I'm a little late on this one - if you follow us on twitter you might have seen a bit of the madness going on with the addition of BL themed blind bags, Artbooks, and the expansion of our loyalty program to involve new physical rewards - but we're here and ready to review something new and fun! Today we're taking a look at The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter Vol. 1 by Kazuki Irodori, based off of the original story by Yatsuki Wakatsu and featuring Character Design by Kikka Ohashi. 

For those of you who didn't already have this title on your BL release radar, I can't blame you! At first glance it isn't readily apparent based on the cover and title. But if you read the synopsis it becomes clear that what we have on our hands is an Isekai BL! 

Seiichirou Kondou is an accountant whose extreme work ethic has garnered him little more than a burgeoning list of physical ailments. After another long day at the office he's on his way home when the sound of a woman's scream sends him running to help only to end up hurtled into another world right along with her. The pair of strangers find themselves in the middle of Romany Kingdom where the woman, hailed as the Holy Maiden that will save their imperiled land, is met with cheers and Kondou is met with decidedly less enthusiasm. The two are promptly separated and we get to follow Kondou through his first days in Romany. 

Kondou finds himself being provided for in every way by Romany Kingdom, presumably by way of an apology for being inadvertently caught up in their summoning of the Holy Maiden. To most people, this would sound like life on easy street, but to a workaholic like Kondou it just doesn't sit right. When asked what he might want or enjoy, Kondou promptly asks for a job and shares his skill with numbers. After brushing up on the way things work in the Kingdom, Kondou sets to work as an accountant (or bean counter) right away. It is in the course of these duties that Kondou comes to meet Aresh Indolark - the handsome, surly son of a Marquess and Captain of the Third Royal Order.

Why and how these two cross into BL territory is something I want to leave entirely for you to discover, but lemme say this - it's an unexpected and very satisfying start that leaves me wondering what's next for this unlikely pair. Fortunately, we don't have very long to wait for the answer as Volume 2 is due out on August 30th! 

All together, this story works so much better than I expected it to. It's a very good blend of both Isekai and BL, so fans of either genre (or both) aren't likely to find it lacking. It's genuinely enjoyable even if Isekai isn't typically your thing. The rating of 13+ doesn't mean this title is squeaky clean, more like it alludes to what transpires between our pairing rather than explicitly depicting it. Trust me, it's clear. It's just not "wow, there it is" clear. The art is gorgeous and the storyline is not at all dependent on the BL aspect to make it work. Over all, it's just really well balanced and I definitely recommend it!

TLDR;

A fantastic read with low key spice, this one is team SWEET!

Age Rating: 13+