Strike the Blood - Volume 18 - Chapter Aft

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Afterword

So there you have it. Strike the Blood, Vol. 18 has hit the shelves.

This episode is based on the currently on sale OVA for the “Kingdom of the Valkyries Arc” (the prototype for this work), reconstituted in novel form. For Strike the Blood, it’s a little unusual for an episode to be published as an anime in advance of a novel.

That said, since the timeline is a little different and the place that turns into the main stage is wholly different, the end result is that they are largely completely separate works. In particular, the first half is largely original. If you think it’s easy to write something up because the anime version already has a “formula” going, you’d be totally mistaken. In my entire time writing this series, this volume might take first or second place for the trouble involved. Nonetheless, it was an awfully fun arc to write.

In the beginning, the desire to take Kojou and friends out on a foreign trip in the anime originated from my own desire to go on an overseas trip in the name of research (which, moreover, did not result in my going on a trip). I modeled Aldegia after Northern Europe as a whole rather than on any country in particular, but many view it as Finland. The resemblance is probably due to something a friend gave me while I was thinking up this episode. I think that the powerful taste of salmiac left a strong impression in my mind (such as from the plums a certain person gave Nagisa in the final part of this episode).

If you ask why Northern Europe, it’s simple: since Itogami Island is set up as a tropical country, I wanted to base this setting in a cold country. Ever since then, I’ve thought of having Kojou and Yukina get lost in some South American jungle. That would be amusing in its own way. I’ve quietly become enamored with the idea of writing that. It’ll be in an episode having to do with the Third Primogenitor. Probably.

Incidentally, there has been a lot of unexpected trouble (a busted air conditioner, the dismantling of a neighboring building) arising during the writing of Strike the Blood, but this time, there was a traffic accident. Well, what I mean by traffic accident is that a neighbor’s car slammed into my car, totaling it while it was parked in the parking lot. It’s not as if that lot faces an intersection, and being at a right angle, you’d have to cut the steering wheel hard, so what gives, neighbor?! I never expected to be involved in a traffic accident while sleeping at home.

Fortunately, no one was hurt, and when the accident clean-up was complete, I was paid full compensation, but having to deal with getting roused from bed after finally falling asleep, plus dealing with an all-nighter by a police officer doing an on-site inspection, shook me up a fair bit. To everyone reading this book, please be careful of traffic accidents. Don’t let your guard down even while sleeping at home.

To Manyako, the illustrator, I’m truly in your debt this time around. It was a tight schedule as usual, and for dealing with a foreign country’s cityscape and even more arbitrary clothing changes for the dramatis personae, I’m truly grateful that you drew up such superb pieces of work.

Furthermore, to everyone involved in the production and distribution of this book, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Since, no matter how you look at it, I was behind schedule, I apologize for the great trouble caused.