The delicate psychological portrayal, skillful story structure, and surprising, rapid developments have earned the book high praise, and it has sold over 100,000 copies in less than a year since its release. Sales are still growing steadily, and the book is garnering attention.
This time, we will take a closer look at the appeal of the popular light novel “Who Killed the Hero?”, also known as “Dareyuu.”
We will also be providing information on the upcoming second volume as well as information on a large-scale project that was recently announced, so be sure to check it out if you’re a fan of the series or if you’ve seen the advertisements and are interested.
“Who Killed the Hero?” is a light novel written by “Daken”. It was serialized on the major novel submission site “Let’s Become a Novelist” in February 2023 and published as a book by KADOKAWA Sneaker Bunko in September of the same year.
Four years have passed since the Demon King was defeated and peace returned to the world. In order to honor the fallen hero, the kingdom has decided to compile his feats into a document.
To gather information, the interviewer interviewed the knights, monks, and wise men who had fought alongside the hero about his character, adventures, and the cause of his death. However, they were all vague about the hero’s death…
Did the hero lose his life in the battle with the Demon King, or…
It is a fantasy work with a mystery twist.
This work has been a hot topic among light novel fans since its publication. As a result of the many rave reviews on social media, sales exploded about three weeks after its release, even among people who don’t usually read light novels.
Its momentum continues to grow, and as of the end of May 2024, it has sold over 100,000 copies as a single volume and yet to be adapted into a comic. The e-book version has achieved the feat of being the best-selling new light novel of all time.
The story begins four years after the heroes defeated the Demon King. In order to honor the hero who passed away, the kingdom launches a project to compile his feats into a document.
The compiler of the history book then interviews the hero’s companions in search of the truth, but they also have possible motives for killing the hero, and all of them are potential suspects.
One of the attractions of this story is that you can read it while trying to guess from the information you are given, wondering, “Who is the culprit?” Although the main focus is on fantasy and human drama, you can also enjoy the mystery elements.
The story of “Who Killed the Hero” has a unique structure, alternating between interviews with each character and monologues by the hero and his companions.
The interview format is innovative, so long-time light novel fans will find it a fresh experience, while those who don’t usually read light novels will enjoy it as if they were watching a documentary.
In addition, the interview section makes you interested in the characters, and then they dig deeper into their personalities and relationships, making it easy to empathize with them and get into the story. What’s more, there’s a big twist in the conversation here…!
Furthermore, the story unfolds at a dizzying pace, with many twists and turns, so you can enjoy it all the way to the end without any lulls.
The storyline of this work, which has been carefully calculated from beginning to end, is simply brilliant. You will definitely be left saying “Wow!” after reading this.
狂気じみた努力家――勇者アレス。
非常にプライドが高いオレ様系――騎士レオン。
一見清楚でありながらドSで腹黒な――聖女マリア。
傲慢で毒舌家――賢者ソロン。
と、本作に登場するのはクセが強い個性的なキャラクターばかり。
それも単なる記号としてのキャラクター造形ではなく、そういった人間性になった背景やそれぞれが持つ思い・葛藤をしっかり描いているため、一人の人間として愛着を持てるようになっています。
実際に読者からの感想でも「キャラが魅力的！」「マリアが好き！」など、キャラクターの造形を評価する声が多数。
きっとあなたも個性的なキャラクターたちに惹かれ、応援したくなることでしょう。
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