The Unwanted Undead Adventurer

The Unwanted Undead Adventurer (望まぬ不死の冒険者) is a Japanese light novel series written by Yū Okano and illustrated by Jaian. It has been serialized online via the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō since September 2016. It was later acquired by Overlap, who have published thirteen volumes since October 2017 under their Overlap Novels imprint.

A manga adaptation illustrated by Haiji Nakasone has been serialized in Overlap's Comic Gardo website since November 2017, with its chapters collected into twelve tankōbon volumes as of December 2023. An anime television series adaptation produced by Connect aired from January to March 2024.

Plot
Rentt Faina is a 25-year-old who has been a Bronze-class adventurer for a decade. One day while he is in the Labyrinth of the Moon's Reflection, he finds an undiscovered path. Unfortunately for him, he comes across a dragon's lair and is devoured. Sometime later, Rentt awakens as an undead skeleton. He soon begins a quest to achieve Existential Evolution so he can rejoin civilization.

Characters

 * Rentt Faina (レント・ファイナ)
 * A 25-year-old Bronze-class adventurer who is eaten by a dragon, but later resurrects as an animate skeleton. He is noted to be a helpful presence in the town of Maalt, providing guidance and assistance for new adventurers. He is oblivious to the romantic feelings of many of his female acquaintances, particularly Lorraine.
 * A 25-year-old Bronze-class adventurer who is eaten by a dragon, but later resurrects as an animate skeleton. He is noted to be a helpful presence in the town of Maalt, providing guidance and assistance for new adventurers. He is oblivious to the romantic feelings of many of his female acquaintances, particularly Lorraine.


 * Lorraine Vivie (ロレーヌ・ヴィヴィエ)
 * A high level magician, scholar and part-time Silver-class adventurer who allows Rentt to live with her before and after his resurrection to help him figure out his condition. She is in love with Rentt, tending to get jealous when he makes new female acquaintances.
 * A high level magician, scholar and part-time Silver-class adventurer who allows Rentt to live with her before and after his resurrection to help him figure out his condition. She is in love with Rentt, tending to get jealous when he makes new female acquaintances.


 * Sheila Ibarss (シェイラ・イバルス)
 * A guild employee who helps Rentt with his adventurer work. She cares very deeply for Rentt.
 * A guild employee who helps Rentt with his adventurer work. She cares very deeply for Rentt.


 * Rina Rupaage (リナ・ルパージュ)
 * A new adventurer whom Rentt rescues after his resurrection when she is attacked by undead. She repays the favor by buying him clothing to hide his monstrous ghoul body in Maalt.
 * A new adventurer whom Rentt rescues after his resurrection when she is attacked by undead. She repays the favor by buying him clothing to hide his monstrous ghoul body in Maalt.


 * Mysterious Woman (謎の女性)
 * A very powerful magic user who tries to kill Rentt when he goes into an unknown area of a labyrinth. In compensation for her misunderstanding, she gives him some very rare magic items.
 * A very powerful magic user who tries to kill Rentt when he goes into an unknown area of a labyrinth. In compensation for her misunderstanding, she gives him some very rare magic items.


 * Rize Dunner (ライズ・ダナー)
 * A young swordsman who Rentt sees in the labyrinth. He is in a party with Laura. He is put in a party with Rentt for their Bronze-class practical exam.
 * A young swordsman who Rentt sees in the labyrinth. He is in a party with Laura. He is put in a party with Rentt for their Bronze-class practical exam.


 * Laura Satii (ローラ・サティ)
 * A young magic user who Rent sees in the labyrinth. She is in a party with Rize. She is put in a party with Rentt for their Bronze-class practical exam.
 * A young magic user who Rent sees in the labyrinth. She is in a party with Rize. She is put in a party with Rentt for their Bronze-class practical exam.


 * Wolff (ウルフ)
 * He is the guildmaster for the city of Maalt.
 * He is the guildmaster for the city of Maalt.


 * Alize (アリゼ)
 * A precocious girl at the Maalt Orphanage. She appears to be around 10 years old and older than the rest of the children. She wants to become an adventurer and a magician.
 * A precocious girl at the Maalt Orphanage. She appears to be around 10 years old and older than the rest of the children. She wants to become an adventurer and a magician.


 * Lillian (リリアン)
 * A sister of the Eastern Sky Church who runs the orphanage in Maalt. She is sick with Malaccumula, a disease that when she uses her divine magic, she gets a rebound effect of evil magic slowly building up in her body. It can only be cured by medicine made from the Dragonblood Flower that grows in a poisonous swamp.
 * A sister of the Eastern Sky Church who runs the orphanage in Maalt. She is sick with Malaccumula, a disease that when she uses her divine magic, she gets a rebound effect of evil magic slowly building up in her body. It can only be cured by medicine made from the Dragonblood Flower that grows in a poisonous swamp.


 * Edel (エーデル)
 * A rat Rentt found in the basement of the orphanage. Edel became Rentt's familiar after he attacked and bit him. He appears to be able to use some of Rentt's magical abilities.
 * A rat Rentt found in the basement of the orphanage. Edel became Rentt's familiar after he attacked and bit him. He appears to be able to use some of Rentt's magical abilities.


 * Isaac Hart (イザーク・ハルト)
 * A male elf who Rentt meets while gathering the Dragonblood Flower in a poisonous swamp. Isaac works as a servant in the Latour household, one of the oldest and most respected houses in Maalt.
 * A male elf who Rentt meets while gathering the Dragonblood Flower in a poisonous swamp. Isaac works as a servant in the Latour household, one of the oldest and most respected houses in Maalt.


 * Laura Latour (ラウラ・ラトゥール)
 * The head of the Latour household. She seems to be a polite, albeit a little mischievous, young lady around 15 years old. Her family has a very extensive collection of magic items, monster parts and other very rare items.
 * The head of the Latour household. She seems to be a polite, albeit a little mischievous, young lady around 15 years old. Her family has a very extensive collection of magic items, monster parts and other very rare items.

Light novels
Written by Yū Okano, The Unwanted Undead Adventurer began publication online via the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on September 22, 2016. The series was later acquired by Overlap, who began publishing the novels with illustrations by Jaian on October 25, 2017, under their Overlap Novels imprint. As of December 25, 2023, thirteen volumes have been released. J-Novel Club has licensed the novels in North America.

Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Haiji Nakasone began serialization online via Overlap's Comic Gardo website on November 24, 2017. As of December 25, 2023, twelve tankōbon volumes have been released. J-Novel Club has also licensed the manga.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced at the "Overlap Bunko 9th Anniversary Online Event" on April 17, 2022. It was produced by Connect and directed by Noriaki Akitaya, with scripts written by Yukie Sugawara, character designs handled by Takao Sano, and music composed by Shun Narita. The series aired from January 8 to March 25, 2024, on AT-X and other networks. The opening theme song is "Immortal", performed by Juvenile, while the ending theme song is "Keep Your Fire Burning", performed by Mao Abe. Crunchyroll licensed the series. Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.

Reception
Rebecca Silverman and Lynzee Loveridge of Anime News Network reviewed the first volume of the light novel in 2018, praising Rentt's goal as "an interesting goal, and a hopeful one if you're looking for the potential harem romance that's lurking within the plot, and it does help to make this novel stand out in the crowded field of fantasy that draws directly from role playing games". They criticized the repetitive nature of the writing, but noted that it "does lessen as the book goes on, which is a very good sign for volume two". They concluded, "This isn't a perfect or particularly polished novel, but it is interesting enough to merit at least one more volume, because with the pesky set up out of the way, this could go places."