The World's Strongest Rearguard

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The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker
First light novel volume cover
世界最強の後衛 ～迷宮国の新人探索者～
(Sekai Saikyō no Kōei: Meikyūkoku no Shinjin Tansakusha)
GenreFantasy, isekai
Novel series
Written byToowa
Published byShōsetsuka ni Narō
Original runApril 27, 2017 – present
Light novel
Written byToowa
Illustrated byHuuka Kazabana
Published byFujimi Shobo
English publisher
ImprintKadokawa Books
Original runNovember 10, 2017 – present
Volumes9
Manga
Written byToowa
Illustrated byRikizo
Published byMedia Factory
English publisher
  • NA: Yen Press
ImprintMF Comics
MagazineComicWalker[a]
Original runMarch 30, 2018 – present
Volumes9
Anime television series

The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker (世界最強の後衛 ～迷宮国の新人探索者～, Sekai Saikyō no Kōei: Meikyūkoku no Shinjin Tansakusha) is a Japanese light novel series written by Toowa and illustrated by Huuka Kazabana. It was originally posted as a web novel on the online publication platform Shōsetsuka ni Narō in April 2017, before Fujimi Shobo began publishing it as a light novel under their Kadokawa Books imprint in November of the same year; nine volumes have been released as of September 2025. A manga adaptation illustrated by Rikizo began serialization Kadokawa Corporation's ComicWalker service in March 2018. Nine volumes have been released as of February 2025. An anime television series adaptation has been announced.

Plot

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The series follows Arihito Atobe, a salaryman who is killed in a bus accident. After being reincarnated into another world, he is asked to pick a job class. He picks being a rearguard, which turns out to be a powerful class that no one before him had been before. Aimed with his new powers, he help his party members explore labyrinth, as their bonds grow over time.

Media

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Light novel

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Toowa originally posted the series as a web novel on the online platform Shōsetsuka ni Narō on April 27, 2017.[1] It was later picked up for publication by Fujimi Shobo, which started releasing it as a light novel under their Kadokawa Books imprint. The first volume was released on November 10, 2017;[2] nine volumes have been released as of September 2025.[3] The series is licensed in English by Yen Press.[4]

No. Original release date Original ISBN North American release date North American ISBN
1 November 10, 2017[2]978-4-04-072503-1October 29, 2019[5]978-1-9753-3154-2
2 April 10, 2018[6]978-4-04-072505-5February 25, 2020[7]978-1-9753-3156-6
3 August 10, 2018[8]978-4-04-072850-6June 23, 2020[9]978-1-9753-3158-0
4 February 9, 2019[10]978-4-04-072849-0November 17, 2020[11]978-1-9753-1571-9
5 July 10, 2019[12]978-4-04-073240-4March 23, 2021[13]978-1-9753-1573-3
6 January 10, 2020[14]978-4-04-073241-1March 22, 2022[15]978-1-9753-3333-1
7 March 10, 2021[16]978-4-04-073676-1August 16, 2022[17]978-1-9753-4393-4
8 November 10, 2021[18]978-4-04-074221-2June 20, 2023[19]978-1-9753-5055-0
9 September 10, 2025[3]978-4-04-075919-7——

Manga

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A manga adaptation illustrated by Rikizo began serialization on Kadokawa Corporation's ComicWalker service on March 30, 2018.[20] The first tankōbon volume was released on September 22, 2018;[21] nine volumes have been released as of February 2025.[22] The manga adaptation is also licensed in English by Yen Press.[4]

No. Original release date Original ISBN North American release date North American ISBN
1 September 22, 2018[21]978-4-04-069984-4January 28, 2020[23]978-1-9753-0581-9
2 July 22, 2019[24]978-4-04-065807-0August 25, 2020[25]978-1-9753-1562-7
3 March 21, 2020[26]978-4-04-064503-2January 19, 2021[27]978-1-9753-2012-6
4 November 21, 2020[28]978-4-04-064897-2January 25, 2022[29]978-1-9753-3743-8
5 December 23, 2021[30]978-4-04-680255-2February 21, 2023[31]978-1-9753-5178-6
6 August 20, 2022[32]978-4-04-681605-4June 20, 2023[33]978-1-9753-6855-5
7 September 21, 2023[34]978-4-04-683017-3December 10, 2024[35]979-8-8554-0184-4
8 March 22, 2024[36]978-4-04-683499-7July 22, 2025[37]979-8-8554-1290-1
9 February 21, 2025[22]978-4-04-683996-1May 26, 2026[38]979-8-8554-2828-5

Anime

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An anime television series adaptation was announced on September 8, 2025.[39][40]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ ComicWalker changed its name to KadoComi (カドコミ) in December 2023.

References

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  1. ^ "世界最強の後衛 ～迷宮国の新人探索者～" (in Japanese). Shōsetsuka ni Narō. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  2. ^ a b 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～ (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  3. ^ a b 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　９ (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Sherman, Jennifer (March 29, 2019). "Yen Press Adds The Witch's Printing Office, Overlord: Undead King Oh!, Kemono Friends a la Carte Manga". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  5. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 1 (light novel)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  6. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　２ (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  7. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 2 (light novel)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  8. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　3 (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  9. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 3 (light novel)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  10. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　4 (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  11. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 4 (light novel)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  12. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　５ (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  13. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 5 (light novel)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  14. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　6 (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  15. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 6 (light novel)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  16. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　７ (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  17. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 7 (light novel)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  18. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　８ (in Japanese). Fujimi Shobo. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  19. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 8 (light novel)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  20. ^ "『世界最強の後衛 ～迷宮国の新人探索者～』のコミカライズ連載が本日より開始 謎の職業「後衛」に就いた元社畜の冒険譚". LN-News.com (in Japanese). March 30, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  21. ^ a b 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　1 (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  22. ^ a b 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　9 (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  23. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 1 (manga)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  24. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　2 (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  25. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 2 (manga)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  26. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　3 (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  27. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 3 (manga)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  28. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　4 (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  29. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 4 (manga)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  30. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　5 (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  31. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 5 (manga)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  32. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　6 (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  33. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 6 (manga)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  34. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　7 (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  35. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 7 (manga)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  36. ^ 世界最強の後衛　～迷宮国の新人探索者～　8 (in Japanese). Media Factory. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  37. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 8 (manga)". Yen Press. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  38. ^ "The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker, Vol. 9 (manga)". Yen Press. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  39. ^ とーわの小説「世界最強の後衛 ～迷宮国の新人探索者～」TVアニメ化が決定. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. September 8, 2025. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
  40. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (September 8, 2025). "Tōwa's The World's Strongest Rearguard - Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker Light Novels Get TV Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 8, 2025.
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