The Good Deeds of Old Adventurer Kane - Reviews

[Reviewed at Chapter 43]

I'm surprised that this manga is ranked so far down and hasn't had any other reviews (besides Nathan's review), when it's so so good. It's so much better than other manga of the same genre - you know, the ones with an OP MC and the usual clichéd, and amateurish storylines. This one is nothing like the ones you've read so far in this genre.

The first thing you'd notice about Ossan Boukensha Kane is how mature it is - and by mature I don't mean gory or violent scenes like Berserk, but mature as in how it portrays the MC as an actual adult, a person who has a realistic thought process, a person who has issues, a person who isn't overpowered but is kind, a person who sometimes struggles with relationships and is oblivious to emotions, a person who grows. Seeing the realistic portrayal of the MC, the excellent supporting characters, the mature dialogue, and the genuine scenes which touch your heart (and sometimes make you go teary-eyed), is such a refreshing breath of air. In this regard, the maturity of the characters and story is somewhat similar to Sousou no Freiren - although not quite as serious or polished.

The other thing that sets this manga apart is how weak the MC is - yet, that doesn't seem to stop him from helping others out, going on adventures, and being the MC. It may seem like an impossible task - just how can a weak person possibly be the MC of an adventure-fantasy manga?! Well, somehow, the author pulls it off. As a fan of OP MCs, I somehow enjoyed reading this manga - maybe it's because the OP side characters make up for it, or the mature and realistic story-telling pulls through.

Another refreshing difference - to add to the weakness of the MC - is the fact that MC is not just weak, but is a LOT weaker than the FL - and pretty much most of the other supporting female characters in fact - yet, he manages to win their hearts with his heart, and not due to his OP cheat skills (fact: he doesn't have any OP cheat skills), which may seem out of place for a fantasy manga, yet it somehow works out.

Actually, now that I think about it, the first few volumes were a bit rough around the edges, with the over-the-top portrayal of the FL and some of the side character clichés, but over the course of the manga, they are portrayed in a much more realistic, genuine manner. Maybe the author was trying to show that they've grown over the course of time - or maybe the author himself matured and is thus able to portray these characters better, but whatever it is, I'm glad about the gradual change of tone and how the story plays out towards the end. 

If you're able to get past some of the clichéd bits in the first few volumes and give this manga a chance, I can guarantee that you're in for a treat - even if you're the kind who normally prefers OP MCs, you won't be disappointed. 

My only concern now is that after reading this, I may no longer be able to enjoy other manga with OP MCs and clichéd storylines - so if you see me leaving overly harsh reviews following this - my apologies in advance. :)

Kane is an exceedingly kind, but relatively weak adventurer. Because of some misunderstandings, several people are convinced that fe is secretly very strong, despite the fact that fe tries to clear up those misunderstandings. There's a trio of powerful women--Anastrea, Sephiria, and Maya--that end up entangled with fem, with Anastrea being head over heels for fem. We do get some classic sword fights as well as some more highly destructive battles (usually with people like Anastrea or others doing most of the fighting). Kane's kindness plays a role in some of the fights, leading to fem turning some enemies into allies. A central focus of this story is on gods, and on the fact that gods gain power when people pray to their idols and that the types of prayers being prayed can even cause shifts in the gods. So far, we've seen an "evil god" as well as the god of kindness, and the main god of the church is also referenced. The plot seems to move pretty quickly from one event to another.

[Reviewed at chapter 21]