(L) Date A Live [Light Novel]

[Anime-Oppai-Lover]

Originally Posted by cyberdemon

a common theory is that Woodman is Shidou and Mana's father and that the first spirit is their mother. Woodman loved the first spirit and he also has the same ability as Shidou to seal spirits.

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

Exactly this. Considering the other commonly-held theory - Reine is Phantom - was true, I wouldn't be overly critical of this one, either.

That does seem like a likely possibility, however there's one thing about this theory which confuses me. Why Shido and Mana don't have his last name, or why he doesn't have Mio's last name if that's the case? I can understand this with Shido since he could have been born out of wedlock, but that can't been the case by the time Mio gave birth to Mana.

[Estzero1]

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

Being realistic, the others are highly unlikely to inverse at this point.

Let's hope we will get a glimpse how they look like, just like with Yoshino in the artbook. Maybe Phantom will get a cover too. Not so impossible.

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by Estzero1

Let's hope we will get a glimpse how they look like, just like with Yoshino in the artbook. Maybe Phantom will get a cover too. Not so impossible.

Yeah, I'm hoping the others are in the artbook too. And I did say I expected Mio to get a cover ^^"

[Fenrisulfr]

Back on the pc, amen to ad block, anyways the rest of the blog just confirms previous spoilers but some things to note:

Spoiler for other spoilers:

Isaac says that once Shidou obtains the tenth spirit he will assume the role of the "key" and that's why Isaac's side got serious this volume. Reine had someone dear to her in the past but that person may already have died according to the reader's guess. Finally, while it's not outright established that Reine is Mio, but due to Kurumi's reaction after learning the truth of phantom's identity and putting everything together, it can be assumed they are probably the same. Lastly, Kurumi got pissed enough that she devoured Reine by dragging her into her shadow like pulling her into hell it says.

It'd be great if someone with the book can confirm all this but anyways I'm done, back to studying.

[Dark Rose Princess]

So...Mio/Reine's dead? I mean, I doubt that'd actually kill her, but still...

And Shidou becomes 'The Key'? Very interesting, there... Sounds like Westcott can't afford to have Shidou seal Kurumi.

Also, given that wedding ring she wears around her neck, Reine's 'special someone' is so totally her husband (Shido and Mana's father?)

[cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

So...Mio/Reine's dead? I mean, I doubt that'd actually kill her, but still...

And Shidou becomes 'The Key'? Very interesting, there... Sounds like Westcott can't afford to have Shidou seal Kurumi.

Also, given that wedding ring she wears around her neck, Reine's 'special someone' is so totally her husband (Shido and Mana's father?)

While there are indications that she may have had a child... Reine doesn't really act like a mother to Shidou at times. Stripping punishment for example lol

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by cyberdemon

While there are indications that she may have had a child... Reine doesn't really act like a mother to Shidou at times. Stripping punishment for example lol

True, but if Mio is Shidou's mother, then Reine is too, as there is no reason to believe that Mio and Reine are separate people at this point and every reason to believe they're the same; also, remember Reine's reaction to Shidou saying she was 'like a mother' in Volume 8.

...
Of course, that's if Mio is Shidou's mother - she could easily be an older sister - adopted or otherwise.

[cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

True, but if Mio is Shidou's mother, then Reine is too, as there is no reason to believe that Mio and Reine are separate people at this point and every reason to believe they're the same; also, remember Reine's reaction to Shidou saying she was 'like a mother' in Volume 8.

...
Of course, that's if Mio is Shidou's mother - she could easily be an older sister - adopted or otherwise.

Or maybe Reine is Mio's mother. They are similar looking but Mio is Younger explaining the differences compared to what Origami described

[Estzero1]

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

And I did say I expected Mio to get a cover ^^"

My bad. Seems like I'm not used to the fact that she is apparently everyone .

Originally Posted by cyberdemon

Or maybe Reine is Mio's mother. They are similar looking but Mio is Younger explaining the differences compared to what Origami described

Damn, that's a theory. But in that case Reine couldn't be Phantom and just had a connection to her. Neh, there is something else. I think it's still solid that she is a mother.If she had someone dear in the past and that person is really dead then there can only be two option. A child or a husband. But if we still assume that Woodman is the father, he is not dead, which leaves only the other possibility.
That's why I believe that theory isn't completely unlikely.

[Dark Rose Princess]

Originally Posted by cyberdemon

Or maybe Reine is Mio's mother. They are similar looking but Mio is Younger explaining the differences compared to what Origami described

Origami saw Phantom, though, and Phantom is confirmed as Reine. Origami described someone familiar, and Phantom quoted to Origami what Reine heard in Volume 5.
Pretending Reine isn't Phantom, is just grasping at straws at this point - 'Reine Murasame' is likely a glamour anyway, like when she appeared as Rinne. Or hell, Rinne looks older in her AstralDress, maybe Mio/Reine looks younger, but still recognizable.

[Anime-Oppai-Lover]

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

Origami saw Phantom, though, and Phantom is confirmed as Reine. Origami described someone familiar, and Phantom quoted to Origami what Reine heard in Volume 5.
Pretending Reine isn't Phantom, is just grasping at straws at this point - 'Reine Murasame' is likely a glamour anyway, like when she appeared as Rinne. Or hell, Rinne looks older in her AstralDress, maybe Mio/Reine looks younger, but still recognizable.

Part of me wonders due to Phantom's scene with Rinne at the end of Rinne Utopia if either of Rinne's forms may have already existed, while Rinne herself is just a personality borrowing them or using a copy body of sorts. Reine did seem to know what Rinne really was out of nowhere after all.

Provided that whole idea with Rinne is a stretch however? I think Origami may have heard a young version of Reine's voice, hence why it was familiar, but she didn't realize it was hers. Likewise, Kurumi connected the dots when she saw Reine because she knew her form was just Mio's as an adult.

[cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by The Chaos Entity

Origami saw Phantom, though, and Phantom is confirmed as Reine. Origami described someone familiar, and Phantom quoted to Origami what Reine heard in Volume 5.
Pretending Reine isn't Phantom, is just grasping at straws at this point - 'Reine Murasame' is likely a glamour anyway, like when she appeared as Rinne. Or hell, Rinne looks older in her AstralDress, maybe Mio/Reine looks younger, but still recognizable.

is it confirmed or did people just see her face and assume (or in the case of the reader, read her description and character's reactions and assume)? Does Phantom actually confirm in words that she is Reine? A very similar looking young girl could also easily be a daughter. Origami gave a description that is notably different than how Reine is. Mio was described as a young girl. Reine is clearly an adult and couldn't really pass for a young girl. Even with an incorrect assumption Shidou still speculates Reine in her 20s which is still not considered a young girl. Bringing up Rinne doesn't create an excuse either since the movies are not canon. Phantom taking her appearance does not make it canon. It's likely just that the author just wanted to use her design. Then as I have pointed out before and the thing that gives me the biggest doubt. She was described as being on the bridge during the battle with the Goetia without even a passing comment about her leaving. and this was going on at the same time as Origami was meeting Phantom. An assumption that she left during the battle is not proof that she left since there isn't a single word to suggest it.

[LeWLWuT]

Originally Posted by Anime-Oppai-Lover

Part of me wonders due to Phantom's scene with Rinne at the end of Rinne Utopia if either of Rinne's forms may have already existed, while Rinne herself is just a personality borrowing them or using a copy body of sorts. Reine did seem to know what Rinne really was out of nowhere after all.

Remember that Rinne is an amalgamation of spirit energy gone out of control, and maybe stuff from Shidou's subconscious,which is the key element to my theory. This subconscious stuff might have been from his deep past, and that's how the body manifested or something.

Originally Posted by cyberdemon

is it confirmed or did people just see her face and assume (or in the case of the reader, read her description and character's reactions and assume)? Does Phantom actually confirm in words that she is Reine? A very similar looking young girl could also easily be a daughter. Origami gave a description that is notably different than how Reine is. Mio was described as a young girl. Reine is clearly an adult and couldn't really pass for a young girl. Even with an incorrect assumption Shidou still speculates Reine in her 20s which is still not considered a young girl. Bringing up Rinne doesn't create an excuse either since the movies are not canon. Phantom taking her appearance does not make it canon. It's likely just that the author just wanted to use her design. Then as I have pointed out before and the thing that gives me the biggest doubt. She was described as being on the bridge during the battle with the Goetia without even a passing comment about her leaving. and this was going on at the same time as Origami was meeting Phantom. An assumption that she left during the battle is not proof that she left since there isn't a single word to suggest it.

It's most likely they're connecting dots at this point.

[holybell84]

Originally Posted by Fenrisulfr

Back on the pc, amen to ad block, anyways the rest of the blog just confirms previous spoilers but some things to note:

Spoiler for other spoilers:

Isaac says that once Shidou obtains the tenth spirit he will assume the role of the "key" and that's why Isaac's side got serious this volume. Reine had someone dear to her in the past but that person may already have died according to the reader's guess. Finally, while it's not outright established that Reine is Mio, but due to Kurumi's reaction after learning the truth of phantom's identity and putting everything together, it can be assumed they are probably the same. Lastly, Kurumi got pissed enough that she devoured Reine by dragging her into her shadow like pulling her into hell it says.

It'd be great if someone with the book can confirm all this but anyways I'm done, back to studying.

Spoilers are pretty much spot on; the book ended on that last line

[Shinji103]

I'll wait to say anything about volume 16 until I've read that summary.

In the meantime, my copy of the artbook came in. It's divided into four sections, the LN illustrations volume by volume, the Encore illustrations volume by volume, the game/movie/pre-order/bonus novel illustrations, and the development roughs.
Unfortunately Yoshino is the only one of the other girls who got an Inverse illustration.
The LN section only covers up to volume 11, so I'm hoping this means Tsunako purposefully held back volumes 12 to 16 to release in a final artbook with the rest of the volumes when the series ends. (and maybe Inverse forms of the rest of the girls)
At the end of the artbook is a special short novel called Spirit Gathering. I've only skimmed it so far, but all the girls appear from volumes 1-11, the games, and the movie (except Kurumi, though I may have just missed her in the skim), complete with a fourth-wall break when Natsumi wonders where Rinne, Rio, and Mayuri came from.
There were a couple new illustrations besides Inverse Yoshino. Sorry for the low quality, but I don't want to dissect my beautiful new merchandise.

The first one is my favorite. I had Maria pegged for one of the smaller girls, but going by this illustration she's almost as "big" as Tohka. *wink* (well, she did say she was surprisingly big in the Arusu Install bonus drama disc)

NSFW

Warning: Not safe to view at work or school!

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(That fourth one might have been an old actually)

[Anime-Oppai-Lover]

Originally Posted by LeWLWuT

Remember that Rinne is an amalgamation of spirit energy gone out of control, and maybe stuff from Shidou's subconscious, which is the key element to my theory. This subconscious stuff might have been from his deep past, and that's how the body manifested or something.

Vol 11 helps give evidence to this, when Shido saw Phantom using Rinne's form, he seemed to recognize it despite not knowing why. While Rinne Utopia may not be canon, her use of Rinne's form may be connected to her, just like the ending implied Phantom had something to do with Rinne's birth.

Plus Maria and Marina, the latter as the Nibelcole thing that's part of Beelzebub, both ended up getting into canon. Maybe it's not the same Rinne from the game and under a different, but by appearing we know she'll be used in some form eventually, we just don't know what yet.

Originally Posted by Shinji103

Unfortunately Yoshino is the only one who got an inverse illustration.

Dang it, I was hoping we'd atleast get to see Inverse Nia since we never really got a complete picture of her.

[Shinji103]

Nia wasn't even in this artbook at all. It only covers everything up to volume 11 and all the encores up to 5.
So like I said I'm hoping we get another art book with the rest of the volume whenafter the series ends.

[Anime-Oppai-Lover]

Originally Posted by Shinji103

Nia wasn't even in this artbook at all. It only covers everything up to volume 11 and all the encores up to 5.
So like I said I'm hoping we get another art book with the rest of the volume whenafter the series ends.

Considering we have a theory that there'll be 22 volumes to represent each path of the Tree of Life, I can see a second artbook covering the rest.

Although that does make me wonder why Yoshino was the only one we got a Inverse Form illustration for? I mean they could have atleast given one for some of the earlier spirits like Kotori and the Yamai twins.

[LeWLWuT]

Originally Posted by Anime-Oppai-Lover

Vol 11 helps give evidence to this, when Shido saw Phantom using Rinne's form, he seemed to recognize it despite not knowing why. While Rinne Utopia may not be canon, her use of Rinne's form may be connected to her, just like the ending implied Phantom had something to do with Rinne's birth.

Plus Maria and Marina, the latter as the Nibelcole thing that's part of Beelzebub, both ended up getting into canon. Maybe it's not the same Rinne from the game and under a different, but by appearing we know she'll be used in some form eventually, we just don't know what yet.

Of course it's a different Rinne. It was just a veneer. But you're right about the nostalgia part, and him recognizing Rinne also implies some connection to the game. Phantom may have used that form because it hits closer to Shidou's heart than anything else.

Also, note that we don't see Ars Maria's design anywhere in the LN. Marina's design might have been used because the design's already there and it would be a bother making up a new one.

And thanks Shinji for divulging some info on the artbook. Damn them loli faces for fooling us into thinking she's got a small stature!

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Anime-Oppai-Lover

Considering we have a theory that there'll be 22 volumes to represent each path of the Tree of Life, I can see a second artbook covering the rest.

Although that does make me wonder why Yoshino was the only one we got a Inverse Form illustration for? I mean they could have atleast given one for some of the earlier spirits like Kotori and the Yamai twins.

Probably because the design was made a long time ago and they might have wanted to use her design for an upcoming arc, but it was scrapped?

[Shinji103]

Well, when Maria and I said "big", we were referring to something other than her stature.....