This was a fun read and good start to the series, although I don’t recommend this if you’re at all sensitive to the pandemic , but it’s one I’ll definitely return to

This was merely okay. It wasn't bad by any means, but it also didn't seem terribly engaging or unique.

For Libraries: Suitable for YA collections.

The manga, It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story is based on the light novel series of the same name. It follows someone who is reincarnated as a virus and starts to infect animals and plants in order to take control of a new world. It’s an isekai story, which means ‘otherworld’ and normally presents someone who dies in our world and is reincarnated in another.

The art for this story is really great. It’s simple, cute and really nice to look at. Then the story is just so bland, that it’s an absolute chore to get through. I haven’t read that many isekai stories, but I’ve read a few, and this is by far the blandest and hardest to read. I actually stopped reading around 50 pages a few months back and had to restart it just to finish it off. It’s not a long read, with very little text to read, but it still took a lot of effort to really get through.

The main character is just not interesting. He was a loner in his past life, and then becomes a virus and there’s nothing interesting about him. The most interesting character is the adventurer that he meets, who’s the girl on the front cover, but she’s only in it for one chapter. I know she’s probably going to reappear later in the story, but I won’t be reading past volume 1.

It’s very dull, hard to read, and really not worth reading. The art is good, and that’s it.

Before anything else, it's important to mention that the source novel for this title, plus the decision to adapt it into manga form, both predate the covid-19 pandemic. That said, I don't know if that's also true for the decision to translate it into English, and this really may not be the best book to pick up if you're suffering from the pandemic or its effects in any way.

Why? Because the story, which is sort of <i>Cells at Work</i> isekai, is about a pharmaceutical researcher who dies in his lab and is reincarnated as a virus. Not only do we get to learn about viral basics, but whatever he infects in his new form he can control - sort of like if zombies were the result of a pandemic and went on to take over the world. Over the course of this volume, our hero infects a rat, a wolf, a goblin, and a hobgoblin, and he's got definite designs on humanity with an eye towards eventually taking over the world. That...may not be the most comfortable topic right now.

Despite these issues of time and place, the story is kind of a fun twist on the isekai standards. It pokes fun at the status screens and announcer voices, the virus-man's nonstop narration is generally funny, and the art is cute even when it's being gross or bloody. It's just too bad it came out <i>now</i> - in another few years, I think this will be much more fun to read than in the present moment.

I really wanted to like this. I did. But all I could think was that I was reading That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime meshed with Cells and Work. And with a less likable MC. This feels quite niche, and as a bookseller, I don't forsee handselling it often.

It's that time again! Time for another reincarnation manga that is. It's That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story Vol. 1 is not the longest title I've read, but it is arguably one of the more entertaining ones! It's also very to the point, don't you think?

What would be the best reincarnation for a virologist? As it turns out, the answer is a virus! That is the new life for one virus researcher after they met their untimely demise. Now they're on another planet, and their history is giving them the best chance to succeed as a virus in this life.

"Th-That's right! I remember! I was working at my pharmaceutical company...and just like normal, after everyone left...I borrowed the lab for juuust a little bit to work on my own research. I don't have any memory of what happened after that. Which means I made some sort of mistake and died.”

I don't normally include quotes for my manga reviews, but it just felt so perfect in this instance. Also, I'm not ashamed to admit that it gave me a good laugh. If there's one thing you can count on in It's That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story Vol. 1, it's that it has a good sense of humor about itself.

Actually, it has a decent sense of humor in general. It doesn't take itself too seriously and matches the same tone presented through the title (always refreshing when that happens). The leading character is a workaholic virologist who died when working after hours (with no other humans around to help when an accident occurred, naturally). Oh! And let's not forget the strong anti-hero vibes they give off.

That sets the scene for everything else that happens in volume one. It's fast-paced and an even faster read, as events quickly spiral to shocking levels. It made for a fun read, and I think fans of Cells at Work! would really appreciate this one.

This was cute, but it seemed very similar to Reincarnated as a Slime. However I like the characters that where introduced and the art is good. If you like Slime reincarnation and isekai you may like this. Many thanks to netgalley for the review.

This was a quick, easy and fun read. The storyline was fun and cute and the graphics were good. It was very similar to other stories on the market, although I find that with a lot of manga novels so it didnt take away from my enjoyment. I liked the world that thr virologist/virus found themselves in and it was just super cute, which made this an enjoyable read.

A virus researcher awakens in a fantasy world and finds he has been reincarnated as a virus. As he explores and adapts to his newly formed powers, our little virus realizes this might just be a matter of life and death.

For fans of "That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime," this series follows along the same lines of the main character ending up in another body in a fantasy world, learning about their new abilities and leveling up. The story is cute, but the background and explanation are a little vague. Pretty artwork and the little virus character reminds me of a cute mascot. While it is a fun little story, it is a little too much like all the other isekai manga currently flooding the market. I'm hoping as it moves forward, the creator works to help the story stand out among others in the genre.

I like the idea of the lead character being a virologist who gets reincarnated as a virus in a fantasy, medieval-like world full of fantastic beings. Where I'm stuck is that this first volume is ridiculously close in pretty much all the important details to How I Got Reincarnated As A Slime. A guy dies, wakes up in another world with no idea how, ends up absorbing the powers of the things he interacts with, goes on an adventure. I'm aware that that's pretty much the template for every isekai manga out there, yet I couldn't help but keep thinking that the similarities are too much. I mean, the lead is even an adorable roundish glob!
The art is standard for the genre, with Yuki excelling at making some of the most expressive characters I've seen in a while. They knock being able to express multitudes with just a glimpse of a character's face.
That said, the plot develops in a fun way and there are hints of bigger adventures to come and a goddess that might be pulling the strings, so I might be giving this one a second volume chance to show that it's different enough to be worth the time investment.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the interesting read!

I don’t know what I was expecting when I requested this manga but it certainly wasn’t this…and I mean that in the best way possible! Both the story and the art style were fantastic, and the concept has so much potential to be explored. Not to mention it got several laughs out of me, which is always a plus! What a fantastic first volume; consider me hooked!

Thank you to netgalley and kodansha for sending me an arc of that manga.

I really liked it as a fan of reincarnation manga. Moreover, it was very interesting as it was quite different from the other in the same genre.

I had a bit of a trouble figuring out the MC was a man. I thought that the girl on the cover would be a form the MC take on, not another person.

However I though it was a bit short, the world building is clearly going to be developed more in the next volume since not a lot is explain in this one.

It was enjoyable and I'm happy I was able to read it.

Rated : 3.5

The Isekai genre is one that I'm not a big fan of. I don’t mean any hate towards it, but the competition feels like a dime a dozen nowadays. Thankfully, It's That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story is an entertaining story. This is a manga that works in Isekai tropes in a way that simultaneously mocks and respects them.

An unnamed virus researcher (who may or may not have done some biological warfare research on the side) mysteriously dies. However, he’s reincarnated by a goddess in a strange new world. Unfortunately for him, he’s no longer human but rather a strain of virus. Hoping to infect the entire land, he devises a plan to work up the viral food chain to spread his reach with the help of a newfound ally. Perhaps he could even be an adventurer!

Considering current events in the past two years, it feels weird to romanticize viral spread. However, the premise is done tastefully enough that it’s more of a lighthearted journey. While we don’t know much about the main character, his obsession with viruses mixes well with his inquisitive nature. The virus spreading techniques are treated like video game moves, and the virus isn’t massively overpowered. The art style isn’t remarkable, and every time the virus attracts a host there’s some facial reconstruction with the target. It’s a strange transformation that doesn’t gel well with the rest of art, but I can overlook that.

I’m interested in seeing where the story goes as the virus reaches town and desires to be an adventurer. It’s an entertaining hook that has room for improvement, but is fun nonetheless.

This was a strange yet very intriguing manga! We follow our main character who has died and has now been reincarnated as a virus on a totally new planet. We watch as he learns to navigate how to use his virus abilities and explore this new world.

I liked it— there was a lot of action and the levelling up abilities reminded me of a video game was was a fun concept. I just wish we had gotten a bit more answers about how this all came to be. It seems theres a goddess running the show but we never saw more than a glimpse of her.

It was a fun start and I might continue on with the series! I wouldn’t recommend it though if you’re at all sensitive around the concept of a new virus/a pandemic given current circumstances!

3/5⭐️

"Th-That's right! I remember! I was working at my pharmaceutical company...and just like normal, after everyone left...I borrowed the lab for juuust a little bit to work on my own research. I don't have any memory of what happened after that. Which means I made some sort of mistake and died.



Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

❗This is a spoiler-free ARC review from Netgalley❗


And for the final review of my ARC streak, here's what must be the weirdest manga I've ever read and actually liked. I expected something much weirder than what I got, and to be honest, I had very low expectations for it, given its unusual title...and yet...I was surprised to realise that this cute little manga is not half bad.


My first thought once I started reading this manga was "Wow! Some delightfully weird person wrote this for sure." and in my world, that is the sincerest form of flattery. I mean the title says it all. A workaholic scientist is involved in a lab accident and has lost his life, only to be reincarnated into a strange kind of virus that can control those he infects, which is just about every living creature. Another crazy twist in this already strange story is that the world he exists in now is completely different to the one he lived in before. In this world, there are many strange and fantastical creatures from myths and legends. A world I really really liked because I go nuts for fantasy and myths. They are literally my favorite genres. I mean, this manga is way better than that coronavirus atrocity I hesitate to even call a book. Have you heard of it? If not, you don't have to look it up. It will make you lose faith in literature just a little bit.

This reincarnated scientist has a bit of an anti-hero vibe going on about him, claiming that he reached a point in his human life where he hated other humans, despite working hard to cure viruses. This new life of his has a journey-to-self-discovery kind of sense to it that I would really like to explore more in the next volumes. Also, the majority of the characters in this story are ridiculously adorable. So many cute faces...all cuddly and adorable. I wish I could squeeze their little faces. I also kind of want to have one as a stuffed toy. Yeap, that's how cute they are. Moreover, as if I wasn't curious enough already to know what happens next, with the way the story ended I want to read all of this series volumes even more.


Weirdly, I do recommend this. I bet you'd have a lot of fun reading this.

I received a copy of this manga through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was an okay read. It had quite an interesting idea about reincarnating as a virus and being more powerful than any other organism. Quite the relevant theme for our recent years.😅
Mostly it had an multiplayer role-play game plot which is getting a bit much for me lately, especially since I don’t play myself. But the worldbuilding is interesting and it’s a great entertainment…😊

This manga is not exactly great. It's borrowing far too much from other titles, and reading about a virus is just... depressing in the year 2022.

It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story continues the line of isekai series, where a human wakes up in another world as something totally different than before. So, we have a virus researcher, a nameless one, who reincarnates as a virus and into a totally different world. Mostly this first volume is testing out abilities and how to get the virus spread and somehow this felt inappropriate considering the pandemic situation we currently live in. In a way it's odd that we don't get to know the researcher even the least and we only see very small glimpses into his life. I kind of wished we'd get to understand viruses better and the mechanisms behind them. Mostly the story centers around upgrading now, but I do hope there will be something more - especially with the girl.

The art looks good and the movements look nice. This is a very lively series and easy to follow with interesting places and viewpoints. The characters have facial expressions and there's lots of humor and cuteness even. The manga is OK if you're into series like this, but it offers hardly anything new. The virus viewpoint could be the key, if Yuki can make it work.

Zu Corona Zeiten diesen Manga zu lesen ist zwar ein biscchen komisch es hat sich aber sehr gelohnt. Der Zeichenstil ist sehr angenehmen zu lesen und detailreich. Aber nicht zu deatilreich damit man nicht überfordert ist. Die Story hat mich ein bisschen an "Meine Wiedergeburt als Schleim" erinnert was ich nicht schlecht finde. Ich bin sehr gespannt wie es weiter geht.

I don’t blame Kalaku Yuki for the afterword in their premiere volume of It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story. One look into the premise, and you’d absolutely think this was a twist on the current happenings of this world of ours. Thankfully, not only does it take a far better route than what a COVID Isekai could be, but it’s actually clever with its overall presentation. Needless to say, It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story will easily infect your curiosity!

The story begins with the reincarnation, after a virus researcher mysteriously dies during some off-the-clock experimentation. He transforms into the very virus that killed him, and first takes over a rat’s body. Through the rat, he learns all of its skills, as well as new talents that only a virus can do. But once he gets used to that rat body, a wolf comes along and eats him.

Fortunately, that’s not the end of It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story, as he now takes over the wolf’s body! Here, he comes across the adventuring newcomer Elena, who is having some trouble with goblins. After saving her, the infected wolf walks Elena to her town, where he starts to come up with an idea: become an adventurer to improve their abilities! But first, he needs a body that more human…ish.

There’s a very long & thorough thought process that goes through this newcomer to the new world, as he takes on a new form after coming across each host. With every move he makes as a virus, new abilities come flooding into him via each animal or being it takes on. It brings to mind Kumoko from So I’m a Spider, So What?, whose talents kept on rising with every initial attack made. The only difference here is that the spider stays a spider (mostly); the virus keeps on evolving and overtaking other creatures.

It’s when he’s in the wolf body when he realizes his potential in his new surroundings. He makes a (very chatty) friend, finds a possible new place to live, and even discovers a purpose for what he can do in his new life. The virus also is quick to realize the hoops and hurdles he’ll need to jump through to get there, which is why there’s no time to rest on his laurels as he finds a more humanly host. And when he does, he also finds what sort of power his virus can do to those surrounding him.

Quickly, the narrative in It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story shows that this particular virus isn’t a deadly infection; it’s more of a mind control sort of thing. But it also does a fun job showcasing the good the virus does to those around him. This is done well during a battle between the goblins and the orcs, with the virus now leading the charge as Lord Hobgoblin. Using his words to spread his virus, he not only physically makes the goblins more stronger, but also spiritually.

Pirota’s art also goes a wonderful job displaying the emotions in every character. Even as a rat or wolf, the way the virus thinks and feels is done in a way that’s both cute and funny. It’s also humorous seeing Lord Hobgoblin going from a rough, tough bastard of a character to a loving father figure in a blink of an eye, with his virus-infected bug-eyed face bringing a warmth that confuses even the goblins on the lowest part of the totem pole.

It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story really took me by surprise. Although it may be another isekai series, it does enough interesting things to make it one to stick around for. We’ve all seen slimes, spiders, and even vending machines become the strongest in their worlds, so why not let a virus have a go? Let’s see where this bug takes its readers, and hope its journey to the top doesn’t get stopped by a cup of NyQuil!