I've seen quite a bit of misinformation being thrown around that the article about Noragami ending that was released earlier this year was "misinterpreted" and that the fact that 107-2 is not going to be the final chapter is proof that it's not ending that soon. This is due to misunderstanding the release schedule.
Noragami is ending with volume 27, at the "end of 2023". This information is not in dispute.
What is in dispute is exactly how long volume 27 is going to be, which is what led to the original estimates of how many chapters are left.
Most volumes consist of four 44-page chapters, for a total page count of 176 pages plus table of contents, acknowledgements, 4-koma, etc.
Volume 1 was an exception. It only had 3 chapters, where chapter 1 was 68 pages, chapter 2 was 60 pages, and chapter 3 was 54 pages for a total of 182 pages. The standard 44-page count started with chapter 4.
Volume 27 will start with chapter 104. 104-106 were all the standard 44-page chapters. The first part of chapter 107 released yesterday was released as a 22-page segment, with 107-2 to be released on 9/6/23, and not be the final release (since there would have been an announcement if it was). This could mean:
Chapter 107 is the last chapter but, as is typical for final chapters, is longer than normal and will be released in 3-4 parts instead of 2.
Chapter 107 is not the last chapter, but rather chapter 108 is, and Volume 27 will have 5 chapters (come to think of it, 108 is an excellent number for the series to end on, because the number 108 is important in Eastern religions)
Some combination of both of the above is true, where 107 is 3 parts and 108 will get dropped all at once afterwards.
Regardless of the release schedule, which is the only unknown, the "end of 2023" end date means we have between 2 and 4 monthly releases left. We just don't know how many pages those releases are going to be or what chapter numbers are going to be associated with them.
We've hit triple digits! No going back now. :') Spoilers under the cut.
Whatever last chapter did to me emotionally, this somehow beat it. I think it's because it was a full-length chapter as well as the announcement of it being the final arc alongside the content itself.
So let's talk about that first. I mean, we've all known for a while the manga was heading toward its conclusion--monthly mangas usually don't go too far beyond 100 chapters, Yukine's past finally came to light, Yato faced his fear and his father in battle, the characters got split up into different teamings amid higher stakes, the patterns are all there. But seeing it right there was...well, bittersweet. I know Adachitoka will take us to a good conclusion. And it's not goodbye yet! If the length of the Nora arc was any indication, we may still have 4 years of monthly chapters. Although it could be much shorter than that too, if they plan to have this arc all take place during Ooharai.
I don't want to get into territory of speculating about the series end content-wise because that's still far off and a lot could change, but looking at it optimistically, we do still have a full arc left yet. It's just knowing that we really are in the endgame now, so things seem a lot more final and it's affecting my reading.
I've believed all along there was one more arc after the Nora arc, but I honestly didn't expect 99 to be the conclusion of it. I even joked about it last month, but it was a joke. I'm literally like "wait Noragami is actually ending I thought it was a joke." I think because Ooharai is still going, my guard was down. But no, the arc definitively concluded with Yato getting Yukine back, which makes a lot more sense in hindsight. But damn it, we're not getting the usual 2 chapters of levity before the next arc kicks our asses, are we?
On the topic of the recap, Yukine/Hagusa still being listed under Father's "team" made me nervous. I hope that's not foreshadowing him going back to Father somehow, but Father has yet to release the "Yuuki" name, so. Can I just hedge my bets optimistically, for once?
Anyway, to the chapter. Hiyori caught Yato's scent! Does that mean she's going to find Yukine next, and reassure him? Will Yuka be coming with her? Will chapter 101 consist of me being a weepy mess because Yukine finally comes to terms with his death, helped by his sister and the girl who's like a sister to him? [voice cracking] please?
Yato finally confessing the burial of Yukine's body just. swept me with a tidal wave of feelings. I've been in agony about that stupid tree for YEARS and now we got the answer that so many have speculated upon. So congrats, everyone who predicted that. You were right. And it's absolutely rife with meaning, but since Yato already said it, I won't repeat it.
I will instead just point out he buried him WITH his letters. Jesus. I'm going to die of feelings.
It does add an extra layer of tragedy to Yato getting stabbed there, though...
Those panels were so pretty. I need to lie down. I am 8 pages into my thoughts and getting teary-eyed.
I don't want to talk about Kazuma yet, I'm saving that for the end of the chapter, so just put a pin in him being like "Why does Yukine suddenly care about being dead?" followed by "I don't want to die like a dog." I'll also put a pin in Bishamon saying "If anything happened to Kazuma I won't forgive myself." And one more in Father saying "Don't you care what happens to Kazuma?"
Trash dad bringing back Yukine's hit on Amaterasu is another reason why I'm nervous about him potentially going back there. For one thing, Father could do a lot more damage, and for another heaven might be like "ah yes there's the shinki working with the sorcerer."
Before anyone gets mad about Nora defending Father this chapter, I don't think Kazuma remarking she's lost the will to fight, her refusing to use Father's names for characters, nor her time with Yukine and Hiyori in turn was pointless. Adachitoka doesn't really do things without a point, and while this chapter might have been a prime moment for her to abandon trash dad for good, she's not quite there yet.
Her repeating "I love you" to Father really did make me think she was going to hold him there while Yato dealt the killing blow. And she still might! But for now, she's decided to strike back.
Time to talk about Kazuma without this stupid character limit warning constantly going off in my face. Okay so anyway. Him getting hit by GGS was a long time coming. We've been worried about it since before Yato even named him, since what he wanted was a powerful shinki that didn't fear death he could use against the sorcerer. However, for a while it seemed things would be okay--Kazuma was wearing earplugs, they were careful to fight Father from a distance just in case he was using Chiki, and only moved to hand-to-hand combat because they confirmed he wasn't. But now the first crack has been struck, and we already saw what happened with Yukine. It took a very long time, but he did get to wondering about his past.
I think with Kazuma it would be accelerated anyhow, since he's been exposed to Yukine talking about his family for a hot minute, as recently as this chapter, plus Father has commented on the nature of his death directly to him (though he had earplugs in). It's just, god, the boy JUST accepted life and now he's faced with the certainty of death once more.
We've already seen Kazuma's past thanks to Yato, and we know what GGS does to shinki, so what will happen to Kazuma? The optimistic route out is that Yato releases him after Father bites it (the crack is on the name Yato gave him), he goes back to Bishamon, and wonders no more. However, in this case they'd still be battling the clock and Yato might have to weigh "release Kazuma and save his life, and sacrifice my Father-killing weapon for good" or "continue taking the risk of him getting hit further, his name devolving faster and reaching the point of no return, but I might actually get to kill Father."
The less optimistic route out is that Kazuma dies, like he's been threatening for years. He has so many death flags I don't even know where to start. And we're approaching the series end. Will Kazuma succumb to GGS, now that he's decided he wants to live? I really don't want him to, but I'm afraid of how things will shake out. It seems like the manga has been heading to this for quite some time, but Adachitoka is known for being unpredictable.
I'm going to scream WAIT before the falling ice cream truck hits me and point out Kazuma's foiling Ebisu right now and Ebisu died after realizing he wants to live. If Kazuma is an inversion, he might live after all?
But if Bishamon finds out that Yato not only named Kazuma but put him in danger (even though Kazuma insisted on it himself), she's going to go right back to despising him, I fear.
We didn't get any Take and Ebisu content, but they will still have to destroy the grave to kill trash dad, so we have to get answers sooner rather than later.
[checks my notes] I think that's all I have. Horrible chapter, see you next month.
Thanks to everyone who’s been supporting K Fan Clan - NEXT-. As a reminder, it will be ending January 31, 2022.
In celebration of K’s 10 year anniversary next year they are planning for the new way to read K’s new works.There are plans for stories related to Ground Zero and the serialisation of Red’s Las Vegas story amongst other things. More info to come later.
Thanks for supporting K this year, hope to see you in the next.
"You can't expect me to save you, Saru. And I don't expect you to save me either."
"That's--"
"But... I'll be here. I'll stay with you until you can figure out how to save yourself."
Sarumi please!
I imagine this happening during some conversation post-ROK, when Yata has possibly gotten Fushimi drunk enough (or he's high enough on painkillers for the stab wound in his thigh) to admit everything about how Yata was his hero and he wanted to be Yata's, but then Mikoto appeared and took all that away. Like just imagine them some time shortly post-ROK when they're finally having the emotional conversation about why Fushimi left and why he broke their friendship off, Fushimi's still recovering from everything in jungle so say he's a bit loopy and therefore somewhat more honest than usual (and for once Yata was pretty perceptive about this, which is why he decided to go visit Fushimi and push him a bit on the promised talk because he didn't want to wait too long and suddenly Saruhiko has retreated back behind his walls and his mask of being an asshole and then Yata would never learn anything).
Yata's talking about how Fushimi should have just told Yata if he wasn't happy, like yeah Mikoto was Yata's hero but – and then Fushimi interrupts him and says that was the problem, that Mikoto was Yata's hero, because Fushimi couldn't be. Yata's confused and Fushimi clicks his tongue and mumbles that he was all alone, until Yata was there. He was always sitting in the big house, hiding from the world, rejecting the world, until Yata burst through his walls and grabbed his hand, and dragged him into a better place. “You said it yourself once, didn't you, Misaki? That you were sorry for me, because I couldn't find anyone to save me. But I was such an idiot then, because I thought that person...was you. That you were the one who saved me, and I saved you.” Fushimi clicks his tongue and shakes his head, looking all bitter as he's like what an idiot I was, to think that I'd ever be able to save anyone, that I could ever be saved.
Yata suddenly grabs Fushimi and makes Fushimi look at him, wondering why Fushimi never just said any of this. Fushimi doesn't see why it would have mattered if he'd said it, things wouldn't have changed, Yata's feelings wouldn't have changed. Yata looks conflicted for a moment and then says he thinks he was wrong then anyway – Mikoto was a hero, but he didn't save Yata and neither did Fushimi. Yata saved himself, and all the people around him were part of that. “And that's why you can't expect me to save you, Saruhiko, and I don't expect you to save me.” Fushimi looks away, morose as he's like 'I know that, there's no such thing as a hero anyway--' and Yata grabs him again, hands on Fushimi's cheeks and turning his head, looking right into his eyes with this intense and honest gaze. 'I can't save you, Saruhiko. But I'm gonna be here until you figure out how to save yourself. I'm never leaving your side again, you got that, stupid monkey?'. Fushimi's eyes noticeably shake for a moment and Yata just pulls him close, Fushimi doesn't say anything but his hands are shaking as he just clings to Yata and Yata quietly promises again, that he's going to be by Fushimi's side until Fushimi finds a way to become his own hero and even after that, he's always going to be right here.
Post ROK they don’t destroy the slates and Saru has a hard time managing the 3 auras in him, that all represent him but separate, warring parts.
I wrote a fic about this didn't I XD I really wish we could have seen some of Fushimi with all three colors, I like the idea that he would find dealing with three colors harder than two and there would be some strain on him due to it. Like say he was having some issues even in jungle but was largely able to keep all three powers in check because he was largely using only the Green power. Once he's back in Scepter 4 though he finds it more difficult to handle, like there's this tendency for different colors to come out on their own based on whatever Fushimi's mental state is at the time: Blue power comes most easily when he's calm or businesslike, Red when he's irritated or angry and Green most often when he's working alone or trying to be stealthy (of course this ruins his stealth because he wasn't expecting it and ends up exposing his hiding place with a blast of Green electricity).
I think Fushimi would be hesitant to admit all the issues he's having with his powers, like he doesn't want anyone to think he's too weak to handle them all. At the same time it's strange to him too, like especially the Green power I could see being unwanted because it's like a 'sign' of his betrayal even if that betrayal was planned. And even on that end, having three colors specifically because he changed clans rather than losing his previous Kings (like Kuroh and Yukari, who have two Kings because their first King died whereas Fushimi just left one King, joined another and then left again and came back). I could see him eventually gaining better control of his three powers once he becomes more accepting of his varying natures though, like his powers are fighting against him only because he's also fighting against the Red and Green, but once he's able to more accept his reasons for gaining both those powers and what his ability to control them means he's better able to use all three.
* Kingdom of Red (Complete)
* In the park (One shot / Complete)
* The beginning and the end (One shot / Complete)
* Table sharing (One shot / Complete)
* A dog’s reminiscence (One shot / Complete)
* The stairway to the dream (One shot / Complete)
* The Fushimi Husband and Wife (One shot / Complete)
* Grave (One shot / Complete)
* Epigraph (One shot / Complete)
* K - Poe Backs (Complete)
* LSW - First contact: Part 01 // 02 (Complete)
“K PROJECT // SHORT STORIES”
* Mini Episodes KFCN (List of Chapters)
* Even over time (K- Beautiful Pieces)
* Four Seasons of K (List of Chapters)
* Tsukumo 99
* Hyuga Chiho
“K PROJECT // NOVELS”
* K - The First Story (Complete)
* R:B (Complete)
* Before Zero (Complete)
* K - Side: Purple (Complete)
* K - Six Idols (Complete)
* Gakuen K (In progress)
“OFFICIAL K PROFILES"
* List of characters (Complete)
“K PROJECT // 7-STORIES”
* R:B (Complete)
* Side Blue (Complete)
* Side Green (Part 1 / Part 2) (Complete)
* Lost Small World (Part 1 / Part 2) (Complete)
* Memory of Red (Part 1) / Part 2) (Complete)
* Circle Vision (Part 1) / (Part 2) (Complete)
* Idol K (Complete)
* Pamphlet (1-6)
so i’ve been laughing about adam’s “technique” for the past ten minutes and my google meet appointment was canceled so i now have the opportunity to explore the intricacies and results of it. let’s go:
so the technique is just: adam smacking cherry with his skateboard. that’s it. that’s what happens. that’s the technique. and it’s funny as hell, but i’ve been trying to figure out how the technique did the damage that it did. so i watched the scene again.
i noticed just how far carla is from him and it sent me. so adam hit cherry so fucking hard that cherry slipped off of carla, sending her flying and clattering to the ground. cherry then tried to break his fall with his right arm, which did not end well. i’ve been trying to figure out how he hurt his left leg and it’s either: something happened to it when he slipped off of carla, OR he shifted and turned when his arm hit the ground, causing him to land awkwardly on his leg, effectively breaking both his right arm AND his left leg (you can see below that they’re angled in a way that just looks..a little wrong).
but wait. the broken limbs are just byproducts of the actual technique, which is a blow to the head. so cherry was smacked in the face with that skateboard (that has SHARP HORNS ON IT) and THEN crashed to the ground, hitting his head again on the skate track, which can’t be a very comfortable place to land.
cherry and adam have a rich history, and they’ve been left with these negative feelings that neither one wants to deal with. for cherry, the only solution to that was to beat adam in a race. for adam, that wasn’t enough. adam’s “technique” was meant to leave cherry unable to skate again for a long time, but i think he got lucky with cherry’s right arm, since cherry is a calligrapher. so not only did adam achieve his goal of injuring cherry to a ridiculous degree, he managed to ruin the rest of cherry’s life as well, severely injuring his head and arm so that his real world job: programming artificial intelligence technology AND calligraphy would become very, very difficult.
Nope. That was a pretty popular misconception of his character early on – and to be fair, if you just go by season one of the anime it does make a certain amount of sense, most of his character development was in the side materials...still I feel like he had more going on even at that point. It's pretty clear once you read Lost Small World that the 'yandere' persona Fushimi puts on when he's dealing with Yata is just that, a persona, a mask he puts on because he's basically trying to be like Niki (the way I like to think about it is that it's too hard for Fushimi to destroy this friendship that he loves so much so he turns himself into the one person who can always, always destroy the things Fushimi Saruhiko loves without a bit of guilt). It's also notable that the 'yandere' version of Fushimi only really exists at a couple points, there's the fights in season one and the first episode of Return of Kings but beyond that Fushimi's considerably less...outwardly twisted even when he's dealing with Yata.
Also I think Fushimi's not quite the same as the traditional yandere type personality anyway, like it's not so much that love made him twisted as he never had any affection at all before he met Yata and he clings to it like a child, then when Homra happens all his latent fears about his precious things being broken overwhelm him until he finally decides to break the relationship himself because that way it will be less painful when it's inevitably destroyed anyway. His tendency to go after Yata is more Fushimi still being desperate to stay in Yata's world and get his attention, which does have yandere overtones, but Fushimi also shows plenty of ability to think about things beyond Yata and even to tone down that personality when he needs to (like in Missing Kings when he helps Yata find Anna, Fushimi doesn't like demand anything of Yata in return or really do anything more than taunt him, and later when Yata tries to thank him rather than reveling in that attention Fushimi clicks his tongue and acts like he doesn’t care because he doesn't want to have to accept Yata's gratitude, which runs counter to his desire to be hated). Basically just counting Fushimi as a yandere totally ignores large parts of his character, he really doesn't fit the character archetype when you take everything into account.
