A story could be written without a central character. Ishura’s volume one surrounding a war between the large country Auretia and a smaller principality of Lithia, revolving around ~sixteen characters who have their own role in the war and the story.
I thought that the first part that focuses on character introduction is actually pleasant. It gives us the chance to figure out what is going on from each side of the war, since war can be biased and skewed if only seen from one perspective. I think it is necessary for the second half to be as good as it was. (I also enjoyed the first half, personally. I think it has a good writing, keeping the reader's attention even while it shifts perspective so often.)
You said you wished the author introduced the characters more, but I felt like that was enough, and the shorter choppy chapters gives a sense of urgency and anxiousness of the upcoming war.
It also allows for much more wider worldbuilding due to many different origins of each characters, instead of the worldbuilding starting out small then spreading— which takes time. Take Overlord, for example. The worldbuilding hasn't even finished in LN vol.14. (Great light novel, by the way. The lack of worldbuilding in this series is what keeps the mystery and suspense going.)
Each chapter jumps around the point of view to show every character that is at a different place in the same timeframe, but it gives enough personality and backstory for each character just enough so that we get attached to the characters by the end of the volume. Some less, some more, but that’s just how it is.
It might take longer to read, but as a person who loves reading, it's a welcome delay. If you take your time to digest the story without rushing through the pages like a manga, it won't be difficult to remember the details and characters as the chapters itself aren't too long, so you'll see each characters soon enough before you forget about them.
The author isn’t trying to have the readers love every character, the book is a sort of chronology of the war and its theme is the war’s inevitable tragedy— which is why some of the most shaped out characters meet the tragic end. It shows insight to different characters’ different perspectives and motives, which is why I think this format of storytelling is exceptional— but also difficult to write.
I loved this volume, and I purchased volume 2 of this series even before I got to the second half because I found this so appealing. 9.5/10
