This is the last volume of the No Game No Life spin-off, something that becomes clear about halfway through. While the previous volumes have been mostly random one-shots about Izuna and the gang, this volume is all connected, though it may not be obvious at first. That’s because Steph tries to figure out a way to destroy a barrier around the bath since Sora, Shiro, Izuna, and Holou are gone. But as the chapter repeats about 10,000 times, “Nothing in particular is happening!” Yep, while the girls won’t take baths, they will play in water.
So the whole thing is a farce as Steph and random advisors plot a rescue mission that the manga constantly reminds us isn’t needed. Oh, and how the advisors are crackpots too. (One guy is really into flat chests.)
After that bizarre opening, the story shifts to Izuna’s hometown. She, Steph, and Azril arrive just in time for the local festival, and you know what that means: games! Well, really one game: matchmaking. Local werebeasts take up challenges in hopes of getting married, and the Shrine Maiden decides to enter. Although Izuna is mildly curious about marriage, she is far more concentrated on Dark Izuna: how to find her, how to defeat her.
Both the main series and this spinoff have healthy doses of fanservice, and in this aspect, No Game No Life, Please! doesn’t disappoint. However, unlike most of the volumes, the gratuitous amounts of female chests are pretty much limited to the first chapter and the ending. If that doesn’t seem like enough, don’t worry; just about everyone is seen without their clothes at one point. And yes, there’s other ecchi bits that cause this to be shrinkwrapped. (Shiro and Fi, kindly please keep your hands to yourself!!)
But otherwise, No Game No Life, Please! Volume 4 is all about Izuna. Sure, Steph is important in a couple of chapters, and Sora and Shiro are their usual selves, but Izuna discovers what she really wants and what her true style of gaming is. I felt like the author stumbled a bit with details like how the marriage game works (not to mention the wordy opening chapter), but I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun it was to see Izuna’s fighting spirit awaken as she realizes who Dark Izuna truly is. I figured since this was a spinoff, there wouldn’t be anything here but a bunch of fanservice (and in some cases, that’s all it was), but I liked how the author managed to pull together an actual story with the full No Game No Life feel in the end. So much so that I don’t think it would be too hard for light novel readers to jump straight to this closing volume without reading the previous three.
Speaking of the main series, I don’t know if the light novels will ever reference Dark Izuna or anything else found in Please!. The overall situation and the characters’ relationship haven’t changed, but here’s just something adorable about the foulmouthed Izuna emerging with a newfound appreciation for gaming. Just be aware of the naked prepubescent girls that are unavoidable on Izuna’s personal journey.