Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!

Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! (日本へようこそエルフさん.) is a Japanese light novel series written by Makishima Suzuki and illustrated by Yappen. It began serialization online in 2017 on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was acquired by Hobby Japan, who published the first light novel volume in August 2018 under their HJ Novels imprint. Nine volumes have been released as of October 2023. A manga adaptation with art by Shimo Aono has been serialized online via Hobby Japan's Comic Fire website since December 2018. Both the light novel and manga have been licensed in North America by J-Novel Club. An anime television series adaptation produced by Zero-G has been announced.

Plot
Ever since Kazuhiro Kitase was a child, whenever he slept, he would dream of a fantasy world. One day, he explores the fantasy world with his elf friend, Marie, but they get killed by a dragon. They abruptly wake up in his home in Japan and they eventually work out that whenever he falls asleep or dies in the fantasy world, he and anyone he is touching are sent back to Japan, then they can return to the fantasy world by falling asleep. They regularly go back and forth, with him helping Marie adjust to life in modern Japan and then going on quests in the fantasy world and eventually bringing others back to Japan.

Characters

 * Kazuhiro Kitase (北瀬一廣) / Kazuhiho (カズヒホ)
 * A 25-year-old Japanese salaryman who since his childhood habitually shifts into a fantasy world when falling asleep on Earth. In the other world, where he calls himself Kazuhiho (due to a childhood spelling mistake) and ages much slower, he is still 15 years old and an Illusory Swordsman who is travelling with Marie. It is only after he and Marie are fire-blasted by a dragon and Marie unexpectedly appears by his side in Japan that he realizes that the other world is real and his shifting ability can be extended to others. Among his special skills in the other world are the ability to create illusions, to travel through another dimension to cover distances with speed, and a plethora of languages he picked up. However, except for food, he is not able to take any items to either world during his shifts.
 * A 25-year-old Japanese salaryman who since his childhood habitually shifts into a fantasy world when falling asleep on Earth. In the other world, where he calls himself Kazuhiho (due to a childhood spelling mistake) and ages much slower, he is still 15 years old and an Illusory Swordsman who is travelling with Marie. It is only after he and Marie are fire-blasted by a dragon and Marie unexpectedly appears by his side in Japan that he realizes that the other world is real and his shifting ability can be extended to others. Among his special skills in the other world are the ability to create illusions, to travel through another dimension to cover distances with speed, and a plethora of languages he picked up. However, except for food, he is not able to take any items to either world during his shifts.


 * Marie (マリー) Mariabelle (マリアベル)
 * A 102-year-old Elven Spirit Sorcerer, a mage skilled in both arcane and spirit magic, and a longtime adventuring companion of Kazuhiro after she had killed him on their first meeting. While they intrude on a dragon's lair to have a look at its eggs, they are discovered and blasted with dragon fire. When Kazuhiro hugs her in an attempt to shield her, he inadvertently takes her back to Earth, where she becomes enamored with most of the novelties found in its culture, particularly the food. In time, she also falls in love with Kazuhiro.
 * A 102-year-old Elven Spirit Sorcerer, a mage skilled in both arcane and spirit magic, and a longtime adventuring companion of Kazuhiro after she had killed him on their first meeting. While they intrude on a dragon's lair to have a look at its eggs, they are discovered and blasted with dragon fire. When Kazuhiro hugs her in an attempt to shield her, he inadvertently takes her back to Earth, where she becomes enamored with most of the novelties found in its culture, particularly the food. In time, she also falls in love with Kazuhiro.


 * Wrida
 * An ancient female Arkdragon who can adopt a near-human form by transplanting her consciousness into a body regurgitated from her draconic self. When Kazuhiro and Marie intruded on her lair to take a look at her eggs, she took offense and killed them both, which resulted in Marie getting displaced to Earth along with Kazuhiro for the first time. After the two return, they manage to pacify Wrida with an offering of Japanese food and malt beer; and after taking a fancy on these delicacies, Wrida initially pays them with her own scales and blood (all of them extremely powerful and rare magic components) and later decides to visit Earth as well.


 * Mewei
 * A young beastman and a member of the Neko Tribe who was living with his grandfather in hiding ever since their tribe was decimated by a monster, which was looking for magic stones the beastpeople had mined and which it was guarding, and subsequent human persecution. Captured by some bandits, who also killed his grandfather, he is forced to use his grandfather's magic stone to summon monsters for waylaying travellers until he is freed by Kazuhiro and Marie.


 * Kaoruko Ichijo
 * A young librarian and acquaintance of Kazuhiro who lives in the same apartment complex.


 * Toru Ichijo
 * Kaoruko's husband.


 * Sven
 * An mage with the power of prophecy. Also known as the Twin Blade Magic Swordsman. While renowned for his prowess, he is also infamous for his unstable personality.

Light novels
Written by Makishima Suzuki, Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf began serialization as a web novel on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō on February 22, 2017. It was later acquired by Hobby Japan who released it under their HJ Novels light novel imprint with illustrations by Yappen in August 2018. Nine volumes (including four volumes published digital-only) have been published as of October 2023. The light novel is licensed in North America by J-Novel Club.

Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Shimo Aono began serialization on Hobby Japan's Comic Fire manga website on December 24, 2018. As of December 2023, nine volumes have been released. The manga is also licensed by J-Novel Club.

Anime
An anime adaptation was announced on December 28, 2023. It was later confirmed to be a television series produced by Zero-G and directed by Tōru Kitahata, with Aya Yoshinaga writing and overseeing series scripts, and Madoka Hirayama designing the characters and serving as chief animation director.

Reception
Demelza from Anime UK News felt the manga gave a unique twist on common tropes, while also praising the characters. Christopher Farris from Anime News Network praised the characters and artwork, while also feeling the story was largely uneventful and had untapped potential.