As you may recall, Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi actually ended in the previous volume. This is a collection of side stories meant to expand the universe. The five chapters are:
- Two chapters on sets of side characters;
- A two-parter;
- An epilogue.
Rather than whether this volume is good or bad, the real question is, “Does this add to the world of the main story?” If you are anything like me, you are immediately drawn to the last one. I was left unsatisfied by Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi‘s ending, so perhaps the epilogue could shed light on whether or not Tougo and Akiyoshi ever reunited with their friend. The others are tales that took place many years before the start of the main story, and sometimes prequels can change how readers view characters and events.
This final volume opens up with the rabbit pair watching a bizarre recycling program with a man in a mask and a rabbit.
If that seems like out of left field to you, I’m glad I’m not alone. The man takes his mask off in the final panels of the chapter, but his face is still cut off. Was he someone I should recognize? Was he only in the original visual novel? I’m not sure, and this is where a nice beginning-of-volume recap or more detailed creators’ notes would have been appreciated.
After getting the worst story out of the way, the next features characters readers will actually know. The identity of one of the two stars wasn’t revealed until the end, and it’s this level of mystery and subtle supernatural horror that made this series a gem in the first place.
The two-parter covers a key event in the world of Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi. The epilogue, understandably, has to be written after the main story is complete. The previous chapters feel like bonuses that should have been included in previous volumes. Akashi’s history, while explained previously, is detailed here, and I really wish this would have been blended into the main story. It feels so disconnected to be placed here right after some random flashbacks considering it shows many of the events that led up to Yue’s arrival at the shrine.
Finally, the epilogue. Wow, that was a whole lotta nothin’. It’s titled “Yue”, but Yue is barely seen. I guess if you really wanted to see what Sagano is doing, you’ll be pleased. For everyone else, it’s nothing but a stretched out version of the last few pages of the original story. Perhaps this is how the original visual novel ended, and the creators couldn’t (or wouldn’t) go too far astray from it. I just don’t understand how a reunion isn’t shown when it is physically possible.
I do find it annoying sometimes when a volume’s length is artificially inflated because of a side story. But putting a bunch of them together isn’t great either, as the content feels secondary. After finishing it, I didn’t feel a sense of closure nor a new appreciation for the series.
Since there isn’t a lot of plot-heavy content, the dialogue is rather minimal. This gives Nanao’s art more time to shine. There are a lot of eerily beautiful images, like a camellia over a slightly-grinning Miko. Akashi’s bleeding feet show how far he traveled, and the shrine is always full of Japanese beauty. The visuals left a bigger impression on me than the story.
In a typical volume, side stories are a take-it-or-leave-it experience. They can be enjoyable, but they aren’t usually attention-grabbers. Of the Red, the Light, and the Ayakashi Volume 10 suffers from the same problem. If you take it, you will learn a thing or two about the characters. Leave it, and absolutely nothing will have changed.