Okay, I bought this entirely because of the title. I have watched a bit too much isekai, and now it seems that I've started reading it. First it was spiders and now it's vending machines.
Yep, vending machines.
Our protagonist unfortunately died while saving a vending machine from a slight scuffing, and reincarnated in a fantasy world as a snack dispensing device. Can think, can dispense (even for free!) but can't speak beyond a few pre-programmed phrases, can't move and can't properly appreciate the harem of women who have a fondness for cold drinks. Honestly, I have no idea how a machine manages to leer, but it does.
Amazingly, this doesn't just do trapped in a fantasy world, but trapped in a gaming fantasy world, which means our vending machine (named Boxxo) has stats. They're not the most impressive: speed 0; magic 0; strength 0, but every time he takes money in a sale, he gains points, which can unlock additional things to sell, or better functions, like a hot drink dispenser. Or a force field. And so he goes on an adventure.
Obviously, a vending machine on its own would rather struggle to have any sort of plot, so it's helped along by Lammis, a young girl with incredible strength she can't quite control, but can at least carry him around. Together they provide the "Hunters" of the village with helpful snacks (though weirdly no health potions), and help defend it from the frog monsters that surround them.
This is absolutely ridiculous, and that makes it glorious. Naturally it can't take itself seriously, and doesn't even try. Instead it's a comedy piece that has the usual tropes of this sort of thing, but runs them through the eyes of an inanimate object who can only communicate through yes or no questions. That does make it a more introspective affair, but still, fun enough to get through it in a single sitting.
I never imagined enjoying this enough to wait for a sequel, but I absolutely did.
Tagged: Book Fantasy Universe hopping Light novel Print