Warning: The review contains spoilers for certain scenes within the season. PS: This is the first time Ive explicitly gone ahead and reviewed an anime. Ive rated songs and albums before but not a show or anime. 520https://i.ur.com/T2UzIiX.png Reborn as a Vending Machine I Now Wander the Dungeon is an anime adaptation of a Japanese light novel of the same name written by Hirukuma and illustrated by Itsuwa Kato original edition and Yki Hagure revised edition. The series was originally published in 2016 as a web novel by the author on the usergenerated novel publishing website Shsetsuka ni Nar. In August 2022 it was announced that the series would receive an anime adaptation. The anime adaptation is produced by Studio Gokumi and AXsiZ. RVMINWD is whats called an Isekai. It translates to different world another world or other world. As the translation would suggest it revolves around a person or persons being transported toand having to survive inanother world that world typically being a fantasy setting a game world or a parallel universe with or without the possibility of returning to their original world. This is an extremely common trope. If youre an active watcher of anime especially some of the more popular ones you have likely watched a good handful of Isekaifocused anime. I myself can immediately think of two others that Ive either watched or am in the process of watching. But this is where the first positive emerges. 520https://i.ur.com/h7ZIyc9.png A problem or annoyance that Ive seen described before with Isekai anime is that there are few limits on the characters that have been Isekaid. The character either immediately or suddenly throughout the runtime of the anime becomes a force to be reckoned with. Their strength becomes so obtusely noticeable that any threat or danger that the show tries to throw at them either needs to be as unreasonably strong as the protagonist or theyre just bumps on the road with at best poor attempts to mask that truth. The character could just stand in the middle of the field and say I cannot die and I can literally do all I want with essentially no consequence. But when it comes to RVMINWD that power creep never happens or at least its less severe. Throughout the episodes Boxxo the vending machines name becomes more and more robust but ultimately remains a vending machine. 520https://i.ur.com/ZdJGvGY.png An example of this would be how it transforms. Although its of course unrealistic for a vending machine to be able to magically change its inventory restock or change shape entirely what it does with those abilities and other external abilities does otherwise feel to be within reason. For example the types items it gives depends on what machine it is. Boxxo isnt just a black box that can make anything random appear. The machines are also based on real life vending machines not just turning to any type of machine and pretending it is close to the concept. Its not turning into a large mech that is a force to be reckoned with nor is it turning into some robotic human that can essentially do anything it wants all the variants of machines it turns itself into are ultimately vending machines. The limitations stay the same. With the variety of items that it provides it can be interesting to see what Boxxo does to assist / help in the variety of scenarios it finds itself in. For example to help defeat an enemy it provides a litre bottle of pop alongside mentos. Or when its falling down a far distance it uses helium balloons to soften the fall. Or to make the water colder it dumps a lot of ice into the water. Theres a plethora of other scenarios where it transforms into a different machine to the situation it finds itself in. 520https://i.ur.com/bIVoIft.png Additionally its at times humorous seeing all the reactions that the creatures and people have towards Boxxo. In our reality vending machines arent that interesting. Theyre small machines that in most places either sell drinks or small snacks like chips or candy. Of course our vending machines cannot magically transform run on wireless power or replenish on their own but as a whole vending machines just exist without much thought put into them. But in a universe where technologically speaking things appear more primitive although compensated through magic something like a vending machine seems like well a magical concept. It can lead to some entertaining moments seeing how the characters react especially during their firsttime usages of the machine as a whole or a specific machine it transforms into. I suppose it can be a reminder of how advanced things have become. A lot of things that people take for granted as just existing would be crazy concepts bordering on unbelievably futuristic. Although the concept of being reincarnated as a vending machine is interesting and comparatively unique along with the creativity that Boxxo does showcase its relatively grounded nature of what the vending machine can do results in perhaps one of the bigger negatives of this show: his personality doesnt go beyond his love for vending machines. Boxxo honestly doesnt really feel much like a protagonist. Hes just a tool that just so happens to be very useful for those who have access to it even if Boxxo itself may not be unreasonably strengthened. Throughout the episodes Boxxo does showcase other machines that he can transform into many of them being unique but the underlying premise holds firm. He transforms into something that gives you something. Another way to put it would be once the novelty wears off theres little driving the plot forward. I felt myself constantly yearning to see the concept be expanded upon but at best it feels like its only done marginally. Also its a little strange how quickly Boxxo assumed the role. The few deep emotional or existential ideas that it does explore are underdeveloped and quickly chucked aside. Like if I were suddenly reincarnated as a vending machine I think Id have a lot more thoughts concerns and worries about all that has happened even after I become comfortable with the immediate details of my new existence. But for Boxxo its sort of just like I like vending machines so Im not gonna give it much thought 520https://i.ur.com/lnfkvCq.png This yearning for more and a lack of progression for the plot isnt helped by everything that surrounds Boxxo. The supporting cast all have minimal depth or development. An example where this is particularly present is Lammis. A lot of the time it feels like shes only there because she found Boxxo first and is the selfproclaimed transporter of it. The world itself is also bland and unmemorable. Its just everything youve seen before in an Isekai fantasy world. Its as if the worlds just there to fill checkboxes to make a bareminimum story. This isnt helped by the story choosing to ignore any worldbuilding that could reveal more lore or uniqueness hiding beneath potential surfaces. New areas seem to only be created when the show decides that it has to show Boxxo can do something else. Ultimately Reborn as a Vending Machine is a fun creative twist on an Isekai with a refreshingly restrained and wellexecuted gimmick. However it doesnt offer much beyond that. Weak characters a forgettable world and a lack of deeper themes hold it back from being more than just a clever gimmick. It plays with Isekai tropes but doesnt escape themfalling back on many of the same limitations that can easily plague a show in its genre. Its enjoyable and a little humorous a times but as the episodes go on those enjoyable and humorous moments are just that moments. 530https://i.ur.com/h0pPkZ9.png 520https://i.ur.com/nAmMRpS.png