Yofukashi no Uta - Vol. 20 Ch. 200 - Final Night: And Then

[ACEG]

This was about as bittersweet as I expected. It's not a non-ending, per se, at least we have some romantic closure (both acknowledging that they still love each other and figuring out a way to be together despite vampirism), but it isn't a concrete one.

I can understand the frustration and disappointment that it ended that way due to Kotoyama's track record and there's still stuff unsolved (why can Kou still vampire shift)

I get that there were probably some people who got their hopes up and wanted a happy ending that consisted of 20 pages of plappin' and cheek clappin' followed by a healthy family as the final page...that being said, we can acknowledge that even with the knowledge that vampire-human romance always ends in tragedy, it is still a little frustrating that we never get a definitive conclusion of whether Nazuna's birth origins (being born a vampire instead of being turned) would make her immune to what happened with Kiku and Mahiru or the same thing would happen with either one or both of Kou and Nazuna. I think whether it'd be happy or tragic ending there'd be a lot more people who'd feel that the ending was more definitive

Regardless, thank you for the ride, Kotoyama, Tonikaku Scans and the kind anons that scanlated till the end.

 

[Phaaze]

This was a pretty flat ending.
It doesn't even feel like it ended; today, I read a new chapter update as usual, and will come back in a week or 2 for the next one.
Please tell me there's an epilogue...


Kou's still a half-vampire... and the author couldn't come up with some character development around that plot device? Nazuna's a natural-born half breed. These 2 are unique existences in the story; the histories of human-vampire relationships that were covered in the story didn't necessarily have to apply to them, if at all.

 

[PrinceMao]

At least they end up with each other, just two half vampires together. Playing their game of tag forever?

 

[deadrabbits]

Classic kotoyama wet fart status quo ending.
Dagashi Kashi 2: Vampire Boogaloo.
Fucking called it.

 

[BEEZER228]

Okay my take away from the final chapter is. They see each other, get married, love each other forever and they live happily ever after. Yes I'm delusional, so what :0

 

[Terithius]

A disappointing ending. Key points like Nazuna being a birthed vampire and kou being a half vampire had ultimately no payoff at the end. It felt as if the Author made Kou a half vamp just to make him as strong as the other vampires. Questions like "Could two half vamps make it work when two true vamps failed?" Were not answered and they just kinda gave up...? Idk. Its not my story but I strongly feel the author couldve made a better ending considering how fun the story was so far.

 

[Wolfhat]

The story's finally over...

Man

 

[reu]

I guess it's.... a kind of happy ending? They'll keep up their relationship of tag basically it sounds like forever until he gets to the point he can't chase her around the globe anymore, but it's bitter that they can never really do anything more than that. The dumb author even hinted that it is strange that the guy can still transform into a half vampire after three years, why not make that something more relevant to their situation possibly being different?

Instead here we go again with another multiple year time skip basically resulting in a "Hey, I'm back." just like the author's last manga Dagashi Kashi. Probably safe to skip this author from now on if you want a proper relationship ending.

Yup, I dropped DK because it was going nowhere fast.
Still this is an improvement, "til death does us part" is above average for a manga ending, even if it leaves more hanging threads than a cat playing with a ball of yarn.
Pehaps if in 20 years he still looks like a teen they would go for it, in which case she turns into a mere mortal with a long lifespan and they build a family. Just make that your unofficial fanfic ending and stick a fork in it

 

[IamaTire]

I like the ending, so 197 chapters here i come.

 

[VerticalVectors]

"This guy, he's the man I love." Appropriate final quote. Happy ending for them, all things considered and a promise to be together for life.

It's what I've said for a while in the comments: the ending chapters, leading up to now, match up almost exactly with Dagashi Kashi (even down to character types). So, I figured, like Dagashi Kashi, the last chapter would be similar too. Short time skip before they get back together, promise to be together for life and then we end. Never thought they'd separate for good or anything like that.

Like Dagashi, though, I feel the sudden separation at the end was unnecessary, clearly mechanical and not very additive. Either way, I'm satisfied that it's a happy ending for them!

I thought “really?” Was the final quote.

 

[reu]

Kotoyama going into the list of “do not read anymore” category lmao, c’mon kotoyama, you had the power to do better but you didn’t even bother trying.

most mangas have atrocious endings, "til death does us part" is above average, even if it leaves more hanging threads than a cat playing with a ball of yarn

 

[reu]

Eh, that's a non ending. Enjoyable chapter but shit excuse for an ending.
This author is unable to resolve his god damned storylines. "Why are you half vampire still?" "UHH DUNNO" "Dont you think it relates to the answer to our problem?" "HAHA DUNNO" And twice he's ended his work in time skips, which just shows what what a limited writer he is.

I GUESS this was less shit than I expected, but just because he didn't have the balls to see it through and gave Kou some initiative, which he lacked in the last chapter. And Nazuna saying out loud he's the man she loves basically ended everything on a fan positive note...

that being said, this isn't an ending.

"till death do us part" is not a non ending
Yes, there are way too many hanging threads, but in my view it's better to leave them hanging than to ruin it trying to tie it all neatly like so many other manga do.

edit: though you could also say they care too much for each other to risk killing one another answering whether or not them being half-vampires makes them able to love one another without lethal consequences, and that why this is the ending this series could have had.
(also this way the mangaka can come back to this setting in a few years and take the story in whatever direction he sees fit at the time, but that'd be a really despicable reason to leave it all hanging like this)

 

[VF89]

Better be some extra/omake after this chapter...

 

[TheSayne69]

Oh boy here come the waterworks…

 

[HunterCO]

Fun series and honestly I can accept the ending

 

[Gsakiry]

It’s not what I was expecting, but can’t complain either. I’m gonna miss this manga.

 

[BadmanBlues]

I feel content with this.
Despite the outlandish premise of the story, Kou and Nazuna have always had a very grounded romance and relationship. A friend of mine told me this was a non-ending, but I think that was the point. The major questions are answered, but much more is left unresolved - just as in life. Seldom does everything neatly tie itself together with a bow. Whether this is good or bad is a matter of taste. Nothing more.
It's natural to want for more. We always do. But I also appreciate it when fiction can capture that authentic, muddy, imperfect human experience.

@Eighty-six and a few others who I can't remember by name, thank you for all the neat insight and discussions we've had. Discussing and interpreting the story has always been good fun. Cheers.

Edit: Figured I'd throw this out here. This is a song I listened to years and years ago, but Yofukashi no Uta always made me think of it. For some reason, I could easily imagine Nazuna singing it, and the vibes just feel like they resonate with the story somehow. Hope it's enjoyed.

 

[reu]

I think i get it, Kotoyama simply didn't want to dwell on the details in favor of things happening just-because.

The point in this story wasn't the psychological and social problems of vampires and humans, but to strictly illustrate a bunch of inter-personal drama happening because of reasons. The weird vampirism was just an ambiguous plot device that never meant to be resolved, as were all the questions the story raised as it went without answering. The ending is literally just "an ending", a neat point in time where the author decided to stop.

Put that way I think you retroactively ruined it for me.
Now I dunno if I'm going to buy the last 4 volumes

edit: though you could also say they care too much for each other to risk killing one another answering whether or not them being half-vampires makes them able to love one another without lethal consequences, and that why this is the ending this series could have had.

 

[LordofAlI]

Great series finally over. I'll miss it.

 

[DrSuperKamiGuru]

That was great! I loved the ending.