The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash (最弱テイマーはゴミ拾いの旅を始めました.) aka Saijaku Tamer or Weakest Tamer for short, is a Japanese light novel series written by Honobonoru500 and illustrated by Nama. It began serialization as a web novel on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō in August 2018. It was later acquired by TO Books, who began publishing it as a light novel in November 2019. It has been collected in eleven volumes as of February 2024. A manga adaptation illustrated by Tou Fukino began serialization in TO Books' Comic Corona website in February 2020. The manga has been collected in six volumes as of February 2024. Both the light novel and manga are licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment. An anime television series adaptation by Studio Massket aired from January to March 2024.

Premise
Ivy is a girl from a previous life that was cut short who is reborn in another world, where people hold multiple skills and are ranked with stars; however, she only has the no star Tamer skill. She is hated and abused by her once loving family because of it, forcing Ivy to live in the forest after fleeing her now abusive home; however, the local fortune teller takes pity on Ivy, educating and supplying her. After the fortune teller passes away years later, Ivy leaves the area and finds a weak, dying slime; she tames it, naming her new familiar Sora.

As the story progresses, it is revealed the current headman of Ivy's village is shortsighted; enforcing the bigotry that drove Ivy off and ignoring the advice of the fortune teller, leading the village into decline. He brands any villagers who desert as criminals and tries desperately to maintain his reputation, which slowly takes a toll on his sanity.

Characters

 * Ivy (アイビー)
 * Ivy is a girl reborn in another world who ran away from her home of Latomi village. She was born as Femicia into a village where people hold multiple skills and are ranked with stars. However, she only has the no-star Tamer skill, which is seen as the root of all evil bent on sending nothing but misfortune to the entire village, and thus she is hated by her family for it, forcing Ivy to flee and live in the forest. The local fortune teller Luba took pity on her in educating and supplying her, using that, as well as her survival skills she learned from her previous life, to run away after Luba passed away. She would then take on a boy-like appearance and rename herself Ivy to start her own life, as well as to evade capture from the villagers. Unknown to villagers nor the headman who enforced bigotry, no stars meant the skill did not have a limit. Ivy is actually the most capable Tamer of all.
 * She names her familiars after Japanese words, which are suggested by her past self.
 * She names her familiars after Japanese words, which are suggested by her past self.


 * Sora (ソラ)
 * Sora is a slime monster Ivy tames when she runs away from home. Sora was found on the verge of death and is one of the few monsters Ivy is able to tame. As the journey progresses, Sora evolves as it can consume more kinds of potions, heal wounds, and speak.
 * Sora is a slime monster Ivy tames when she runs away from home. Sora was found on the verge of death and is one of the few monsters Ivy is able to tame. As the journey progresses, Sora evolves as it can consume more kinds of potions, heal wounds, and speak.


 * Ciel (シエル)
 * Ciel is an adandala, a high-ranking beast resembling a black panther, that Ivy tames. Ciel was rescued by Ivy and Sora while on the verge of death, and afterwards they become traveling companions.
 * Ciel is an adandala, a high-ranking beast resembling a black panther, that Ivy tames. Ciel was rescued by Ivy and Sora while on the verge of death, and afterwards they become traveling companions.


 * Luba (ルーバ)
 * Luba is the late fortune teller of Latomi village. Luba was the only villager who sympathized with Ivy over her being a starless tamer as she educated Ivy in survival and provided her with supplies to get away. After her passing, the villagers placed a bounty on Femicia believing that she inflicts curses on others and that Luba's passing was a result of the curse. In truth, the village chief refused to offer medicine to Luba as payback for siding with Femicia, and after her death the village fell into decline since she cared for the crop of zaro fruits, which is the village's main source of income.
 * Luba is the late fortune teller of Latomi village. Luba was the only villager who sympathized with Ivy over her being a starless tamer as she educated Ivy in survival and provided her with supplies to get away. After her passing, the villagers placed a bounty on Femicia believing that she inflicts curses on others and that Luba's passing was a result of the curse. In truth, the village chief refused to offer medicine to Luba as payback for siding with Femicia, and after her death the village fell into decline since she cared for the crop of zaro fruits, which is the village's main source of income.


 * Ogto (オグト)
 * Ogto is the captain of Latome village's watch guards. He is a caring and energetic person who takes his job seriously, but easily gets carried away to the point where he regularly gets reprimanded by his vice-captain. He takes a liking to Ivy and takes care of her. He holds the belief that star ratings have no bearing into how successful a person will be in life.
 * Ogto is the captain of Latome village's watch guards. He is a caring and energetic person who takes his job seriously, but easily gets carried away to the point where he regularly gets reprimanded by his vice-captain. He takes a liking to Ivy and takes care of her. He holds the belief that star ratings have no bearing into how successful a person will be in life.


 * Vellivera (ヴェリヴェラ)
 * Vellivera is the vice-captain of Latome village's watch guards. While he usually has a calm demeanor, he will often lose his composure due to Oguto's recklessness.
 * Vellivera is the vice-captain of Latome village's watch guards. While he usually has a calm demeanor, he will often lose his composure due to Oguto's recklessness.


 * Seyzelk (セイゼルク)
 * Seyzelk is an adventurer who leads the Flaming Sword party. Despite his intimidating presence, he has a gentle personality that makes him a respected leader. He possesses skills for physical ability, swordsmanship, and strength.
 * Seyzelk is an adventurer who leads the Flaming Sword party. Despite his intimidating presence, he has a gentle personality that makes him a respected leader. He possesses skills for physical ability, swordsmanship, and strength.


 * Lattrua (ラットルア)
 * Lattrua is an adventurer and a member of Flaming Sword. Lattrua treats Ivy like a younger brother. He is put in charge of cooking despite his ineptitude. He possesses skills for fire magic and swordsmanship with the long sword.
 * Lattrua is an adventurer and a member of Flaming Sword. Lattrua treats Ivy like a younger brother. He is put in charge of cooking despite his ineptitude. He possesses skills for fire magic and swordsmanship with the long sword.


 * Borolda (ボロルダ)
 * Borolda is an adventurer who leads the Lightning King party. He often leads adventurers on monster-slaying quests. He possesses skills in anti-magic attacks and swordsmanship with the long sword.
 * Borolda is an adventurer who leads the Lightning King party. He often leads adventurers on monster-slaying quests. He possesses skills in anti-magic attacks and swordsmanship with the long sword.


 * Rikvelt (リックベルト)
 * Rikvelt is an adventurer and a member of Lightning King. He loves cute things and is affectionate towards Sora. He is great at remembering people's faces. His skills are in fighting, water magic, and one-handed swordsmanship.
 * Rikvelt is an adventurer and a member of Lightning King. He loves cute things and is affectionate towards Sora. He is great at remembering people's faces. His skills are in fighting, water magic, and one-handed swordsmanship.


 * Meela (ミーラ)
 * Meela is a tamer and a member of the Green Gale party. She is a two-star tamer who journeys with two slimes she has tamed. While initially being caring towards Ivy, her true motivation is to kidnap her to make money, a plot that Sora found out about.
 * Meela is a tamer and a member of the Green Gale party. She is a two-star tamer who journeys with two slimes she has tamed. While initially being caring towards Ivy, her true motivation is to kidnap her to make money, a plot that Sora found out about.


 * Tolto (トルト) / Malma (マルマ)
 * Tolto and Malma are Meela's older twin brothers with the Green Gale party. They both love sweets. Tolto's skills are in defense and swordsmanship with the longsword, while Malma's skills are two-sword combat and water magic.
 * Tolto and Malma are Meela's older twin brothers with the Green Gale party. They both love sweets. Tolto's skills are in defense and swordsmanship with the longsword, while Malma's skills are two-sword combat and water magic.

Light novels
Written by Honobonoru500, the series began serialization on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on August 9, 2018. It was later acquired by TO Books who began publishing it as a light novel with illustrations by Nama under their TO Bunko light novel imprint on November 9, 2019. It has been collected in eleven volumes as of February 2024. The light novel is licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment.

Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Tou Fukino began serialization in TO Books' Comic Corona website on February 10, 2020. It has been collected in six tankōbon volumes as of February 2024. The manga is also licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment.

A spin-off manga centered around the characters in a school setting began serialization on the same website on November 21, 2022.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced in November 2022. It is produced by Studio Massket and directed by Naoki Horiuchi, with Shigeyasu Yamauchi serving as chief director, Katsuhiko Takayama writing the scripts, Feng Cheng Hu and Yuki Ikeda designing the characters, and Kujira Yumemi composing the music. The series aired from January 12 to March 29, 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks. The opening theme song is "Hate no Nai Tabi" (果てのない旅) performed by Aina Suzuki, while the ending theme song is "Because" performed by Tei. Crunchyroll has licensed the series. Medialink has licensed the series in Southeast Asia and Oceania (except Australia and New Zealand) and streaming it on the Ani-One Asia YouTube channel.