Nogi Wakaba is a Hero (乃木若葉は勇者である Nogi Wakaba wa Yuusha de Aru?) or NoWaYu (のわゆ NoWaYu?) for short, is a light novel serialized in Dengeki G's Magazine. The serialization began on July 30, 2015 and finished on January 28, 2017, although an extra chapter was published with the release of the second volume on March 28, 2017. The story mostly takes place in 2018, in the final days of the Christian Era, 300 years before the events of Yuuki Yuuna's Chapter. The six main characters form the first ever Hero Team: Nogi Wakaba, Uesato Hinata, Takashima Yuuna, Koori Chikage, Doi Tamako and Iyojima Anzu. A manga adaptation and a 3-part spin-off light novel based on the series were released later.
Staff[]
- Concept Designs: Takahiro (Minato Soft)
- Illustrator: BUNBUN
- Vertex Designs: D.K＆JW WORKS
- Writer: Akashiro Aoi
- Editor: Project 2H
Plot[]
The novel begins with an introduction to the situation of the current world.
In the year 2015, Nogi Wakaba is an socially awkward girl who is currently in an evacuation center with her classmates. After a misunderstood and embarrassing moment, Uesato Hinata takes a picture of her and adds it to her 'treasured Nogi-chan collection'. Frantic, Wakaba pleads for her to delete it and Hinata leads her to a group of girls she was staring at earlier.
With a little guidance, Wakaba settles in with the group, and later thanks Hinata for helping her as the friends walk outside. As payback, Hinata asks if she can model for cosplay pictures; much to the former's chagrin.
An earthquake suddenly hits, and the two girls try to stay safe-when Hinata has a vision of something 'really scary'. Vertex suddenly appear from out of nowhere and attacks the evacuation center where everyone else is. Through the chaos, Wakaba discovers-to her horror-that her new friends didn't survive. Angry, she dives towards the Vertex and battles them with a wooden stick. It easily breaks, and Wakaba is forced into a corner.
Suddenly Hinata appears, telling her 'it should be there'. In a broken alter, Wakaba finds an old katana that suddenly turns new again once she grabs hold. Not having a chance, Wakaba takes down a few Vertex and the rest regroup. She and the survivors make a beeline for The Great Seto Bridge, Vertex on their tail.
Three years later, Wakaba has assembled a team of 'Heroes', each with their own magical weapon they bring to battle. Aided by Hinata's visions and knowledge, the girls lead somewhat ordinary but adventurous lives within Marugame Castle-now converted into a school for heroes.
Wakaba regularly makes contact with Shiratori Utano- the sole hero protecting the Nagano district a lake over. The two have an Udon/Soba competition due to a debate over the two. Wakaba notices the line has become more unstable lately and grows worried for her friend.
After Doi Tamako, a member of the team, tries to 'show off' Hinata's bust, Koori Chikage walks by in the background, slightly annoyed. Takashima Yuuna then arrives, which makes Chikage delighted. The team has lunch, during which Tamako speaks out to Wakaba, then apologizes solemnly. Wakaba realizes Tamako is scared of the fight that is coming. Yuuna then comments the food was delicious, not paying attention to the previous conversation.
Wakaba is still conversing with Utano-solemnly, though. When Utano suddenly starts breaking up, Wakaba gets worried, asking her if everything is alright. It is revealed Utano is hurt and an army of Vertex is approaching, 100-1. Utano asks her to keep fighting, as the rest is in her hands. The line falls dead, and Wakaba realizes with utter terror that Nagano has fallen.
Wakaba oversees the Forestization, and vows to protect the world in Utano's place. The Vertex have arrived.
Chapters[]
| Vol. | Ch. | Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra | The Second Hero Diary (二冊目の勇者御記 Ni-satsu-me no Yūsha Gyoki?) |
June 27, 2015 | |
| 1 | 1 | Roots (芽出 Me de?, lit. Sprout Out) | July 30, 2015 |
| 2 | Flower Bud (花蕾 Karai?) | August 29, 2015 | |
| 3 | Blooming (開花 Kaika?) | September 30, 2015 | |
| 4 | Shade Leaf (陰葉 Kageha?) | October 30, 2015 | |
| 5 | Twin Leaf (双葉 Futaba?) | November 30, 2015 | |
| 6 | Root of Evil (禍根 Kakon?) | December 26, 2015 | |
| 7 | New Bud (新芽 Shinme?) | January 30, 2016 | |
| 8 | Petals of Light (灯花 Akari Hana?) | February 29, 2016 | |
| 9 | Flowers of Light (光華 Kōge?) | March 30, 2016 | |
| 10 | Lingering Snow (根雪 Neyuki?) | April 30, 2016 | |
| Extra | Shiratori Utano is a Hero (白鳥歌野は勇者である Shiratori Utano wa Yūsha de Aru?) |
June 30, 2016 | |
| 2 | 11 | Seeds (種子 Shushi?) | May 30, 2016 |
| 12 | Field Day (忘種 Wasure Gusa?, lit. Forgotten Seeds) | June 30, 2016 | |
| 13 | Falling Petals (落花 Rakka?) | July 30, 2016 | |
| 14 | Thorny Path (茨道 Ibara Michi?) | August 30, 2016 | |
| 15 | Blighted Leaves (病葉 Wakuraba?) | September 30, 2016 | |
| 16 | Off-Season Flower (狂花 Kyōka?) | October 27, 2016 | |
| 17 | Funeral Flowers (弔花 Chō Hana?, lit. Flowers of Condolence) | November 30, 2016 | |
| 18 | Uproot (Part 1) (根元(前編) Nemoto (Zenpen)?) | December 29, 2016 | |
| 19 | Uproot (Part 2) (根元(後編) Nemoto (Kōhen)?) | January 28, 2017 | |
| Extra | The Passed Baton (託されたバトン Takusareta Baton?) | March 28, 2017 |
Trivia[]
- Each chapter title mentions something related to plants (eg. Root of Evil, Flower of Light, Shade Leaf), following the same pattern as in Yuuki Yuuna's Chapter.
Interview[]
- Akashiro Aoi uses "boku" as a pronoun.
- NoWaYu was originally titled "Yuuki Yuuna Souseiki - Genesis".
- Anzu's personality is the way it is because YuYuYu didn't have any vanilla cute girls.
- Writing Hinata was the most difficult for Akashiro because of her unique position as a Miko.
- Akashiro's favorite scene was Chikage's breakdown at her hometown.
- Takahiro's favorite scene was hair-down sissy Tamako in chapter 12.
- He thinks Tamako might actually be the prettiest among the 6 girls (but going by writing, his favorite scene would be the final battle).
- BUNBUN made two sketches for Tamako's and Anzu's death. The illustration they discarded was much more gruesome than the one they put in the light novel. It is a faithful drawing of the description in the text. However, BUNBUN suggested the composition which made the hand holding look impressive, and that one was adopted.
- They decided how the girls would meet their ends first and then thought up the plot to lead up to those moments. Even when they designed Tamako's weapon, the idea that she'll use it as a shield to protect Anzu in her final fight was already there.
- They were aware that introducing the three evil youkai would make people believe that Chikage will invoke Tamamo-no-Mae (and that she will stay alive for long enough to do so), but they don't make it seem like it was a deliberate red herring.
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