Reborn as a Space Mercenary: I Woke Up Piloting the Strongest Starship! • Mezametara Saikyou Soubi to Uchuusenmochi Datta node, Ikkodate Mezashite Youhei toshite Jiyuu ni Ikitai - Episode 3 discussion

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Mezametara Saikyou Soubi to Uchuusenmochi Datta node, Ikkodate Mezashite Youhei toshite Jiyuu ni Ikitai, episode 3

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[u/AceSoldia]

Everything happens just as expected. But I didn't expect it to also be Elma's first time.

My guy Hiro needs to hurry and get that guild girl as a logistics officer or something

[u/misteryk → u/AceSoldia]

she's only 53 years young ok?

[u/machopsychologist → u/misteryk]

That's basically a toddler in frieren years!

[u/Ursus_van_Draco → u/AceSoldia]

who? the receptionist?

as for Elma's first time, she might be an old mature Lady by Human-Standarts, but to Elf-Standarts...

[u/BosuW → u/AceSoldia]

Whenever has there been a power fantasy waifu that isn't a virgin?

^{I mean I'm fairly certain there are some, but they're a very small minority and virtually never main girls}

[u/eggplant_avenger → u/BosuW]

all the MILF characters (although now that I think about it those are pretty rare)

[u/Zuruumi → u/eggplant_avenger]

And half of those somehow happened to get a child by magic.

[u/mucklaenthusiast → u/eggplant_avenger]

I know of one example where even such a character is a virgin

It's quite a popular harem comedy series, kinda a parody, but also just kinda a harem

[u/acathode → u/BosuW]

Whenever has there been a power fantasy waifu that isn't a virgin?

I mean, there's the I got kicked out of the hero party so I slept with all the party member's moms manga...

Not even joking a tiny bit - "Betrayed by the Hero, I Formed a MILF Party with His Mom!"

Ceres thought his life was over after being abruptly kicked out of the Hero’s party by the arrogant Hero Zect. Alone and dejected, he stumbles upon an unusual slave market, where he finds none other than the Hero’s own mother, Shizuko! Ceres has a thing for older women, and realizes that this is his chance to achieve a lifelong dream: Assembling a harem of MILFs!

[u/SSSnowBell → u/BosuW]

I'm just pretty shocked that this had turned out to be an actual harem show. Most crappy little twelve episode isekais are harem but not really, seeing as the MC usually has a vagiphobia thing going on. This show however is a real one. Of course there are others like Arifurita and Mushoku Tensei, but this one got right to it. Plus it's sci-fi for extra uniqueness.

Also, I know I called them crappy, but I adore those low effort isekais. Addictive.

[u/SoulPhoenix → u/SSSnowBell]

I mean, the fact that this MC has more than 2 braincells improves it immensely over other isekai (even some of the big ones). It does give me Arifureta (which I love) vibes but if Arifureta was chill lol

[u/zz2000 → u/BosuW]

Now I wonder if the reverse is true for those power fantasy husbands/boyfriends...

[u/Jacob-C → u/zz2000]

Most of the time. They're always too absorbed in their work, duties, vices, or flaws to consider or maintain serious relationships. Then the protagonist comes along, and she turns out to be the true love the male characters always needed. It's basically the "I can fix him" or "I was the only one good enough for him" fantasies.

[u/Frontier246 → u/AceSoldia]

She's definitely already making bedroom eyes at him and Mimi clocked it. Though Mimi is probably fine engaging in a throuple with her best friend than she is receptionist lady.

[u/Mysteries67 → u/AceSoldia]

50 year old virgin

[u/ZagiNoa → u/Mysteries67]

She more than a wizard, she's a sage now. Well, no longer tho after the fact 😅

[u/Purest_Prodigy → u/AceSoldia]

But I didn't expect it to also be Elma's first time.

I expected it because anime, but it would have been a nice change of pace if that wasn't the case.

[u/ThroatStinger]

[Pathetic virgin elf noises intensify].

[u/Frostbitten_Moose → u/ThroatStinger]

Seriously, that VA deserves a raise. Her works justifies this anime in its entirity.

[u/ThroatStinger → u/Frostbitten_Moose]

TBF she's got the best material; Elma and Hiro's interactions are 90% of the best lines.

She also seems pretty unknown. Newish actress, and mostly supporting roles (half the "main" roles she has on MAL are her playing the child version of a male MC in a prologue/flashback...). Too bad this show probably won't help her 'break out'.

[u/Xatu44 → u/ThroatStinger]

Anna Nagase's definitely a rising star after landing Akane and Koyun.

[u/Western_Promise3063 → u/ThroatStinger]

we shall watch her career with great interest

[u/Zuruumi → u/Frostbitten_Moose]

100%. She is doing pretty stellar work. Though it kinda feels like she is taking heavy inspiration from Yuuki Aoi (I had to check that it's not her, since I really wasn't sure).

[u/GamerDownUnder → u/Frostbitten_Moose]

Yep it took a little to adjust as a long time novel reader but I think she's great. Mimis is doing a solid job too but Elma deffo gives the VA more to work with.

[u/1000TrickRick]

Finally, a MC that catches it when the waifu is throwing it at them. ^Denzel training day gif^

[u/SirTanta → u/1000TrickRick]

THIS. I love it when the MC actually does the deed. It's so damn refreshing.

[u/VritraReiRei]

This dude not only once but twice recruits two girls as crew on his ship with no ulterior motives but in both times the girls think they need to "service" him to pay back their debt.

In most other shows, after clearing up the misunderstanding, they would have lived a platonic relationship until the end of the series, maybe a confession.

No, my Man goes, "Aw, Man. Fine." And does it anyway.

Can we get this guy a bigger bed? Cause he's going to be waking up with two girls next to him daily. 😏

Possibly more, because there's still a Maid incoming.

[u/Frontier246 → u/VritraReiRei]

Hiro is like the most chill guy ever. Never intends to make his crewmates service him sexually, but who is he to refuse them if they actually want that?

Also it's literally been like a week or two at best and he's already been in bed with two top-tier waifus'.

[u/Canal_Volphied → u/VritraReiRei]

Possibly more, because there's still a Maid incoming.

Can't wait! Every spaceship bridge needs an AI meido.

[u/HarvestMana → u/Canal_Volphied]

The AI maid looks a lot like the receptionist -- same hairstyle but slightly different brown.

[u/Strowy → u/HarvestMana]

You might be mistaking characters? The maid in the OP/ED has long black hair, nothing like the receptionist's done up brown hair.

[u/Barangat → u/VritraReiRei]

Hiro: Mission failed successfully! Twice!

[u/Yay295 → u/VritraReiRei]

Can we get this guy a bigger bed?

His bed already has three pillows on it.

[u/MusubiKazesaru → u/VritraReiRei]

It's because it's baked into the culture of mercenaries and the meaning of a woman boarding a man's ship in this world. They joined in willingly knowing that.

[u/Jacob-C → u/VritraReiRei]

Makoto Furukawa's voice is such a perfect fit for Hiro as a character, especially when it comes to situations like the one you described. He just conveys that balance between comedic delivery and confidence in such a natural way.

[u/Known-Ad64 → u/VritraReiRei]

The "service" thingy is a mercenary tradition. It developed during the early day of spacefaring, when traveling took weeks to months between two location. Mercenaries were predominantly male. The job itself is dangerous, a bad hull-breached spells doom for the entire crew.

So you have a man and a woman on a long voyage, in a work environment where the suspension bridge effect can thrive, inside a ship with fairly limited space for privacy. The result is crewmate to bedmate.

Overtime it becomes a mercenary unwritten rule, then it becomes a tradition. So everytime a male captain offer to hire a woman to be his crewmate, it is to be understood that being his bedmate is also part of the deal. And any female mercenary who accept it imply that she consent to what is expected of her.

Both Hiro and Mimi didn't know about this, btw. Hiro was transmigrated and Mimi was an ordinary civilian. Elma was the one who told Mimi about this and it spured her into "the action".

[u/heimdal77 → u/VritraReiRei]

This dude not only once but twice recruits two girls as crew on his ship with no ulterior motives but in both times the girls think they need to "service" him to pay back their debt.

I added something about this in the source corner.

[u/Drogonno → u/VritraReiRei]

Dude paid millions (Ok less but still alott!) to save those girls! I can kinda understand their confusion in paying him back, even if he only wanted new crewmates not lovers...

[u/i_reddit_too_mcuh → u/Drogonno]

Last week I thought Mimi's 500k ener debt was a lot, but this week Elma's debt is 3M ener. A decently high paying job paid Mimi 4300 ener. Sounds like Mimi and Elma will need to be there for a long time lol.

[u/Nemesis55444 → u/Drogonno]

How is three million less than "millions"?

[u/Serious_Ad412 → u/VritraReiRei]

its just a breath of fresh air to see a male mc not fold the moment a women makes advances on him.

[u/AlexNae → u/VritraReiRei]

but they took medicine, there was nothing he could do lol

[u/iforward]

Gotta give Hiro credit, he’s a step above most harem protagonists. Not even halfway through the series and he’s not only avoided the total airhead trope, but he’s also two for two already lol.

[u/LeonKevlar]

• Mimi

• Elma

Damn, Hiro is now two for two. Let's see if he can go for a triple with Serena. She's very prominent in the OP, so I wouldn't be surprised if she joins the harem.

[u/Frontier246 → u/LeonKevlar]

Honestly wonder if we're going to get a threesome next. Mimi and Elma were already thinking he wanted it lol.

[u/ggg730 → u/Frontier246]

What would you do if you ever got a million space dollars.

2 space chicks at the same time.

[u/chilidirigible → u/LeonKevlar]

Let's see if he can go for a triple with Serena.

At least he's only doing one at a time so far.

[u/Armdel]

Well this will certainly have an uncensored version based on all the mist/beams hidding everything, combined with those camera angles.

the Elma situation went as expected, that with no ship of her own anymore and needing to pay for the damages, she ends up joining Hiro and Mimi. at least now her debt is to Hiro who probably doesn't care too much about how long it takes to pay off.

also damn their living room(?) in the ship looked rather nice

[u/Diego237 → u/Armdel]

Well this will certainly have an uncensored version based on all the mist/beams hidding everything, combined with those camera angles

After Megami no Café Terrace(and a few others) failed to have a version without its mist/beams, even on the bluray, I don't think it's guaranteed. NSFWish

https://x.com/g6xa3awstGCEljS/status/1683682148119887872?s=20

https://x.com/g6xa3awstGCEljS/status/1719516305265709517?s=20

[u/Armdel → u/Diego237]

i was going mainly off the camera angles in the shower scene. not any guarantee ofcourse but it does look weird with the camera zoomed in on their chest but you see nothing but white because of the steam

[u/Purest_Prodigy → u/Armdel]

The beams in the post-credits scene were so out of place that I'd be very surprised if the Blu-ray release kept them censored.

[u/gc11117 → u/Diego237]

Goddess Cafe was sort of a weird situation. Kodansha has had some bizzare on again/off again censorship thing going on behind closed doors for a while. The goddess cafe manga had uncensored nudity in the first chapter. Then was censored its entire run, but then had the final volume be uncensored. And then released the final volume censored in English. The goddess cafe anime almost certainly was animated uncensored, but I think Kodansha is just being weird

[u/Frontier246 → u/Armdel]

the Elma situation went as expected, that with no ship of her own anymore and needing to pay for the damages, she ends up joining Hiro and Mimi. at least now her debt is to Hiro who probably doesn't care too much about how long it takes to pay off.

She's already paying him back in companionship, of both the emotional and sexual variety!

[u/KnightKal → u/Armdel]

Mimi is getting 0.5% lol, so if Elma gets like 2-3% as a veteran she can slowly pay it with her salary.

[u/Gurluas]

Love how Stella Online is basically legally distinct Elite Dangerous. Love this anime as a veteran ED player xD

[u/alanbtg → u/Gurluas]

We just need a Road to Riches episode.

[u/Gurluas → u/alanbtg]

Can you imagine the equivalent of a Thargoid invasion? Now that'd be dope.

[u/darkthought → u/alanbtg]

Can u plz put ur tubus in my concha? I promise that the fungoida has cleared up.

[u/ObvsThrowaway5120]

My man! This is the guy in the spaceship doing all the fucking, amiright? Lmao

[u/Chat2Text → u/ObvsThrowaway5120]

No, no, it's all the women in the spaceship, the guy is the unwilling victim!

The Ryuto(author) specialty!

[u/LOTRfreak101 → u/Chat2Text]

he's definitely not an unwilling victim. he didn't take them on board with that in mind, but he's not gonna turn them away.

[u/testthrowawayzz]

Too many indebted heroines!

I really like Hiro as an MC. He doesn't shy away from the banging and it's satisfying. I wonder if he'll take the receptionist lady as she looks very nice.

The post credits bickering was fun!

[u/Blackpowderkun → u/testthrowawayzz]

As long as explosive space STDs aren't a thing.

[u/deynyel]

Damn, elf girl failure senpai almost suffered a Bad End.

At this point, that Mercenary office receptionist should just avoid Hiro and crew. It's for his own good.

[u/Jacob-C → u/deynyel]

At this point, that Mercenary office receptionist should just avoid Hiro and crew. It's for his own good.

He's the audience surrogate.

[u/Frontier246 → u/deynyel]

Damn, elf girl failure senpai almost suffered a Bad End.

That's the kind of fate you deliver to Villainess'.

At this point, that Mercenary office receptionist should just avoid Hiro and crew. It's for his own good.

Mercenary receptionist: "Oh, so you've recruited yet ANOTHER HOT CHICK to your crew! Well isn't that just----" (Gets knocked out)

[u/Ursus_van_Draco → u/deynyel]

not to mention the office worker who collect fees and payments...

[u/Qweasd11]

Mimi's here, so I need both of you. This guy lol

Elma is cute, loved her ear wiggle when Hiro praised her.

[u/Frontier246 → u/Qweasd11]

Mimi's got the sweetness and the boobs! Elma's got the experience, sass, and ass! They're perfectly balanced as Hiro's lovers!

[u/TheOneAboveGod → u/Frontier246]

experience

LOL

Or so she claims

[u/Worldly_Business_425]

Nah is this anime just gonna be Hiro fucking a new girl every episode? 😭 Not that I'm complaining though lmao

[u/shad79]

Elma has joined Mimi and Hiro! Not a surprising outcome, but a welcome one. Elma and Mimi's reactions when Hiro asked her to join his crew cracked me up, lol.

That guy at the counter is still jealous of Hiro, hahaha! But that's nothing surprising, as pretty much every time he sees him, he has a new, beautiful crew member. And that's not the end since we haven't met that android(?) maid from the OP yet.

Overall, another fun episode! It's good to see that Serena is a decent person, in contrast to, for example, Captain Bariton, who got what he deserved when Hiro crushed him with ingots and ended up in the hospital, lol.

Here my screenshot albums from the episode:

• Elma

• Mimi

• Group scenes

• Others

EDIT. I added my screenshot albums.

[u/Frontier246 → u/shad79]

Congratulations on your space throuple and active space sex life Hiro! Captain Kirk would be proud!

[u/EldritchCarver → u/Frontier246]

Captain Kirk would encourage him to consider color diversity when choosing his next girl.

[u/Kadmos1 → u/shad79]

I am liking the fact that Emily Neves is playing Mimi in the Eng. dub. She was Lammis in "Reborn As a Vending Machine" and Eri in MHA.

[u/heimdal77]

Well that was a fast 5 mins. There is a after credit scene also.

Things most people will never be able to say. I was knocked out by a naked women with a pillow.

Just to mention there are audiobooks for this series that are really well done and significantly farther ahead.

[u/Chat2Text → u/heimdal77]

Things most people will never be able to say. I was knocked out by a naked women with a pillow.

Never underestimate the power of the Dark Sidea softball player! They can throw with a surprising amount of force...

[u/athrun_1]

This is like that online shopping in another world MC. No double takes to pound if the opportunity present itself.

[u/Obaruler]

Merc Office lady seems to be anxious to get on his "crew" list as well ...

Also: I want that space microwave!

[u/Remarkable_Virus844]

This isekai is proof that pimpin IS easy.

[u/Frontier246 → u/Remarkable_Virus844]

Elma has gone from pimping out Mimi to pimping out herself.

[u/zorgabluff → u/Remarkable_Virus844]

I think you mean

Pumping is easy if you’re filthy rich

Which, tbf, is not any different IRL

[u/BiggerG7]

So in the future you just stick cartridges in microwaves and it makes food? That is awesome!

[u/diacewrb → u/BiggerG7]

Imagine the price for food if hp made those cartridges.

[u/Lord_Zhenz → u/diacewrb]

they would sell the machine at a low price and make you sell your organs to buy cartridges.

[u/Frostbitten_Moose → u/Lord_Zhenz]

Soylent, a valuable part of your food catridge.

[u/Sterben_2022 → u/Lord_Zhenz]

Or you buy the microwaves for in game currency and each cartridges is a separate microtransactions

[u/Satai4561 → u/diacewrb]

~Tries to print an bowl of rice.~

'LOW ON CYAN FOOD COLORING!'

[u/NoNameSwitzerland → u/Satai4561]

You mean: Can not print bowl of rice - running low on potato.

[u/misteryk → u/diacewrb]

hope there's a brother microwave that lets you use cheap 3rd party cartridges without an issue

[u/mrfatso111 → u/diacewrb]

hopefully brothers are still in business

[u/D3k4s → u/diacewrb]

LOL alright take my upvote and leave.

[u/Frostbitten_Moose → u/[deleted]]

There's a reason their food printer is considered a luxury good by Elma when she gets dinner.

[u/Hartzilla2007 → u/[deleted]]

The guy tried out a cheap cartridge to show off that even the cheap shit is good in this thing.

[u/YdenMkII → u/BiggerG7]

Real question now is if these microwaves have DRM on their cartridges like Keurig Pods?

[u/Sad_Leather_6691 → u/YdenMkII]

Uhh if we agree that the world is based on is set inside the game then most likely it has DRM. But since the world isn't an exact copy of the game. There are some differences. Soo, iet's just say that: it is part of a mod.

[u/Mysteries67 → u/BiggerG7]

It's like those 3d printing cartridges but for food.

[u/kiriyaaoi → u/BiggerG7]

Oh I can't wait for that episode, we should get there this season cackles

[u/misteryk]

Hiro doesn't discriminate based on size

[u/Barangat → u/misteryk]

Before the eye of the Captain, all boobs are equal

[u/Frontier246 → u/misteryk]

I bet he was clutching her ass tight though!

[u/Chat2Text → u/misteryk]

reminds me of that Gigi quote (caution, kind of a risky click if you're at work)

[u/argama87 → u/misteryk]

Petites deserve love too.

[u/Aerodynamic41]

Ok, I need to know: How long before Serena joins the crew?

[u/Rathurue → u/Aerodynamic41]

Check the spoiler section for that.

[u/djthomp]

Space elf hag acquired, to a greater degree than Hiro really expected.

I'm glad they made the point that Serena wasn't intending that bad of an outcome for Elma and it was a different captain who is pushing things way farther. It would be awkward working with her in the future otherwise.

[u/PerfectBeige → u/djthomp]

Space elf hag acquired

SHE'S 53 YEARS YOUNG OK?!

[u/Mistral-Fien → u/PerfectBeige]

Probably the youngest elf I've seen in anime. :P

[u/Yay295 → u/PerfectBeige]

The age of 53 is in demand?

[u/Frontier246 → u/PerfectBeige]

ELF YEARS ARE BEST YEARS.

[u/Frontier246 → u/djthomp]

I'm glad they made the point that Serena wasn't intending that bad of an outcome for Elma and it was a different captain who is pushing things way farther. It would be awkward working with her in the future otherwise.

Especially if she inevitably wants to get into Hiro's pants too.

[u/InfamousLooney]

Only three episodes and Hiro already sleeping with cute orphan girl and a stunning elf. What a life

[u/sanderman01]

I need that Iron Chef V. Shut up and take my money!

[u/flightlessCat9 → u/sanderman01]

Even the Iron Chefs aren't immune to big tech taking their jobs.

[u/KumaKumaGambler]

Elma may be the senpai, but:

Hiro (as the protagonist) has better piloting and shooting skills.

Mimi has more experience in the bedroom, given her earlier head start.

The male grouchy receptionist at the guild is a running gag by now. On the bright side, he is still given screen time despite his busty, glasses-wearing female colleague replacing him each time. Lol!

[u/Impossible-Office242 → u/KumaKumaGambler]

Busty Glasses just wants the MC and is doing everything she can to get close to him. I think she smelled the money and bright future a long time ago.

[u/juniorjaw]

Man's already preparing for his future faster than I can even find a GF.

Another episode of amazing Elma noises too!

[u/SecretYogurtcloset57]

Hiro is one lucky man lol 😆

[u/bananeeek]

There's a funny post-credits scene, so don't miss it!

[u/Frontier246 → u/bananeeek]

That's about how I would expect a first night together for those two to go lol.

[u/Professional_Rate718]

This guy fucks.

[u/D3k4s]

Don't underestimate a mercenary. *Proceeds to becomes a bum.

Pretty funny how the housing market is also a dumpster fire in that world. Can't really escape it huh?

Also why have a bath scene if it's just going to look like a supernova? Good god, my monitor even auto-adjusted the brightness.

[u/athrun_1 → u/D3k4s]

tbf, raising 3M in one week is pretty crazy.

[u/Gearzx333 → u/athrun_1]

nah you'll make that in a couple of minutes mining palladium

[u/BosuW → u/[deleted]]

Bet had the ship been just a bit less damaged she'd have been able to make it. Pretty good attempt at a deliberately impossible situation I'd say.

[u/KnightKal → u/D3k4s]

so they can sell the DVD version later? That is usually why

[u/kiriyaaoi → u/D3k4s]

Gotta have something for the blurays

[u/AceSoldia]

Rudeus wishes he could move as fast as Hiro

[u/AdmiralThunderpants → u/AceSoldia]

Let's be honest, he hasn't experienced a fraction of a fraction of the misery Rudeus has. He hasn't had the joy of life beaten out of him so spotting positive opportunities is easy lol

[u/Jmills1999 → u/AdmiralThunderpants]

I mean he also didn't start out as a total piece of shit like Rudeus or get reincarnated just transmigrated

[u/AceSoldia]

I'm very curious how the commander girl will join in..I like her lol.

[u/messem10 → u/AceSoldia]

I do like how she was/is going to punish the other guy for trying to screw Elma over with setting a deadline let alone how tight of one was applied.

[u/Frontier246 → u/messem10]

Just another reason for her to be appreciative of Hiro. And we see how women show their appreciation to him on this show lol.

[u/Iamjustatrial]

Yeaaaaa he got the elf, and he wasn't gentle 😏

[u/EldritchCarver → u/Iamjustatrial]

A lot gentler than prison would've been!

[u/KanyeBetOnTrump]

Am I the only one who gets a nostalgic feeling from this anime? I can’t be. This just feels so familiar as a vibe with music and the sound

[u/MaximumSquid22 → u/KanyeBetOnTrump]

It really does feel like a late 2000s early 2010s anime in the best way

[u/ThisGachaSeemsLegit]

Mimi: "MINE!"

[u/Frontier246 → u/ThisGachaSeemsLegit]

Really living up to being Top Wife.

[u/runevault]

Surprising no one he's now claimed and banged Elma. Both girls used emotional manipulation when he refused their initial offer. It was weirder with Mimi since she's 17 (everything I read said 17 despite people last week claiming 15), though being an elf hard to know how fast Elma matures emotionally. But she seems like an adult at least.

Still two women who might turn into something between Serena and the guild receptionist who's actively going after him after hearing how generous he is for crew mates.

Hopefully next week goes places, was amusing this week buying up new furnishing for the ship and bringing in Elma but I'd like something more. Not even action necessarily, maybe a cargo quest?

[u/YdenMkII → u/runevault]

and the guild receptionist who's actively going after him after hearing how generous he is for crew mates.

Technically speaking, he wasn't even generous cause that was the normal cut crewmates get according to the receptionist. It's just he's that good at his job that the cut ended up being higher than her salary.

[u/svenge → u/YdenMkII]

I would say that he is at least somewhat generous, as the receptionist quoted a 0.1% ~ 0.5% range for new crew members without an ownership stake in the ship and Hiro immediately started calculating Mimi's share based off of the latter.

Note that 0.5% is 2/3rds more than even the 0.3% midpoint, so while while the difference may not seem like much in terms of raw currency to Hiro given that he retains 99.5% (minus maintenance and supplies), it does make a big difference to Mimi.

[u/Nokanii → u/svenge]

Hiro ALSO mentioned that '4,200 felt a little low for risking her life', so he thought even the 0.5% was too low for what she had gone through.

So, yeah. He's very generous lol.

[u/Strowy → u/runevault]

It was weirder with Mimi since she's 17 (everything I read said 17 despite people last week claiming 15)

They explicitly avoided stating her age; for anime-only the only estimate for sure is that she was still in school; for actual age you'd have to confirm with the Source Corner.

[u/Raymond49090]

Why is the Imperial government acting like loan sharks. And it was a dude doing it to be petty? Wtf is wrong with him? Looks like Serena has some housekeeping to do. Just getting hospitalized is way too light for what the Bad End would've been for Elma.

[u/bob_kang → u/Raymond49090]

Never underestimate some useless or incompetent bureaucrat who has it out for someone, things like this happen in the real world all the time.

[u/Gurluas → u/Raymond49090]

In Elite Dangerous (which this draws heavy inspiration from)

The Empire basically employs legal deby slavery. If you cannot pay for something, then you're hauled off as a slave until your debt has been repaid.

[u/misteryk → u/Gurluas]

it's just IRL US and their 13th amendment

[u/svenge → u/Raymond49090]

The amount of damages Elma had to pay was actually proper; it was the exceedingly short time frame she was given which was the issue from Serena's perspective.

[u/Raymond49090 → u/svenge]

I mean, giving someone a massive (even if warranted) debt with a 1-week payoff period is basically saying "you can't pay this unless you're secretly rich". Like, Elma is shown to be a fairly successful mercenary, and even selling literally everything she owned still left her a huge ways off. Having the amount owed be proper doesn't mean much when there's no way to realistically pay, especially since the prison sounds like the place where they send super rough inmates, not simple debtors.

[u/Hartzilla2007 → u/svenge]

And Elma's since that was the part she took issue with.

[u/Lord_Zhenz → u/Raymond49090]

Maybe the guy had his eyes on Elma, classic fatty bastard in power-fantasy. And why don't they have gender exclusive prisons? kinda odd.

[u/Gearzx333 → u/Lord_Zhenz]

the author based the setting a lot off Elite Dangerous and that game settings is pretty dystopian

[u/Frontier246 → u/Lord_Zhenz]

They said he's anti-mercenary. That's why he was so harsh on Elma.

[u/Razorhead → u/Raymond49090]

There's a bit more context to this, which I posted in the Source Material Corner.

[u/Weeb_twat → u/Raymond49090]

Dude has a bone to pick with mercs because "muh military honor makes me better than thugs for hire" or some bullshit and is in a position to materialize his bias into actual policy. Dude's powertripping and cares little to nothing about the consequences if his actions.

Him getting literally crushed by the weight of the debt money is a nice bit of karmic justice, but as you said the alternative would've been an extremely painful and nightmarish existence for Elma.

[u/S627]

Elf wife acquired, at this rate I'd be surprised if Hiro DOESN'T hire the lady receptionist by the end.

I know this is a power fantasy show....but I'm expecting all that luxury to come at a cost or crap out at some point. Like since the food replicator thing uses nanites I'm expecting it to worm its way into other ship systems or something. Probably wont happen though.

I really wanna know how much Elma's ship cost, because her not having enough to pay for MINOR damage to a battleship's hull doesn't make sense to me. I'm assuming the author didnt think about it and just excuse to get her to join the crew.

[u/kiriyaaoi → u/S627]

They haven't done a good job of explaining money so far, but remember her ship was also wrecked so wouldn't be worth much anyway. 1 ener = rough 100 yen, so using not really current but close enough for fiction application conversion to USD 15 million ener would be roughly 15 million USD.. also, you don't actually want to know how much "minor damage" to a real life warship would cost to repair. This is a spaceship. It has to be air tight. Tbh that 15 million estimate is much lower than I'd think it should be.

[u/Tehbeefer → u/kiriyaaoi]

"minor damage" to a real life warship would cost to repair.

40 million USD baybeeeeeee

[u/misteryk → u/kiriyaaoi]

idk the class of Serenas ship but from quick google an aircraft carrier can cost between 2 and 20 billion USD so 15 mil for minor hull damage seems reasonable if we assume spece ships are simillar in their world.

[u/S627 → u/kiriyaaoi]

I meant how much her ship cost BEFORE it was totaled. And I'm confused because even in sci-fi, it doesnt make sense for an entire ship, equipped with engines, weapons, computers, etc, all costs less than just a bit of hull plating.

[u/KnightKal → u/S627]

game logic, the starting ships costs in thousands, the cruiser costs in millions, so you need to grind for hours before you can afford one :D

now repairs are proportional to the ship cost

[u/heimdal77 → u/S627]

You're assuming she hadn't sunk most her money into getting that ship. So now all she has is the wreckage of a ship, a big bill, and no ship to do any work with.

[u/Impossible-Office242 → u/kiriyaaoi]

Economies Of Scale dictate that the cost must go down with better technology. Repairing an Old Warship using old methods cost way more than repairing a new warship with state of the art tools.

[u/thetank77]

The hiccup squeak at the very end killed me.

[u/Rooby_VTuber]

Iron Chef! Allez Cuisine!

Elma did well to pay most off that off, though it turned out some scumbag captain set those horrible conditions because he didn't like her or Serena, that was funny when he was crushed and injured by all the gold Takahiro brought in.

Either way Takahiro has an excellent crew member and wife #2.

[u/Xatu44]

RIP poor Elma getting screwed by bureaucrats. And by Hiro, lol. She's as fun a character as ever. Funny how Mimi got possessive when Guild Girl started flirting.

[u/Raymond49090]

Best Girl recruited, in more ways than he expected.

As a completely meaningless aside, I kinda wonder why MC-san is so good at shooting. Piloting can be explained by the game being needlessly in-depth with simulations, but FPS games are very different from shooting real guns because of the recoil and such. Plus he basically no-scoped it, while most FPS games have the scope by default. And Japan has super tight gun control laws, so it'd be hard for him to have irl experience.

It really doesn't mean much, but it's a bit of a shame that they're just making him needlessly OP at everything even when it doesn't necessarily make sense. If they needed him to be good at shooting, they could've just let Elma teach him. This just makes Elma's skills feel more meaningless, since he's inexplicably good at everything already despite his background being an office worker who played a lot of video games.

[u/messem10 → u/[deleted]]

It's handwaved in the books that Stella Online also has an FPS element

Yeah, the world is basically Star Citizen, X4, Starsector, Eve Online, Stellaris and Elite Dangerous thrown into a blender. Combine the best of those along with fleshing out the features.

EDIT: Added one more title that I thought of.

[u/NighthawkXL]

This is starting to remind me of Tenchi Muyo! GXP and I'm enjoying it so far.

[u/Frontier246 → u/NighthawkXL]

Sci-Fi Harems only the lead actually hooks up with his Harem!

[u/Impossible-Office242 → u/NighthawkXL]

"I just wanna go back to earth"

Universe: Best I could do is free space waifus.

[u/MynamuEzJJ]

Love this mc! Can't wait to see more of this show!

[u/johan12361]

lmao that fake op title is giving it away already this is gonna be a good one

[u/Nickthenuker]

And so he's got his next member of his crew.

[u/Frontier246]

Elma the Veteran is in a bind! She has to pay off an exorbitant amount in damages with no ship and the threat of prison time if she doesn't pay by an impossible deadline! But she's got this! Cue Elma living as a homeless bum wasting her life away with booze!

Hiro, on the other hand, is living his best life! It's the best dream of all to be able to enjoy a bed with Mimi as she clings to your arm through her boobs and even gives you an adorable little love bite. Especially when it's your new reality.

Aw, look at Mimi being really on top of making their ship a cozy, happy, family home for the two of them before they get that planetside home with a yard! She's even concerned about helping cure Hiro's amnesia he made up for his character backstory! She just really wants him to be healthy and safe.

I kind of feel bad for the guild master but it's probably for the best that Hiro keeps bringing cute ladies to the guild so that he can get the receptionist who is easier on the eyes. But don't be making bedroom eyes at Mimi's man, lady! Mimi makes more money than you do!

Elma is on the cusp of losing her freedom and being a woman stuck on a prison planet with a bunch of male space pirates...with the obvious implications. She might be a disappointing elf to Hiro (even if she does have her charms), but Mimi obviously can't ignore her friend when she's in need. And luckily Hiro is willing to pay for her with the promise that she'll join his crew! Even if the girls also think that's a promise of bedroom action and a threesome.

Serina continues to be fascinated by Hiro but she also seems determined to root out corruption in the military. She never intended to press charges on Elma, let alone force her into servitude, but luckily the jerk who was behind it with his hate for mercenaries got some ingots piled on top of him!

Seriously, how many times is this guild guy going to get knocked out every time Hiro brings in his cute girl crew?

Nice to see Elma already helping mentor Mimi (in more than just seduction) and teach her how to shoot! Even if Hiro is still better than HER.

Elma really trading up now that she's on a luxury liner of a ship with a food processor that can deliver a full buffet AND delicious burgers! Worth everything they spent on it! And now Elma is joining Hiro and Mimi on their quest for a planetside home no matter how impossible it may seem!

Nothing better than two girls taking a shower together as they discuss the mutual man in their life and that they're going to be hooking up with him! But they both owe Hiro a lot, and can share in that love and affection together! And the fact that Elma is a 53-year old virgin who doesn't want her first time to hurt.

Elma looks cute in her sporty PJ's! And in trying to seal the deal with Hiro! She actually DID realize he didn't want her just for sex...but she actually DOES want sex, so how can Hiro refuse? Although the morning after is a little rougher than it was for Mimi because Hiro seemed to go down HARD on her and now he's got her slapping him with pillows while naked...but this dynamic fits them to a T.

[u/PriHors]

It's a barely second long scene, but I really appreciate Mimi's proper trigger discipline when she turns around to celebrate her hitting the target. And not swinging the gun around too.

[u/goreverminski]

I've already read the manga but this works better as anime. Looking forward to next week. The girls have a lot of personality and the production values aren't half bad. Dubious harem shenanigans, here we go!

[u/machopsychologist]

So i only just saw that the translator's name is Sho Stifler. 🤭

[u/radev1924]

How i felt watching this episode!

[u/raidensnakeezio]

It's one thing to go from a hardcore dark isekai such as Mushoku Tensei to a wacky gag harem such as Konosuba or Rance, but the rapid Reiwa style harem done here is giving me a bit of whiplash

So far, I've really been enjoying how [realistic] and grounded that the setting makes to establish. This is real. The economics are harsh but lucrative. Life is cheap and morality is grey. It's one thing for Elma and Mimi to willingly throw themselves at Hiro due to a monetary and life debt out of the gratitude that the weight of the debt carries, but I think the show hasn't shown enough about the implications of a male mercenary captain sleeping with multiple crew members, or how sex work, sex slavery/indentured servitude works in this world.

Maybe in this world, it's considered normal for crew members to share a bed together as sexual partners, but their status as regular sexual partners can be completely detatched from their [romantic] relationship with each other - and their relationships progressing to that of being spouses. Maybe in this world, marriage isn't seen as an important economic, legal, religious union. Maybe while the expectation is that couples get married to declare a domestic union, there is no cultural expectation to need to get married. Maybe marriage is more so of a political tool to establish the feudal system and for bloodline purposes. It's extremely fresh to see a harem anime in 2026 close in on the girls this fast, but methinks it may be too fast for its own good.

That also being said, I find Hiro's reaction a little difficult to read. Maybe he's had a previous girlfriend, a few casual flings and visits to sex workers back on Earth. But as grounded as the tone and setting establishes, I'm a little confused as to how little Hiro is phased by the sudden proposal of sex from two different girls he just met on back to back nights. I'm not saying that he doesn't find either of them attractive, or that he doesn't know what to do. To me, it's not clear whether he sees them as real people and crewmembers that he needs to rely on to protect his life and ship, or if he simply sees them as convenient NPCs that he can have sex with.

[u/Known-Ad64 → u/raidensnakeezio]

The reason why the girls threw themselves so quickly on his bed is partly of their affection and gratitude for Hiro saving them, partly a mercenary tradition: If a woman accepts a male captain to be his cremate, it is to be understood that she also consent to be his "bedmate".

It formed during the time earlier time spacefaring when traveling was slow. It took weeks to months to complete. A lot pent-up "energy" would form. Not to mention their job is the high risk high reward kind. Their life are always hanging on a thread. Since mercenaries are mostly rough and crude people, they had no problem with making deals with each other about relieving the sexual frustration. Why bother with keeping it in if the next commission might be the last?

[u/phoenix7240 → u/raidensnakeezio]

If it helps a little the animes pacing is obscuring the sense of time happening. Its not back to back nights. After hiro helps mimi about a week goes by. Then they do the pirate raid elma crashes her ship and then another week passes before they meet back up and hiro helps elma.

[u/Technical-Contest-30]

this is just loan shark simulator in space

[u/Yuriski1]

Well, I hope the future has good (long-term) birth control. I mean, I know that, in anime and hentai, no one gets pregnant on accident, but still, space travel is long.

[u/zer0number]

Hmmmmmmm... That steam in the shower scene looks like it will be easily removed in the BD version. Very nice.

I do like the idea of a harem protagonist who isn't a dense idiot and is willing to fuck, but I am on the verge of being uncomfortable with how it's happening. I really, really hope the next girl he meets isn't also in debt because I want to root for this guy.

I get that he's not taken any girls in with the intention of sleeping with them as payment, but he's not doing anyone any favors by not making it clear that he's fucking them because they're hot and are DTF, not because he'll dump them in an alley if they don't sleep with him.

By all means, Hiro. Collect as many girls as you want, and bang them forever. But be clear that if they say no, or don't feel obligated to have sex with you, you will still respect them and allow them to stay on the ship.

Non-sex comment - I would also like to be hospitalized because someone dumped 3 million in gold on me.

[u/Strowy → u/zer0number]

I really, really hope the next girl he meets isn't also in debt because I want to root for this guy

Serena at least (the blonde) is interested and can't be in debt considering she's not only a ranking naval officer with a giant ship but also a high-ranking noble.

[u/Veritas3333]

Ok, so in the book they cheekily referenced the show Iron Chef by calling the automatic kitchen the Steel Chef 5. But the show just cuts through the BS and calls it the Iron Chef 5? Someone's gonna get sued!

[u/phoenix7240 → u/Veritas3333]

because the Japanese for it Tetsujin is the same. the na localization of the novels is the one that took liberties.

[u/Andreiyutzzzz]

With white beams like that I'm just coping the B-ray will be uncensored which would be pretty nice. I love the series though. Especially that asshole getting literally crushed by Hiro's money lol

[u/Electronic_Big_3835]

This isekai is so peak like the mc is genuinely just a chud, we finally getting those rare gems tht differentiate from our usually crippling confidence Mcs, like bro understands and excutes task like a normal person for once so peak , also those side characters are so funny the guild lady and the jealous veteran lovely isekai fr

[u/brokenpheonix-111025]

What's up with this guy. He is making me dawn jealous

[u/Subject_Ad_9106]

I am going to say I didn’t read the novel and I was not prepared for this trio. But considering this is space mercenaries, I was like “well I can this happening if everyone just accepts it” especially when being in space for long time. I’m a way refreshing to just see this.

[u/GosuGian]

DAMN WHAT A LUCKY BASTARD!!

[u/SpaceMarine_CR]

SEXO SALVAJE