Synopsis

Sieg’s defensive power is through the roof, and he’s proven himself to be a rock-solid foundation for a heavy-hitting party, holding every last ounce of monster aggro. But that’s not enough to prevent his party from kicking him right out the door! Who needs defense when you’ve got devastating attacks, right? Them, apparently—without their tank, the losses keep piling up! Sieg, on the other hand, lands a job as a gatekeeper at the royal capital and starts rising quickly through the ranks. Can he defend against the hordes of attackers, earn the trust of his squadron and the lovely but quirky ladies within, and untwist the problems of the besieged city—all at the same time? (Source: J-Novel Club)

Tales of the Ultimate Tank!

Written by Kametsu Tomobashi and illustrated by HEIRO, one of J-Novel Club’s latest titles, No One Gets Past This Gatekeeper, proves that defence is key.

An action-focused series, the story follows the endeavours of Sieg, a defence specialist. Having recently been fired from a top adventuring party, Sieg ends up unexpectedly landing on his feet after being offered a position as a gatekeeper for the royal capital. A stable job with the possibility of advancement, he’s over the moon with this new chance to prove himself, but being a gatekeeper isn’t as easy as it seems. The role comes with many different dangers, especially in a city with a harsh reputation like the royal capital, and Sieg is about to be plunged straight into the deep end.

Setting up the series, the first volume lays the foundations for the vast array of adventures that can be had as a gatekeeper with the ultimate level of defence. To lay these foundations, it first introduces Sieg and what he stands for. This begins by taking his character through two different yet equally harsh events, including a party expulsion and coming at loggerheads with a bunch of corrupt superiors within the guard corps. Through these events, the author successfully narrates that Sieg has an unparalleled sense of justice, even if he’s a bit of a pushover.

With the introductions out of the way, the story can truly start as Sieg is put in charge of the fifth squadron as a reward for dealing with the organisation’s corrupt officials. Known throughout the city as a special bunch of troublemakers, it surprises Sieg that the squadron only has three other members: Seira, Spinoza, and Fam.

As the four of them begin to interact and go about their duties, the volume comes into its element. On top of having to deal with dangers from outside the city, Sieg now has to also wrestle with guard members who binge drink for days and view assassination attempts as gentle love taps. These segments, where Sieg’s straight personality clashes with the quirky ones from his squadron, make for some nice moments with a well-timed comedic undertone. Moreover, with someone as no-nonsense as Sieg, he ends up bringing the squadron together and working well as a team.

Ultimately, this newly oiled squadron plays well into the volume’s climax. In an ultimate test of defence for the guard corps, they end up face-to-face against Sieg’s old party leader, who has turned into a demon. Festering with rage and being exploited by a strange shadow creature, Sieg’s squadron ends up fighting against him in the closing sections of the book. Inevitably, the demon, Sieg’s former teammate, is defeated by strong teamwork and trust, which led to the adventuring team’s original breakup at the start of the novel.

Overall, No One Gets Past This Gatekeeper’s first instalment lays solid foundations for the series. Introducing us to Sieg and his band of quirky guards, this volume gives readers a good idea of what the series is about and what drives Sieg despite his setbacks. As the series continues, I hope the author develops these ideas and provides challenges to Sieg’s ideals of justice.

I Give No One Gets Past the Gatekeeper Volume 1: 7.5/10