Author of Ryuuou no Oshigoto Said the Original Idea Was to Kill Ginko
The author of Ryuuou no Oshigoto, Shirou Shiratori, surprised fans by revealing that the series’ ending was almost completely different. According to him, the heroine Ginko Sora was originally supposed to die before the story concluded, but personal tragedies and the influence of illustrator Shirabii ultimately changed her fate.
Author of Ryuuou no Oshigoto Said the Original Idea Was to Kill Ginko
Following the release of Volume 21, which officially concluded the light novel, Shirou Shiratori shared several behind-the-scenes details about the series on his Twitter account. Among the revelations, the one that drew the most attention was that Ginko had originally been destined to die.
According to the author, from the very beginning of the series’ planning, Ginko would achieve her dream of becoming a professional shogi player during the Shoreikai arc. However, shortly afterward, she would die from Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), the same illness that claimed the life of professional shogi player Michiyoshi Yamada.
Shiratori said that this entire part of the story had already been almost completely written and was intended to serve as the narrative’s biggest turning point.
The Death of Family Members Made the Author Abandon That Plan
The writer explained that his life changed completely while he was writing the series. Even before the first volume was published, his grandfather—whom he considered a father figure—passed away. Not long afterward, while working on Volume 5, his mother also died.
These losses deeply affected his mental health. Shiratori revealed that he even broke down emotionally during a work visit to a bookstore because it brought back memories of spending time there with his family during childhood.
According to him, that period was so difficult that it also forced his other work, No-Rin, into a hiatus of about ten years, only concluding in June 2026.
Because of that suffering, he realized he simply could no longer write stories centered around the death of characters.
Volume 11 Completely Changed the Story’s Direction
Shiratori revealed that Volume 11 was specifically written to permanently abandon the plan of killing Ginko. At the time, he believed readers might not like the change and even questioned whether he was making the right decision.
To his surprise, many fans came to consider it one of the best volumes in the series, alongside Volume 3.
As a result, Ginko remained alive, officially became a professional shogi player, faced Yaichi in an official match, and by the end of the story, the two got married.
Illustrator Shirabii Was Also Decisive
Another major factor behind the change was illustrator Shirabii.
Although he never directly asked for Ginko to be spared, Shiratori said his illustrations made his feelings very clear.
For example, the cover of Volume 11 shows Ginko and Yaichi holding hands for the first time. According to the author, that illustration clearly conveyed the message that the two would never be separated.
In the afterword of the same volume, Shirabii wrote a message of gratitude that, according to Shiratori, carried a hidden meaning: thanking him for not going through with Ginko’s death.
Even then, the illustrator still seemed worried. The covers of Volumes 12 and 21 intentionally repeat the same composition, once again showing the protagonists holding hands.
Author Says the Illustrator Saved the Story’s Ending
In the special edition of Volume 21, Shiratori revealed that there was a genuine creative disagreement between him and Shirabii regarding Ginko’s fate.
Looking back now, the author believes the illustrator was responsible for preventing him from turning the story into a tragedy simply to provoke a strong emotional reaction from readers.
According to Shiratori, the experience also made him realize that the characters of a light novel do not belong solely to the author, but also to the illustrator, since both play an essential role in bringing them to life.
At the end of his message, he publicly thanked Shirabii for helping guide Ryuuou no Oshigoto! toward a happy ending.
Finally, he left a message especially for those who only experienced the franchise through the anime: fans can rest easy because Ginko does not die and ends up with Yaichi. According to him, this was ultimately the best possible ending after everything he experienced while writing the series.
Source: Author’s Twitter