Review: Dungeon Samurai Vol. 1: Kamikaze (An Anti-LitRPG Dungeon Crawl) by Kit Sun Cheah
Dungeon crawling like you've never seen it before!
A student with a martial arts hobby, Yamada Yuuki was finishing up a lesson with his class when the world abruptly turned inside out.
Brought to a strange dimension with other time-displaced humans, he and his class are thrust into a conflict for their very lives.
The demon that summoned them to fight for his amusement and sustenance has promised to send those who survive home – but only if they can fight through the dungeon at the heart of his world, where he himself waits to claim the brave soul who will eventually face him.
The story
New to the martial arts discipline of Kukishin-ryu, Yamada joined the class at his friend Hiroshi’s insistence. Hiroshi has more natural aptitude and skill due to studying longer, but Yamada makes up for his lack in these areas with pure determination and stubbornness. This means his style is somewhat more reckless; although he wins his bout with Hiroshi at the beginning of the book, the class teacher has reason to critique Yamada for his performance.
Just as the lesson is winding down, however, both Yamada and Hiroshi hear a strange voice. Some of the other students do as well, and so does their teacher. Once class has been dismissed, reality turns inside out as the unfortunate people who heard the voice enter a realm of strange, disorienting shapes and twisting signs. Despite their best efforts, Yamada, Hiroshi, and the rest are dragged from modern Japan to another world entirely.
Once they awake in this strange location, they find they are not the only people present. Groups of men and women from East to West have been brought to this odd dimension as well, and in spite of the fact that they all speak different languages, they understand one another perfectly. Among the group is a Japanese girl wearing the attire of a miko or temple maiden. She catches Yamada’s eye, but only for a moment.
The disparate abductees soon notice they all have something in common: they practice various martial arts – Eastern or Western – and they all have an interest in either the weapons or the arts of their respective culture’s Medieval skills. After making that connection, they are approached by three men who fall to their knees and beg forgiveness for summoning them to this hell world. Immediately following this revelation, the demon that brought everyone here appears and thanks them “for being [his] food.”
The demon explains that their only way home is to defeat him in his dungeon. When one of the new abductees attempts to chase him off by invoking God’s name, the demon demonstrates that he cannot be overcome so easily. Action as well as faith is needed to conquer this foe, something made clearer when the three men lead their new recruits to the village all the displaced humans in this realm call home.
After they have eaten, the leaders tell the newcomers to step forward to receive their skills. These paranormal abilities will help them to fight the demon and make life somewhat easier for those who live in the village as well. Hiroshi is granted a new power none have ever seen before – kishi, or “knight.” Yamada, however, earns a different and unfavorable skill: kamikaze, or “divine wind.” Those with the kamikaze skill are brave to the point of foolhardiness, being filled with blind rage and beyond-human strength when they fight.
Unfortunately, none who gain the power of kamikaze live long. Yamada, in the minds of many, has not received a gift but a curse. The question for him may not be whether or not he can survive the dungeon. It might be whether or not he can survive his new power.
The characters
Yamada is an everyman hero with mediocre talent thrust into a world that challenges him to survive. He is also given a power that is as much a handicap as it is a help, and a reader can feel his frustration with his limitations. Nevertheless, Yamada doesn’t whine and moan about his situation. Whenever he is knocked down, he climbs to his feet and resolves to do better next time. Sheer determination can carry a man further than prowess on occasion, and what he lacks in finesse, Yamada more than makes up for with his resolve.
Hiroshi balances Yamada. Calmer, talented, and generally easy-going, he is also a practicing Christian. This is in contrast to Yamada, who does not practice Shintoism much until it becomes necessary in the war with the demon. For Hiroshi, facing the demon just makes his faith shine brighter – and it means he aids his kamikaze friend in battle as well as in training.
Sensei, the teacher of the class, is wise without playing to either Western or Eastern stereotypes. Though strict, firm, and determined he has a lighter side that manifests in his paternal interest in his students. In spite of his critiques, he cares about Yamada and wants him to succeed. He criticizes not because the lad is “doing it the wrong way” but because he wants him to learn and improve.
The other side characters in the novel, particularly the miko, are fleshed out and vibrant. Since most of the story revolves around fighting, we don’t see the non-combatants often, but they do make appearances. Everyone has a purpose in the narrative; even if they are not present at all times, a reader will not forget them easily.
The world
Picture an isekai – Japanese portal fantasy, usually to a video game world – crossed with an American Role-Playing game, with a dash of anime and Dungeons and Dragons thrown in. Then remove the stats and gaming jargon that weighs the former down, add some strong spiritual depth, and voila! You have Dungeon Samurai Vol. 1: Kamikaze.
The politics
The politics are: “Conquer the dungeon and defeat the demon.” There are no other policies to speak of, because they have no bearing on where the characters are or the battle they are fighting.
Content warning
Since the cast is fighting a demon and his monsters in his dungeon, the deaths (and there are several) get messy. The monsters are hideous, but none of this is dwelt upon. Kamikaze is easily one of the most PG-13 friendly novels on the market today.
Who is it for?
Fans of anime will love this book, as will martial artists or those with an interest in the art of personal combat. Historians will enjoy it for the detail Mr. Cheah adds to his training scenes and the battles, as the warriors all use Medieval armor and weaponry. Romance readers will love Yamada learning to court a girl while horror enthusiasts will be fascinated by the various monsters the characters must overcome. Video gamers, LitRPG readers, and GameLit fans who have friends they wish to introduce to the latter two genres will find this invaluable as a book to give their companions after they have devoured it themselves.
Why read it?
It’s a good book that pits the heroes against overwhelming odds and the despair that naturally entails. The characters are challenged to build up their faith at the same time they must fight for their lives. A rollicking adventure novel, Dungeon Samurai Vol. 1: Kamikaze has something for everyone. Why not buy it?
Deal alert: Dungeon Samurai Vol. 1: Kamikaze is permanently $0.99!