As fans bid farewell to the anime series, many are curious as to whether the original DanMachi light novel and manga have finished.
Today marks the season 4 part 2 finale of DanMachi, better known with western audiences as Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon.
Whilst fans will be understandably saddened to see Bell and Hestia leave our screens after an impressive nine-month adventure, many are now considering picking up the original works.
So, has the DanMachi light novel or manga series finished already, and are the various publications available to read in English?
Has the DanMachi manga finished?
Technically, the DanMachi manga has not yet finished, with a total of 14 Tankobon volumes having been published in Japan. In reality, both the manga and subsequent anime series are actually adaptations of the light novel series, which is still ongoing – meaning that the real original source material is still being produced.
The DanMachi light novel series debuted for domestic audiences in January 2013 and as of March 2023, the franchise has released a total of 18 complete Tankobon volumes in Japan. 17 of those volumes have also been published in English; a release date for volume 18 remains TBA.
The manga series has released 14 volumes (split across two separate seasons), with 12 of those currently available in English – volume 13 is set to release on March 21, 2023.
Fans of the series can purchase physical copies of both the light novel and manga series via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, Indigo, and RightStuf. There are also digital versions of the series available via Kindle, Apple iBooks, Google Play, and Rakuten Kobo.
Additionally, there are also two spin-off stories that have been produced alongside the main DanMach series, titled Familia Chronicle and Sword Oratoria.
Two volumes of the Familia Chronicle story have been published (both in light novel and manga formats), each focusing on Lyu and Freya; giving much-needed backstories to these characters.
Meanwhile, 14 volumes of the Sword Oratoria light novel series have been published in Japan; with 12 of those available in English. A manga adaptation of the Loki Familia side-story has also been produced with 24 volumes being published in Japan, 18 of those volumes are available in English with volume 19 set to release in April 2023.
How has the fourth season been rated?
Whilst season 4 part 2 of the DanMachi anime series has flown under the radar for many fans, the recently concluded TV adaptation has delivered arguably the best season to date.
In fact, season 4 part 2 is the highest-scoring part of the anime on MyAnimeList:
- Season 1 – 7.55/10
- Season 2 – 7.23/10
- Season 3 – 7.46/10
- Season 4 Part 1 – 7.69/10
- Season 4 Part 2 – 8.18/10
Similar scores can be seen on other outlets including Anilist and Anime Planet, where DanMachi season 4 part 2 is scoring an impressive 77% and 4.3/5 respectively.
Voice actor for Bell Cranel, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, recently shared a final farewell message to fans, following the broadcast of season 4 episode 22:
“This story is about despair piled on top of despair, and for some people, it’s getting harder and harder to watch. Those who find it hard to watch. Some people find it hard to watch, while others can’t help wondering what happens next. I think the style of the story is such that it leaves a lot to the viewer’s judgement. I hope you will watch it to the end!”
He added, “This time, too, it’s a work that you’ll be glad you saw. I’m sure you’ll be glad you saw it! I would appreciate it if you would believe in it and follow me! Thank you very much!”
The good news is that fans can expect DanMachi season 5 to be produced in the future, with early estimations being a January 2024 premiere.
By Tom Llewellyn – [email protected]
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