Vivy Prototype Vol. 1+2: The Primitive Progenitor
Vivy Prototype, due to circumstance, may be one of the most interesting and unique light novels I've read. It's not something that "has" an anime adaptation, nor is it a standalone novel, it's not even a screenplay or script for Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song.
Vivy Prototype is the apple tree from which the apple that is Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song falls from, and it doesn't fall far from it. Their relation is creator and creation, progenitor and product. It's important to note this because the two are at times vastly different products. Not just in terms of expression or execution of themes, but the very foundations of the purpose itself. The entire latter half of the second volume (written by Eji Umehara) has a completely different approach than what the anime reflects. Even the sentiment of the two divergent aspects are different, there's hardly a hair that holds them together.
And there's not really a better way to explain it. Vivy Prototype was the writing exercise for Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song, and started all the way back in 2016 with a single meeting. At times you can tell how much they try to relay the visual aspect in the novels, to help probe their minds for what they want to see on screen, but there's also moments that are very dense in terms of writing. Things that end up really verbose and extraneous to the actual process of events, which thankfully got far more streamlined on the second time through. Stuff like the constant reference to the "positronic brain" of AIs, and other similar features remain incredibly prevalent, and there's a deeper level to Diva/Vivy's thought process. The latter can be interesting at times for better helping frame the thought process of the titular Songstress, but forces a different overall perspective on the events that takes away from Diva/Vivy's perception as an AI and character.
So far, Prototype has probably been the most interesting and fulfilling yet pointless read I've had. You get to see the writing process between the two creators of the story and where certain ideas may come from. You get to see what they believed to be important, what they thought they could do better, and what would and wouldn't work in motion. It's incredibly unique, and I don't really think there's anything else like it out there. If you enjoyed Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song, then you'll find Vivy Prototype equally as interesting and engaging, as it better shapes your understanding of why things are the way they are, and how much effort went into translating the thought process into a visual reality.
