Is In Another World With My Smartphone Worth Reading? Review & Where to Read
Quick Answer
If you want isekai with zero pretense about being anything other than a relaxed power-and-harem fantasy, this delivers exactly that and nothing more.
Quick Verdict
“There's barely a plot here, and the manga doesn't pretend otherwise — this is pure comfort wish-fulfillment, take it or leave it.”
Best for: Readers who want a completely low-stakes, low-conflict harem isekai and don't need a real story to enjoy the ride.
Not for: Readers who want meaningful conflict, character growth, or a plot with actual stakes.
- Type
- Manga
- Genres
- Romance, Isekai
- Status
- Ongoing
- This review
- Minor Spoilers
- Author
- Patora Fuyuhara
- Artist
- Soto (character design by Eiji Usatsuka)
- Publisher
- Kadokawa
- Platform
- Yen Press
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Format | Manga |
| Run | 2016–present · ongoing |
| Community score | AniList 6.5 |
| Where to read | Yen Press — official |
Overview
Touya Mochizuki dies by accident — struck by lightning God didn't mean to send his way — and gets an apology in the form of a second life in a fantasy world, god-tier magical talent, and a smartphone with an internet connection that somehow still works. From there, In Another World With My Smartphone settles into a relaxed rhythm of Touya solving problems with minimal effort and slowly accumulating a harem of women who fall for his calm, unbothered demeanor.
What it does well
Touya himself is the best thing about this series. He's laid-back, kind without being a pushover, and refreshingly unbothered by how overpowered he is — there's no angst about his abilities, no forced humility arc, just a guy enjoying his very good second life. That makes him easy to spend time with even when the plot around him is doing very little. The smartphone gimmick, while mostly a punchline, gives the usual "god grants a convenient power" isekai opening a small, distinct hook, and the harem builds gradually enough across volumes that it doesn't feel like a single rushed checklist.
Where it falls short
The honest problem is that there's barely a story here. Obstacles show up and get resolved almost immediately, usually because Touya is simply too strong for anything to meaningfully threaten him, and that removes any real sense of stakes from the reading experience. The romance side fares similarly: the women who fall for Touya tend to do so quickly and with very little friction, so the relationships end up feeling interchangeable rather than individually developed. If you're looking for character growth, meaningful conflict, or a plot that goes somewhere specific, this manga simply isn't built for that.
This is a series that knows exactly what kind of comfort it's offering and doesn't pretend to be more than that — which is either a relief or a dealbreaker depending on what you came for.
Verdict
There's barely a plot here, and the manga doesn't pretend otherwise — this is pure comfort wish-fulfillment, take it or leave it.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Touya's easygoing, unbothered personality makes him a genuinely pleasant lead to spend time with, even when the story around him barely tries.
- The smartphone gimmick gives the setup a mildly fresh spin on the usual god-grants-a-cheat-power isekai opening.
- The harem grows gradually enough that it doesn't feel like a checklist being filled in a single arc.
Weaknesses
- There's essentially no real conflict; obstacles get resolved almost as soon as they appear, so nothing builds any tension.
- Touya is overpowered from nearly the first chapter, which removes any sense that outcomes are ever in doubt.
- The romance arcs are largely interchangeable, since the wives-to-be tend to fall for him with very little friction or distinct development.
Similar Titles
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord
Similar harem-isekai wish-fulfillment energy with an overpowered lead.
A much higher-stakes, more dramatic take on the summoned-hero-with-a-harem formula.
Another intentionally low-conflict isekai, though built around a growing found family instead of romance.
Where to Read Officially
| Platform | Format | Pricing | Region notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yen Press | Print & digital volumes | Paid | Region availability varies | Open |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is In Another World With My Smartphone finished?
No, both the light novel and manga are ongoing, and the anime and manga have run for multiple volumes.
Where can I read it officially in English?
Yen Press publishes the manga in English, in both print and digital editions.
Is there real conflict in this series?
Very little. Obstacles tend to resolve quickly, and the story is more interested in daily life and the growing harem than in stakes.
