Asano Yagura's unwavering Spirit

Shakunetsu no takkyuu musume's cancellation
was announced on the 7th of December of 2018

This manga had already survived the shutting down of the publication it debuted in.
A situation one can easily assume is not easy to bounce back from.

However, this time it was different. It was not the case of a popular manga jumping to a different publication.
It was downright cancelled.

Once this happens, it's usually game over.
You won't see the characters you've been following ever again.

The following is a translation of two blog posts by Asano Yagura, author of Shakunetsu no takkyuu musume.
Click the title of the entry to be redirected to the original in Asano Yagura's blog.

Shakunetsu no takkyuu musume December update!

I'm a little late in announcing it on my blog, but...
Shakunetsu no takkyuu musume has been updated with the latest chapter for December (chapter 28, part 1)!

You can read it in tonari no young jump, so please enjoy it!!

For the entertainment plan [in this chapter], once the itenerary was complete, Agari would decide whether or not she was entertained by using a sign, but then something unexpected would happen and an excited Koyori wouldn't follow the plan at all... I had a couple of variety show-like things planned out, but I could only add the bare minimum because of page restrictions, which is a shame...

But I got the chance to add a bunch of references that everyone who watched the anime would get, so I had a ton of fun drawing.
Actually, I had been looking for a good chance to add those for a while.

Now, as mentioned in the last page of this month's chapter, the next chapter will be the last.

However, I decided to call it the end of part 1.
It's ending in the middle of the story but, rather than carelessly fast forwarding a few years or cramming in as much content as possible to conclude the story, I wanted to make sure I gave a proper finish to the district tournament arc. Please keep an eye on Agari and her developments from the battles she sought and endured!...

In the midst of all I went through, I realized what was most important to me was the quality of my work.
This work will remain for all to see, so I'd regret it for the rest of my life if I rushed to an ending.
And so, I decided to end the story in the middle point.
I have to give all the people who have read so far an ending (demarcation) that everyone can be content with. That's the mindset I was in.

No matter what were to happen... Or rather, because of whatever could have happened, I decided that it was important to never allow the quality of my work to drop. If we don't consider the fact that the story is ending halfway through, all developments so far have been mostly as I planned.
I've been content with what I've been able to draw, so I have no regrets.
And that's precisely why ending it here has me fulfilled.

To all my great readers who have been with me this far, I present my sincere apologies.
However, as stated, I continue to draw with all my might so I won't have excuses to not make the next chapter the best possible ending, so it'll be wonderful if you stick around to the very end.

However, I'm thinking about continuing to draw, in whichever form it may be.
But I'm not at a point in which I can make any promises, but so long as I'm in an environment in which I can cntinue my work, I will not give up.
I'll be blessed if you wait patiently.

I hope you stick around for next time...!!

--- December 16, 2018

Shakunetsu no takkyuu musume February update!

Shakunetsu no takkyuu musume has been updated with the latest chapter for February (chapter 28, part 2)!

You can read it in tonari no young jump, so please enjoy it!!

I went and wrote in the afterword of volume 7 that this was the ending of part 1...
The story is halfway through in my mind, but now what should I write next...
I was thinking so much about so many things that it took me this long to update my blog...
I'm sorry!

I resisted this work being treated as concluded, but (regardless of how intent the author is on continuing) it's been decided that it would undoubtedly be this way, so shakunetsu no takkyuu musume is concluded here.

However, though it might be concluded in the young jump and SQ labels, the author doesn't wish it to end, so I took the opportunity to give it an "end of part 1" treatment.
I've touched the subject in the afterword of volume 7 as well, so if you're in the mood for reading it there, I'll be very happy!

The order of things I decided for in my mind was to develop Agari's arc first, then afterwards develop the other characters, leaving Koyori for last...

Koyori is a unique personality, to the point that dealing with her would make for such a long arc it wouldn't fit all the pages, so the development of Koyori's arc would signify the ending, but we're at a stage in which I didn't get to write all I wanted for the other characters, so I didn't even get to draw Koyori's arc.

So, leaving it at the end of Agari's arc makes for a convenient spot to end the story...

After this it would be either Hanabi or Kiruka, then other members of Suzumegahara and then Koyori... It'd be great if I could continue, but unfortunately this is it for tonari no young jump.

Still, I got to draw all the developments I had planned until this point. It's true that I got to draw everything I wanted for (the beginning) of Agari's part of the story. If you read this with the assumption that it's a story about Agari and her merry band of friends and keep it enclosed to Agari's frame, then the entire story was handled and finished neatly... Is the excuse I want to give.

I wanted to show you all the characters' big breaks, but of course I'd also keep showing the moments of glory of the ACE and her growth as a braggart NEW Agari, but in the end I didn't get to draw everything to my heart's content and there's so much I want to do, so I'm considering how to move forward and continue drawing this story (of course, I don't even know if I can keep it up as I have planned).

At this stage, I haven't even decided the particulars and I'm still wondering how to move forward, so I can't promise anything. But I want to have you to at least know the author has not given up.

If I can solve every problem one by one, and then reach my goal...! This is my current mindset.

Looking back, I was blessed with an anime adaptation.
I am grateful it was such a wonderful work.
Once again, to all the anime staff, related personnel, and to all the seiyuu:
Thank you so much!!

And above all, to all the readers who have been supporting my work:
Really, thank you all so much!!
I'll do my best so that I can draw the continuation, so please keep up with me for the time being!!

Shakunetsu no takkyuu musume!!

--- February 28, 2019

"But I want to have you to at least know"

"The author has not given up."

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