English Dub Season Review: Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon Season One

Based on the light novel series written by Hirukuma and illustrated by Itsuwa Kato (original edition) and Yūki Hagure (revised edition). The story follows an unnamed protagonist who, after being killed in a freak accident, awakens to realize that he has not only died, but he has also been reborn as an unusual vending machine with mystical powers. Although he is a modern appliance in a fantasy world, he requires money to keep functioning. He is stuck in one location until a young girl named Lammis stumbles upon him. Amazed by the drinks and food he sells, Lammis uses her “blessing of Might” to lift him with ease and take him back to the village of Clearflow Lake. There, she officially dubs him Boxxo. Despite his inability to converse with the villagers, Boxxo becomes essential to the community. His goods provide nourishment, and he becomes a staple of daily life as he gains new abilities and products. Nobody is as loyal to Boxxo as his first and best customer, Lammis. The more time he spends with her, the more he tries to help her elevate her skills as a young hunter…

This bizarre Anime series was produced by Slow Curve, animated by Studio Gokumi and AXsiZ, and directed by Noriaki Akitaya, with Masayuki Takahashi serving as assistant director, Tatsuya Takahashi overseeing series scripts, Takahiro Sakai adapting Yūki Hagure’s designs for animation, and Yuta Uraki and Keita Takahashi composing the music, with the opening theme song “Fanfare” done by BRADIO, while the ending theme song “The Usual Soup” was by Peel the Apple.

Breaking the traditional tropes you’ve come to expect from your standard “isekai”, the protagonist as a vending machine is VERY interesting, and the anime does play into this premise a lot instead of casting it aside and just solving everything with “MAGIC” like other Isekai. The hurdle that the protagonist, of course, has to overcome from just being an unmovable, untalkable vending machine is very interesting and fun to watch him solve. The other protagonist, Lamis, is also just adorable and is very enjoyable to see interact with and help each other.

The plot is very generic, though, and is very lighthearted. So it’s quite possible to enjoy this anime without worrying about any form of drama. The production quality is a little bit above average for the isekai genre. The titular Vending Machine “Boxxo” in a sense is the ‘main character’ but because of the setup, it’s presented as if he’s a side background character, while still being able to help out which will stand out from other isekai, and shift more focus to the product as a whole.

What helps with the characters more is that they’re not only a colorful cast, but because of how it’s presented, you’d want to know more about the world-building, characters, and what’s being shown to the audience. They all surprisingly have character, they have goals in life, and it is fun seeing them on screen every time. As you also feel there is going to be more to it than it seems, with how some of the characters act and are presented, in combination with the sort of vibes you get from them. A highlight has to go to Lammis, however, as she’s adorable in all honesty, she represents how a “Strong Female Protagonist” should be. Likable with a proper balance of femininity, which most modern western shows have been lacking as of late…

The animation is clean and colorful, and at times, you see Boxxo progress and change in terms of what he can do as a Vending machine who is capable of shape-shifting into other coin-operated devices with the upgrade mechanic of a JRPG system. Watch him communicate using preset sentences like “please insert coin”, and defeat monsters by using Japanese vending machine products. We do hear his inner thoughts, and he does have self-repairing and magic barrier abilities, but still, it is impressive to see an inanimate object promoting Pringles for its survival. However, it took me a while to process what was on screen, as you will need the subtitle setting on since the text is the only thing that isn’t in proper English when it should be.

Overall, this was quite fun. For a simple anime, I think that there’s a lot to think about from the world and the premise that they formed. In an oversaturated market of Isekai Stories that do one weird (or controversial) thing after another, it’s a bit refreshing that we get something fun that doesn’t drag the story with “will they/won’t they” cliches or edge lords who hate themselves. It also teaches you different types of vending machines found in Japanese history without being in your face about it., Don’t expect anything deep; at its core, this is a lighthearted adventure of a man content with his unusual situation, and with the recent announcement of a Season Two in the works, I hope we can see more of that in the future.