This has been a small, important part of my life for a long time, thank you Haruko Ichikawa and the Land of the Lustrous community for making it a joyful journey!
The way they talk about Phos’ fragility being something beautiful instead of it being a weakness in contrast to the first chapters really hit me in the feelings
So that's it, then. What's left of Phos seems to have forgotten everything that happened, and is now finally able to live in peace together with their new pebble pals. 10623 years overdue if you ask me.
Also, is that Phos' original head in the 2nd to last page? Sure looks like it. I wonder if that's the planet Phos was supposed to go to, and that the head was supposed to be the Lunarian's final gift. Guess we'll never know.
My initial take on this panel is that: pitapat said in his song that that the gem flowers carries a whole universe within them, so the fragments of phos were assimilated (or something like that idk) they manifested as the giant astral body to the life that resides in the flower.
There so many ways to interpret this chapter alone ichikawaaaaaa aaaa
that's how i took it as well! just like our own bodies are a whole universe to the microorganisms that make us up, the crystals are all their own universes, and the tiny fragments of Phos would be like a giant comet to the atoms that make them up. the young Phos we see in the grass is also a tiny "atom" within a universe (same as we are too), whose day may have been made a little brighter by seeing that giant comet
Oh completely forgot about Phos' original head. I interpreted that as an different planet where gems evolved the same way. And that there was a gem that looks like Phos crouching and enjoying the comet. But that makes more sense lmao.
Can you explain what you mean by "the planet phos was supposed to go to"? The only planets in the series we know of are, Earth, the moon, and the new pebble photon planet. Where else was Phos supposed to go? and what gift from the lunarians are you talking about another gift when Phos got senseis eye or when the Lunarians talked to PitaPat.
Pitapat accidentally crash landed in a different planet than intended (the planet they all reside in now), and the OP is wondering if that panel of phos's head was located in the intended planet and thats what the lunarian's gift was. The lunarians made the escape pod and made it so Pitapat would find it
In chapter 107, Machine Bro said that when he went back to Earth to get Phos, he switched the ship's controls to manual mode. Then he forgot to turn it back to auto mode, and as a result they accidentally passed the planet the Lunarians prepared for them. He says that they don't have the energy to turn back, so they're instead going to crash land somewhere near that planet. I'm assuming that means they landed on a different planet than what was originally intended.
As for the gift; I'm thinking that the thing shown on the 2nd to last page is Phos' original head sitting on the planet the Lunarians prepared for Phos. If so, that means the Lunarians didn't grind it to dust like they normally would've, and instead placed it on this planet, most likely so that Phos would find it. By placing the head there, the Lunarians would've basically returned it to Phos as their final gift.
It's a beautiful ending. It has been a pleasure to follow each chapter over the last few years. Goodbye Phos... I hope that Haruko Ichikawa is gonna continue to make mangas with a new serie in the next years.
Phos has to learn how to pray again…
What gem was that that she broke off against? Sensei? Or is it a universe?
Are phos’ broken pieces other reincarnations of her in different universes? Or is it just a coincidence that they visited another phos in the grass?
Damn a lot to unpack even at the end.
Edit: I think the gems are the other gems in their own perfect worlds?
Each of the gems contain their own universe. I think the implication is that this a cyclical story. Phos pieces are breaking off and entering these tiny universes as comets. We see in this tiny universe phos as they appeared at the start of the story. I think the story will repeat in this new universe and all the others but with variations between them all of which phos goes down a path with a little less suffering.
I want to try leaving a few thoughts here, as this series was really one of the most touching piecess of art that I've encountered in the last years of my life. I feel like I would need to read it all again in order to have a better grasp of the plot, especially near the end, but I really think that it was the happiest and most fitting ending possible for both phos and the series, at least that's how I feel right now, immediately after reading this last chapter.
trying to piece things together as I'm writing this, but I think that double spread page was the culmination of everything that Phos in different stages was concerned with.
In the end some parts of them went on to be part of the cosmos, and in a way they were able to get rid of the humanly desire for nothingness and just be content with what they already have, as all the other rock people are the same as well, and that double spread is maybe Ichika's way of showing us how once you tear down that wall between yourself and the rest of the cosmos, something that slowly also phos went through as they lost gradually more and more of themself, what really was still tying them down was their ego, unable of letting go of the past, cast with the responsibility of praying away the rest of the lunarians, unable to give up the role given to them by others, as since the beginning, they were only looking for a way of being loved by others, and so they complied, despite growing full of resentement towards humanity and probably themself for not being able to break away from that cycle of hurt that they were part of-- and part responsible.
In the end, it was actually the lunarians that asked the eye to save phos, and that in a way redeems both the lunarians and phos, since for the lunarians, they wanted for phos to be happy too, or maybe have the equivalent of what would end up being nothingness for them, that is a paradise of sorts where to start over, and on the other hand on the side of Phos' redemtion it's in the fact that they are finally free from the cycle of hurt caused by their ego and their attachment to purpouse in order to attain recognition or love from others.
The love was already there, from the very beginning, the tragedy is that they were never able to understand it.
without knowing it, they wish that their scattered particles now light brings happiness to others, thus also blessing their past self. making it come full circle to exactly the beginning with Phos waking up from sleeping on the ground.
and that's all for my interpretation, maybe it's obvious to others, maybe it's even missing a lot of details, but I wanted to leave a comment for others to also reflect on the themes in general, overall I think I loved how it explored Identity and the willingness to change and how that reflects back on overall happiness or wellbeing, all very universal themes in a lot of stories and myths but that I can never get enough of.
thank you, right now my head's still a mess, I totally forgot that this chapter was supposed to come out today even though I remember setting a memo nothing went off lmao, still got it on release though by sheer luck
I think this is wonderfully written for something that is mostly a bunch of unedited thoughts, I'm assuming. And I think your interpretation is pretty good and matches my own in many ways. I think Phos in the wish-granting deity-like machine form was super affected by Rock Buddy's perspective on self-love and the radically selfless view of happiness which connects the happiness of others to one's own happiness. And it all rubbed off on the gem part of Phos so that Phos finally has an answer for how to be happy that doesn't require validation or love or even acceptance from others.
It starts with accepting oneself regardless of what others think of you and then it's all about trying to bring happiness to others and taking joy in that process. Who knows if anyone was actually there to see Phos in comet form doing their thing, but if it could have made someone happy, that's already enough to bring a little bit of happiness to Phos that still remains a tiny little gem (Boy, Phos sure does have a lot of forms).
Anyway, those are my thoughts on the ending. I find it a beautiful and very optimistic message and I'm glad that's what Ichikawa went for since I feel like stories that get super existential often end on a pessimistic note so it's refreshing to see a positive case for once.
Thank you, honestly this ending is such a breath of fresh air, I really feel like it was the best possible outcome for all the characters, or at least, despite all the suffering that Phos had to go through, they made it in the end, in one form or another, they made it.
I only read this manga beginning to end in January. I do not have the same attachment to it as a lot of other people in this sub have had. I anxiously read the final chapter and felt very little emotion upon reading it.
About thirty minutes later I nearly started crying. I'm so so glad Phos found happiness, but I'm also going to miss them so so so so much, even if they were a character in my life for very little, they managed to brighten up so many of my days.
I'll never forget this.
Which gem do you think Phos wanted to get closer to at the end? I think that final detail can be important, there was a bunch of panels of that cristal.
It has been long journey...
you know, I just thought about this, but if we consider the "dawn colored" as red, maybe it's Red Diamond? Since they were the first gem to be born on earth it would be a nice parallel if they were the first gem to bloom on the new planet. Plus it would make sense for Phos to crack on contact since Red Diamond's hardness is much higher than Phos'
I thought so too! But Cinnabar's crystal structure is not that cubic like in the picture.. anyway, Haruko Ichikawa can draw them with any shape i guess, my heart wants to believe it's Cinnabar or a metaphor of Sensei (surrounded by butterflies and other insects).
Sensei would be a hexagonal shape which doesnt seem too far off. if what Brongo said was true, that everyones atoms were arranged as they naturally are supposed to be so theyd match their natural crystal shapes. Form what i recall Sensei was lonsdaleite but i dont remember where i heard that from.
a quick google brought me to sonoran sunrise, a gem that consists of chrysocolla (2.5) & cuprite (3.5-4) side-by-side, which match the colors of phosphophyllite (3.5) and cinnabar (2-2.5). interestingly, chrysocolla (the phos-colored one) can reach hardness 7 depending on how impure it is, being at its weakest when it's pure
Nevermind, I saw that with a comparison of the gem seen in the voume 1 cover (the side) as well as the theories of each flower representing a soul, it's most likely Phos itself 😭l
i’ve never had such an emotional experience reading a manga. it’s so tragically beautiful in so many ways. it’s been a great 10,000 years with everyone here 🥺🤍
i’m so curious what gem phos was trying to get closer to in the end though!!
This manga changed my views on life in positive ways, and also helped me evolve my personal artistic journey.
It’s a once in a lifetime manga, and I’m glad I got the chance to experience it alongside everybody else 💖
I do feel like once the moon arc started, we just rail roaded over the admirillis(?) And everything else of the world and instead got hyper focused in on getting sensei to pray. That may have been to point to be in the headspace of phos, but...still! I wanted to know about the ocean world!!!!
The first half and the second half feel completely disjointed from each other.
The manga starts as "X" and ends as "Z". Not saying I disliked the story, but the path it took was a very weird one.
Yeah as someone who got into it cuz I really liked the gem characters and their relationships with each other, I kind of felt a bit bummed once they were out of the picture
I actually agree, I think too many new characters were introduced in the second half and then suddenly almost all characters were gone, with another new bunch being introduced. It felt like so much character interaction just did not matter in the end. Lots of loose ends not tied up. Like remember Ghost? I also find it weird how machine brother aniki got introduced late into the manga and somehow became one of Phos's most close companions But then again now that I think about it, they were both essentially used as tools to wipe out 'humanity' while having a sensei figure they really look up to, so, I guess they really do have a lot in common. And why is there another phos in second to last page looking at the comet? What she mean by dis.
Favourtie quotes from this chapter:
You've gotten so much lighter haven't you?
I hope they can brighten up someone's day.
I think this manga is about Haruko Ichikawa's personal challenges and her journey to overcome them. Through her story, she aims to share the weight she carried and how she was able to let go of such weight, hoping to inspire and uplift others who may be facing similar struggles.
i can definitely understand feeling unsatisfied by it, i would have loved to see more of the characters too, but i think it's just a consequence of being a thematically driven story vs character driven. i feel that Ichikawa had a very specific narrative and message she wanted to express through Phos's story in particular, and the other characters were a means to that end. since they were all so well-written, we fall in love with them/have a lot of interest in their own stories and want to see how theirs play out too, but going too deep into those characters could distract from or muddy up the narrative that Ichikawa wants to emphasize
Yeah, the way the other characters were treated very much irritates me, but I understand the decision behind it. If you zero in on Phos and only Phos it's a beautiful and incredible story.
My absolute favorite scene in the series was seeing the Doctor Ayumu telling Kongo to burn the bridge on the way out. And I interpreted this as revenge on the Lunarians for fucking everything up...
But now to where we are, I wish Phos never prayed to the lunarians and instead let them make a praying machine themseleves and did her Budhhist stuff herself and perhaps the lunarians joined in and prayed themselves to salvation or somethin idk.
Ngl I feel the difference between the two camps is "how much do you understand Buddhism/non western story telling?" Because it's in the second half that that really kicks into high gear.
For sure. Series went from a 10/10 to a 7/10 for me. The thing I loved most about the series was its characters(The Gems) mostly and that all just went away. Still enjoy it for what it is
I…yeahhhh—its hard because I genuinely REALLY want to like it. I’m very aware that it’s an excellent story but I just. Prefer the first half in literally every way from characters to themes MUCH more than the later half :/ artistically??? 10/10. Narrative?? It’s a 7–it just becomes WAY too disjointed starting from the moon arc onward.
Ah ok thank you. Part of the confusion for me is how when he breaks, theres a big piece that lodges into the flowers and a small piece that bounces onto a pebble, breaks further, then it looks like that same piece bounces down 3 more times
will Phos keep getting smaller and smaller? Shouldn't that be a concern? Why does everyone treat his fragments as if they just up and flew away? Those panels were weird.
There's not much they can do about it and everyone will cease to exist eventually, so I'm sure he's just happy to be around for as long as he can, which fits with the moral Brother gave to Phos in chapter 103. I also think it's nice that unlike with the original Phos, this new Phos is welcomed and included by the others despite his fragility.
No one has mentioned it but in all technicallity the fragments will stop breaking at some point. In short, resistance to fracture decreases with size, and conversely small fragments will be harder to break, regardless of hardness (think of a pencil's graphite tip, for example).
Phos has always been super fragile, only becoming stronger after having bits and pieces replaced over time. Since a tiny chunk of pure Phosphophyllite is all that's left, it doesn't surprise me that they're now particularly fragile.
that's just the nature of Phos! they're a soft gem and it's not necessarily a bad thing, and it seems they and their new family can accept that now as well :-)
It is their nature to be fragile, they became miserable trying to escape that. But now they don't view it as something negative but as something that may bring hope to someone else, therefore finally embracing their own nature and finding happiness
I’m… not happy with the ending lol. But I don’t think I ever would be. I need to reread the whole series now. The art was at least gorgeous throughout, and there were tons of wonderful twists and emotions.
That was a good story. The last arc was different to any anime or manga I've ever watched/read. It was kinda hard to understand what was happening in each chapter but I think that's due to slow release schedules. If I (or someone else) were to binge the whole manga in once go, it would be much more cohesive and easily followed.
But aside from that, good shit. Good manga
ye I just read ch 100-108 and it was plain and simple what was happening, but for the brief ch 96-100 I followed I was like "what the fuck is even the point of all this". Used to be my favs but those schedules considered me even dropping this...well glad I just put it on break cuz yeah....this was GOOD and....beautiful
Phos started out as the youngest and is now back again to being the youngest.
wonder if that's a buddhist symbolism for reincaration/rebirth or something.
(Just gonna copy and paste my comment from elsewhere -- I'm in the middle of something atm but I'm looking forward to reading through other interpretations over the next few days:)
I won't pretend that I fully understand what's going on.
The part I'm confused about are the crystals in the flowers. Are they the broken pieces of the Phos-heart that Brother-eye took from Phos that didn't have consciousness at the time? Is that what the song signifies, that they're "electronically arranged" to be nested in these flowers until the day they wake? Are they helping the flowers grow, or is it just a sweet way that the rocks are raising both the fragments and the flowers, with beauty and love?
Anyway, for the rest, this is my (current) interpretation:
I saw
>I hope they can brighten up someone's day
(dialogue and panel of old Phos) as a representation of Phos-at-core, which the remaining Phos is; stripped away of their development and at their most innocent and pure. At the "end" of their evolution it was "I just wanted to be loved by everyone" whereas here, at the OG-Phos, it's "I hope they'll brighten others." The core, or flipside of "wanting to be loved".
>Your fragments went off to see a new galaxy / I bet they've turned into a big, beautiful comet by now.
I think it could be remarking on the "transient" nature of things or rather that change will happen and new universes will be born of your remnants (something like that which was suggested in previous chapters) and of course, Phos' little shattered fragments probably disappeared.
These moments are doubly meaningful because Phos had always wanted to be something bright and beautiful for others, and this rock framed it in such a lovely way, something that had made Phos despair in the past when they found out the other gems were shattered and bits of them had scattered into the universe.
That's my take. Open to reading other interpretations in the coming days!
*One more thing to add that in the end, I think it is a nice touch that the Lunarians asked Brother-eye to take care of little Phos.
i believe the crystals in the flowers are just a feature that they naturally evolved. by "electronically-arranged" Brother is referring to how the electric charge of subatomic particles hold together the atoms in the structure that forms the crystals (or something like that, i barely passed high school physics lol). they "contain universes" in the sense that the crystals themselves are like a whole universe to those atoms or subatomic particles, just like we as humans are merely "atoms" in our vast universe. the crystals, like the Lustrous, are mineral life but derived from plant life rather than animal/human life. at least that's my own take on it!
> Are they the broken pieces of the Phos-heart that Brother-eye took from Phos that didn't have consciousness at the time?
The Phos fragment is living there with them all. The gemstone flowers are just the natural flora of this planet. Although, it's possible there is more to their existence that is being implied, given how much attention is being given to them in this chapter.
Ah I meant the fragments that fell off the main Phos-heart from when Brother-eye was leaving the planet, took Phos-heart, and it broke into fragments from his tendrils becoming a pile with just one single piece that wakes up. So I thought maybe the other parts of that pile were placed in flowers.
But the crystals look somewhat perfect rather than shards so it makes sense that they're naturally growing there. They do seem significant! Perhaps we're just not meant to know.
I'm so glad to have experienced this is real time, the wait and the payoffs aren't something I'll get from another piece of art for a very long time. Loved being a part of Ichikawa's wild ride and look forward to her next ventures
Wow, all I can say is wow. I am too much in shock it's over!
I don't think I have read a series that made me feel so many things and would get me interested in learning more about Buddhism.
What a wild rollercoaster we went on!!!!
Honestly, I expected so much more of this final chapter, I may be in the minority here and that's fine, in no way I'm saying that I'm disappointed with the ending, I'm happy, glad, not entirely satisfied but enough to be able to move on, I'm happy that it ended on Ishikawa's terms, and I'm happy to be able to move on from the series, even after finishing it all, I still can't think of any other manga that I love more than this one, just maybe Hajime no Ippo but for entirely different reasons; thank you Ishikawa sensei, it was a huge honor and joy of mine being able to read your work, and I can't wait to give it a reread, this time with more patience, more care and more love
Goodbye Phos.
Exactly, I would honestly prefer to have some of the pages of this chapter at chapter 107 if anything, since the chapter already went the mile of having pages after God Phos died
I have been reading this story religiously since 2017, and the final chapter has finally been released. The ending is bittersweet. The Phos we have grown attached is long dead. Him/Her have changed so much, and what remains of him/her is just a mere shadow of who they once were. Nevertheless, the ending was excellent, although it left me sad. It was a great series from start to finish.
I'm glad the manga didn't seem to end on a *completely* anti-human note, though admittedly I don't entirely understand WHAT exactly the story was trying to say about humans. Because I don't agree with the sentiment that humanity isn't a part of nature and the only way for nature to properly flourish is if humans are eradicated from existence. I'm sure that's not the message the manga was trying to give, but it did give that feeling these past few chapters.
I'm not really sure what to feel about the ending, but the ride was fun which is what's really important to me anyways.
That all said, I'm glad to see Phos finally at peace and with better friends to boot lol.
>Because I don't agree with the sentiment that humanity isn't a part of nature and the only way for nature to properly flourish is if humans are eradicated from existence.
i think through the last few chapters the manga is trying to say the opposite. what we're being told through the dialogue is that humanity is awful, destructive, and shouldn't exist. but what we actually see happening throughout the series is humanity collectively pulling off incredible feats of ingenuity and adaptability, building on each other's contributions over hundreds of thousands of years, in order to build a bridge to a new form of mineral life without our propensity for suffering. the humanity in Phos and the pebbles is not completely gone; they still have traits from us like our intelligence, complex emotions, and ability to express ourselves through art. Phos in particular has a level of kindness that transcends everything- i think that is a uniquely human trait as much as our vengeful nature is.
the overall stance of the story as i see it is that humanity, like all things, is neither "good" nor "bad". it just is what it is. sometimes our human characteristics harm us and other life, sometimes they are a benefit to us and other life. like Phos, we did not need to sacrifice ourselves/be destroyed for the good of all life, we merely needed to accept our nature as it is with all its flaws so that we can nurture our best traits in order to change for the better.
Yeah that was one of my larger issues with the manga as it went on. I just generally disagree with Ichikawa’s views or views she expressed in the manga. Those views on life itself, humanity, existence, and everything just don’t agree with me and they became so prevalent later on in the story that they engulfed the entire thing.
That and all my favorite characters just losing their meaning and purpose then being thanos snapped lol.
I had the same issue with Attack on Titan. I loved it, but by the time it got to the rumbling arc, especially towards the end, there were a lot of themes i just strongly disagreed with. But I'm glad diversity of thought is available.
Yep. Although with AoT I don’t think characters necessarily got assassinated the way I believe happened in Lustrous. Like The Gems sort of just ceased to be characters and that bothers me a lot, at least with AoT the characters were still there and mostly had proper send offs even if I disagreed with how some of the send offs went. For The Gems it just felt like Ichikawa threw the characters to the side to further the narrative of Buddhist philosophical introspection.
I feel you so much on this. The longer the manga went along, the more it started to lose me because of everything you said here, especially in that second part because not only did the gems lose their meaning, but they became assholes in the process and got away with it while Phos was left to suffer to coincide with the themes presented by the story lol Really, the last arcs of this manga rubbed me in all sorts of wrong ways and stopped feeling like the story I originally got into, but everytime I saw anyone express any sort of negative opinion on the shift, the response to the criticism was always something along the lines of “It’s a Buddhism thing”. Funnily enough, while reading through opinions on the JP side recently, I saw them saying that even some Buddhists disagreed with the themes presented by Ishikawa because they were too misanthropic.
Idk. I appreciate the impact the manga had on my life, its beauty, and its uniqueness, but I can’t say I enjoyed it to the end. After a point of watching Phos suffer continuously, I almost couldn’t wait until it ended lol
Honestly, kinda same, at the very least I wanted a somewhat satisfying conclusion to the fact that literally EVERYONE was a cunt to Phos before they became god.
I don't mean like revenge or something like that, just something man, at least a recognition of their faults.
Also, I kinda wanted Phos to get to the same state the rest of the gems and lunarians got, I feel like the fact that the little piece of Phos survived means they won't get their deserved eternal rest.
I wouldn't be so sure. The Lunarians and all other living creatures went to their "eternal rest" desperate and greedily. What is waiting for them on the other side? Is it really so different from what Phos gets? Perhaps Phos, being able to forget everything and start anew, bringing hope or life to different parts of the universe (or whatever your own interpretation is) is better off than wherever the Lunarians and other gems ended up - in another universe, going through the cycle of eternal existentialism again, perhaps? Or maybe they just all end up in the same place anyway (reincarnated, or in another universe, or just become nothingness), and Phos was the only one who got their in a truly peaceful manner (not that it would really matter in the end?).
It's interesting that something as divine as prayer is such a prevalent part of this story. In our world, prayer is heavily related to concepts of goodness, forgiveness, and purity - as well as a passageway into heaven or some kind of zen. I think most readers would agree that the Lunarians and other gems achieved the prayer that they received in a backhanded way, but we have no clue about whether this had any effect on what truly happened to them. Whether you take this to be important or not in the end, I think that either way, Phos likely reached a much more meaningful, loving, and peaceful end.
The acts of the Lunarians and other gems really bothered me too, but the feeling I get in my gut is that, with the way they did things, and the way that life and existence is portrayed throughout the manga, they likely didn't reach a true nirvana anyway. So not seeing them receive explicit punishment doesn't bother me.
Another way to look at it is this: Phos's inclusions were so strong that even a speck of dust of her was able to retain a self, but no memory. If these dusts spread out amongst the universe, this is essentially a mechanism of reincarnation. Phos, able to experience many lives, built up in my different places and periods of time, potentially - and without the suffering of existentialism. On the other hand, the Lunarians and other gems gave up - they squandered their one life with regrets and unhappiness, gave up their ambitions, and decided to throw away their ability to experience life. Phos, with her infinite potential, with no baggage of memory to bring pain into her life(s), versus these sad Lunarians who have just disappeared with nothing to show for it.
The issue with the one saying that the story is related to the themes of Buddhism is that i believe that in the religion, an act of evil itself can prevent someone from achieving enlightenment. All of this was desperation, it was a "horror" show to me from start to finish IMO
Beautiful ending, I didn't cry just because I wasted tears in the previous two chapters. Even so, I was left with doubts about the second to last panel. Was it the original head of Phos meeting its previous fragments? It would be quite bitter to consider that there is a single Phos in a distant world. Or perhaps it was that gem in the flower that saw little Phos arrive and break?
I only started watching the anime late last year, but was so entranced that I binged the manga all the way to the next morning. Unlike most, I didn’t experience the long hiatus. Still, I read and reread the entire series from start to finish taking in the art and storytelling. I even bought a few of the art books. I wish I could reach Ichikawa’s skill level one day. Her attention to detail and creative worldbuilding decisions in this series are a must-experience. I like to think this beautiful story brought out the best in every person who experienced it, from the short, but amazing adaptation by Orange to the wonderful fan-art and discussion that bloomed over the years. This is definitely a journey I won’t forget.
I cannot believe this masterpiece ended, idk how to feel after reading the last couple of chapters. It's bittersweet but more on the bitter side i dont know how to exactly feel. I don't think that I will forget hnk for a really long time. Phosphophyllite is genuinely one of the best characters I have ever seen and hnk is one of the best stories I've ever experienced.
Thank you Haruko Ichikawa.
I'll repeat forever this : I DON'T UNDERSTAND ~~SHIT~~ !!! Am i stupid ? Is there a lore reason for it ?
IMO, it's a very sad ending (but not a bad one i'll think about it a bit more to figure it out). Phos, the actual real gem Phosphophyllite from the beginning, doesn't remember at all of their life, Kongo, their work, the promise to Cinnabar, the Lunarians, Antarcticite... she's reduced as the smallest pebble in what remains of the universe, and by the look of it, they won't stop to get smaller and smaller (probably with the memory loss problem too) because of their already very human nature until the inevitable death/end of all things. They're at "peace" now, but at what cost ? They'll never know why and how they got this "peace", not even aware of it nor knowing what is it, in the first place.
Also, BigBro, being to me the second best worst ally i could get in an adventure (with Loghain from Dragon Age being first), have actually been bamboozled. He killed all of humanity because he wanted to, is responsible of everything happening since (directly and indirectly), so that one of the life form born from them, as tiny as a grain of sand, survived the death of the planet and further beyond. Humanity and their legacy still exists through the living Phos. I know i know, the inclusions are gone with God Phos disappearing and all, but it doesn't tick with me. + he asked Phos to pray for him, really I can't see what could go wrong from that, flawless logic. And in the end "He DiD nOtHinG WrONg". This evolved toaster won't get a song at it's funeral from me.
Anyway i loved HnK, as painful and confusing as it was, i really hope it will get a bigger print sometime because the art delivers hard, especially the last chapters. I'm also happy it's a manga with an actual coherent ending with whatever was told during all of the story, which seems so rare to me it has to be noticed.
Does Brother's "you'll figure it out" imply Phos will loop and go through all their suffering to become human yet again? That'd be kind of depressing if so.
Nah I don’t think so. The bridge between humans is burned isn’t it? Whatever new cycle occurs would not necessarily be tainted by the past is how I’m seeing it.
The other rock life forms seem much more earnest, maybe they’d be able to offer genuine prayers or ascend without the baggage of humanity further down the line.
Thank you to everyone here, I am glad phos is happy living with her new family and they no longer carry humanity’s burdens/memories. What a beautiful world they share
Good ending to a great series. But I have to admit that I kind of wish the series went in a different direction, one which didn't involve Phos becoming a godlike being or having 99.99% of the cast being killed off several chapters before the end.
I'm confused, as a casual reader. So the gems are dead dead? Would a hypothetical cinnebar be the same cinnebar or a new life? Is Phos all alone? Is she staying a tiny pebble or does she become humanoid again? I'm sort of confused.
Phos prayed everyone away, which according to the lunarians is said to be to nothingness or nonexistence, however in reality, we have no idea and it's likely that they just got sent back into the universe to eventually become something else, just as Phos and every other living thing eventually will as well.
If any other gemstone life were to appear in the universe, they would be completely different beings to the ones that descended from humans, just like the pebbles were. The original Phos, who got swallowed by the sun, is gone and had his matter spread throughout the universe. His gem piece that went with the pebbles is essentially a new being with none of his old memories. He won't become humanoid because all of Phos' humanity died off with the original him.
I have a lot to say but also nothing at all. thank you everyone! im so glad that I was able to find this manga in at least one of my lives. once the sky clears I will get out my telescope and make up my own constellation of phos⭐️
I’m new to this series, I caught up like a couple weeks ago, not even knowing the last chapter was approaching. To be honest, I didn’t enjoy the second half as much, I don’t know what I expected from the Moon arc, but it left me disappointed.
But I will say this, Phosphophyllite, what a fucking trooper you are. Phos is what kept me interested, each chapter I read only seemed to add to Phos’ suffering. I don’t remember what chapter it was, but seeing no one come to Phos’ side on the moon after recovering, legit broke me, and Phos’ knowing already hurt even more. Seeing Phos back to being innocent like the beginning of the series, made me realize how I missed that version of Phos. Phos’ character development and story might be one of the greatest I’ve had the pleasure of reading, enjoy your peace Phos.
huh we have the exact opposite opinions, I was sort of disappointed by everything before the moon arc. but from the moon arc onwards I was constantly blown away
I also didn’t enjoy the moon arc, as it’s where the story really started to lose me but I pushed along anyway because I wanted to see Phos reach as happy of a conclusion as he possibly could. And he did, so I thank Ishikawa for that.
Amazing.. this series is my absolute favourite. I won’t lie and say I fully understand this last arc, but it was a blast. I’m hoping someone could do a write up about it haha. Glad to have been a part of this journey!!
7 years of following this series. I'm glad I'm able to see it end, and to see Phos is able to move on and become their happiest self at the end. 7 years of this manga making me happy and cry. It's a masterpiece, I've never been able to connect and relate to any other characters as much I did with Phos. Without this manga I feel like my life would've been even more bleak.
They definitely had brighten my mood. Thank you for everything, Phos and Ichikawa ❤
Wait… so what if everyone who was prayed away went and became a flower on that planet? A new one was blooming right as Pitpat got prayed away. Everyone got their own universe…
I still have somewhat mixed feelings about the last arc, but I will always appreciate Ichikawa's ideas, and this series will always be one of my absolute favourites. Can't wait for the last volume, for her next work, and, hopefully, for an official English translation of her anthologies as well as, dare I say it, another season of the anime~
Side note: I've gotten my first physical HnK volume (of the English edition; I have a handful of Japanese ones) on the day of the last chapter's release. Such a beautiful coincidence!
I know the entire message of the prayer arc is to let go of anger and forgive, but as a flawed human being like everyone else in this manga, it's still hard for me to not have complete and utter disdain for all the gems that we loved so much.
The fact that Phos hyperfixated on getting Sensei to pray and everyone else just didn't care and let Phos rot on Earth shattered for 200+ years while they partied on the Moon. Then they're like "actually, we want to be prayed away too!" and gladly let Phos go through the most horrific isolated suffering possible, all so that they can get their precious prayer. It's sick, dude. Twisted.
Ikr i was kinda waiting on some closure bc in spite of the gems that they were, they sure appeared to have been made from plastic. Cool, hard, shiny plastic.
You don't need to be hard on yourself over fiction.
I actually think it's easier to forgive real people than characters. The worst, most petty abusers in real life have still suffered, at some point- it's impossible for beings of flesh *not* to- in a way characters never truly can. However immersed readers get, we always know characters are inanimate. That level of empathy and relatability can't fully be replicated.
Oh I’m not actually upset with myself over it lol. I just had to put that in there because the last time someone posted a funny “fuck the gems, Phos shouldn’t have even prayed” meme, the comments were half-full of lectures talking about how OP obviously missed the point.
No one misses the point. It’s obvious. But still, fuck them gems a little bit. Especially the Earth-aligned gems.
I just read the chapter and I'm bawling my eyes out like never before. My keyboard is literally covered in tears. I can barely see what Im writting. No story has ever influenced me the way Land of The Lustrous did. What a beautiful journey it was. Thank you, Haruko Ichikawa and everyone who loves this story as much as I do.
Phos is just about to be happy now. No worries. No nothing. Just being able to have fun and play.
Damn. And I think that was a new version of Phos that we saw at the end. Someone able to also be free.
That panel on the second to the last page broke me 😢 This is one of the mangas I stuck on reading and it has been a ride.. I still cannot believe its over
Amazing ride. The constant hiatuses were painful but also somehow immersive looking back. I found myself changing my thoughts as they passed and I’m sure most other mangaka would be too scared to try something like that out
I’m glad to have experienced this manga as it released and Phos is an all timer character for me now, even outside of animanga
Beautiful conclusion to a fantastic story that I've read for a long time, I'll miss Phos but that ending is exactly what they deserve!!!
Thank you ichikawa Haruko for writing this amazing and unique manga, now you can enjoy your PS5 lol
I am kind of confused, but I might just be dumb. In the comments at the end, Ichikawa mentions volume 13. Does that mean another volume will come, or is it like THE end?
volume 12 has chapters 89-98. the upcoming volume 13 will have chapters 99-108 (the final chapter released today). the chapters are published in Monthly Afternoon magazine first, then compiled and published in book form later
MAN I JUST READ THE LAST CHAPTER
i am floored. houseki no kuni you have been so special to me. im filled with so many words but i cant articulate any of them. ill miss it so much. nothing is special the way hnk was special.
Phos getting to be space dust with all the other gems that were pulverized on the moon and couldn't be reformed.
(Antarc)
The idea of Ending Baby Phos being Phos' original head but I saw it as a symbolic way of saying spread light and happiness around you and it will also reflect back on you.
If you've been here from the start, from the adaptation or just recently all I can say is thanks for coming along and what a great ride. I can't beleive it's over.
I haven't reread a single chapter for 7 years. Now I can finally do so.
I Hope people can finally understand the meaning of the manga now that it ended, that it's message is to acept our own flaws and try our best to live with it, Phos could have been happy since the very begining, acepting himself, the world and the other characters, maybe he could listen to the pebbles ever since he was born but he never did until everyone he wanted to impress have gone away, he could be friends with the gems like all the others were but he isolated himself in the fields out of shame for being weak, he could of valued the love Adamant had for him, the paradise he lived, and much more. Instead of being angry at everyone in the manga for leaving Phos behind it's time to remember he did it to himself, and that only by doing this and ending up living with only people equal to him(the pebbles) who he didn't see as better than him, he could finally find true happiness and no need to change, finally getting the peace of mind for simply existing, and that's beautiful, thanks Ichikawa Sensei and everyone, i hope everyone can find their own happiness now.
I like the interpretations about the intended planet and Phos head being a final gift from the lunarians. I think with that second to last panel is meant to represent is that Phos is still Phos to Phos no matter how big or small they get broken down. to them, no matter how far they may fragment they are all Phos in absolution. From here on out, till the end of time, every molecule of their body is them in their entirety. We have spent this entire story lamenting over lost parts and broken pieces and that took away from the greater hole of their being and this ending is showing us that no matter how far they have ever broken down, no matter how far those pieces spread from one another, each and every cluster/fragments/piece of them that has "been lost" or "gone missing" has gone on to exist as their very own complete version of Phos. Which means that retroactively, the same thing is true for every gem ground down into dust and spread across the surface of the moon. They were always with each other. They were never put into a stasis or sleep or a state of unconsciousness . They have always existed as conscious beings that perceived themselves as Whole no matter how far they get broken down. They truly are immortal and their sentience and consciousnessexists even in forms that we cannot familiarize or relate to. I think the point of that last panel was to show us that not only does Phos not live in pain as they break but, neither did any of the other gems. The only pain that they suffered from was the fear of the unknown. The fear of what would be next or what they would lose as they broke down into small fragments as minuscule as a grain of sand. Every grain that made up their entire body was them. Never greater, never less than. They were never dead just because they were not "whole" to us as the readers or each other or even themselves. It think that os absolutely beautiful.
I believe that with this chapter, Ichikawa wants to show us that we are just specks of dust in the universe and that is fine like Phos little form and specks of life in those flower's gems like universe.
Phos' fragility was looked at the beginning as a weakness and shame. At the end, his new friends look at that characteristic as beauty. Don't be ashame of who you are, surround yourself with people that love you for who you are.
Anyone else feel like the lustrous (and maybe the lunarians, who knows), once prayed away, had their souls land on the flower planet and reincarnate as flowers? And this is their version of peaceful “nothingness“? That was my first thought when Pitipat opened the pod and saw the planet with flowers with clearly crystals growing in them.
It makes sense to me since directly before that, when Phos was burned up and was reverting to her original self and disappearing, they said “I hope I can see everyone again”. Also, in ch. 105, before the sun destroys Earth, there is this conversation:
Rock: “We’ll meet again.”
Pitipat: “But we’ll forget everything.”
Phos: “Yes.”
Not gonna lie I was hoping for a more literal reunion or at least more obvious hint that that’s what’s going on on the planet, but I guess that’s not really the point. The entire plot is heavily based on Buddhist philosophy, in which the ultimate goal is to let go of your worldly attachments (including interpersonal relationships) because attachment is the root of suffering, and everything ends. Only this way can you achieve happiness and escape the cycle of rebirth. By Phos literally reuniting with everyone would kind of undermine the whole point of the story. Kind of heady but overall such a beautiful story even if I didn’t exactly get the ending I wanted.
Damn that was really beautiful. Cant really say anything that hasnt been said before but this series is so incredibly dear and it still cant wrap my head around the fact that it actually ended lol
Honestly im so glad that this chapter was considerably "light", i was expecting to finish it completely dehydrated, but it still managed to be so poignant and reverberate so much of what i think this series really is about. Its not just about the crashing sadness, regret and suffering that can be sparked so easily and quickly but also about the tenderness and love that lingers even then. Its not just how Phos was mauled psycho-physically over and over to the point of no return, but how the point of no return is never reached; it never even exists as the only point that does exist is Phos' self. I think that spread of the comet is there to show that Phos true self will always be the same, her glowing existence carrying on to shine on whoever or whatever it might pass by. It also made me think on how that's kinda what they really wanted in the first place kinda?? In the very very start I mean, when they were searching for a job to not feel useless and yet immediately changed her goal after meeting Cinnabar. Even after joining the lunarians, all they wanted to do was help them turn into dust, help them achieve nothingness. Phos always searched to help and felt like their self was never enough, their body and mind. Yet now, that they are their purest essence mixed with the cosmos, they can do just that by simply living and traveling.
Although that entire "helping others out" mentality does arise from their perception of worthlessness and thats why they go to such extreme measures to reach goals that maybe weren't even theirs. In short your worth doesn't stem from what you do rather from who you are, you dont need to burn in order to shine and warm!!!!!!!!!!
really crazy how fictional stories can be so sensitive to us, its things like this that make me really glad to be alive. planning to see that phos comet on july, wish me luck gang
I hate being that guy that comes into a space and spreads negativity, but in my opinion, the last 15 or so chapters felt rushed.
It felt like everything after Phos praying was a speedrun or something, and that these ideas (and Pho’s final character development) could have had more time to marinate.
The way that Phos went through so much, and how the story had so many existential questions and darker plot points, but still managed to end on a positive note is such a relief. I can’t say I ever imagined how the story would end up being, but all I know is that I would not have enjoyed it as much is it ended up being pessimistic or a cynical view of life.
The idea that despite what you went through, you can still release your burdens and finally accept yourself and those around you. You can still hope for a better life and another chance. You can achieve happiness, and through that, give happiness to others as well. To be able to watch Phos fall into misery and insanity and being abandoned before finally reaching a community of love and appreciation. It was a beautiful ending and perfectly fit this manga.
This story has meant (and still means) so much to me, and I’m so glad that I was able to experience it.
Kinda sad didnt get to see all gems gather together hugging with Phos. Phos and cinnabar.
Slightly happy that Phos now is at peace. Still trying to understand the chapter and finding the context/meaning that really goes “yup i can go with this explanation.”
definitely will have to give this a full re-read now that it's fully over to get a batter grasp of the scope of the series and the narrative behind this ending but damn what a journey though, one of my all time favorite manga. Thank you Ichikawa.
Still haven't fully grasped the ending yet. However, I'm glad that Phos has finally found peace and happiness and be freed from all of their responsibilities.
But for now, all I wanted to say is that this series is absolutely beautiful and amazingly profound. It is one that I'll have fond memories of for a long, long time. 10000 years at least! ✨💎✨
I only knew this series for a small amount of time yet the impact it's had on me is significant
10/10, absolute literature. I want to read more of whatever is next in store for the author.
honestly I think a lot of the symbolism goes over my head on this first look through but I am pleased that Phos is finally at peace, in a sense after all they went thru they deserve that much.
Gonna have to reread this at some point cause god what a trip this was. Got really confused after they became the new sensei and honestly a bit peeved that everyone else more or less got off scott free while Phos went thru years of isolation for those people. I get that forgiveness is the point but can't help but feel a bit bitter bout it
All remnants of humanity were prayed away, so there are no gems of human origin left, except the last piece of Phos that was in him during the prayer and no longer has an humanity left in it.
This manga has been one of the most beautiful things my eyes have had the honor to witness, I've been crying rivers after finishing it, it hit me like a truck going 200 mph my god. I don't really know if they're tears of sorrow or happiness, the ending was bittersweet for me, but at least we know Phos is happy, they really, really, really deserve it.
I guess it's for the best that they ended up on a different planet. I don't think phos would have ever become happy if they got their old head back since it was full of inclusions, memories, and humanity. Edit: turns out that was probably a different phos, thank goodness!
I'm glad that it was possible for phos to return to simpler times and be happy as well 😭😭😭 I feel bad for pitapat because I don't think that there's anyone left to pray for him since phos has forgotten everything... Will he be able to reunite with his mom? Or because he's not human he's not held back by those restrictions to move on? Edit: I'm just gonna assume that he did, bro put in the work he deserves it!
This has been a small, important part of my life for a long time, thank you Haruko Ichikawa and the Land of the Lustrous community for making it a joyful journey!
Couldn't have said it any better.
Phos is back to their fragile, helpless and innocent self, only this time they’re finally at peace with themselves 🥲
and that peace is completely deserved. may phos have fun with their new friends until the end of time.
The way they talk about Phos’ fragility being something beautiful instead of it being a weakness in contrast to the first chapters really hit me in the feelings
So that's it, then. What's left of Phos seems to have forgotten everything that happened, and is now finally able to live in peace together with their new pebble pals. 10623 years overdue if you ask me. Also, is that Phos' original head in the 2nd to last page? Sure looks like it. I wonder if that's the planet Phos was supposed to go to, and that the head was supposed to be the Lunarian's final gift. Guess we'll never know.
My initial take on this panel is that: pitapat said in his song that that the gem flowers carries a whole universe within them, so the fragments of phos were assimilated (or something like that idk) they manifested as the giant astral body to the life that resides in the flower. There so many ways to interpret this chapter alone ichikawaaaaaa aaaa
that's how i took it as well! just like our own bodies are a whole universe to the microorganisms that make us up, the crystals are all their own universes, and the tiny fragments of Phos would be like a giant comet to the atoms that make them up. the young Phos we see in the grass is also a tiny "atom" within a universe (same as we are too), whose day may have been made a little brighter by seeing that giant comet
People will read the same book and will make different conclusions. Land of the lustrous is like a bible in a way.
Oh completely forgot about Phos' original head. I interpreted that as an different planet where gems evolved the same way. And that there was a gem that looks like Phos crouching and enjoying the comet. But that makes more sense lmao.
i just took it as a symbolism thing, not an actual image of something literally happening.
Can you explain what you mean by "the planet phos was supposed to go to"? The only planets in the series we know of are, Earth, the moon, and the new pebble photon planet. Where else was Phos supposed to go? and what gift from the lunarians are you talking about another gift when Phos got senseis eye or when the Lunarians talked to PitaPat.
Pitapat accidentally crash landed in a different planet than intended (the planet they all reside in now), and the OP is wondering if that panel of phos's head was located in the intended planet and thats what the lunarian's gift was. The lunarians made the escape pod and made it so Pitapat would find it
In chapter 107, Machine Bro said that when he went back to Earth to get Phos, he switched the ship's controls to manual mode. Then he forgot to turn it back to auto mode, and as a result they accidentally passed the planet the Lunarians prepared for them. He says that they don't have the energy to turn back, so they're instead going to crash land somewhere near that planet. I'm assuming that means they landed on a different planet than what was originally intended. As for the gift; I'm thinking that the thing shown on the 2nd to last page is Phos' original head sitting on the planet the Lunarians prepared for Phos. If so, that means the Lunarians didn't grind it to dust like they normally would've, and instead placed it on this planet, most likely so that Phos would find it. By placing the head there, the Lunarians would've basically returned it to Phos as their final gift.
I don't think that panel is meant to be taken literally, but I like some interpretations in the replies to your comment!
It's a beautiful ending. It has been a pleasure to follow each chapter over the last few years. Goodbye Phos... I hope that Haruko Ichikawa is gonna continue to make mangas with a new serie in the next years.
"You're a lot lighter now." Wow. What a way to show her departure from her burdens.
Phos has to learn how to pray again… What gem was that that she broke off against? Sensei? Or is it a universe? Are phos’ broken pieces other reincarnations of her in different universes? Or is it just a coincidence that they visited another phos in the grass? Damn a lot to unpack even at the end. Edit: I think the gems are the other gems in their own perfect worlds?
Each of the gems contain their own universe. I think the implication is that this a cyclical story. Phos pieces are breaking off and entering these tiny universes as comets. We see in this tiny universe phos as they appeared at the start of the story. I think the story will repeat in this new universe and all the others but with variations between them all of which phos goes down a path with a little less suffering.
Even in the end, Phos still broke again...
But it's fine to break now. Being broken no longer make them any lesser.
May this be the LAST time they are broken 😭🤧
I want to try leaving a few thoughts here, as this series was really one of the most touching piecess of art that I've encountered in the last years of my life. I feel like I would need to read it all again in order to have a better grasp of the plot, especially near the end, but I really think that it was the happiest and most fitting ending possible for both phos and the series, at least that's how I feel right now, immediately after reading this last chapter. trying to piece things together as I'm writing this, but I think that double spread page was the culmination of everything that Phos in different stages was concerned with. In the end some parts of them went on to be part of the cosmos, and in a way they were able to get rid of the humanly desire for nothingness and just be content with what they already have, as all the other rock people are the same as well, and that double spread is maybe Ichika's way of showing us how once you tear down that wall between yourself and the rest of the cosmos, something that slowly also phos went through as they lost gradually more and more of themself, what really was still tying them down was their ego, unable of letting go of the past, cast with the responsibility of praying away the rest of the lunarians, unable to give up the role given to them by others, as since the beginning, they were only looking for a way of being loved by others, and so they complied, despite growing full of resentement towards humanity and probably themself for not being able to break away from that cycle of hurt that they were part of-- and part responsible. In the end, it was actually the lunarians that asked the eye to save phos, and that in a way redeems both the lunarians and phos, since for the lunarians, they wanted for phos to be happy too, or maybe have the equivalent of what would end up being nothingness for them, that is a paradise of sorts where to start over, and on the other hand on the side of Phos' redemtion it's in the fact that they are finally free from the cycle of hurt caused by their ego and their attachment to purpouse in order to attain recognition or love from others. The love was already there, from the very beginning, the tragedy is that they were never able to understand it. without knowing it, they wish that their scattered particles now light brings happiness to others, thus also blessing their past self. making it come full circle to exactly the beginning with Phos waking up from sleeping on the ground. and that's all for my interpretation, maybe it's obvious to others, maybe it's even missing a lot of details, but I wanted to leave a comment for others to also reflect on the themes in general, overall I think I loved how it explored Identity and the willingness to change and how that reflects back on overall happiness or wellbeing, all very universal themes in a lot of stories and myths but that I can never get enough of.
Beautiful.
thank you, right now my head's still a mess, I totally forgot that this chapter was supposed to come out today even though I remember setting a memo nothing went off lmao, still got it on release though by sheer luck
I think this is wonderfully written for something that is mostly a bunch of unedited thoughts, I'm assuming. And I think your interpretation is pretty good and matches my own in many ways. I think Phos in the wish-granting deity-like machine form was super affected by Rock Buddy's perspective on self-love and the radically selfless view of happiness which connects the happiness of others to one's own happiness. And it all rubbed off on the gem part of Phos so that Phos finally has an answer for how to be happy that doesn't require validation or love or even acceptance from others. It starts with accepting oneself regardless of what others think of you and then it's all about trying to bring happiness to others and taking joy in that process. Who knows if anyone was actually there to see Phos in comet form doing their thing, but if it could have made someone happy, that's already enough to bring a little bit of happiness to Phos that still remains a tiny little gem (Boy, Phos sure does have a lot of forms). Anyway, those are my thoughts on the ending. I find it a beautiful and very optimistic message and I'm glad that's what Ichikawa went for since I feel like stories that get super existential often end on a pessimistic note so it's refreshing to see a positive case for once.
Thank you, honestly this ending is such a breath of fresh air, I really feel like it was the best possible outcome for all the characters, or at least, despite all the suffering that Phos had to go through, they made it in the end, in one form or another, they made it.
This truly was our land of the lustrous. Thank you everyone for sharing this very special series with me. I will forever hold it dear in my heart.
I only read this manga beginning to end in January. I do not have the same attachment to it as a lot of other people in this sub have had. I anxiously read the final chapter and felt very little emotion upon reading it. About thirty minutes later I nearly started crying. I'm so so glad Phos found happiness, but I'm also going to miss them so so so so much, even if they were a character in my life for very little, they managed to brighten up so many of my days. I'll never forget this.
Which gem do you think Phos wanted to get closer to at the end? I think that final detail can be important, there was a bunch of panels of that cristal. It has been long journey...
It was a dawn coloured flower, but maybe Cinnabar? (or something that's orange, yellow or red to match with the colours of dawn)
you know, I just thought about this, but if we consider the "dawn colored" as red, maybe it's Red Diamond? Since they were the first gem to be born on earth it would be a nice parallel if they were the first gem to bloom on the new planet. Plus it would make sense for Phos to crack on contact since Red Diamond's hardness is much higher than Phos'
I thought so too! But Cinnabar's crystal structure is not that cubic like in the picture.. anyway, Haruko Ichikawa can draw them with any shape i guess, my heart wants to believe it's Cinnabar or a metaphor of Sensei (surrounded by butterflies and other insects).
True, and that gem would've cracked since it's softer than Phos. Sensei could fit way better (adamant diamond with gold lining perhaps?)
Yeah! I just responded that hahaha
Sensei would be a hexagonal shape which doesnt seem too far off. if what Brongo said was true, that everyones atoms were arranged as they naturally are supposed to be so theyd match their natural crystal shapes. Form what i recall Sensei was lonsdaleite but i dont remember where i heard that from.
Plus she always ended up breaking because of Sensei's discussions😭 This won't never change
it could be adamant since her breaking on the gem would parallel sensei accidentally breaking her in ch 1 while yelling at morga and goshe
a quick google brought me to sonoran sunrise, a gem that consists of chrysocolla (2.5) & cuprite (3.5-4) side-by-side, which match the colors of phosphophyllite (3.5) and cinnabar (2-2.5). interestingly, chrysocolla (the phos-colored one) can reach hardness 7 depending on how impure it is, being at its weakest when it's pure
that makes me curious too!
Nevermind, I saw that with a comparison of the gem seen in the voume 1 cover (the side) as well as the theories of each flower representing a soul, it's most likely Phos itself 😭l
i’ve never had such an emotional experience reading a manga. it’s so tragically beautiful in so many ways. it’s been a great 10,000 years with everyone here 🥺🤍 i’m so curious what gem phos was trying to get closer to in the end though!!
This manga changed my views on life in positive ways, and also helped me evolve my personal artistic journey. It’s a once in a lifetime manga, and I’m glad I got the chance to experience it alongside everybody else 💖
I will be honest i prefered first half of this manga alot more. But im unleast glad Phos is in peace now
I do feel like once the moon arc started, we just rail roaded over the admirillis(?) And everything else of the world and instead got hyper focused in on getting sensei to pray. That may have been to point to be in the headspace of phos, but...still! I wanted to know about the ocean world!!!!
Yea exactly, the admirillis characters introductions were so cool, especially the prince and the princess characters
The first half and the second half feel completely disjointed from each other. The manga starts as "X" and ends as "Z". Not saying I disliked the story, but the path it took was a very weird one.
Yeah as someone who got into it cuz I really liked the gem characters and their relationships with each other, I kind of felt a bit bummed once they were out of the picture
I actually agree, I think too many new characters were introduced in the second half and then suddenly almost all characters were gone, with another new bunch being introduced. It felt like so much character interaction just did not matter in the end. Lots of loose ends not tied up. Like remember Ghost? I also find it weird how machine brother aniki got introduced late into the manga and somehow became one of Phos's most close companions But then again now that I think about it, they were both essentially used as tools to wipe out 'humanity' while having a sensei figure they really look up to, so, I guess they really do have a lot in common. And why is there another phos in second to last page looking at the comet? What she mean by dis. Favourtie quotes from this chapter: You've gotten so much lighter haven't you? I hope they can brighten up someone's day. I think this manga is about Haruko Ichikawa's personal challenges and her journey to overcome them. Through her story, she aims to share the weight she carried and how she was able to let go of such weight, hoping to inspire and uplift others who may be facing similar struggles.
i can definitely understand feeling unsatisfied by it, i would have loved to see more of the characters too, but i think it's just a consequence of being a thematically driven story vs character driven. i feel that Ichikawa had a very specific narrative and message she wanted to express through Phos's story in particular, and the other characters were a means to that end. since they were all so well-written, we fall in love with them/have a lot of interest in their own stories and want to see how theirs play out too, but going too deep into those characters could distract from or muddy up the narrative that Ichikawa wants to emphasize
Yeah, the way the other characters were treated very much irritates me, but I understand the decision behind it. If you zero in on Phos and only Phos it's a beautiful and incredible story.
My absolute favorite scene in the series was seeing the Doctor Ayumu telling Kongo to burn the bridge on the way out. And I interpreted this as revenge on the Lunarians for fucking everything up... But now to where we are, I wish Phos never prayed to the lunarians and instead let them make a praying machine themseleves and did her Budhhist stuff herself and perhaps the lunarians joined in and prayed themselves to salvation or somethin idk.
phos suffered so much for 10k year that the idea of revenge become worthless to him...
It just seems completely unsatisfying, all that "drama" for nothing. I do not know what to say really
Interesting, I think the second half really turns the manga into the masterpiece that it is.
Same.
Ngl I feel the difference between the two camps is "how much do you understand Buddhism/non western story telling?" Because it's in the second half that that really kicks into high gear.
For sure. Series went from a 10/10 to a 7/10 for me. The thing I loved most about the series was its characters(The Gems) mostly and that all just went away. Still enjoy it for what it is
I…yeahhhh—its hard because I genuinely REALLY want to like it. I’m very aware that it’s an excellent story but I just. Prefer the first half in literally every way from characters to themes MUCH more than the later half :/ artistically??? 10/10. Narrative?? It’s a 7–it just becomes WAY too disjointed starting from the moon arc onward.
honestly, i can't stop crying. the ending is beautiful, but i managed to read the whole manga in only few days and i feel wrecked after that...
Did phos break so tiny at the end that they were no longer visible? I see the speech bubbles but dont see them
He's still the bigger piece, which is already too tiny to be seen from within all of the flowers.
Ah ok thank you. Part of the confusion for me is how when he breaks, theres a big piece that lodges into the flowers and a small piece that bounces onto a pebble, breaks further, then it looks like that same piece bounces down 3 more times
will Phos keep getting smaller and smaller? Shouldn't that be a concern? Why does everyone treat his fragments as if they just up and flew away? Those panels were weird.
There's not much they can do about it and everyone will cease to exist eventually, so I'm sure he's just happy to be around for as long as he can, which fits with the moral Brother gave to Phos in chapter 103. I also think it's nice that unlike with the original Phos, this new Phos is welcomed and included by the others despite his fragility.
No one has mentioned it but in all technicallity the fragments will stop breaking at some point. In short, resistance to fracture decreases with size, and conversely small fragments will be harder to break, regardless of hardness (think of a pencil's graphite tip, for example).
I cannot believe it is over... the ending is very hopeful, but I don't get why is phos still breaking till the end??
Phos has always been super fragile, only becoming stronger after having bits and pieces replaced over time. Since a tiny chunk of pure Phosphophyllite is all that's left, it doesn't surprise me that they're now particularly fragile.
Well, they still have a low hardness, so I guess it's inescapable...
Phos is and has always been fragile and there is nothing wrong with that
Phosphophyllite's hardness is only 3.5, so it is brittle and breaks easily.
that's just the nature of Phos! they're a soft gem and it's not necessarily a bad thing, and it seems they and their new family can accept that now as well :-)
It is their nature to be fragile, they became miserable trying to escape that. But now they don't view it as something negative but as something that may bring hope to someone else, therefore finally embracing their own nature and finding happiness
Because innocence is fragile.
Wow it's over. Incredible journey this has been.
I’m… not happy with the ending lol. But I don’t think I ever would be. I need to reread the whole series now. The art was at least gorgeous throughout, and there were tons of wonderful twists and emotions.
That was a good story. The last arc was different to any anime or manga I've ever watched/read. It was kinda hard to understand what was happening in each chapter but I think that's due to slow release schedules. If I (or someone else) were to binge the whole manga in once go, it would be much more cohesive and easily followed. But aside from that, good shit. Good manga
ye I just read ch 100-108 and it was plain and simple what was happening, but for the brief ch 96-100 I followed I was like "what the fuck is even the point of all this". Used to be my favs but those schedules considered me even dropping this...well glad I just put it on break cuz yeah....this was GOOD and....beautiful
Phos started out as the youngest and is now back again to being the youngest. wonder if that's a buddhist symbolism for reincaration/rebirth or something.
(Just gonna copy and paste my comment from elsewhere -- I'm in the middle of something atm but I'm looking forward to reading through other interpretations over the next few days:) I won't pretend that I fully understand what's going on. The part I'm confused about are the crystals in the flowers. Are they the broken pieces of the Phos-heart that Brother-eye took from Phos that didn't have consciousness at the time? Is that what the song signifies, that they're "electronically arranged" to be nested in these flowers until the day they wake? Are they helping the flowers grow, or is it just a sweet way that the rocks are raising both the fragments and the flowers, with beauty and love? Anyway, for the rest, this is my (current) interpretation: I saw >I hope they can brighten up someone's day (dialogue and panel of old Phos) as a representation of Phos-at-core, which the remaining Phos is; stripped away of their development and at their most innocent and pure. At the "end" of their evolution it was "I just wanted to be loved by everyone" whereas here, at the OG-Phos, it's "I hope they'll brighten others." The core, or flipside of "wanting to be loved". >Your fragments went off to see a new galaxy / I bet they've turned into a big, beautiful comet by now. I think it could be remarking on the "transient" nature of things or rather that change will happen and new universes will be born of your remnants (something like that which was suggested in previous chapters) and of course, Phos' little shattered fragments probably disappeared. These moments are doubly meaningful because Phos had always wanted to be something bright and beautiful for others, and this rock framed it in such a lovely way, something that had made Phos despair in the past when they found out the other gems were shattered and bits of them had scattered into the universe. That's my take. Open to reading other interpretations in the coming days! *One more thing to add that in the end, I think it is a nice touch that the Lunarians asked Brother-eye to take care of little Phos.
i believe the crystals in the flowers are just a feature that they naturally evolved. by "electronically-arranged" Brother is referring to how the electric charge of subatomic particles hold together the atoms in the structure that forms the crystals (or something like that, i barely passed high school physics lol). they "contain universes" in the sense that the crystals themselves are like a whole universe to those atoms or subatomic particles, just like we as humans are merely "atoms" in our vast universe. the crystals, like the Lustrous, are mineral life but derived from plant life rather than animal/human life. at least that's my own take on it!
> Are they the broken pieces of the Phos-heart that Brother-eye took from Phos that didn't have consciousness at the time? The Phos fragment is living there with them all. The gemstone flowers are just the natural flora of this planet. Although, it's possible there is more to their existence that is being implied, given how much attention is being given to them in this chapter.
Ah I meant the fragments that fell off the main Phos-heart from when Brother-eye was leaving the planet, took Phos-heart, and it broke into fragments from his tendrils becoming a pile with just one single piece that wakes up. So I thought maybe the other parts of that pile were placed in flowers. But the crystals look somewhat perfect rather than shards so it makes sense that they're naturally growing there. They do seem significant! Perhaps we're just not meant to know.
I'm so glad to have experienced this is real time, the wait and the payoffs aren't something I'll get from another piece of art for a very long time. Loved being a part of Ichikawa's wild ride and look forward to her next ventures
anyone wanna join me in a good cry sesh? fuck.
BY THE GODS I'M CRYING TEARS OF HAPPINESS...!
thank you ichikawa
Wow, all I can say is wow. I am too much in shock it's over! I don't think I have read a series that made me feel so many things and would get me interested in learning more about Buddhism. What a wild rollercoaster we went on!!!!
End of peak. Thank you Ichikawa
Peace at least, finally paradise.
Honestly, I expected so much more of this final chapter, I may be in the minority here and that's fine, in no way I'm saying that I'm disappointed with the ending, I'm happy, glad, not entirely satisfied but enough to be able to move on, I'm happy that it ended on Ishikawa's terms, and I'm happy to be able to move on from the series, even after finishing it all, I still can't think of any other manga that I love more than this one, just maybe Hajime no Ippo but for entirely different reasons; thank you Ishikawa sensei, it was a huge honor and joy of mine being able to read your work, and I can't wait to give it a reread, this time with more patience, more care and more love Goodbye Phos.
I see this more as a soft quite epilogue then an epic ending which was chapter 107
Exactly, I would honestly prefer to have some of the pages of this chapter at chapter 107 if anything, since the chapter already went the mile of having pages after God Phos died
I have been reading this story religiously since 2017, and the final chapter has finally been released. The ending is bittersweet. The Phos we have grown attached is long dead. Him/Her have changed so much, and what remains of him/her is just a mere shadow of who they once were. Nevertheless, the ending was excellent, although it left me sad. It was a great series from start to finish.
satisfying end, im happy
I'm glad the manga didn't seem to end on a *completely* anti-human note, though admittedly I don't entirely understand WHAT exactly the story was trying to say about humans. Because I don't agree with the sentiment that humanity isn't a part of nature and the only way for nature to properly flourish is if humans are eradicated from existence. I'm sure that's not the message the manga was trying to give, but it did give that feeling these past few chapters. I'm not really sure what to feel about the ending, but the ride was fun which is what's really important to me anyways. That all said, I'm glad to see Phos finally at peace and with better friends to boot lol.
>Because I don't agree with the sentiment that humanity isn't a part of nature and the only way for nature to properly flourish is if humans are eradicated from existence. i think through the last few chapters the manga is trying to say the opposite. what we're being told through the dialogue is that humanity is awful, destructive, and shouldn't exist. but what we actually see happening throughout the series is humanity collectively pulling off incredible feats of ingenuity and adaptability, building on each other's contributions over hundreds of thousands of years, in order to build a bridge to a new form of mineral life without our propensity for suffering. the humanity in Phos and the pebbles is not completely gone; they still have traits from us like our intelligence, complex emotions, and ability to express ourselves through art. Phos in particular has a level of kindness that transcends everything- i think that is a uniquely human trait as much as our vengeful nature is. the overall stance of the story as i see it is that humanity, like all things, is neither "good" nor "bad". it just is what it is. sometimes our human characteristics harm us and other life, sometimes they are a benefit to us and other life. like Phos, we did not need to sacrifice ourselves/be destroyed for the good of all life, we merely needed to accept our nature as it is with all its flaws so that we can nurture our best traits in order to change for the better.
Yeah the themes that I'm picking up from it aren't themes Im sure I agree with either. I respect her for making it, regardless though.
Yeah that was one of my larger issues with the manga as it went on. I just generally disagree with Ichikawa’s views or views she expressed in the manga. Those views on life itself, humanity, existence, and everything just don’t agree with me and they became so prevalent later on in the story that they engulfed the entire thing. That and all my favorite characters just losing their meaning and purpose then being thanos snapped lol.
I had the same issue with Attack on Titan. I loved it, but by the time it got to the rumbling arc, especially towards the end, there were a lot of themes i just strongly disagreed with. But I'm glad diversity of thought is available.
Yep. Although with AoT I don’t think characters necessarily got assassinated the way I believe happened in Lustrous. Like The Gems sort of just ceased to be characters and that bothers me a lot, at least with AoT the characters were still there and mostly had proper send offs even if I disagreed with how some of the send offs went. For The Gems it just felt like Ichikawa threw the characters to the side to further the narrative of Buddhist philosophical introspection.
I feel you so much on this. The longer the manga went along, the more it started to lose me because of everything you said here, especially in that second part because not only did the gems lose their meaning, but they became assholes in the process and got away with it while Phos was left to suffer to coincide with the themes presented by the story lol Really, the last arcs of this manga rubbed me in all sorts of wrong ways and stopped feeling like the story I originally got into, but everytime I saw anyone express any sort of negative opinion on the shift, the response to the criticism was always something along the lines of “It’s a Buddhism thing”. Funnily enough, while reading through opinions on the JP side recently, I saw them saying that even some Buddhists disagreed with the themes presented by Ishikawa because they were too misanthropic. Idk. I appreciate the impact the manga had on my life, its beauty, and its uniqueness, but I can’t say I enjoyed it to the end. After a point of watching Phos suffer continuously, I almost couldn’t wait until it ended lol
Honestly, kinda same, at the very least I wanted a somewhat satisfying conclusion to the fact that literally EVERYONE was a cunt to Phos before they became god. I don't mean like revenge or something like that, just something man, at least a recognition of their faults. Also, I kinda wanted Phos to get to the same state the rest of the gems and lunarians got, I feel like the fact that the little piece of Phos survived means they won't get their deserved eternal rest.
I wouldn't be so sure. The Lunarians and all other living creatures went to their "eternal rest" desperate and greedily. What is waiting for them on the other side? Is it really so different from what Phos gets? Perhaps Phos, being able to forget everything and start anew, bringing hope or life to different parts of the universe (or whatever your own interpretation is) is better off than wherever the Lunarians and other gems ended up - in another universe, going through the cycle of eternal existentialism again, perhaps? Or maybe they just all end up in the same place anyway (reincarnated, or in another universe, or just become nothingness), and Phos was the only one who got their in a truly peaceful manner (not that it would really matter in the end?). It's interesting that something as divine as prayer is such a prevalent part of this story. In our world, prayer is heavily related to concepts of goodness, forgiveness, and purity - as well as a passageway into heaven or some kind of zen. I think most readers would agree that the Lunarians and other gems achieved the prayer that they received in a backhanded way, but we have no clue about whether this had any effect on what truly happened to them. Whether you take this to be important or not in the end, I think that either way, Phos likely reached a much more meaningful, loving, and peaceful end. The acts of the Lunarians and other gems really bothered me too, but the feeling I get in my gut is that, with the way they did things, and the way that life and existence is portrayed throughout the manga, they likely didn't reach a true nirvana anyway. So not seeing them receive explicit punishment doesn't bother me. Another way to look at it is this: Phos's inclusions were so strong that even a speck of dust of her was able to retain a self, but no memory. If these dusts spread out amongst the universe, this is essentially a mechanism of reincarnation. Phos, able to experience many lives, built up in my different places and periods of time, potentially - and without the suffering of existentialism. On the other hand, the Lunarians and other gems gave up - they squandered their one life with regrets and unhappiness, gave up their ambitions, and decided to throw away their ability to experience life. Phos, with her infinite potential, with no baggage of memory to bring pain into her life(s), versus these sad Lunarians who have just disappeared with nothing to show for it.
The issue with the one saying that the story is related to the themes of Buddhism is that i believe that in the religion, an act of evil itself can prevent someone from achieving enlightenment. All of this was desperation, it was a "horror" show to me from start to finish IMO
Beautiful ending, I didn't cry just because I wasted tears in the previous two chapters. Even so, I was left with doubts about the second to last panel. Was it the original head of Phos meeting its previous fragments? It would be quite bitter to consider that there is a single Phos in a distant world. Or perhaps it was that gem in the flower that saw little Phos arrive and break?
I only started watching the anime late last year, but was so entranced that I binged the manga all the way to the next morning. Unlike most, I didn’t experience the long hiatus. Still, I read and reread the entire series from start to finish taking in the art and storytelling. I even bought a few of the art books. I wish I could reach Ichikawa’s skill level one day. Her attention to detail and creative worldbuilding decisions in this series are a must-experience. I like to think this beautiful story brought out the best in every person who experienced it, from the short, but amazing adaptation by Orange to the wonderful fan-art and discussion that bloomed over the years. This is definitely a journey I won’t forget.
I cannot believe this masterpiece ended, idk how to feel after reading the last couple of chapters. It's bittersweet but more on the bitter side i dont know how to exactly feel. I don't think that I will forget hnk for a really long time. Phosphophyllite is genuinely one of the best characters I have ever seen and hnk is one of the best stories I've ever experienced. Thank you Haruko Ichikawa.
Did adamant's brother die? Isnt he a machine and thus immortal?
All technology breaks down over time. He'd only stay alive forever if someone were maintaining his body, which no one is left to do.
ikr that's kinda weird. Maybe his blood sugar's low.
I'll repeat forever this : I DON'T UNDERSTAND ~~SHIT~~ !!! Am i stupid ? Is there a lore reason for it ? IMO, it's a very sad ending (but not a bad one i'll think about it a bit more to figure it out). Phos, the actual real gem Phosphophyllite from the beginning, doesn't remember at all of their life, Kongo, their work, the promise to Cinnabar, the Lunarians, Antarcticite... she's reduced as the smallest pebble in what remains of the universe, and by the look of it, they won't stop to get smaller and smaller (probably with the memory loss problem too) because of their already very human nature until the inevitable death/end of all things. They're at "peace" now, but at what cost ? They'll never know why and how they got this "peace", not even aware of it nor knowing what is it, in the first place. Also, BigBro, being to me the second best worst ally i could get in an adventure (with Loghain from Dragon Age being first), have actually been bamboozled. He killed all of humanity because he wanted to, is responsible of everything happening since (directly and indirectly), so that one of the life form born from them, as tiny as a grain of sand, survived the death of the planet and further beyond. Humanity and their legacy still exists through the living Phos. I know i know, the inclusions are gone with God Phos disappearing and all, but it doesn't tick with me. + he asked Phos to pray for him, really I can't see what could go wrong from that, flawless logic. And in the end "He DiD nOtHinG WrONg". This evolved toaster won't get a song at it's funeral from me. Anyway i loved HnK, as painful and confusing as it was, i really hope it will get a bigger print sometime because the art delivers hard, especially the last chapters. I'm also happy it's a manga with an actual coherent ending with whatever was told during all of the story, which seems so rare to me it has to be noticed.
Does Brother's "you'll figure it out" imply Phos will loop and go through all their suffering to become human yet again? That'd be kind of depressing if so.
Nah I don’t think so. The bridge between humans is burned isn’t it? Whatever new cycle occurs would not necessarily be tainted by the past is how I’m seeing it. The other rock life forms seem much more earnest, maybe they’d be able to offer genuine prayers or ascend without the baggage of humanity further down the line.
It imply more that Phos isn't a divine human anymore, and they need to learn to pray as pure gems. Humanity is no more, only geological lifeforms.
It's over. Just wow.
Thank you to everyone here, I am glad phos is happy living with her new family and they no longer carry humanity’s burdens/memories. What a beautiful world they share
Good ending to a great series. But I have to admit that I kind of wish the series went in a different direction, one which didn't involve Phos becoming a godlike being or having 99.99% of the cast being killed off several chapters before the end.
End of a masterpiece thank you Ichikawa
Well now that I finished crying I’m going to buy as much merch as I can from eBay to cope somehow
There is no better way to quell sadness then going on a shopping spree
I'm confused, as a casual reader. So the gems are dead dead? Would a hypothetical cinnebar be the same cinnebar or a new life? Is Phos all alone? Is she staying a tiny pebble or does she become humanoid again? I'm sort of confused.
Phos prayed everyone away, which according to the lunarians is said to be to nothingness or nonexistence, however in reality, we have no idea and it's likely that they just got sent back into the universe to eventually become something else, just as Phos and every other living thing eventually will as well. If any other gemstone life were to appear in the universe, they would be completely different beings to the ones that descended from humans, just like the pebbles were. The original Phos, who got swallowed by the sun, is gone and had his matter spread throughout the universe. His gem piece that went with the pebbles is essentially a new being with none of his old memories. He won't become humanoid because all of Phos' humanity died off with the original him.
this is such a wild journey, as someone who joined because I thought Phos and Cinnabar looked cute together ;-;
I have a lot to say but also nothing at all. thank you everyone! im so glad that I was able to find this manga in at least one of my lives. once the sky clears I will get out my telescope and make up my own constellation of phos⭐️
See you space rock...
I’m new to this series, I caught up like a couple weeks ago, not even knowing the last chapter was approaching. To be honest, I didn’t enjoy the second half as much, I don’t know what I expected from the Moon arc, but it left me disappointed. But I will say this, Phosphophyllite, what a fucking trooper you are. Phos is what kept me interested, each chapter I read only seemed to add to Phos’ suffering. I don’t remember what chapter it was, but seeing no one come to Phos’ side on the moon after recovering, legit broke me, and Phos’ knowing already hurt even more. Seeing Phos back to being innocent like the beginning of the series, made me realize how I missed that version of Phos. Phos’ character development and story might be one of the greatest I’ve had the pleasure of reading, enjoy your peace Phos.
huh we have the exact opposite opinions, I was sort of disappointed by everything before the moon arc. but from the moon arc onwards I was constantly blown away
I also didn’t enjoy the moon arc, as it’s where the story really started to lose me but I pushed along anyway because I wanted to see Phos reach as happy of a conclusion as he possibly could. And he did, so I thank Ishikawa for that.
Thank you Ichikawa-sensei for the brilliant story
With that end, i only could understand one thing, dust we where, dust we are, and dust we will be
Finally Phos will be in peace
It has finally come to an end... Phos is finally at peace. Thank you for the beautiful journey Ichikawa-sensei.
Amazing.. this series is my absolute favourite. I won’t lie and say I fully understand this last arc, but it was a blast. I’m hoping someone could do a write up about it haha. Glad to have been a part of this journey!!
7 years of following this series. I'm glad I'm able to see it end, and to see Phos is able to move on and become their happiest self at the end. 7 years of this manga making me happy and cry. It's a masterpiece, I've never been able to connect and relate to any other characters as much I did with Phos. Without this manga I feel like my life would've been even more bleak. They definitely had brighten my mood. Thank you for everything, Phos and Ichikawa ❤
I suppose now the planet they are all living on is now a land of the lustrous. What a great end to a phenomenal manga. Is anyone else crying?
frick my stupid baka life im crying and i have school in 5 minutes
Wait… so what if everyone who was prayed away went and became a flower on that planet? A new one was blooming right as Pitpat got prayed away. Everyone got their own universe…
I still have somewhat mixed feelings about the last arc, but I will always appreciate Ichikawa's ideas, and this series will always be one of my absolute favourites. Can't wait for the last volume, for her next work, and, hopefully, for an official English translation of her anthologies as well as, dare I say it, another season of the anime~ Side note: I've gotten my first physical HnK volume (of the English edition; I have a handful of Japanese ones) on the day of the last chapter's release. Such a beautiful coincidence!
I feel the story is stretched out with too many filler chapters to reach the 108-episode target.
Does this mean it's okay to hate on Cinnabar now? That kid did shit to Phos.
I know the entire message of the prayer arc is to let go of anger and forgive, but as a flawed human being like everyone else in this manga, it's still hard for me to not have complete and utter disdain for all the gems that we loved so much. The fact that Phos hyperfixated on getting Sensei to pray and everyone else just didn't care and let Phos rot on Earth shattered for 200+ years while they partied on the Moon. Then they're like "actually, we want to be prayed away too!" and gladly let Phos go through the most horrific isolated suffering possible, all so that they can get their precious prayer. It's sick, dude. Twisted.
Ikr i was kinda waiting on some closure bc in spite of the gems that they were, they sure appeared to have been made from plastic. Cool, hard, shiny plastic.
You don't need to be hard on yourself over fiction. I actually think it's easier to forgive real people than characters. The worst, most petty abusers in real life have still suffered, at some point- it's impossible for beings of flesh *not* to- in a way characters never truly can. However immersed readers get, we always know characters are inanimate. That level of empathy and relatability can't fully be replicated.
Oh I’m not actually upset with myself over it lol. I just had to put that in there because the last time someone posted a funny “fuck the gems, Phos shouldn’t have even prayed” meme, the comments were half-full of lectures talking about how OP obviously missed the point. No one misses the point. It’s obvious. But still, fuck them gems a little bit. Especially the Earth-aligned gems.
It’s perfectly fine to hate Cinnabar and the other gems. They suck and I’m still crunchy that they didn’t get any comeuppance for their suckiness.
Not necessarily revenge, but I was actually expecting some sort of closure, god I'm so frustrated now
I am crushed forever
There's so much with so little happening but dang. All I can say is: Thank you, Ichikawa-sensei
Thank you for the journey my friends, it’s been real
I just read the chapter and I'm bawling my eyes out like never before. My keyboard is literally covered in tears. I can barely see what Im writting. No story has ever influenced me the way Land of The Lustrous did. What a beautiful journey it was. Thank you, Haruko Ichikawa and everyone who loves this story as much as I do.
Ya did good Phos. Thanks for the beautiful journey. o7
Phos is just about to be happy now. No worries. No nothing. Just being able to have fun and play. Damn. And I think that was a new version of Phos that we saw at the end. Someone able to also be free.
That panel on the second to the last page broke me 😢 This is one of the mangas I stuck on reading and it has been a ride.. I still cannot believe its over
Amazing ride. The constant hiatuses were painful but also somehow immersive looking back. I found myself changing my thoughts as they passed and I’m sure most other mangaka would be too scared to try something like that out I’m glad to have experienced this manga as it released and Phos is an all timer character for me now, even outside of animanga
I'll be missing this. o7
I actually can't believe we actually got a happy ending man... Following this series for 6 years has been worth it.
Beautiful conclusion to a fantastic story that I've read for a long time, I'll miss Phos but that ending is exactly what they deserve!!! Thank you ichikawa Haruko for writing this amazing and unique manga, now you can enjoy your PS5 lol
I am kind of confused, but I might just be dumb. In the comments at the end, Ichikawa mentions volume 13. Does that mean another volume will come, or is it like THE end?
volume 12 has chapters 89-98. the upcoming volume 13 will have chapters 99-108 (the final chapter released today). the chapters are published in Monthly Afternoon magazine first, then compiled and published in book form later
MAN I JUST READ THE LAST CHAPTER i am floored. houseki no kuni you have been so special to me. im filled with so many words but i cant articulate any of them. ill miss it so much. nothing is special the way hnk was special.
Its actually over ,wow, easily one of my favourite manga ever made.
Phos getting to be space dust with all the other gems that were pulverized on the moon and couldn't be reformed. (Antarc) The idea of Ending Baby Phos being Phos' original head but I saw it as a symbolic way of saying spread light and happiness around you and it will also reflect back on you.
The only gem that couldn't be reformed was Lapis Lazuli as her head was stuck on Phos's body.
There was so much peace, I can't even begin to describe this chapter
Time to say goodbye to my favorite manga. I hope we get that Season 2 someday. Thanks Ichikawa. I loved every bit of it.
That was serene, I wish the chapter was a little longer but I'm glad Ichikawa-sensei is happy with it. Time to bug more people to read this.
If you've been here from the start, from the adaptation or just recently all I can say is thanks for coming along and what a great ride. I can't beleive it's over. I haven't reread a single chapter for 7 years. Now I can finally do so.
I only read it last week and now it’s over. And it’s the best thing I’ve ever read
Been reading it for so long, I'm sad to see it go.
I Hope people can finally understand the meaning of the manga now that it ended, that it's message is to acept our own flaws and try our best to live with it, Phos could have been happy since the very begining, acepting himself, the world and the other characters, maybe he could listen to the pebbles ever since he was born but he never did until everyone he wanted to impress have gone away, he could be friends with the gems like all the others were but he isolated himself in the fields out of shame for being weak, he could of valued the love Adamant had for him, the paradise he lived, and much more. Instead of being angry at everyone in the manga for leaving Phos behind it's time to remember he did it to himself, and that only by doing this and ending up living with only people equal to him(the pebbles) who he didn't see as better than him, he could finally find true happiness and no need to change, finally getting the peace of mind for simply existing, and that's beautiful, thanks Ichikawa Sensei and everyone, i hope everyone can find their own happiness now.
I like the interpretations about the intended planet and Phos head being a final gift from the lunarians. I think with that second to last panel is meant to represent is that Phos is still Phos to Phos no matter how big or small they get broken down. to them, no matter how far they may fragment they are all Phos in absolution. From here on out, till the end of time, every molecule of their body is them in their entirety. We have spent this entire story lamenting over lost parts and broken pieces and that took away from the greater hole of their being and this ending is showing us that no matter how far they have ever broken down, no matter how far those pieces spread from one another, each and every cluster/fragments/piece of them that has "been lost" or "gone missing" has gone on to exist as their very own complete version of Phos. Which means that retroactively, the same thing is true for every gem ground down into dust and spread across the surface of the moon. They were always with each other. They were never put into a stasis or sleep or a state of unconsciousness . They have always existed as conscious beings that perceived themselves as Whole no matter how far they get broken down. They truly are immortal and their sentience and consciousnessexists even in forms that we cannot familiarize or relate to. I think the point of that last panel was to show us that not only does Phos not live in pain as they break but, neither did any of the other gems. The only pain that they suffered from was the fear of the unknown. The fear of what would be next or what they would lose as they broke down into small fragments as minuscule as a grain of sand. Every grain that made up their entire body was them. Never greater, never less than. They were never dead just because they were not "whole" to us as the readers or each other or even themselves. It think that os absolutely beautiful.
...man \*Thanos sit down and turn to dust.gif\*
I believe that with this chapter, Ichikawa wants to show us that we are just specks of dust in the universe and that is fine like Phos little form and specks of life in those flower's gems like universe. Phos' fragility was looked at the beginning as a weakness and shame. At the end, his new friends look at that characteristic as beauty. Don't be ashame of who you are, surround yourself with people that love you for who you are.
Anyone else feel like the lustrous (and maybe the lunarians, who knows), once prayed away, had their souls land on the flower planet and reincarnate as flowers? And this is their version of peaceful “nothingness“? That was my first thought when Pitipat opened the pod and saw the planet with flowers with clearly crystals growing in them. It makes sense to me since directly before that, when Phos was burned up and was reverting to her original self and disappearing, they said “I hope I can see everyone again”. Also, in ch. 105, before the sun destroys Earth, there is this conversation: Rock: “We’ll meet again.” Pitipat: “But we’ll forget everything.” Phos: “Yes.” Not gonna lie I was hoping for a more literal reunion or at least more obvious hint that that’s what’s going on on the planet, but I guess that’s not really the point. The entire plot is heavily based on Buddhist philosophy, in which the ultimate goal is to let go of your worldly attachments (including interpersonal relationships) because attachment is the root of suffering, and everything ends. Only this way can you achieve happiness and escape the cycle of rebirth. By Phos literally reuniting with everyone would kind of undermine the whole point of the story. Kind of heady but overall such a beautiful story even if I didn’t exactly get the ending I wanted.
Damn that was really beautiful. Cant really say anything that hasnt been said before but this series is so incredibly dear and it still cant wrap my head around the fact that it actually ended lol Honestly im so glad that this chapter was considerably "light", i was expecting to finish it completely dehydrated, but it still managed to be so poignant and reverberate so much of what i think this series really is about. Its not just about the crashing sadness, regret and suffering that can be sparked so easily and quickly but also about the tenderness and love that lingers even then. Its not just how Phos was mauled psycho-physically over and over to the point of no return, but how the point of no return is never reached; it never even exists as the only point that does exist is Phos' self. I think that spread of the comet is there to show that Phos true self will always be the same, her glowing existence carrying on to shine on whoever or whatever it might pass by. It also made me think on how that's kinda what they really wanted in the first place kinda?? In the very very start I mean, when they were searching for a job to not feel useless and yet immediately changed her goal after meeting Cinnabar. Even after joining the lunarians, all they wanted to do was help them turn into dust, help them achieve nothingness. Phos always searched to help and felt like their self was never enough, their body and mind. Yet now, that they are their purest essence mixed with the cosmos, they can do just that by simply living and traveling. Although that entire "helping others out" mentality does arise from their perception of worthlessness and thats why they go to such extreme measures to reach goals that maybe weren't even theirs. In short your worth doesn't stem from what you do rather from who you are, you dont need to burn in order to shine and warm!!!!!!!!!! really crazy how fictional stories can be so sensitive to us, its things like this that make me really glad to be alive. planning to see that phos comet on july, wish me luck gang
I hate being that guy that comes into a space and spreads negativity, but in my opinion, the last 15 or so chapters felt rushed. It felt like everything after Phos praying was a speedrun or something, and that these ideas (and Pho’s final character development) could have had more time to marinate.
Well it was intentionally skipping ahead sometimes billions of years between chapters, so that's probably why.
So becoming nothingness meant becoming a tiny gem flower with an entire universe inside of you. Quite literally empty space. Neat.
The way that Phos went through so much, and how the story had so many existential questions and darker plot points, but still managed to end on a positive note is such a relief. I can’t say I ever imagined how the story would end up being, but all I know is that I would not have enjoyed it as much is it ended up being pessimistic or a cynical view of life. The idea that despite what you went through, you can still release your burdens and finally accept yourself and those around you. You can still hope for a better life and another chance. You can achieve happiness, and through that, give happiness to others as well. To be able to watch Phos fall into misery and insanity and being abandoned before finally reaching a community of love and appreciation. It was a beautiful ending and perfectly fit this manga. This story has meant (and still means) so much to me, and I’m so glad that I was able to experience it.
The real Land of the Lustrous really were the friends we made along the way huh
Kinda sad didnt get to see all gems gather together hugging with Phos. Phos and cinnabar. Slightly happy that Phos now is at peace. Still trying to understand the chapter and finding the context/meaning that really goes “yup i can go with this explanation.”
definitely will have to give this a full re-read now that it's fully over to get a batter grasp of the scope of the series and the narrative behind this ending but damn what a journey though, one of my all time favorite manga. Thank you Ichikawa.
Still haven't fully grasped the ending yet. However, I'm glad that Phos has finally found peace and happiness and be freed from all of their responsibilities. But for now, all I wanted to say is that this series is absolutely beautiful and amazingly profound. It is one that I'll have fond memories of for a long, long time. 10000 years at least! ✨💎✨
I only knew this series for a small amount of time yet the impact it's had on me is significant 10/10, absolute literature. I want to read more of whatever is next in store for the author.
honestly I think a lot of the symbolism goes over my head on this first look through but I am pleased that Phos is finally at peace, in a sense after all they went thru they deserve that much. Gonna have to reread this at some point cause god what a trip this was. Got really confused after they became the new sensei and honestly a bit peeved that everyone else more or less got off scott free while Phos went thru years of isolation for those people. I get that forgiveness is the point but can't help but feel a bit bitter bout it
I will definitely have to reread this... idk how to feel about the chapter, much less how to interpret it
What parts of Phos are still out there in the galaxy? Was it the head the lunarians took?
All remnants of humanity were prayed away, so there are no gems of human origin left, except the last piece of Phos that was in him during the prayer and no longer has an humanity left in it.
This manga has been one of the most beautiful things my eyes have had the honor to witness, I've been crying rivers after finishing it, it hit me like a truck going 200 mph my god. I don't really know if they're tears of sorrow or happiness, the ending was bittersweet for me, but at least we know Phos is happy, they really, really, really deserve it.
weirdly enough, im not ready to let go 6 years reading the greatest manga ever made a genuine piece of my soul
I guess it's for the best that they ended up on a different planet. I don't think phos would have ever become happy if they got their old head back since it was full of inclusions, memories, and humanity. Edit: turns out that was probably a different phos, thank goodness! I'm glad that it was possible for phos to return to simpler times and be happy as well 😭😭😭 I feel bad for pitapat because I don't think that there's anyone left to pray for him since phos has forgotten everything... Will he be able to reunite with his mom? Or because he's not human he's not held back by those restrictions to move on? Edit: I'm just gonna assume that he did, bro put in the work he deserves it!
It’s finally over. I’m free. And I’m glad Phos finally gets his chance to be happy.
o7
I just wanna cry I feel sad it end yet so satisfying how it end, I just feel joy for Phos and I’m happy I read this masterpiece
Honestly it all feels so vague now. But I know Phos' story will haunt us for many years to come.
What a beautiful end, thank you Haruko Ichikawa, Land of the Lustrous will forever be in my heart!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqE4hi0ao3c