Dee
Rating:

Oh, and she knows how to dance-fight. I love her a lot.

It's a good thing Nagi is so likable, because the first few chapters of this volume suffer from a moderate case of fantasy infodump syndrome. Exposition and action clutter the s, as if the artist is racing through the prologue and world-building. We're also introduced to many characters, although at least they have memorable designs so they're easy to tell apart. I've seen much worse, mind you, but it sometimes feels more like a lecture than a story.

Fortunately, once The Failure at God School establishes the premise and lore, it settles into a more character-driven school story, sort of a My Himiko Academia (oh, sorry—Boku no Himiko Academia) about superpowered teens training to earn their “god” certifications. Nagi's classmates are almost as likable as she is, with big personalities and hidden depths. Watching them interact is a joy. If the first half of this volume was a bit of a slog, the back half was a breeze.

When the narrative isn't cramming magic rules down our gullets, the world-building is pretty intriguing, combining Shinto mythology with paranormal pop culture and a touch of political tension. In this world, divinity has become a scientific discipline and civil servant job, and some people see that as sacrilege. I expect this to develop into a broader conflict alongside the coming-of-age narrative and likely romance between Nagi and Tsukimi. (It's fine, y'all, the bonus comics assure us he's a minor and they're only like three years apart! We can ship them! It's fine!)

Despite a bumpy start, The Failure at God School turned into a fun supernatural school story and solid popcorn entertainment. Nagi alone is worth the price of ission.

Kevin Cormack
Rating:

A compelling mix of Shinto mythology and magical school story structure, The Failure at God School is a very entertaining read. Written by series author in conjunction with the light novel of the same title, both versions of the story were published concurrently in Japan. It's set in a modern Japan, where gods and goddesses are employed at shrines to provide services to their local communities. Protagonist Nagi's grandmother was her town's local deity, and following her recent death, the shrine remains vacant. The concept of a god in Shinto philosophy is far removed from the Western concept arising from the Abrahamic religions – these gods are born human, remain mortal, and can age and die like anyone else.

Nagi's shut-in brother appears to have inherited the family power, but he refuses to leave his room and engage in schooling. Nagi herself has manifested no powers at all. Not unlike My Hero Academia, god-candidates manifest powers in childhood, and are then sent to special schools to hone their abilities and eventually a tough license examination that grants the right to use the “Himiko” title.

Following an unsettling incident involving attempted child abduction where Nagi somehow manages to invalidate an evil god's powers (think MHA's Eraser Head's quirk, but requiring more conscious control) using her own mysterious ability. Rescued by a handsome, (The Apothecary Diaries) Master Jinshi-like bishonen god man, Nagi's skill is recognized and she's sent belatedly to go school to learn how to develop her power. Shame no-one explained to Nagi what she can do, because she spends most of her time gaslighting herself into feeling she doesn't belong.

Thankfully she makes some fun friends all with their own issues, and together they gradually learn how to one another and use their very different abilities to their mutual benefit. All the while the teachers look on, aware something about Nagi is different. Although the school mostly seems to be a ive place, red flags are raised in the case of pupil Monaka, a social pariah because of her psychometry and telepathy abilities. She's been removed from her parents' care, and letters to her are shredded by her teacher.

As with any story of this genre, the pupils at god school have a mix of personalities, some friendly, others more antagonistic. The relationships built up so far in this volume are fun and sweet, while the background plot lays enough threads to pique my interest in continuing to read the series. With attractive character art, a brisk storytelling pace, and a satisfying feeling of plot progression, this is a very enjoyable series. I'd like to check out the novel version too, as the afterword promises more story that couldn't be fit into the manga version. Highly recommended.