Natsume Akatsuki, the author of Combatants Will Be Dispatched and Konosuba; and Tappei Nagatsuki, the author of Re:Zero and writer for Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song are close friends. The story that was passed on about them even until now is this: One day, the two of them were inside a bar.
They were both talking about Isekai ideas they liked. Some of the ideas included a character wearing a swimsuit who is incapable of doing anything, and a story in which bad things happen to the main character instead of things going their own way. From this conversation, the comedic Konosuba and the tragic Re:Zero were born.
Since the two of them are good friends, Nagatsuki knew some of Akatsuki’s secrets. One of those secrets was that the light novel Combatants Will Be Dispatched was actually written before KonoSuba.
Natsume Akatsuki confirmed on his twitter account that Combatants Will Be Dispatched was written first before Konosuba. In this tweet, it says that he kept the Combatants novel hidden from Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko. However, Nagatsuki Tappei told the imprint that he had another novel.
Through various circumstances, we can say that it was thanks to Tappei that the light novel gets published, and we get to watch the anime adaptation today.
Kadokawa published Akatsuki’s light novel in November 2017. The book currently has 6 volumes and is still ongoing.
Media Factory’s Monthly Comic Alive is publishing the manga adaptation since March 2018. Later on, it’s adapted into an anime series that premiered this Spring 2021 and currently has 8 episodes. You can watch it on Crunchyroll and Muse Asia!
With world domination nearly in their grasp, the Supreme Leaders of the Kisaragi Corporation—an underground criminal group turned evil megacorp—have decided to try their hands at interstellar conquest. A quick dice roll nominates their chief operative, Combat Agent Six, to be the one to explore an alien planet…and the first thing he does when he gets there is change the sacred incantation for a holy ritual to the most embarrassing thing he can think of.
But evil deeds are business as usual for Kisaragi operatives, so if Six wants a promotion and a raise, he’ll have to work much harder than that! For starters, he’ll have to do something about the other group of villains on the planet, who are calling themselves the “Demon Lord’s Army” or whatever. After all, this world doesn’t need two evil organizations!
Kadokawa also released the “Re: Zero Hajimeru KonoSuba Seikatsu” collaboration book in December 2016. It was a collaboration of the two high ranking anime of that year. Lastly, in case you missed it, a Konosuba and Re:Zero Crossover short story exists. There, Tappei tells the story of Emilia in the setting of Konosuba, while Akatsuki writes the story where Rem is the one set on adventures.
Special mention to Kim Morrissy for the tweet translation.
Combatants will be Dispatched ©2021 暁なつめ, カカオ・ランタン／KADOKAWA／「戦闘員、派遣します！」製作委員会
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World! ©2019 暁なつめ・三嶋くろね／KADOKAWA／映画このすば製作委員会
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- ©長月達平・株式会社KADOKAWA刊／Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活製作委員会