(Manga vs. Novel Conparison) The Water Magician first impression and early thoughts
It’s a pretty standard isekai despite the simple title. The manga has some pacing and layout problems, so I’d suggest the novel. The early chapters are pretty slow, so you’ll need to stick with it for a while.
Story Overview (Beginning)
The protagonist Ryo Mihara dies in a traffic accident and is suddenly offered reincarnation by a mysterious man. He has been granted only water magic and requests to live a quiet life away from people. He's then reborn in a small cabin deep in a monster-infested forest.
While surviving and fighting monsters, he one day rescues an adventurer named Adel. This led Ryo to connect with the outside world, as he gradually built relationships and grew stronger.
Manga vs. Novel
I recommend the novel.
The composition of the artwork can occasionally be confusing, with some awkward angles or unclear perspectives. There are also moments where copy-paste elements and narration are used instead of visual storytelling. It’s more like reading an illustrated novel than a real manga.
Review
The protagonist says he wants a peaceful, quiet life in isolation, and much of the early story takes place in a forest. But this motivation feels a bit unconvincing — he’s just a teen boy, not a worn-out office worker seeking a slow life. And living alone in a dangerous forest seems more like a survival test than a relaxing lifestyle.
It feels like the author used this forest setting mainly as a way to train the protagonist before letting him show off his strength later.
The magic system is fairly grounded. Only a small portion of people in the world can use magic, but magic users aren't seen as especially rare or overpowered. Power increases gradually through consistent training, much like building muscle. There are no "cheat skills," which helps maintain balance in the story’s world.
Once the protagonist begins interacting with people from outside the forest, we meet characters with different elemental affinities or strong martial skills. This helps differentiate the cast without making any one person feel overwhelmingly powerful — and that’s when the story really starts getting interesting.
Another thing I appreciated is that Adel, a major companion character, is male, avoiding the common setup where a female companion is automatically part of a harem. It’s a refreshing change.
The pacing is slow at first, and it takes a while before the main heroine enters the story, but it becomes increasingly engaging as it progresses.
I'll post a full review of Arc 1 once I finish it.
