The popular anime "Ascendance of a Bookworm: I'll Do Anything to Become a Librarian" is adorned with Mine's innovative ideas and products. This time, we'd like to focus on non-printed products and creations featured in Parts 1 and 2 of the anime.
① Simple (Kan'i-chan) Rinse-Shampoo
After coming to this world, Mine, who was plagued by itchy hair, created a shampoo using oil extracted from meryl berries. It was named after the simplified version of "Proper Rinse-Rinse Shampoo." At first, she only made them for herself, but she also sold them to Benno as collateral for papermaking. They were also highly praised by Corinna, Frieda, and the nobility, and their popularity spread rapidly.
② Paru Cake
The magical Paru tree, which appears only during the winter, produces a sweet coconut-like sap. Myne made pancake-like Paru Cakes using the pomace of Paru fruit, which her father, Gunther, and sister, Tuli, had harvested. Tuuli and her friends were surprised by the unfamiliar cooking method, but it tasted delicious, and it opened up a new use for the pomace, which had previously been used to feed birds and other livestock. Lutz also ate it and, as a token of appreciation, helped Myne make paper early in the game.
③ Hair Ornament
Myne crocheted this hair ornament for her sister Tuuli at her baptism. She crocheted white, blue, and yellow yarn into a beautiful flower shape and gave it to Tuuli as a gift. Frieda said that while there are embroidered items in this world, there are no three-dimensional objects made entirely from thread like this, and they were a center of attention at the baptism ceremony. Naturally, this also became a product sold at Benno's Gilberta Trading Company, and became a major craft during the snowy winter months when people could not go outside.
④ Soup
Soup in this world, where vegetable water is often discarded, lacks flavor and is not even remotely tasty. So, Myne decided to serve her family a soup made using the broth from vegetables and nuts. Myne's soup made using this method is delicious, and it's used not only in her own home but also at the temple orphanage. This recipe is still unknown even among the nobility, and whenever Myne tastes soup in town, she often laments that her own soup tastes better.
⑤ Quatre-quarts
Sugar is very expensive in this world, but Myne uses what's available at the wealthy Frida's house to prepare dishes using it. This cake, made from a mixture of sugar, eggs, flour, and melted butter, was named Quatre Quarts, and Myne sold Frida the exclusive rights to sell Quatre Quarts for one year. Frida's chef, Ilse, also praised the cake, praising Myne's talent. Frida also introduced the cake to the nobility, and it became so popular that a large-scale tasting event was held.
⑥ Pizza
After becoming the director of the temple orphanage, Myne discovers that the orphanage's kitchen has an oven. Myne taught Hugo and Ella, the orphanage's chefs, how to make pizza, and had them make it. It was also well-received, and the pizza was featured on the menu at the Italian restaurant she and Benno had been planning for some time. Thanks to the new cooking techniques and recipes that Myne taught, Hugo and Ella grew into excellent chefs, even in the eyes of other nobles.
⑦ Karuta
Myne first made karuta cards for the children at the orphanage. She chose designs featuring holy scriptures and gods, and asked Wilma, who is skilled at drawing, to complete the cards. These karuta picture cards and simple reading cards allowed children to develop an understanding of the scriptures and acquire basic literacy skills, such as basic reading and writing.
Summary
Looking back, we can see that many of the creations were related to food and clothing, demonstrating that people are more likely to be drawn to familiar items that are closer to their daily lives. Naturally, these products were converted into cash, which helped fund Myne's book production, so it's fair to say they played a valuable role.
