Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance, Harem, Isekai

Sub-Tags: Weak to Strong, Video Games, Game Elements, Strong Lead, Gods

Makoto’s Age of Darkness!

Strength of the Elementals

Learning that the Demon Lord Iblis is changing history, my new review looks at Full Clearing’s tenth volume as Makoto is sent back in time to stop him.

In fitting with the change of scenery, the latest volume of Full Clearing starts with a darker tone than usual. Travelling back a thousand years, Makoto soon discovers what life was like under the cruelty of demons. With most of the human population forced to live on feeding farms, those free are in hiding. Scattered across vast swathes of land, they’ve mostly sought refuge in dungeons, out of the way of the demon lord’s prying eyes. 

The latest addition to the series sees Makoto separated from his usual harem and forced to team up with a new party to save the future. Wanting to follow the history recorded in the stories of legend, things don’t quite play out the way Makoto expects. Far from following the original course of history, with each new member of the new team, the more likely candidate for saving humanity from the demon scourge rests on Makoto’s shoulders rather than Abel’s. 

The key to this change lies in Makoto’s new potential. Many amongst the survivors see Makoto as a new hero, thanks in part to the gifts given to him by the Goddesses. Now able to summon living embodiments of Undyine and cut the strings of fate, he saves both his new party members and clusters of survivors numerous times.

A New Hero Party’s Journey

Makoto’s actions eventually help him build the hero’s party from legend bar one member. No replacement for Makoto’s original group, the author has managed to stay away from any potential pitfalls that starting from scratch can bring. Makoto, Momo, Anna, Abel and the legendary dragon’s interactions throughout the second half of the volume are always enjoyable and make for a great reprieve from this action-heavy addition.

To add their final member, Johnnie Walker, to the cast, the volume’s climax finds them investigating Laphroaig for him. Totally different from its present counterpart, the city is laden with hidden dangers and unexpected allies.

Keeping as much distance as possible from the Witch of Calamity, Makoto’s new party comes across the hidden lair of Estelle. Ira is once again using Estelle as a disguise, and she’s the only one in the past who remembers Makoto. This is a welcome moment for both of them, especially Makoto, who’s been missing his Goddess and friends in the future.

One thing is made clear to all the members of the hero’s party in Laphroaig – they all need to train to get stronger.

To conclude, the latest instalment of Full Clearing makes an excellent start to the series’ new arc.

Pursuing a darker tone than previous iterations, it perfectly captures a world under the control of a powerful enemy whilst keeping the overall comedic undertone that the series usually projects.

Furthermore, the author has done well in the types of characters he’s chosen to play a role in the hero’s party. Instantly likeable, they make for an appropriate replacement for Makoto’s harem, who are still stuck in the future.