‘Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody‘ is a fantasy isekai manga series by Japanese author Hiro Ainana and illustrated Ayamegumu. The story follows the adventures of Satou, a gaming developer who falls asleep at his desk and wakes up in a world similar to his video game.

Picking up right after volume one, Satou finds himself sucked inside of a “dungeon” created by the one-eyed monster. Trapped with beastfolk slaves Liza, who is part lizard, Pochi, who is part dog, and Tama, who is part cat, he takes a parental role for them, knowing their master is dead. While contemplating their situation, he decides to explore the dungeon looking for other survivors, all while learning more about the mysterious world he is trapped in. He remains vigilant, knowing the one-eyed monster is out there, waiting to strike amongst the other creatures in the dungeon.

This volume relies less on the suggestive humor that was prominent in the anime and volume one, which was a relief. I do not feel that the story needs it as it is a clever enough plot without it.

That being said, this one sort of takes Satou from battle to battle, learning more about the rules and magic from the world from the beastfolk. They are interesting characters and the illustrator does a good job of giving them animal-like features without making them look uncanny. There was a lot of exposition in this volume, but I the action and the character development complemented the story, keeping you invested into the plot. I am enjoying this quest a great deal and cannot wait to see what is next.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, or novel you would like me to review. While you are at it, check out my manga highlights of The Rising of the Shield Hero Volume 3 and Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers Volume 3. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more posts like this one.

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