Handyman Saitou in Another World, Vol. 1 (Handyman Sait… (2024)

In Summary

If you’re seeking an epic fantasy with a strong narrative arc, Handyman Saito in Another World is not it. However, if you’re looking for sketch comedy involving a Japanese handyman exploring fantasy style dungeons with quirky party members, this series fits the bill. The artwork is on the rough side and humor can be raunchy, but it is a clever and fun take on the isekai genre.

The Review

Saitou is living an unfulfilling life as an underpaid, underappreciated handyman. Above all, he wants to be needed by someone, but society views him as an easily replaceable drone. Then one day, he’s suddenly transported to a fantasy world where he becomes an irreplaceable member in a party of dungeon crawlers. After all, when it comes to repairing equipment or picking locks, there is no match for a modern Japanese handyman!

I watched the anime adaption that was released earlier this year, and based on its story format, I guessed that the original material was four-panel comics. Turns out, I was wrong, but not by much. The Yen Press adaption divides Volume 1 into four chapters, but each “chapter” is actually a grouping of very loosely connected mini-vignettes that are 1 to 6 pages long. Moreover, these vignettes about Saito and his party are frequently broken up by side stories about other adventurers. (At this point, five other parties and two solo adventures have been introduced).

As such, even though Saito is the main character, the manga very much has the feel of a fantasy sitcom with an ensemble cast. Pretty much every character has a quirk, and the creator plays those quirks (like Morlock’s frequent memory loss) to comic effect.

For Saito, his quirk is that he is a handyman among magicians, fairies, and armor-clad warriors. The juxtaposition of his jumpsuit and toolkit among fantasy characters is pretty funny. His modern Japanese mindset is also used for laughs, like when he grills an eel monster to his party’s horror.

In terms of setting, Saito’s new world has all the attributes you would expect in a fantasy comedy on the lewd side. For instance, mimics, succubus, and a metal-dissolving slime that leaves party member Raelza in her undergarments. However, it also has its own version of things associated with the modern world, like a crystal ball live-stream of a government-certified hero’s party.

So even though characters, setting, and conflict are drawn from standard fantasy elements, the way the narrative shapes them is definitely nonstandard. Like the old king who defeats the Demon Lord and turns him into his chess playmate. Or the adventurer entry fee with a senior discount for the government-run dungeon.

As I mentioned above, this comedy does lean on the lewd side in terms of content and visuals. In addition to Morlock’s dirty old man tendencies, there’s blatant messing around among side characters and phallic jokes. And yes, there is fan service. Female characters are all cute or sexy. On the other hand, with the exception of Saito and government-certified hero Cains, male characters are old, scarred, and/or homely.

In terms of illustrations, the artwork does the job of conveying the narrative and humor but can’t be called polished. The manga is lean on screen tones, so drawings tend to look flat. Design details are the same as the anime but rendered in a much rougher style. Honestly, it’s like looking at storyboard drafts for the anime. Also, due to the six or less pages format, content is often packed in, which results in a cramped look.

By the way, even though the illustrations do leave something to be desired, the manga does contain scenes and details that were not included in the anime. So if you are a big fan of the series, the manga is worth considering from that standpoint.

Extras include introduction of party members, character sheets, and translation notes.

For more manga and book reviews, drop by my blog Keeping It In Canon!

Admittedly, this type of book is an acquired taste, even when it's drawn much better than this one is. The style is "gag comic" with a vague continuity, although this volume has a number of non-sequiturs to different characters entirely with seemingly no connection to the main quartet (the four on the cover). It's a little easier to read after watching the anime, though I've seen a number of commenters who have been just as thrown when the anime features EXACTLY the same storytelling elements as the manga (gag shorts).

Having watched the anime, I can assure that the story DOES eventually go somewhere, so this is more the awkward introductory set-up to a better story. Granted, how MUCH better ALSO depends on whether you have the same acquired taste I mentioned above, though to a degree I would almost recommend watching the anime *instead* since, at the very least, it has a cool dance sequence that always impresses me when done in animation (also an acquired taste).

The art is rougher than expected, like Togashi Yoshihiro's when compared to the Hunter x Hunter and Yu Yu Hakusho anime versions. I can't really fault it—it does exactly what it sets out to do, is clear enough to tell who's who, and (most importantly) is COMPLETED. Maybe I have a low bar for this sort of thing, I don't know, but I like things that finish what they mean to do. It's weird saying this for a Book 1, sure, but I guess I'm just at a point in my life where I value finishing things.

(Might be why I prefer short books like manga/manhwa/graphic novels. Some of that is I just haven't been allowed to have time for longer things, anymore.)

Recommended for fans of the show! I really couldn't say who should read it going in completely blind, though... I guess maybe also, a little bit, anyone who sympathises with someone who is chewed out for charging a perfectly normal fee for doing something in a few minutes. YES, it may have taken only a few minutes to unlock the door of your house you locked yourself out of. Would you rather it takes HOURS? Ugh.

Saitou is a handyman who has ended up in another world where he’s a member of a team of heroes, exploring labyrinths for treasures. He can’t do magic or fight, but he’s useful for the team anyway. He remembers his earlier life with all his handyman skills, and even has some tools from his original world.

The volume consisted of one and two page strips with loosely connecting stories, but there was no overall plot. Some stories were funny, some were about heroing quests, and some just peeks into the everyday life. The gallery of characters was vast with many side stories that seemed rather random and varied in style, and I didn’t really connect with any of them. There was a bit of romance brewing and some naughty bits too, which kind of sprang from nowhere. Overall, I was briefly entertained, but not interested enough to continue.

Illustrations were black and white and they looked a bit unfinished, like sketches.

I received a free copy from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

So, this is another “cozy isekai” story.

In this one, we’ve got a handyman named Saitou who finds himself reincarnated in other world after an unfortunate encounter with Truck-kun. [The ol’ crowd favorite way to get yourself isekai-ed.]

Anyway, each chapter follows Saitou as he uses his handyman knowledge to fix problems and improve the quality of life for those he meets along his way. Essentially, he becomes part of a party that includes our warrior Raelza, her pervy grandfather, and a fairy companion.

This is… fine.

Of the cozy isekai out there, I wouldn’t rank this one too highly. Though I appreciate the idea and like the art style, I found some of the humor to be too immature for me. It’s clear this series is being geared towards a younger, more male audience. Also, the way the text is formatted in this series feels cluttered to me. I found it challenging to read and follow the story at times because of the text:art ratio.

Anyway, this is a decidedly “3” series for me. It’s not bad but it’s not particularly captivating either~

when the anime aired I looked for the manga

Found this original in bits and pieces around the web. The cleaned up presentation here allows the story to flow, even if sometimes the odd half page image is only explained by its slightly chaotic web based origins.
This chapter is all about the buildup of the characters and the world. We get bits and pieces, enough to make a joke and then a little outline of a jigsaw puzzle. Having seen the anime and read further I know those outlines eventually get pushed together to show a very complex interwoven world. Characters have met in the past, echoes that carry forward.
It’s fun, light fantasy parody at first and the rest of it, the compelling narrative and rich backgrounds, just materializes around you as you dive deeper.
I highly recommend this series for any fantasy fans.