Fujino Omori, mainly known for his Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (Danmachi) light novel series took a nearly two-year break from its spin-off Sword Oratoria, before releasing volumes 13 and 14 in February and March 2023. While Japanese readers can tell the difference in style, it’ll be a long time before English fans do too, and it centers on Sword Oratoria‘s protagonist, Ais:
“I personally think that Ais’s past needs to be revealed in the main story,” Omori said to Realsound on October 27, 2023. “If I didn’t do that, I would be doing a disservice to those who read the main story. On the other hand, it is also true that we would like to offer something different from the main story to those who are reading the side stories. Because of that, the story of Sword Oratoria has now shifted to focus on Lefiya.”
The elf-magician Lefiya will now be the primary focus of the Sword Oratoria light novel series. While the Sword Oratoria anime that aired on Tokyo MX from April to June 2017 received criticism for its focus on Lefiya, who some found annoying, the light novel series ironically ended up following it years later. Nevertheless, the 13th and 14th Sword Oratoria novels are among the highest rated of the franchise, with 4.7 and 4.6 stars respectively on Amazon Japan. This contrasts the first Sword Oratoria novel which debuted with 4.3. Omori also revealed that he has one more arc in mind for the series, and is contemplating ending it afterwards.
The latest comments from the Danmachi author were coupled with the revelation that he has already planned the ending of the main series. Furthermore, the ending hasn’t changed since he submitted the story to the 4th GA Bunko Award in 2012. The whirlwind news coming out of the Danmachi-verse follows Omori’s rapid release of the light novels. He recently broke the record for a light novel’s continuous publication for a single series in October 2023 with Episode Ryu 2 (Episode Lyu 2).
With illustrations by Kiyotaka Haimura, Fujino Omori’s Danjon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Daro ka Gaiden: Sodo Oratoria has been published in SB Creative’s GA Bunko since January 2014 and has been collected into 14 volumes. The series was licensed by Yen Press as Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side: Sword Oratoria which has been released up to the twelfth volume. Sword Oratoria focuses on the Loki Familia, while the Episodes series highlights other characters of importance, including Freya and most recently Ryu. Yen Press hasn’t announced an English release date for Sword Oratoria volume 13 as of October 2023.
A synopsis for Sword Oratoria volume 13 from Amazon Japan is:
Donning a magical robe. A new staff at her waist. Wielding her dagger. She cuts her saffron hair; the curtain closes on a tale of destruction never to be repeated: a story of rampage and destruction, with the Labyrinth City only now returning to normalcy. Amidst that, Lefiya who has experienced loss, severs ties with her past self and seeks new power. What the Thousand Fairy aspires to is the title of [Magic Swordsman]. Through rapid growth and tireless training, the awakening of the girl who strives more urgently than anyone overlaps with the visage of her pallid brethren, worrying Ais and the others. Then ‘that time’ arrives. ‘Our Familia has returned—!!!’
Source: Realsound
© Fujino Omori, SB Creative / Danmachi Production Committee
