Rating a series, like a manga or anime, on a whole is much easier than tackling it chapter by chapter, or episode by episode. At the same time, it leaves people wondering whether the series in question is consistently good, or if certain parts just stack up better next to each other. And the same goes for light novels like Mushoku Tensei, whose arcs are a lot, to say the least. 

Okay but for real, the top Mushoku Tensei arc is obviously the finale, aptly deemed the Final Battle arc. It just has the most going on, and helps tie some of the loose ends neatly together. But there are arcs preceding it that are also good on their own, standing out due to certain events and character developments that show Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation isn’t just a basic Harem Isekai. 

But it’s also important to remember that light novels work differently compared to their manga and anime adaptations. Light novels depend much more on the written than they do on the visual aspect, meaning you get more explanation about certain things going on. Which also means more plot exposition and, well, not all arcs are built equal. So, in today’s Get Ranked, let’s rank all the Mushoku Tensei arcs!

10. The Diary Arc

It’s not like the Diary arc is bad, per say. Also known as the Turning Point 4 Arc, there is just a whole lot of stuff going on. It’s arguably the most important arc in the light novel because it lays down the major conflict, completes the world building and helps the reader understand that there are real stakes to whatever Rudeus Greyrat will be going through.  But it’s also so much exposition that, really, is a chore to reread. 

9. Return Journey Arc

A lot of people love the Return Journey Arc because it’s where we see Rudeus reunite with Eris Greyrat and really come into his own around her. And at the same time, we had their party, Dead End, come into fruition as well. It’s still fun but, again, there’s a whole lot of filler ongoing with the more important stuff, like Hitogami coming back, which makes it a little tedious to read through.

8. Millis Struggle Arc

Does the Millis Struggle Arc technically count as post-canon? No, because it directly precedes the climax. But it also has a lot of interesting stuff going on with the Great Church of Milis and the struggle of it’s Miko Of Memory, an almost prophet–like being with the power to read other people’s thoughts that is also destined to die tragically young. Rudeus’s journey to help the Miko live a longer life is what made this story arc so much more engaging.

7. Power Struggle For Asura Arc

Okay so, the Power Struggle For Asura Arc is stacked. I mean, it’s right there in the name, right? Like, you have Lucy and Lara Greyrat being born, Rudeus revealing to Orsted that he actually is from another world, Lara being recognized as the ‘Savior’. Like, there are a lot of exciting things happening but the most important thing was Ariel Anemoi Asura, finally becoming the rightful Queen of the Asura Kingdom. 

6. Rosenberg Arc

The Rosenberg Arc is actually fairly short, but it still meant a lot of growth for Rudeus in the long run. With his depression at an all time high, Rudeus travels to Rosenburg, an area in the Central Continent, where he ends up bumping into Counter Arrow, a Demon hunting party. This inspires him to take the mantle of ‘Rudeus of the Quagmire’, a mercenary that goes one-on-one with a dragon and makes the decision to enter the Magic University. 

5. Magic University Arc

This is just an over glorified high school anime arc, and I honestly don’t mind it. Rudeus Greyrat attended the Magic University, just like Ariel did two years before, and it’s here that we see him be recognized for his potential. Sylphiette already knew he was powerful, but it wasn’t until Rudeus KO’d Badigadi, the Demon King, that everyone else started realizing it too. And while it is fairly light hearted for the most part, we do see Rudeus finally reach a crossroads with Paul Greyrat passing away.

4. Childhood Arc

Now, I’m combining both the very beginning of Mushoku Tensei and the main first arcs together here, simply because the first chapters are just an extended prologue. But this one oddly still holds together, because of how well it builds up the protagonist and the overall narrative. Like Rudeus Greyrat is a child, but with all the experience of an adult. And it’s interesting to see how he takes to being Isekai’d all the way to a new world, with a fresh start on life he could’ve never gotten before.

3. Shirone Kingdom Arc

The Shirone Kingdom Arc is Rudeus finally getting to be more inventive than before. This is where Rudeus truly shines as a crafty protagonist, who uses his knowledge from a technologically advanced modern world to create the Lithograph and use it to help people organize for the Laplace war that is just around the corner. And sure, there is the matter of the Shirogane Kingdom and its liberation. But really, the teamwork in this arc is what really sells it.

2. Redundancy Arc

You’d think an arc named Redundancy wouldn’t rank so high on this list. But really, this is the post-canon storyline that fans of Mushoku Tensei deserve. Everything here now starts following the Greyrat descendants. And boy, is it a full house. People like Aisha Greyrat get kicked out, while others like Lucy end up getting married into the Grimoire family. It sounds dumb, but this just feels like a telenovela with a thousand different things happening, and that’s what makes it so fun!

1. Final Battle Arc

I mean, what even is there to say here? This is, by far, the longest arc in the entire light novel and for good reason. So much ends up happening in the Final Battle arc, because it’s the end of the main story. We see Rudeus finally take down Hitogami, the actual villain of the story. We see all of these allies that Rudeus made get together for one last stand against the False Human God, and so many connecting plotlines finally converge into one. This is the best conclusion that a story as expansive as Mushoku Tensei could’ve gotten, and clearly it remains a favorite. 

Going through a light novel as detailed as Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation was a lot of work. But it’s easy to see why it’s so beloved and popular amongst the masses. Still, what’s your favorite moment in the series that you can’t wait to see be animated in the anime? Sound off below!