[Warning 15+]
AfterwordVolume 4
Yeay, Yamanashi is such a cool place—!!
Here's the thing: This is Hatsukano going through withdrawal because the Yamanashi content in the main part of this article is severely lacking. Yamanashi residents end up like this if they don't regularly consume chicken offal (2010 Japan B-1 Gourmet Champion) and grapes (Japan's largest producer). By the way, I don't usually buy peaches or grapes (both of which have the largest harvests in Japan), so I don't even know their prices. You see, they just suddenly show up at my back door, right? (That typical arrogant attitude of country folk who love to share their harvest.)
Well, I'll be dividing this "Afterword" into two parts: The first part is to promote Yamanashi, which has very low name recognition—like, "Oh, Yamanashi? Isn't that somewhere in the Tōhoku region?"—and the second part contains the behind-the-scenes story of how RabuDame was made. Especially in the second part, I'll go into a bit more detail about the content, so for those who like to read the "Afterword" first, be careful of spoilers. In my opinion, it's best to read the second part after you've finished the main story.
Okay, let's jump right into the topic of Yamanashi. Since some readers have asked, "What places do you recommend in Yamanashi?", I'll answer by focusing on spots that are perfect for romantic scenes.
First of all, the sunflower fields in Akeno. There's an area that transforms entirely into a sunflower field during the summer, so you can enjoy classic romantic comedy scenes like those in "A Straw Hat and a White Dress Event". Also, the sunflower-flavored ice cream sold at the nearby parking lot stall has a fragrant, addictive flavor, so I highly recommend it.
It's just that the location is a bit hard to reach by public transportation, so if you can rent a car or use a private vehicle, that might be the safer option. There are public buses, though.
Also, for all you students out there, I recommend Fuji-Q Highland, the king of amusement parks with extreme rides. Among the many roller coasters, Fujiyama feels like the "Pioneer and the strongest"—so be sure to give it a try. There's also a completely transparent Ferris wheel, which is perfect for those of you looking for a thrilling experience. Rumor has it there's an even more thrilling ride called the "Prison Gondola" set to launch soon.
This place is also easily accessible by train. After all, the nearest station is called "Fuji-Q Highland Station," just as the name suggests. Please come visit this "Amusement Park Event."
Now, in this second part, I'll share the behind-the-scenes story of 'RabuDame.' Once again, beware of spoilers.
For those who've finished reading it, you'll surely understand that this volume is one of the story's climaxes. Therefore, the story has a special structure that differs from the usual. Although stylistically it's more like a side story, in terms of its position within the narrative, this is truly the "Main Story," so we decided not to label this volume as Volume 3.5, but rather as Volume 4 in the official numbering.
The cover page turned out to be so unique that it's hard to believe this is a work centered on a Rom-Com, as the title suggests. The production team even found themselves trembling as they wondered, "Is this… …something we're actually allowed to release…?" However, since we were convinced this was the only way to depict the "Main Heroine" in this work, we finally decided, "Let's just go for it!" We hope you enjoy it (or maybe suffer through it?). By the way, Shīna-san's range of expressions is so wide that I found myself laughing strangely when I received the rough sketches.
And for those of you who thought everything would go smoothly in this volume, and that our big dummy would manage to overcome everything, I'm truly sorry. The obstacle of "Reality" isn't low enough to be overcome in just one volume. Unfortunately, our preparations were too… …insufficient….
Even so, this incident is like a "Forced Defeat Event" that happened out of the blue. Next up: Training, gathering friends, finding the enemy’s weaknesses, and fighting again—that's the standard plot. I'll definitely wrap everything up properly, so please look forward to the continuation. Please don't comment, "This is a battle novel, right?"
Oh, and even though the story structure might not seem to include any parody elements, I've actually incorporated quite a few. Even some that are pretty "core." For those who can understand it all, feel free to shake my hand.
Okay, lastly, some thanks and an announcement.
The editor in charge of this project, Ōmai-san, who—during the first draft stage—made me so sad that I said, "If I could, I wouldn't want to read it again… (voice trembling)." The illustrator, Shīna Kuro-san, who also made me so sad that I said, "Anyway, it's really tough (bitter smile)." I'm sorry, you two. But I don't regret it.
And the manga adaptation of Katakei-sensei's RabuDame is currently being serialized to warm acclaim in the monthly magazine Big GanGan (published around the 25th of every month)! Watch the cute Ayano-chan in action, as well as the disgusting Kōhei in action!
Okay, see you in the next volume!
~At first I thought, "Write a 3-page Afterword? No way," but it turns out it's actually possible, Summer~.
September 2021.
Hajikano So
So Hajikano
I dreamed I was in a paradise full of soft fur, surrounded by dogs, cats, and rabbits! I'm tired.
Fan Translation Team Notes:
Anybody still here? Comment down below. Okay, we're just going to say Thank you for all of you who still stick with us, we're going to finish the translation of this novel, even though it's not our priority, see you on the next volume.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
RP: Angga Kun
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