Long time no see, or pleased to meet you. I’m Gato. Thank you very much for picking up Volume 2 of Reincarnated as an Apple.
I’d like to first apologize that this volume didn’t make it in time for the autumn season. I’m currently writing the afterword in October of 2021, in the middle of the night. The temperature has been dropping for the past few days, and we didn’t have an autumn at all this year. I’m not lying.
Sorry, I lied.
It’s been five months since the release of the first volume. As my first book was being lined up in the bookstores, on this momentous day, I was actually planning on moving.
The most time-consuming part was recycling my plastic bottles. I tore off all the labels, removed the caps, rinsed out the bottles, crushed them to save some space, and threw them out. I was doing this ad nauseam.
I didn’t know if I would ever finish and I seemed to be recycling these bottles with no end in sight. I had actually wanted to visit a nearby bookstore or one of the big stores in the neighboring town to check up on my book and internally smile and cheer. “Woohoo! How’s my book doing?” I was planning on loitering around bookstores like a creep, so I feel like these bottles saved me from embarrassing myself. Thank you, plastic bottles. We should always remember to recycle them.
In any case, I think it’s time I talked about my book. To everyone that picked this up, I believe that many of you have also picked up volume 1. If you haven’t, please do so.
To sum it up, there’s a lot going on. If I were to use an example, the first volume is basically the first issue, like a magazine published by a certain Japanese company that begins with a “D” and ends in “Agostini.”
Y’know, like “Weekly Apple Reincarnation,” the first issue is priced differently at 1320 yen! Kinda sorta like that. But a huge problem came up. It was too big, too thick, too heavy, and too rough for a magazine. I went way overboard. So, taking a few pointers from the first volume, the second volume is a more conveniently slim size. Yet it’s still packed with action and information, leaving readers satisfied with their purchase. Or so I’d like to think. So I ask you: How was it? It was okay, wasn’t it? Are you angry? Please, no! Don’t look at me like that!
Ahem. Anyways, I’m sorry about that. I was told that I had plenty of space to write an afterword this time around, so I thought this was my chance to show everyone my goofy side a bit more. I’m sure a select few of you would be fine if I kept writing like this, but I know the rest of you would think it was a total pain, so I’d like to wrap this up well with a proper afterword.
Because the main character is an apple, Reincarnated as an Apple is often thought of as a lighthearted story you’d see in picture books or fairy tales. I don’t think this is an incorrect assumption if you just hear about a round, red apple rolling around the world and adventuring. Especially if you look at Itsuki Mito’s super cute and wonderful illustrations. All the children will be delighted! Here, eat some of my body! I’m a fruit, after all! I’m sure some people feel like they could safely hand this book to their child as they go about their day doing housework or going to the gym and whatnot.
But no! That’s dangerous! Don’t do that! That’s a trap left by the author! I’m sure you guys are well aware (of course you are), but Reincarnated as an Apple is more of a dark fantasy. I’ve abbreviated this genre to call these books “DARS” (abbreviating way too much). There are grotesque and highly sensitive topics covered, and it would do your child all the harm in the world with no upsides whatsoever (going a bit overboard here).
Wait, what did I want to say again? Oh yes, right, so these DARS—I mean, dark fantasy lovers and brothers that like sake (isn’t this from a Kikumasa commercial?)—I mean, people in general, may not realize the existence of Reincarnated as an Apple. I’m aware that a certain YouTube channel introduced this book, saying it was mostly comedic, and I agree that there’s a lot of snappy, comical dialogue. I’m pretty confident that no reader would finish this and curl up into a gloomy, weeping ball as they wait in solitude for morning to come. However, I know that this might be selfish of me, but I, Gato, want you to pay attention—not to the colorful and comedic parts, but the dark bits! In the world of Reincarnated as an Apple, people are living alongside demons and monsters who eat humans, and there’s a simple apple rolling around this dangerous place. The humans are trapped between dangerous creatures, and there doesn’t seem to be a future for them. They’re always walking alongside death!
Impossible! Okay, I know. I get it. This book isn’t that dark, is it? Yeah, I understand. Furutsu-san often goes off on tangents and fools around, and Grida-chan sometimes goes along with it, usually breaking the fourth wall together. That’s not dark at all. Those aren’t near-death experiences. This isn’t even a proper afterword, is it? This is just me going off on tangents again. You’re right. I just noticed that myself.
Now then. It seems miraculous that these words will actually be published, so I’ll actually be serious now. For realsies.
As noted in the prologue, you’ve now seen just a bit of the world of Reincarnated as an Apple. What’s a ruler? What’s a Nursery? What’s the World Tree? Who’s the owner of the voice that the goddess heard? There’s a lot of mysteries and loose ends, and Furutsu-san’s journey will continue.
The next destination is the city of Muruma, Berry-chan’s hometown. So what awaits our protagonist? To be honest, it’s pretty DARS. Please, stay tuned!
As of October 2021, Reincarnated as an Apple’s web version is being published on Novel Up+. I’m planning on publishing more parts as well. I know that a lot of people read my story, and as I was able to get a book published, I’m sure that I was able to expose a lot more people to the adventures of Furutsu-san and Grida-san. I truly, sincerely, cannot thank you all enough for your support.
Please continue to support this adventure of an apple and a staff.