Thank you, as always, for your support. This is Heaven99, the author of GANGIMARI.
Welcome to Volume 2! First and foremost, I’m just grateful it made it to publication without incident.
When Volume 1 was released, friends and acquaintances congratulated me left and right, but a good number of them also said, “Wow, that’s a hell of a title.” And yeah, fair point. Honestly, no one could’ve predicted a sharp-edged web novel like this would ever get a physical release. If I’d known back then how things would turn out, I might’ve gone with a more mainstream title. Now I can’t imagine calling it anything else. Funny how that works.
This second volume included a lot of new content not found in the web version, so I hope even returning readers found plenty to enjoy.
First, the swimsuit scenes with the heroines—those were a brand-new addition at the suggestion of my editor. “Add a reward scene,” they said. It’s not that I wanted to write them or anything… Okay, that’s a lie. I absolutely did. Thank you, editor-san, for the very persuasive advice. And thank you, Namanie-sensei, for the absolutely incredible color illustration. It’s everything I hoped for and more. Truly amazing work.
Next, the molten furnace battle was another significant new development. In the original web version, the arc climaxed with Oakley and Joanne’s organ exchange. There was no battle at the forge to speak of. Writing Volume 2 meant reworking a lot of that, and I think the changes brought real tension and depth to the story. I’d be thrilled if you compare the two versions and see the evolution for yourself.
And now, a huge announcement!
GANGIMARI is getting a manga adaptation!
When my editor broke the news, I was so shocked I literally lost the ability to speak. Then I saw the storyboard, and my surprise and excitement exploded all over again. The heroines look amazing! The action scenes are stunning! I devoured the entire thing with the enthusiasm of a kid in grade school, and I can’t wait for you to see it too.
Volume 3 is already in the works, and I’ll be doing my best to get it into your hands as soon as I can. I hope you enjoy both the manga and the upcoming volumes!
Finally, I’d like to express my gratitude.
To the editors who offered spot-on guidance and unwavering support, to Namanie-sensei who brought this volume to life with such brilliant artwork, to the entire team involved in making this happen, and to all you readers out there.
Thank you, truly.
I’ll keep giving this my all, so please keep sticking with me!
— Heaven99