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Ascendance of a Bookworm

Avid bookworm and college student Motosu Urano ends up dying in an unforeseen accident. This came right after the news that she would finally be able to work as a librarian like she had always dreamed of. When she regained consciousness, she was reborn as Main, the daughter of a poor soldier. She was in the town of Ehrenfest, which had a harsh class system. But as long as she had books, she didn't really need anything else. However, books were scarce and belonged only to the nobles. But that doesn't stop her, so she makes a decision... "If there aren't any books, I'll just create some." www.crunchyroll.com →

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Release Sets

Episodes

1. A World Without Books
Motosu Urano, a college student and a bookworm of the highest order, loses her life in an avalanche of books and wakes up in another world as a sickly girl named Main. Nevertheless confident that she can deal with any situation as long as she has books to read, she looks all over her new home for one, but doesn't find any. To make matters worse, she couldn't see any writing in town when out with her mother Eva. She realized that she found herself in a world with a low literacy rate, one where books were prohibitively expensive.
2. Life Improvements and Slates
Having learned how expensive books are in this world, Main resolves to make books of her own. However, she soon finds out just how frail her new body is when she and her elder sister, Turi, decide to go to the gate to deliver something their father forgot—she can hardly take a few steps before running out of breath. But that's when Lutz, a neighborhood kid the same age as Main, offers his help. Main is touched by this and soon makes it to the gate. There, Otto gives her his old slate, letting her experience the joy of writing once again.
3. The Events of Winter
While everyone is snowed in by the harsh winter, Main has a plan: a plan to craft pseudo-papyrus as the first step towards making a book. Meanwhile, Eva teaches Turi a bunch of skills in order to prepare her for her upcoming baptism in the summer. Main is told to think about where she wants to apprentice, but as always, books are the only thing on her mind. As winter rolls on, however, the family bonds and grows closer together, and Main hits upon the perfect gift to give Turi to wear on her baptism day.
4. Forests and Clay Tablets
Spring has arrived, and Main is raring to go make clay tablets in the forest. But first, she must convince her family that she can handle the journey.
5. Baptisms and Strange Fevers
Summer arrives and brings with it the day of Turi's baptism. The focus then shifts to what Main wants to do after her own baptism next year. Meanwhile, Lutz asks her for a favor ahead of his own.
6. Meeting
Lutz and Main prepare for the meeting with Otto. But Otto brings someone with him, turning a casual meeting into an interview that will decide both Lutz and Main's futures.
7. Seeds of Suspicion
With the paper-making process about to begin, Main can't hide her excitement as she and Lutz go to meet Benno as per his invitation. He reveals that he is willing to arrange for all the equipment and materials they need to make the paper, but the ensuing conversation makes Lutz see Main in a very different light.
8. Lutz's Main
As Main and Lutz begin making their paper for real, Main's excitement gets the better of her, and Lutz's suspicions come to a head. He resolves to talk about it after the paper is finished.
9. The Guild Master's Granddaughter
Benno looks to have Main and Lutz registered with the Merchant Guild, but the guild master proves to be an obstacle. This results in them making plans to meet Frieda, his granddaughter.
10. To the Second Winter
Main learns from Frieda that the illness she has is called the Devouring, and that it will flare up if she ever feels anxiety or loses hope. Almost on cue, her fever starts acting up...
11. Life-or-Death Choices and Family Meetings
With Main collapses, everyone she knows comes together in a bid to save her life. But soon, she is faced with a life-or-death decision, one that she must discuss with her family.
12. Baptisms and Divine Paradises
The day of Main and Lutz's baptism has arrived. Wearing a fancy dress and a new hair ornament, Main appears a clear standout from the rest of the kids, but soon she loses her way and finds herself in what she sees as heaven on earth.
13. The Choice to Be an Apprentice Priestess
When Main brings up wanting to become an apprentice priestess to her family, she learns the truth about the role and what it entails, and soon comes to realize that she is in for the fight of her life.
14. Conclusions
Main, Gunther, and Eva head to the cathedral for their fateful meeting, knowing that Main's life is riding on a successful negotiation. But will things really go so smoothly for them?
14.5.1. Side Story One: Eustachius's Incognito Operation Downtown
Released on Mar 9, 2020 at 9:00 am
The head priest wants more information on Main, and so he sends two of his aides, Eckhard and Eustachius, to investigate her.
14.5.2. Side Story Two: Visiting Missus Corinna
Released on Mar 9, 2020 at 9:00 am
Eva and Turi find themselves having to accompany Main to Corinna's residence, because she wants to take a look at the outfit Main wore for her baptism.
15. Apprentice Priestess
Released on Apr 4, 2020 at 11:45 am
Main is now an apprentice priestess at the cathedral. How will she adapt to a new life in new surroundings, and how will they react to her?
16. Blue Robes and Uncommon Sense
Released on Apr 11, 2020 at 11:45 am
The stark contrast of the values at the church compared to life downtown continues to bewilder Main, as she butts heads with her retainers and her expected duties at the church.
17. Needs
Released on Apr 18, 2020 at 11:45 am
With Fran now fully on her team, Main must then get to work on winning Gil and Delia over.
18. Orphanage Reforms
Released on Apr 25, 2020 at 11:45 am
Main is taken to the orphanage and collapses in shock when she sees the state it and its inhabitants are in. She wants to help the kids, but will she really be able to?
19. Cleanups and Star Festivals
Released on May 2, 2020 at 11:45 am
As newly appointed orphanage director, Main's first task is to lead a major cleanup of the orphanage and its inhabitants. And as summer comes around, she also has some festivities in mind.
20. The Path Ahead of Lutz
Released on May 9, 2020 at 11:45 am
The friction in Lutz's family caused by his choice of profession comes to a head, and he runs away from home to get away from it all.
21. New Retainers
Released on May 16, 2020 at 11:45 am
When Main hears that Eva is pregnant, she decides to make a picture book for the baby and looks to recruit Wilma to be her artist. However, she finds a few roadblocks on her path...
22. Wilma and Holy Scriptures for Kids
Released on May 23, 2020 at 11:45 am
With the picture-book production in full sway, Main must navigate several hurdles regarding the process and, more pressingly, Wilma's condition.
23. Harvest Festivals and Staying Home
Released on May 30, 2020 at 11:45 am
The Harvest Festival is here, and Main finds the library ransacked. She is outraged at first, but this may be a welcome opportunity for her...
24. Knight Orders and Requests
Released on Jun 6, 2020 at 11:45 am
Main has to break the news to her family that she has to stay in the cathedral over winter. Meanwhile, the request from the knight order looms large over the horizon.
25. Trombe and Battles
Released on Jun 13, 2020 at 11:45 am
Main and the head priest set out to join the knights on a mission to take down a rampage trombe. With this being her first exposure to proper noble society, who knows what perils lie in Main's path?
26. Dreamlike World
Released on Jun 20, 2020 at 11:45 am
Tasked with healing the land ravaged by the trombe, Main has to put on a show. How that will affect the way the onlookers see her is anybody's guess... and so is how the head priest will react.
27. The Beginning of Winter
Released on Apr 11, 2022 at 11:30 am
Autumn has come to a close. Main starts selling the scripture picture books, gets asked by the apprentice blacksmith Johann to be his patron, and starts taking the next step in her bookmaking endeavors. While this is going on, Main finds out that the guild master of the Ink Guild, Wolf, is trying to get information on her. Benno then proposes an idea to Main and...
28. The Story About Winter Stays and the Future
Released on Apr 18, 2022 at 11:30 am
Main ends up having to start her winter stay at the cathedral. However, she instantly becomes homesick. Also, in a meeting with Benno, Ferdinand, and Karstedt, it's revealed that Wolf is a dangerous individual with ties to nobles. Apparently, even the nobles are after Main because of her powerful mana and her bizarre knowledge. In order to keep her out of danger, Ferdinand comes up with a proposal, and...
29. The Dedication Ceremony and Spring Arrives
Released on Apr 25, 2022 at 11:30 am
The knight Damuel has become Main's bodyguard. Now that she's able to go places, Main is excited about going to the library. They hold the Dedication Ceremony where she offers her mana into small holy grails. That was quite tiring for her, but she still goes back into town to see how Johann is doing with her order. Her passion for books just doesn't top. Spring is drawing closer, and Main can't wait to go back to her family, but then she receives some devastating news.
30. Spring Prayer
Released on May 2, 2022 at 11:30 am
Main and the others get ready to head off to the Spring Prayer, when they meet a blue-robed priest named Sylvester. Main doesn't know how to deal with Sylvester who seems to do whatever he wants. She tries to avoid Sylvester as they go around to various farming villages and she does an amazing job doing all of the rituals. Eventually, they end up at Viscount Gerlach's mansion. Apparently he had shown interest in Main before. But that night, something terrible happens!
31. Gift from the Blue-Robed Priest and Going Home
Released on May 9, 2022 at 11:30 am
With the Spring Prayer finished, Main and the others returned to the cathedral. Sylvester appoints Main as his guide to show him around the orphanage and workshop, where they observe how the scripture picture books are made. As he leaves, Sylvester gives Main a necklace with a black stone, saying it's a protection charm just in case anything were to happen. Meanwhile, Ferdinand, who had also witnessed the books being made, tells Main's method of making books will change history and how dangerous that may be.
32. The Abandoned Child of the Cathedral and Making Colors
Released on May 16, 2022 at 11:30 am
Main is finally able to go home. Her little brother Kamil is born and she becomes even more determined to create books. That is when Main meets a helpful collaborator named Heidi, who is the daughter of an ink maker. Heidi is extremely curious and passionate, so she hit it off immediately with Main. They start to make colored inks through trial and error. Meanwhile, a baby is abandoned at the cathedral and Main and her attendants end up taking care of him.
33. Delia and Dirk
Released on May 23, 2022 at 11:30 am
Dirk suddenly develops a high fever. Delia, who adored Dirk, and started to see him as her own family, was worried sick. Main sees his symptoms and realizes that he may have the Devouring. After talking to Ferdinand, they decide to raise him without letting others know that he has the Devouring. Meanwhile, Main continues her colored-ink experiments with Heidi as she helped out with taking care of Dirk at the cathedral, but...
34. Ominous Developments
Released on May 30, 2022 at 11:30 am
On the way home from Heidi's workshop, they hear the emergency bells sound through the city as well as see a red emergency flare go up into the sky. Main is worried about what might've happened. It is decided that Main should stay home until they can find out what is going on. Main gets to spend some time with her family back home again. After a while, Main is finally allowed back outside and heads to the cathedral. Once she gets there, she realizes Dirk is missing, and unbeknownst to her, there was another threat lurking just around the corner!
35. The Black Protective Charm
Released on Jun 6, 2022 at 11:30 am
Because of the lack of caution exercised by one of the gate guards, the carriage with the noble from another domain has entered the city. Gunther finds out that Main is being targeted and gets worked up over protecting Main. But then, Main is attacked by some mysterious men. Main believes what Sylvester told her and presses her blood seal upon the black charm he gave her. But then, Main's attackers become even more aggressive. Finally, the high priest's true intentions and his plans with Dirk are revealed.
36. Blessing
Released on Jun 13, 2022 at 11:30 am
Main's mana goes berserk as the high priest and Bindewald try to force her to agree to an unreasonable contract. Ferdinand then shows up and faces off with Bindewald. Sylvester and Karstedt also eventually show up. Bindewald and the high priest demand that Main be punished for threatening them. A judgment will be placed upon all of them. Also, Main's family is told about a certain decision about her as well...