Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu‎

Volume 12, Author's Notes

*This afterword contains materials from the main text. To those readers who have yet to read the main text, please be warned

I am grateful to all who purchased this work. This is the author Inoue Kenji.

What do you think about the series “Baka to Tesuto to Shoukanjuu”?

The first volume was first sold in January 2007, and this volume 12 is released now, in November 2013. It has been 6 years and 10 months; including the anthology volumes, that makes it 17 volumes in all. Suddenly, I realize that this is a really long strong. Will this final volume meet everyone's expectations? If you, when reading, suddenly have thoughts of 'I want such friends and allies', 'I want to try being in this school' and the like, I as the author will be really delighted.

Now then, what follows thereafter is normally the unfunny small talk. This is the final volume though, so I do want to be a little more restrained. This time, I can only use 4 pages for the afterwords, so I guess I should talk about the main story.

First, I do have to apologize. If we compare the Taika Reforms in the first volume and this volume, it currently seems that it's more plausible to say that 'the year isn't 645'. For the sake of making this story uniform, I continued to keep the answer as 645; there's a possibility that there is a mistake in this though, so please do take note of that…now that I mention it, after seeing the changes in such common knowledge, I realize how much time has passed. The Center Test will probably change in the future too. Time really flew by.

The next thing is Linne-kun, who had quite the meaningful entrance. Everyone has been guessing what sort of role he would take here, but unfortunately, he's just in charge of finishing off the loose ends (?). (He did privately mention before what the principal and Takashiro's 3rd years think about the sponsor, and also about Fumitzuki Gakuen's position, but please do not associate that with this.)

As for the ending, I suppose there are agreements and disagreements with Akihisa's feelings. However, please remember that in fact, Akihisa did want to confess his feelings to Mizuki in the first volume…no? It's because the situation has maintained like this that Minami has such a high standing, right? If Linne-kun is the savior to Minami, he would be the harbinger of doom to Mizuki. Huh? What do you mean about Linne-kun's significance to Hideyoshi? Hm…everyone, please imagine about this yourself. To me, I think that Linne-kun has nothing to Hideyoshi, since I'll feel lonely if Hideyoshi does have a partner. If Hideyoshi does give up the path of drama and take on the role of an idol, that'll be really interesting—but I guess he won't do that even if he's mentally unsound in some way.

Now then, please allow me to go into the customary thanksgiving.

To the illustrator Haga-san, I finally got a cover filled with males that I've been waiting for! The cover illustrations before these are either those in female outfits or Hideyoshi, but we really got a cover with males this time! I think it's the perfect cover to the final volume of this series. I really thank you very much!

To K-sama, my editor-in-charge, whenever I say 'Sorry that I can't make it this time…' in a feeble manner, you always answer me in such a reliable manner, 'it's fine, don't worry. You'll get there somehow!. You really are very reliable here, and I do feel guilty about how much of the tough work you had to do behind the scenes. Because of this, the series 'Baka to Tesuto to Shoukanjuu' is able to make it till this point. I sincerely thank you.

To the designer Kaguya-san, I really have to apologize for finishing the questions late, and yet you're able to come up with such a wonderful quality work. I do admire how a professional does work.

To all those involved in the comic, anime and game, the world of “Baka to Tesuto to Shoukanjuu” is now filled thanks to your hard work, and has finally reached its end without a hitch. I do feel delighed being able to enjoy this world with everyone else.

And also, to the readers! Because of you, this “Baka to Tesuto to Shoukanjuu” is able to be completed! To me, what's more important than anything else is your existence. I do feel a little apologetic that I received messages like 'I don't want this to end', but I'm also grateful, delighted. I really, really want to thank everyone. Those who read my books, who supported me, and who worked with me.

Finally, I shall talk about some future plans. The next project may be a new work, or may be another anthology of “Baka to Tesuto to Shoukanjuu”. As part of this anthology, I plan to write about the stories Akihisa and the rest go through, and also the characters I couldn't develop in the main story despite introducing them.

Right now, I'm currently discussing with my editor-in-charge over this new series. Will it be a fantasy story with a highly developed world? Or a a love story with unshakeable thoughts? Or a detective story with lots of mysteries to be unraveled? All these ideas are really interesting, so I'm wondering what to write—let's try turning the test and summoned beasts elements in “Baka to Tesuto to Shoukanjuu” to something else and trying writing. A fantasy with a rich world? True love? What're you saying? How can I possibly write such things? I guess I should still write about young boys and girls doing stupid things. That's just my plan for now though. How will it end up? I have no idea.

I really do thank you for accompanying me till now. I hope that we're able to continue meeting again.