here don't like it

[@laxel1641]

I actually enjoy the side story of shin because I first read the manga and then read the light novel and not going to lie it’s a little annoying to reread it from manga to light novel so the side story help me read through it since it’s new to me and I want to see other reincarnation character but after a while yes it did get a bit boring.

[@honeydew1254]

CROSSOVERS NOW!!!

[@yooshaualishareef7143]

Please make a video telling us everything, I am very confused who is who and what will happen, what I am saying tell us all the major spoilers, there are people who want to know it

[@mrcat4508]

I just ordered the entire series on Sunday and for books 4 and 5 there was only one day shipping available and for the rest of the books 1-3 they have two day shipping available I want to read the books but I have to wait until later today and it's annoying having some of them in my room now but being unable to read them (4/2/2019)

[@italengro197]

Hey! Hey! What about also "Chrysalis " by RinoZ :D ?

[@ekantaaditya4388]

I know its late but did you actually read volume 6 and above of the LIGHT NOVEL because it seems you know about wrath and Sophia. Or did you read the Web novel to know about them. And i agree with you for the most part that Shun's story is predictable except for the Kingdom destruction point.

[@nmaniac1312]

Then what do you thinking about re.monster for me it’s one of the good exemple dat a total good character is not the best it’s better Wayne it’s neutral, neutral evil with re monster I did not have any moments where I where bored