As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World Vol. 1 Review

Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life, Isekai

Sub-Tags: Strategy, Skills, War

Synopsis:

After thirty-five years of perfectly ordinary life, a run-of-the-mill businessman suddenly drops dead…only to be reborn in another world! Now he must live as Ars Louvent, scion of a minor noble family and wielder of a fabulous skill: Appraisal, the power to perceive the strengths and abilities of others at a glance. He’ll need it, too, because there are plenty of problems to solve in the Louvent family’s territory! Ars only has one choice: recruit the most talented individuals his skill can find, and rise up to new heights in his brand new world! (Source: Kodansha)

A Lord Who Spots Hidden Talent!

Research and Recruitment

Opting for a broader storyline, Reincarnated Aristocrats‘ plot focuses on Ars’s attempts to becoming a successful lord. To reach his objective, Ars spends the first portion of the volume honing his appraisal abilities and enlisting the local talent as his retainers.

These talent-scouting missions are told through recruitment stories which aren’t always created equally, with some being more engaging than others. Whilst Charlotte and Rietz’s introductions are nothing to write home about, the author finds their stride when bringing in Rosell and Licia.

Bringing these characters onside requires Ars to overcome several obstacles. Rosell’s potential as a tactician is only unlocked due to Ars smoothing the rocky relationship between Rosell and his father. Licia’s abilities prove even more problematic. A fiancée to Ars, she possesses the unfortunate combination of ambition and an innate talent for politics. Ars needed a healthy dose of scepticism and smooth talking to bring her onside.

A War Between Two Brothers

Gathering a group of talented individuals proves invaluable by the second half of the volume. The family patriarch falls ill and dies, leaving a young Ars in charge of the Louvent family’s territory. However, he has little time to get settled in the role as the county falls into a civil war.

In conflicts of this nature, knowing who’ll come out on top is a must to ensure the survival of any noble family. As a result, both Ars’ abilities and those of his retainers are all put to good use. Discovering neighbouring territory’s allegiances through intelligence gathering and utilising spies all become par for the course.

These methods bring good results, earning him a private audience with the elder son of the duke. As the volume ends, Ars is put in a new position of power, a spot at the civil war’s war council.

Overall, Reincarnated Aristocrat makes for an entertaining story. Whilst character introductions of varying quality plague the first half of the volume, the eventual payoff more than makes up for it. Engaging interactions, challenging issues and the mechanics of war strategy raise the series for a stronger outing in the second volume.

As a Reincarnated Aristocrat Vol. 1

My Rating: 7.5/10

I hope you enjoyed my review and would love to see what you thought of the volume in the comments! If you like what I do and want to see more, consider supporting me by buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

You can read the first volume of this series digitally and physically through the Kobo website.