The light novel series The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!, written by Shirou Shiratori and illustrated by Shirabii, has captivated fans with its shogi-themed drama, recently concluding with its 21st volume.
Following the finale, author Shirou Shiratori took to X (formerly Twitter) to share some behind-the-scenes insights, dropping a bombshell that has stunned the fandom: "The heroine who was supposed to die ended up getting married instead." He revealed that the original plan was for Ginko Sora to die from an illness, and explained the deeply personal reasons why this tragic fate was ultimately rewritten.
Shiratori recalled a period, around when the anime adaptation began airing, where fellow light novel authors and illustrators would greet him with the same burning question before even saying hello: "Is Ginko going to die?" This question followed him all the way until the 12th volume was released.
He confirmed that when he initially mapped out the entire plot of The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!, the original ending was grim. Ginko was meant to successfully become a professional shogi player at the end of the Shoreikai arc, only to succumb to an illness brought on by the immense physical strain of high-level competition. He had even decided on the cause of death: Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). This wasn't a fictional disease; the late professional shogi player Michiyoshi Yamada (9-dan, posthumously), passed away from the same illness in his prime as an A-class player.
Initially, sales for the first volume of The Ryuo's Work is Never Done! were sluggish, and the publisher planned to end the series at Volume 5. Since Ginko's death wasn't slated to happen until much later, this dark plot point wasn't an issue. The problem arose when the series' popularity exploded, leading to an anime adaptation.
The Shoreikai arc began in Volume 6, and by the end of Volume 9, Ginko had secured her spot in the 3-dan League. For fans who remember the artwork, the illustration in Volume 9 depicts Ginko with her back turned to the reader. This was intentional foreshadowing, meant to hint at her impending death.
However, by that point, Shiratori's resolve was already wavering. Before the first volume was even published (with the manuscript long completed), his grandfather, who had been like a father to him, passed away. The emotional blow was so severe that he found himself unable to continue writing his other series, No-Rin.
About a year later, his mother also passed away while he was writing the 5th volume of The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!, sending his mental state into a downward spiral. He recounted breaking down in tears at a bookstore during a work visit because the location was a place he had traveled to with his grandfather and mother as a child.
Memories flooded back mid-task, and he was completely overwhelmed. "I really wasn't in a good place back then," he admitted. The trauma was so profound that No-Rin was put on a 10-year hiatus, only finally being completed in June 2026.
Shiratori revealed that the entire "Ginko dies" storyline was already fully written out, with significant portions nearing final draft quality. Ginko's death was the catalyst that would have forced Ai to leave Yaichi's side. Given Ai's personality, she would never have taken advantage of Yaichi's grief. She would have had to become a professional player, just like Ginko, to earn the right to stand before him again.
"Honestly, it was a beautifully tragic storyline," he said. The series was originally planned to conclude around Volume 15. But now—Ginko didn't die. She successfully became a professional, faced Yaichi in an official match, and they even got married. It was, through and through, a happy ending.
So, why did he scrap a storyline that was already in the works for a complete happy ending? One reason was simple: "After losing my family members one after another, I just couldn't bring myself to write about death anymore."
Volume 11 of the light novel was, in fact, written specifically to steer the plot away from Ginko's death. "Honestly, while writing it, I kept wondering, 'Is this really what the readers want to see?'" he confessed. To his surprise, many readers declared it their favorite volume, placing it alongside Volume 3 as one of the most iconic parts of the series. "That was completely unexpected."
The other major reason for sparing Ginko was the strong opposition from the series' illustrator, Shirabii. While Shirabii never directly said, "Don't kill Ginko," his feelings were crystal clear through his illustrations and comments.
For example, the cover of Volume 11 shows Ginko and Yaichi holding hands for the first time. This was Shirabii's message: "These two will never be separated." In other words: "Ginko will not die."
In the afterword for Volume 11, Shirabii wrote a message that, on the surface, seemed to say, "Thank you for writing such a wonderful story." But Shiratori understood its true meaning: "Thank you for not killing Ginko."
By Volume 12, Shirabii became even more direct. As for what he truly wanted to say... Shiratori urges fans to check out the "Final Memorial Book" included with the special edition of Volume 21. It reveals for the first time the back-and-forth battle between author and illustrator over Ginko's fate.
Even after Volume 11 was published, Shirabii apparently wasn't convinced Ginko was safe. The cover of Volume 12 features an almost identical composition. And now, the cover of the final 21st volume brings it full circle, once again showing Ginko and Yaichi holding hands.
In July, Shirabii posted on X:
"GA Bunko's *The Ryuo's Work is Never Done! Vol. 21 ~Snow White and the Dragon King's Wedding~* is scheduled for release around July 15th. The cover is a deliberate callback to Volumes 11 and 12, and I hope everyone can appreciate how far the characters have come. Looking back, I realized the only person protagonist Yaichi has ever held hands with in my illustrations is Ginko. It wasn't intentional at the time, but looking back now, I'm so glad it turned out this way."
In a conversation published in the Volume 21 special edition booklet, Shirabii also reflected on his feelings at the time. Shiratori now sees it as a case where an illustrator, full of love for a character, stopped a light novel author's "clever" attempt to milk tears from readers by killing someone off.
"The characters in a light novel don't belong to the author alone. The illustrator is also their creator," Shiratori reflected. "It's because this creative format allows the author and illustrator to pour equal love into shaping the characters that The Ryuo's Work is Never Done! could achieve such a happy ending. Looking back, I deeply regret how shallow my thinking was. I am truly grateful to Shirabii-sensei. Thank you."
Finally, Shiratori had a message for those who have only seen the anime: "Please rest assured, Ginko does not die. And yes, she and Yaichi do end up together. I can promise you it's a happy ending. If you're interested, please be sure to read the original novels to the end."
This revelation offers a poignant look into the mental state of author Shirou Shiratori during the series' run and highlights the incredibly close bond he shared with illustrator Shirabii. It's hard for many fans to imagine, but creating a story under such immense emotional pressure is no easy feat.
With the series now reaching its most fulfilling conclusion, the happy ending feels like a salvation for the fans, the characters, and the creators alike.
via： X@白鳥士郎