Tokyo Ravens [Light Novel]

[manifla]

As a final word, the post script of 15 is partially the author’s apology for making everyone wait so long.
Also it’s an admission that he almost abandoned his career as a writer, although the only info given is that “for various reasons” which is pretty shocking!
New editor was around for volume 16, which to me, implies something went down.
IDK what.
I hope the wait for 17 isn’t too long, because the more people forget, the more likely we’re gonna either get a rushed ending or no ending at all

Originally Posted by Y Ddraig Goch

Spoiler for Question:

When you say she resonates with Natsume and, paraphrased, say that Natsume has lived many decades of life and rebirth, does this mean Hishamaru, for lack of a better term, merged with Natsume? Or is it something else?

Btw, thank you very much for your great summaries. You have really good taste in novels!

Thanks!
Endscape said it best about the spoiler there

[Used Can]

Originally Posted by Endscape

Spoiler for Spoiler:

It's a stable time loop.

Harutora sent Natsume's soul back in time where it was born as Hishamaru, lived out her life, became a shikigami and then went back into Natsume's body, since its actually her original body.

The reason Natsume's soul wouldn't stay fixed in her body is because it was the wrong version of her soul, and it existing in that time after being called back by the Taizan Fukun Ritual was a paradox. It's kinda like using an outdated version of an app.

I'm not quite sure I understand this.

Spoiler for Vol 16:

By the time Natsume was born, Hisshamaru was still around (at least, as Kon), wasn't she? So, how is it that after she got killed and Harutora used the TFR he got the wrong "version" of her soul? I mean, I know in Eastern spirituality reincarnation doesn't necessarily work in a linear fashion, but I still find it odd that Natsume reincarnated as Hisshamaru, even though Hisshamaru was still alive when Natsume was born. So, how did Natsume have that soul in the first place?

Anyhow, I'm still unsure about what happened to Hisshamaru. Did she disappear?I find it odd that Harutora asked Natsume what she would like to be called, so I'm guessing that much like him, she has all of Hisshamaru's memories. However, unlike Yakou who was long dead by the time Harutora was born, Hisshamaru was still alive until rather recently.

This is all very confusing.

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by Used Can

I'm not quite sure I understand this.

Spoiler for Vol 16:

By the time Natsume was born, Hisshamaru was still around (at least, as Kon), wasn't she? So, how is it that after she got killed and Harutora used the TFR he got the wrong "version" of her soul? I mean, I know in Eastern spirituality reincarnation doesn't necessarily work in a linear fashion, but I still find it odd that Natsume reincarnated as Hisshamaru, even though Hisshamaru was still alive when Natsume was born. So, how did Natsume have that soul in the first place?

Anyhow, I'm still unsure about what happened to Hisshamaru. Did she disappear?I find it odd that Harutora asked Natsume what she would like to be called, so I'm guessing that much like him, she has all of Hisshamaru's memories. However, unlike Yakou who was long dead by the time Harutora was born, Hisshamaru was still alive until rather recently.

This is all very confusing.

Spoiler for Vol. 16:

The time loop began when Harutora brought back Natsume's soul.

He should have sent it back to the past right then and there to start the loop, but because he wasn't aware of the issue, he didn't do that.

The reason I called it an outdated version of her soul is because her soul had to become Hishamaru and then return to her to complete the loop.

Using the original version of her soul is creating a paradox, which is why it wouldn't stay inside her body properly and kept trying to leave.

Hishamaru didn't disappear, she's still there, just as Natsume. They're the same person, just like Harutora and Yakou are the same person. Harutora asking what her what she wanted to be called is a callback to when Harutora was asked the same question when he awakened.

[Used Can]

Originally Posted by Endscape

Spoiler for Vol. 16:

The time loop began when Harutora brought back Natsume's soul.

He should have sent it back to the past right then and there to start the loop, but because he wasn't aware of the issue, he didn't do that.

The reason I called it an outdated version of her soul is because her soul had to become Hishamaru and then return to her to complete the loop.

Using the original version of her soul is creating a paradox, which is why it wouldn't stay inside her body properly and kept trying to leave.

Hishamaru didn't disappear, she's still there, just as Natsume. They're the same person, just like Harutora and Yakou are the same person. Harutora asking what her what she wanted to be called is a callback to when Harutora was asked the same question when he awakened.

Spoiler for Volume 16:

I think I get it now. Since Hisshmaru exists, then it's necessary for Natsume to have died, and thus it was necessary for her soul to have gone back in time, because Hisshamaru cannot not exist. However, that leaves me with the question, what soul does Natsume have right now, since that soul should be held by Hisshamaru right now?

Also, what do you mean by Hisshamaru still being there? I mean, Hisshamaru until now was there in mind, body and soul. So, with Natsume being revived with what ought to have been her (Hisshamaru's) soul, what happened to her (Hisshamaru)?

Are Natsume and Hisshamaru still separate people or did they merge? I'm asking because the whole "call me what you will" was something Harutora told to Hisshamaru and Kakugyouki. Natsume wasn't present at the time, so if she knows that is because she's got Hisshamaru's memories, right?

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by Used Can

Spoiler for Volume 16:

I think I get it now. Since Hisshmaru exists, then it's necessary for Natsume to have died, and thus it was necessary for her soul to have gone back in time, because Hisshamaru cannot not exist. However, that leaves me with the question, what soul does Natsume have right now, since that soul should be held by Hisshamaru right now?

Also, what do you mean by Hisshamaru still being there? I mean, Hisshamaru until now was there in mind, body and soul. So, with Natsume being revived with what ought to have been her (Hisshamaru's) soul, what happened to her (Hisshamaru)?

Are Natsume and Hisshamaru still separate people or did they merge? I'm asking because the whole "call me what you will" was something Harutora told to Hisshamaru and Kakugyouki. Natsume wasn't present at the time, so if she knows that is because she's got Hisshamaru's memories, right?

Spoiler for Vol. 16:

Hishamaru's soul is inside Natsume's body.

Hishamaru is a spiritual entity, which is basically the same thing as a soul, so when Harutora's sent Natsume's soul back in time, Hishamaru just went inside her body. Merging implies that the were two seperate beings, when they are really the same person, just like Harutora and Yakou are the same person, just in different bodies.

Hishamaru had already recovered her memories of being Natsume once she actually saw her. Harutora had been avoiding Natsume specifically because he didn't understand why she and Hishamaru had the same soul in two different places since it was impossible.

[theshade1]

Originally Posted by Endscape

Spoiler for Vol. 16:

Hishamaru's soul is inside Natsume's body.

Hishamaru is a spiritual entity, which is basically the same thing as a soul, so when Harutora's sent Natsume's soul back in time, Hishamaru just went inside her body. Merging implies that the were two seperate beings, when they are really the same person, just like Harutora and Yakou are the same person, just in different bodies.

Hishamaru had already recovered her memories of being Natsume once she actually saw her. Harutora had been avoiding Natsume specifically because he didn't understand why she and Hishamaru had the same soul in two different places since it was impossible.

Sorry to cut in, but I'm also kinda confused lol.

Spoiler for 16:

I'm still confused as to whether both Natsume and Hishamaru exists in the current present, as in both bodies. Like Tora and Yakou don't exist simultaneously, so how can both Natsume and Hishamaru? Wouldn't that mean that one of them is soulless.

[Endscape]

Originally Posted by theshade1

Sorry to cut in, but I'm also kinda confused lol.

Spoiler for 16:

I'm still confused as to whether both Natsume and Hishamaru exists in the current present, as in both bodies. Like Tora and Yakou don't exist simultaneously, so how can both Natsume and Hishamaru? Wouldn't that mean that one of them is soulless.

Spoiler for Vol. 16:

Hishamaru is as shikigami, which makes her basically a walking, talking soul. When Harutora sent Natsume's soul back in time to be born as Hishamaru, the Hishamaru in the present went into Natsume's body.

[Used Can]

Originally Posted by Endscape

Spoiler for Vol. 16:

Hishamaru is as shikigami, which makes her basically a walking, talking soul. When Harutora sent Natsume's soul back in time to be born as Hishamaru, the Hishamaru in the present went into Natsume's body.

Spoiler for Volume 16:

You know, that's still kinda odd. I mean, as far as I recall, Yakou had always planned on reincarnating, and he made preparations so that his future self would reacquire his memories as Yakou. However, I don't understand how the same thing would apply to Natsume, since rather than reincarnating into the future, she reincarnated into the past, and the owner of her soul was still alive by the time she was born, even if said person was a shikigami. So, ending Hisshamaru to resurrect Natsume seems a bit extreme, especially when we saw both characters and they were fairly different people. With Yakou we knew very little about him, and the fact that he was long dead didn't create any particular conflict, so we could just say they were the same person under different circumstances, but with Natsume and Hisshamaru it's a bit harder to just think they're the same person now.

[shibatakun]

I'm so confused. I think I'll go back and read the previous volumes again because I forgot most plot details by now.

On another note, this series almost makes me wanna learn Japanese so I can just read the raws and don't have to wait for translations.

[epicSHIN]

Originally Posted by shibatakun

I'm so confused. I think I'll go back and read the previous volumes again because I forgot most plot details by now.

Everyone is confused, don't worry. I also share the same confusion as Used_Can.

I don't how long it's been since the last volume but the next one is now currently being written. The long wait coupled with the fact that this series will never be fully translated made me lose interest. I am currently the semi-active admin of TR's Wikia page and if anyone is interested in becoming a caretaker of it please leave a message on my wikia profile page https://tokyo-ravens.fandom.com/wiki...?useskin=oasis

That said, here's the confirmation of volume 17 being written by Azano.
https://twitter.com/k_aza/status/133...850107393?s=19

[Twi]

I remember this being decent up until the anime ended and then a blank spot after he came to the mountain where the rabbit girl was.

[epicSHIN]

I found a website that provides very high quality scans of official character concept designs from the anime.
https://setteidreams.net/settei/tokyo-ravens/index.php

Originally Posted by Twi

I remember this being decent up until the anime ended and then a blank spot after he came to the mountain where the rabbit girl was.

Still decent imo but also very confusing. And the author is extremely slow at writing which cause the fans to lose interest after several years of waiting for a single volume to come. What year did the last volume came again?

[Used Can]

We haven't had any new entry into the series since October 2018. So, it's been more than two years that we have been waiting for any new material.

[shibatakun]

Originally Posted by epicSHIN

Everyone is confused, don't worry. I also share the same confusion as Used_Can.

I don't how long it's been since the last volume but the next one is now currently being written. The long wait coupled with the fact that this series will never be fully translated made me lose interest. I am currently the semi-active admin of TR's Wikia page and if anyone is interested in becoming a caretaker of it please leave a message on my wikia profile page https://tokyo-ravens.fandom.com/wiki...?useskin=oasis

That said, here's the confirmation of volume 17 being written by Azano.
https://twitter.com/k_aza/status/133...850107393?s=19

I hope some benevolent soul will translate it for us international readers.

Originally Posted by Twi

I remember this being decent up until the anime ended and then a blank spot after he came to the mountain where the rabbit girl was.

The LN is great tbh better than decent. Problem is the sparse releases of new volumes. It was gaining traction back then IIRC but then it completely disappeared. The series could've become bigger if it was released regularly like some other LN series.

[Junkko]

Originally Posted by shibatakun

I hope some benevolent soul will translate it for us international readers.

Someone has translated volumes 15 & 16 and they can be found on the Reddit of Tokyo Ravens! I'm still reading volume 15, and sometimes it's a bit hard to read, but I've been waiting so many years for this so I'm relieved as can be.

[shibatakun]

Is this thread dead now? Has everyone moved on from this series? Any news on vol 17?

[jagt]

Originally Posted by shibatakun

Is this thread dead now? Has everyone moved on from this series? Any news on vol 17?

No news about volume 17, that's precisely why the place is so dead.

[AnimeManiac001]

Originally Posted by jagt

No news about volume 17, that's precisely why the place is so dead.

Yup.
Its not as if I forgot this novel... Its just, no news on the new volume and no official translation to English.
I think the author forgot the series...

[Used Can]

The author seems to be busy with the Geass mobage and that K series. I haven't seen him post anything about TR in quite some time. I would say the LN is as good as dead. The guy clearly wrote himself into a corner, and probably decided to leave the work in eternal hiatus, rather than screwing up any further. Ironically, though, he's been working in stuff that's not even his since 2018. I have no idea if any of those works are bringing him any attention. You would think he would, at least, start a new work.

Anyhow, it's a shame, but it's what it is.

[shibatakun]

Originally Posted by jagt

No news about volume 17, that's precisely why the place is so dead.

I just wish he'd at least post like a social media update or a blog page on how the novel would end in his mind if not for a whole book. I need resolution smh