(Chibi): Hello there. I’m Chibi!
(Nitsuj): And I’m Nitsuj. Welcome to Project Nitsuj. So a few months ago I took a look at some isekai animes centered around reincarnation. One of the things I talked about is how they’ve taken the concept further and instead have the characters reincarnate into things. Sometimes they get reincarnated as monsters or inanimate objects. The inanimate objects is the one that seems to be growing in popularity but even I have to raise an eyebrow at getting reincarnated as a vending machine.
(Chibi): Based off the light novel written by Hirukuma, Reborn as a Vending Machine had a pretty short run compared to other light novels out there. In got started in 2016 and ended in 2017 with only 3 volumes. It was a last-ditch effort by Hirukuma who struggled to get his ideas published after four years of writing. But with the big isekai boom going on around this time and a story so bizarre you had to read it to believe it, the series became a hit and managed to stand out in an otherwise saturated market.
(Nitsuj): Long after the novel’s completion it was announced that there was going to be an anime adaptation in 2023 done by Studio Gokumi and AXsiZ. And if you can believe it this was one of the most hyped animes this year. Yeah, no joke. People were looking forward to watching this anime. Despite all the crazy isekai we’ve seen so far this is the one that everyone was looking forward to watching the most. We had to see it to believe that an anime centered around a vending machine in another world exists.
(Chibi): Was this anime good or just a waste of time? This is Reborn as a Vending Machine.
Opening and Ending Theme
(Chibi): The opening is “Fanfare” by Bradio. Hey, I haven’t heard a song from these guys in a while. It’s cheerful, catchy, and matches the vibe of the anime. Not a whole lot to say here. Bradio always has great and catchy songs and this one is definitely one of their best. Once you hear it you won’t get it out of your head.
(Nitsuj): The ending is “Itsumo no Soup” by Peel the Apple. Honestly, at first, I wasn’t a big fan of this song but as the anime went on it started to grow on me. I don’t know, maybe it’s just the upbeat tempo and cheerful nature of the song that wins me over.
Episodes 1-4
(Chibi): The anime starts with our main character as the vending machine already (well that was fast) that we’ll come to know as Boxxo voiced by the whacky but cool Jun Fukuyama (Joker from Persona 5). We see how he died after he was driving on the road and got crushed by a vending machine that was poorly secured on the back of a truck. Shockingly, the guy is a vending machine maniac (Nitsuj: He needs to get laid) so is more than happy to be reincarnated into one. He can only speak certain phrases a vending machine can say and uses points to give himself a better selection of drinks and products. In order to get points someone has to buy stuff from him and he needs points to keep himself running otherwise he’ll shut down and die. As if that wasn’t bad, he also has to worry about monsters who will come and attack him. The days go by and he gets attacked where he has to spend points to protect himself and he gets no customers (Nitsuj: Well who puts a vending machine in the middle of nowhere?). Just when it looks like it’s the end for him a hunter named Lammis voiced by Kaede Hondo comes and buys some soup (btw, soup from a vending machine doesn’t sound very sanitary). She buys an assortment of other things allowing him to recover 63 points (scene here: https://youtu.be/R41EzkVLX2o?si=BsbyZMWuYLhs_7Hu). The two develop a friendship and are able to communicate with each other. Lammis decides to take him back to a village that’s inside a dungeon. Word of the vending machine spreads and people start to use it. He even updates his item selection to generate more business.
In episode 2 Lammis and Boxxo get contracted by the director of the Hunter’s guild to help with the frog monster suppression. It’s mating season, and the frog monsters are multiplying like crazy. Their numbers have to be thinned out or they’ll be trouble for the village. While Lammis will be helping with the suppression, Boxxo will be supplying the hunters with beverages and food (Nitsuj: Which in hindsight sounds insane). The frog monster suppression seems to be going well but many of the hunters feel unsettled by the number of frogs (on the upside, we’ll have plenty of frog legs to eat). They all suspect that a king frog is the reason for these numbers and search for it while Lammis and Boxxo tend to the wounded. All of a sudden the king frog shows up and it is not happy (Nitsuj: Well it is on fire). Lammis, Boxxo, and the injured try to escape but the animals are too afraid to move so Lammis pulls the cart of the injured but she’s just not fast enough and the frog is gaining on them (he must have very low-speed stats. (Nitsuj): Greninja it is not). Boxxo thinks fast and hands out cola. He then transforms into a candy dispenser (when could you do that?) and shoots out mentos (Nitsuj: Of course due to copyright laws they can’t call them that but it’s obvious. Scene here: https://youtu.be/dpLbFNu8sZc?si=wAdhal_We9x4JpWT). It takes everyone a minute but they figure it out and blast corn syrup into the eyes of the frog to blind it. This temporary distraction allows the rest of the hunters to come in and kill the frog (long live the king) to save everyone ending this campaign on a good note.
Episode 3 is pretty much filler. When everyone returns to the village they see it destroyed because of a monster attack (Nitsuj: Was it a Creeper from Minecraft? This looks like a Creeper attack). Thankfully, the villagers are safe and Boxxo gives them free food for one night. The next day the rebuilding of the village begins and not much happens. We do see Boxxo transform and hand out other stuff such as shampoo, lotion, and condoms (https://youtu.be/sGtY1aPrOMQ). It was a request to help stop the spread of STDs (scene here: https://youtu.be/dpLbFNu8sZc?si=wAdhal_We9x4JpWT). He also learns a new ability that allows him to turn himself completely invisible and interacts with some of the villagers.
In episode 4 Boxxo is out in the field again, but not by choice. He’s been kidnapped by some adventurers who want to take all his money (Nitsuj: A silly idea on the surface but vending machines do contain a lot of money. Like hundreds to thousands of dollars). He manages to protect himself by increasing his toughness and then gets taken to an abandoned building where he meets Hulemy the magic item engineer that Lammis wanted him to meet (what a coincidence). Just like Boxxo, she was kidnapped in order to study him. We see how she manages to figure out many things about him naturally and the two develop a friendship with each other (scene here: https://youtu.be/006ugbzDexM?si=Hy4HlfjZzdpkZ48m). He even protects her from the kidnappers by giving them porn (Nitsuj: Wow, he should be using this function more often). Eventually, Lammis and the other hunters arrive where they rescue the two and dig them out after the hideout explodes (scene here: https://youtu.be/RwxKpYg3o9s?si=1grgCyF-09QfhPk7&t=340).
Episodes 5-8
Episode 5 starts off on a sad note as we learn about Lammis’s past. Her village was attacked by monsters leaving her and Hulemy among the few survivors. Despite having her impressive strength even as a child, Lammis was too afraid to do anything and has lived with that regret her whole life (Nitsuj: She was a child and untrained for combat. Of course she would become a deer in the headlights). After that, we move on to happier times as Hulemy and Boxxo get asked by Suroi the young daughter of a merchant to accompany her to this magic item expo being hosted by her rival Kanashi (the conversation these kids are having is way too aggressive for their age. (Nitsuj): Said the pot to the kettle, right Chibi? (Chibi): Yep. . .Hey!). Suroi wants them to act as her representatives in the expo and they accept hoping to get some entertainment out of it. The expo begins where the items leave much to be desired (to put it plainly, it’s like America’s Got Talented except every talent sucks). Kanashi finally shows her magic item that her engineer says has intelligence (Nitsuj: Oh, so this is how Terminator starts in their world). At first it works fine but then it goes berserk out of nowhere (Nitsuj: Called it). It turns out the engineer forced a human soul into the body of the item which is a big no-no in this world. Hulemy acts quickly and shuts the item down saving everyone and preventing Judgment Day from happening (Nitsuj: Saving all of us from horrible sequels that destroy the legacy rather than continue it). In the second half, the winter season has arrived and the shop owners have gathered to form an alliance against their greatest foe, chain restaurants. Yes, a chain restaurant literally called Chains is planning to set up shop in the village and threaten small businesses. In order to combat this threat, they’ve called in Boxxo who does some scouting with Lammis and Hulemy. While the place is impressive the food is mediocre because it lacks seasoning and flavor (hello Applebee’s). This gives Boxxo the idea to introduce seasoning to the owners and give them samples of Japanese food. After tasting that food they start to make items based on them and steal back their customers from Chains. Within a month, Chains withdrew from the village (Nitsuj: And the manager was most likely fired for failing to adapt and make a profit).
Nothing much to say about episode 6. Lammis and Boxxo go on a quest with a well-known group of adventurers known as the Menagerie of Fools to eliminate some crocodile monsters. Boxxo gets eaten by their leader where he blows it up from the inside (Nitsuj: Good God. It’s like watching a New Yorker fight the subway and against all logic, win). Boxxo gets a rare coin we’ve never seen before and the ground begins to shake opening up a hole that sends him deeper into the dungeon.
(Nitsuj): At the start of episode 7 Boxxo safely lands on the next floor which is a large labyrinth (dance magic dance. Scene here: https://youtu.be/4RuHdhGqtdM?si=9Pl-YL4UTlLZ_rxP). Once he lands he discovers that he got a lot of points from defeating the crocodile monster. He uses those points to level himself up which unlocks new vending machine options for him. As for the rare coin, it does nothing. It just serves as proof that he defeated a rare boss (Chibi: Sort of like a trophy on the Playstation). Some time goes by in the labyrinth where some cute Tasmanian devils cross his path (hey that’s cool. It’s an animal I so rarely see in anime and in real life that I forget they’re real). At first they’re afraid of him but when they see he gives out food they warm up to him (Chibi: Food is always the quickest way to earn someone’s trust. Scene here: https://youtu.be/lLQJAlte5Eg?si=rHmlF9fzr0LHg4GZ). These little critters are treasure hunters known as the Band of Gluttons and decide to take Boxxo in the hopes of earning some cash. As they make their way to the entrance of the labyrinth not only do they run into warthog monsters but a giant flaming skeleton monster (well I think we’ve found this floor’s boss. (Chibi): And we’re under-leveled). They manage to escape and rest for the night where they continue to the entrance the next day. As they continue through the labyrinth they run into Lammis and the others who came to find him (scene here: https://youtu.be/3RsbcKZhIKc?si=mpsLVWOpFn9_kDON. (Chibi): They went into a labyrinth to find a vending machine. (Nitsuj): Meh. Not the weirdest thing I’ve searched for in a labyrinth).
With Boxxo back with everyone, they move on to their next mission, eliminating the floor boss. The Menagerie of Fools is on a quest to reach the bottom of the dungeon. Legend says whoever reaches the bottom will have one wish granted. However, there is a requirement. A floor boss coin, if you want to have your wish granted you need to show proof that you defeated a boss. The Menagerie have defeated four bosses so far and now that Boxxo has a coin he can wish himself back to be human (and ruin the premise of the series). Boxxo agrees to help them out with Lammis also wanting to help Boxxo become human. After this not much really happens. They fight the floor boss which is a large flaming skeleton (Ghost Rider? So that’s where you’ve been after Marvel ditched you). Boxxo is able to beat the boss and gets the coin which he sells to the Menagerie of Fools for money (scene here: https://youtu.be/mE8keylsIv8?si=jmQwT9LDTjCQ-44w). In the middle of the episode Lammis asks Boxxo if he wants to be human again to which he’s not sure. On one hand, he does want to have a conversation with Lammis. On the other hand, he’s worried that he’ll lose his value among the group if he becomes human.
Episodes 9-12
In episode 9 Lammis, Hulemy, and Boxxo remain on the floor to do a survey on the perimeter of the labyrinth. While on the floor they meet Mishuel a lone hero whose got the looks that all the ladies love. However, in truth he’s actually a very shy guy who gets nervous quite easily and has a hard time talking to people. Nothing much really happens in the episode. They get attacked by some bandits who were after Mishuel and easily beat them then they finish up the mission before going their separate ways.
Not much happens in episode 10. The village holds an eating contest where Shui an archer and a member of the Menagerie of Fools wins. As for her prize she gets free use of Boxxo for the day so they journey to the first floor to feed some orphans.
In episode 11 the Menagerie of Fools is planning an expedition to the Dead’s Lament stratum a floor filled with undead fiends. They invite Lammis, Boxxo, and Hulemy for the campaign. Despite being scared Lammis agrees to go. They go to the floor (Chibi: Looks like a watered-down version of Halloween Town. This place isn’t the least bit scary) and Hulemy tries to help Lammis conquer her fears but she needs Boxxo by her side in order to steel her nerves (he’s like a security blanket to her). Later on, the Menagerie calls in Mishuel and the Band of Gluttons to help them take down the boss on this floor. They spend a few days training and exploring the floor to work on their teamwork and get a feel for the land. At night, Boxxo befriends a child corpse fiend who keeps visiting him and he gives the child orange juice. When the group is out exploring the child comes after them trying to see Boxxo and the Menagerie kill him (well that’ll mess a machine up). While Boxxo doesn’t hold a grudge against them a part of him can’t help but feel sad and angry. As the episode ends everyone goes over their plan one last time to defeat the floor boss known as the King of Souls.
The final episode starts with the group taking on the King of Souls. It’s a short but good fight. They take out the minions with oil courtesy of Boxxo. Lammis and Boxxo get cut off from everyone and are forced to fight against the King of Souls themselves (Chibi: Doesn’t look very kingly if you ask me. (Nitsuj): Yeah, he looks like the store brand version of Ains from Overlord). With the help of Boxxo, Lammis is able to defeat the King of Souls with one powerful kick (he’s a skeleton and a mage. That thing has zero defense. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had negative defense). However, it gets revealed that he’s not the final boss of the stratum. The real stratum boss appears named Netherlord who knows Boxxo is from another world (Chibi: What gave it away?) and wants to fight for the fun of it. They all try to escape but Hulemy and Shui get captured and supposedly die. Everyone gets knocked out except for Lammis and Boxxo and in an all or nothing attack they manage to break Netherlord’s wand and he retreats for the time being impressed by what he just witnessed. He encourages them to keep getting stronger and come seek him if they want revenge. Using an AED, they manage to revive Hulemy and Shui and then return to the village a few days later where news of their encounter with Netherlord gets around. The director of the Hunter’s guild takes this seriously and calls for other hunters to gather so they can deal with him and Boxxo receives kisses from Hulemy, Shui, and Lammis for saving them so many times.
Final Thoughts
(Nitsuj): Reborn as a Vending Machine is a silly and ridiculous anime, but way better than it has any right to be.
(Chibi): While the story is slow-paced, not deep, and not big it’s still entertaining to watch that keeps your attention and the ending confirms that there’s big things coming down the road.
(Nitsuj): Outside of this, the anime does feel like a good slice of life in another world. You like Boxxo, his personality, and at the same time are impressed with his knowledge of vending machines. In fact, there are so many of them that I’m surprised they existed and aren’t around anymore. I also like how despite his limited speech he’s able to communicate with everyone around him and they show no signs of abandoning this premise of him being a vending machine and needing others to travel.
(Chibi): The characters aren’t anything special, but their personalities are decent for this anime and what I expected. They’re all distinct and memorable.
(Nitsuj): The animation is nice as is the music. Fight scenes are below average so don’t expect any epic battles. That final fight was as good as it got. The humor is also decent. There’s a good laugh or two in each episode and like I said before I do like how the author is dedicated to the premise.
(Chibi): It would have been so easy to turn Boxxo into a human but the author sticks to the premise and gives us a story while not great but better than it has any right to be and what you would expect.
Final Score
(Nitsuj): My final score is a 6/10. Way better than I expected and it works.
(Chibi): I’ve giving it a 7/10. Which brings our final score to a 6.5/10. The anime has already been announced for a second season so we’ll definitely be seeing more of it down the line and I’m excited to see what happens next.
(Nitsuj): If you’re looking for a light isekai anime then check this anime out. It doesn’t have a boring generic lead who is OP and has a pretty fun premise. Thanks for reading and we’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.