Uncle from another world vol 1 by Hotondoshindeiru

Takafumi’s uncle has been in a coma for seventeen years. He finally awakens and he’s been stuck in a fantasy, RPG-style world for the last seventeen years. Most of the family has fallen apart, in large part over a disagreement with what to do with the comatose family member, so Takafumi takes in his uncle as he becomes accustomed to the world again. Uncle turns out to be a huge fan of the Sega game systems, and he’s devastated to find that it, amongst other of his favorite things, have been left in the past. While adjusting, Takafumi continually asks his uncle about his experiences in the other world, where everyone was beautiful but treated Uncle like a sub-species of Orc.

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This story does add an interesting perspective to the many currently published Isekai series where the main character is whisked away to another world. This one picks up where many of them leave off - with the hero getting back home. The major detractor in this volume is the abundance of cultural references that may elude readers who aren't as familiar with Japanese society. Much of this comes from Takafumi helping his uncle adjust to modern culture, but most of what Uncle knows and relates to are long-dead Sega consoles and video games that most readers will have no frame of reference for.

The art in this story is very akin to Junji Ito's style of many dark lines and a lot of emphasis on facial features of characters. This isn't a horror story by any means, but the illustrators use very stylized bulging eyes or panicked expressions often, especially as Uncle discovers another of his beloved things lost to the sands of time.

Sara's Rating: 6/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

Publisher: Yen Press
Publication Date: June 8, 2021
ISBN: 9781975323448 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 6/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Isekai, Family, ​Humor, Yen Press