Didn't I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!

Lore & Background

The series begins with Misato Kurihara, a genius high school girl who dies saving a little girl from a truck. Offered reincarnation in a fantasy world, she asks for average abilities. Upon regaining her memories at age ten, she discovers that 'average' in this world accounts for the strongest and weakest magical creatures, making her 6,800 times stronger than a typical human. Magic in this world is powered by nanomachines from an advanced civilization that collapsed, causing societal stagnation.

Reborn as Adele von Ascham, she loses her mother and grandfather to assassination by assassins hired by her father at age eight. Sent to Eckland Academy at ten, she makes her first friends. After using her powers to save a boy and claiming to be a god's vessel, she flees to another kingdom. There, under the alias Mile, she attends Hunter's Prep School and forms the all-female hunter party Crimson Vow with Mavis, Reina, and Pauline.

The Crimson Vow consists of Mile (Adele), a silver-haired girl with vast strength and magic; Reina, a fire mage; Mavis, a noble-born swordswoman; and Pauline, a healer. Mile loves books, anime, manga, and video games, using that knowledge to train her friends. She is insecure about her flat chest. The party faces various threats, including bandits and corrupt nobles, while Mile tries to live a normal life.

Reader's Guide

Didn't I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! is a notable entry in the isekai genre, subverting the typical overpowered protagonist trope by having the main character actively seek mediocrity. The series explores themes of friendship, found family, and the struggle to fit in despite extraordinary abilities. Its light novel and manga have been licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment, and the anime adaptation by Project No.9 aired in late 2019. The story's unique premise—where 'average' is calculated using the extremes of the world's power scale—provides both comedic and dramatic moments. The Crimson Vow's strong sisterly bond and Mile's efforts to hide her true power drive much of the narrative. The series also touches on the consequences of a technologically advanced civilization's collapse, as magic is tied to nanomachines. Its legacy lies in its playful deconstruction of reincarnation fantasies and its focus on character relationships over raw power escalation.

Did You Know?

• The series was written by FUNA and illustrated by Itsuki Akata.
• The anime adaptation by Project No.9 aired from October 7 to December 23, 2019.
• Mile's alias is derived from the Japanese term for 'nautical mile,' which shares kanji with her original Japanese first name.
• Magic in the world is powered by nanomachines created by a more advanced civilization that eventually disappeared.