[More reviews and info about my review style can be found on my profile] ▶Summary and recommendation: ----------------------------------------------------------------- [I Shall Survive Using Potions] is an annoyingly written power fantasy, where the protagonist is in possession of powers capable of solving all problems imaginable. Which would invalidate any tension in the story. If she used them. I only recommend this if you are capable of turning your brain off and you want an easy-going powerfantasy with a female protagonist going on an adventure. If you want an adventure manga with an overpowered female protagonist that is better written, I recommend [In the Land of Leadale] instead.▶Story: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The troubles start with the opening chapter.
The protagonist Kaoru requests cheat powers from god when she is reincarnated, and she is granted the most powerful powers in isekai history. She is able to create anything from nothing. From a nuclear bomb, to medicine that can revive the dead.

The author has written themselves into a corner by creating a protagonist so powerful she can rewrite reality itself. Every single problem the protagonist faces should be easy to solve with just a little bit of clever thinking on the protagonist's part.

So there can't be any of that.
Clever thinking.
That would make every conflict too easily resolved.

The general structure of the story is as follows: A problem arises, the author pretends like Kaoru's omnipotent powers are not capable of solving the problem. Instead letting the problems pile on while letting conflict happen as we the reader have to pretend that the protagonist couldn't have solved all the problems already. Then at the crucial final moment, she will solve the conflict in a way that IS clever, but which could have been solved earlier in a much simpler manner.

Every solution and idea Kaoru has is muted, and does not take advantage of the powers she has. If you have even an ounce of creativity you will be internally screaming at her to just solve the problem with the overpowered abilities we know she has.

In one arc Kaoru starts a counseling business for a while, where she uses her smarts to advise others. Where us readers have to pretend that her explaining completely rudimentary tax and economics to career politicians in the fantasy world is impressive and possible.

In another story arc Kaoru ambushes a professional army. The only way for the her plan to work, is if the author pretends like neither scouts nor vanguards are a thing professional armies employs in this world. So they don't.

This story is a constant loop of Kaoru trying to live an easy life, making a big mess of it, eventually revealing her identity, then moving to the next location to repeat it. I would not mind as much if she learned from her mistakes, but she does not.

▶Setting: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is set in a European inspired medieval fantasy world. The author puts extra effort into the exposition and world building. In some parts over explaining, with a lot of "tell don't show".

▶Characters: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The only admirable thing I can say about the protagonist Kaoru is that she remembers her debts and always rewards people who were good to her.
Asides from that, she has no principles. She acts like she will not join in a war, yet she does. She says she doesnt want to get personally involved, yet she does. She has this weird idea of keeping things fair by not having favourites and letting the mortals duke it out while she waits on the sidelines, until it does not go her way, and she kills everyone in her way and plays favourites.

None of the other characters act human. Their intelligence and mannerisms are entirely at the behest of what the story needs them to be like so the protagonist can show how smart she is.

All the villains want the protagonist for her power, and they try to chain her down in the most incompetent ways imaginable, so that Kaoru can girlboss her way out of it.

▶Artwork: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The art is good. The character designs are quite detailed and varied, and backgrounds have had a lot of work put into them, aiding a lot with the world building.
It is not in colour, as is usual with Japanese comics.

▶In conclusion: -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is a slice of life/easygoing adventure story, and that is fine, but I am still going to criticise it for poor writing.
I was constantly annoyed by the story structure and the constant need for the story to dumb down everyone around her to make her look smarter by comparison.

I like how it starts out. She finishes up her business on earth before she reincarnates. It is quite sweet how she says goodbye to her friends and family. I think the way she scams the gods is quite amusing and I am disappointed that her cleverness ends there.