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ナカバからセナンを譲り受けたロキ。その結果、別々の道を歩むことになったふたり。
長い抗争が終わったものの、ロキと離れて気落ちするナカバのもとに、さらに驚愕の“ロキ死す”の報が届く。
あまりの現実に耐えられずに、アルカナの世界へ逃避したナカバはロキの残した真実を知る。
「黎カナ」最大の謎が解き明かされる完結巻に注目!

Kindle Edition

First published August 26, 2013

16 people are currently reading
390 people want to read

About the author

Rei Tōma

63 books367 followers
Rei Tōma (Japanese: 藤間 麗,Tōma Rei) has been drawing since childhood, but she only began drawing manga because of her graduation project in design school. When she drew a short-story manga, "Help me dentist" (ヘルプ me デンティスト), it attracted a publisher's attention and she made her debut right away. Her magnificent art style became popular, and after she debuted as a manga artist, she became known as an illustrator for novels and video game character designs.

Dawn of the Arcana is her first long-running manga series, and it has been a hit in Japan, selling over a million copies.

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5 stars
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436 (28%)
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233 (15%)
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65 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
Profile Image for Bookishrealm.
3,265 reviews6,432 followers
September 26, 2023
Oh my heart…..

What an epic end to such a brilliant fantasy series. I never imagined that we would have gotten the things that’s were revealed in this volume. Loki’s story both shocked and hurt me in unexpected way. This one is bittersweet because it isn’t a perfect, happy ending. My goodness, Toma did such an amazing job with this one. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing on with The Kings Beast now that I’ve finished this series. Definitely worth a read.
Profile Image for vin .ᐟ (hiatus).
258 reviews215 followers
Read
October 5, 2024
heartbreaking and beautiful ending. would've been perfect if loki didn't have romantic feelings towards his sister 😃 ! how fun !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jessica.
738 reviews67 followers
August 7, 2014
I sobbed like a baby. A BABY. I'm so ashamed. Yet, I have this bittersweet defense going that I'm sorta-not-ashamed. I don't want to give anything away....The author mentions in the notes to re-read the series to pick up on clues....and unfortunately, I WILL BE DOING JUST THAT. I DON'T HAVE THE TIME---BUT I WILL MAKE THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not put this manga down, I was extremely addicted---only to get all the way to the end...and EXPERIENCE EXTREMES OF UTTER LOSS not just in the fact that it's over and ended...but in the destination of the journey. I can't even---I'll start blubbering, and crying about why didn't I FORESEE THIS COMING. I'll start making terrible puns, and it will be this cycle. I'm so upset at Rebecca. I can never go through her manga reads again. She picks too many good ones that give you so many feels.

sogood


This is one of the few graphic novels, I will definitely put the time in to read from the beginning ALL THE WAY TO THE END BECAUSE IT'S THAT AMAZING.

This is a Jenna review. I refuse to say what did/didn't happen. I will describe my feelings.

It was worth EVERY MOMENT OF feels. I never had a chance to experience frustration at the characters or storyline because there was this underlying tension of what would happen.

AND IT HAPPENED.

AND I'M HAPPY BUT MOSTLY----.

bittersweet






Profile Image for Mary.
472 reviews91 followers
September 13, 2014
At first, I thought this would be your standard shoujo. I wasn't enamored with it, and I thought it wasn't anything new. I assumed Loki was another love interest for Nakaba....but after reading this last volume, it's clear that Loki was someone no one expected. I keep looking back at my manga to see if I read it right. I mean, I gave most of the first few volumes some pretty low ratings....but now seeing how it all ties together, I am seriously reconsidering my ratings.

The story is really amazing after reading this. I wasn't too into the whole Nakaba x Caesar, and always felt so bad for Loki. While I am happy now with the Nakaba x Caesar couple, my sadness for Loki has multiplied by a kajillion feels.

Everything in this series ties together into a nice bow, although that is not to say that everything was a happy end. It was a bittersweet ending to this smart series, and I really have to hand it to the mangaka for making one of the most memorable endings to a series I have ever read. I never expected that twist at the end, and after reading it, I want to reread it and hand this out to all of my friends!

If you are hesitant about starting this, or finishing it, like I was, then I have to say, please reconsider. I read every volume, and I own them all. I didn't expect to love it. I just thought, "hey, new shoujo, promising premise, why not?" OMG. I can't even. LOKI!!!!!!!

Seriously guys, seriously. This was good. I cried.
Profile Image for Noura.
432 reviews8 followers
May 17, 2022
incest reveal on the last chapter omfg... not only was your crusty ass in love with a whole minor but you were her brother all along.... and you knew it... but she had no idea... you're beyond jail.

I'm glad this was the last volume because that would've been my last straw honestly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lindsay.
309 reviews2 followers
June 14, 2017
Weak sauce and problematic ending to what started as an interesting series. Over reliance on summary rather than balance between summary and scene. Problematic in that murder and segregation are presented as positive solutions to complex political and social situations. On the whole, it felt like Toma was given a cap of 13 volumes for this series and had to rush toward the end. This series should have easily filled 20 volumes.
Profile Image for Maryam.
93 reviews39 followers
March 3, 2022
That last chapter didn't felt like a last chapter by any means! Why? They left off so much stuff and end it so abruptly just to add that stupid twist. I had to double check if it was actually over there or just not continued yet. I'm extremely disappointed with the ending. Still the manga is a good one, espacially the last volumes (10, 11, 12 )
Profile Image for Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer.
1,512 reviews5 followers
May 1, 2018
description
Check out more manga and graphic novel reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

This is the final volume of the Dawn of the Arcana series and so this will also be my review of the entire series.

Princess Nakaba of Senan and Prince Caesar of Belquat marry to seal a peace treaty between the 2 nations sharing the same island. Caesar is ready to hate Nakaba before he even really meets her simply because this is a political marriage and she has red hair instead of the royal black. Then he starts to get to know Nakaba and she totally changes his point of view. And he realizes maybe red hair is something special after all...

This manga has two things going for it... the first is its mangaka who is a brilliant artist and illustrator who uses her light and gorgeous touch to create a moving world populated with characters you can't help but root for!! There are so, so many gorgeous frames that will make you laugh, weep, break your heart, make you angry. They are rich with the very real emotions of characters that could be real... Her ability to use nuances facial expressions with little to no words is a special ability that makes the other thing going for it even more powerful...

The characters are so real... and this is certainly a character driven story. Nakaba is a headstrong woman with spunk who has had to wait for happiness and for power to step up. Loki is her protector, behind the scenes guarding her back as her only ally. They come as a pair much to Caesar's chagrin. Even though he's envious of their relationship he also knows he has no right to ask her to give up what makes her happy. GAH! Just the pure beauty of their relationships and how they've had to maneuver to find each other or to stick by each other's side! And the arcana of time is a super cool ability to set the entire series around.

The plot is rather simple and straightforward. It's not bad or even poor... It's just that the art and characters are so, so strong and so good that you expect more depth. But there is strength in the plot as well... the mangaka has this beautiful ability to tease out truths and bring them to light in her story that makes you feel!! You feel so, so much!! The final volume does this the best in the series, particularly if you come to love Loki! But it is also sprinkled all throughout and is a power that brightens the simple and basic plot.

As you can see I quite love this series! But the tension is not always as strong as I'd like. Quite a lot of sweeping plot happens that causes changes swiftly in the character's circumstances. This sucks away much of the tension! It's not tension less but if you love it when your hero is surrounded by 100 spiders (10 isn't enough) that are going to eat her up... well then this doesn't have enough tension for you! It is about relationships and hidden truths and emotions not spoken about. When there is also plot tension the story is quite out of this world!

Dawn of the Arcana is not a perfect story but it is quite a moving one with characters to love and relationships that intrigue and compel. A kingdom is at war with the two races it holds and something has got to give! I'd love to see Rei Toma revisit the Ajin world sometime in the future with an entirely new cast and an evil vicious villain!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tension
⋆⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Art

BOTTOM LINE: A shojo manga for readers who want to FEEEEELLLL powerfully and depthfully.

______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my manga and graphic novel reviews in a special feature called Saturday Morning Cartoons...
Profile Image for Kilana Brammer.
13 reviews1 follower
February 14, 2022
This series was full of ups and downs. In other words dramatic. Nakaba is so fun to love.
Spoiler Alert:
It's so sad that certain people have to die like Cain, and Loki.
I cried reading the last Dawn of Arcana which is Volume 13. The Arcana of Time possessed by both Loki and Nakaba seems like a miserable gift.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Amber.
678 reviews4 followers
November 20, 2014
The ending felt like a cop out. Especially with an off camera death and such a loss of tension between Caesar and Nakaba. The ending was missing a full conclusion.
Profile Image for Hoppipolla.
433 reviews6 followers
October 24, 2024
Bueno... Opinión global: creo que al manga completo le daría 3'5 sobre 5, esta bien, lo veo buena idea pero la pluma se observa muy novata aún. La veo también una historia muy estirada, es una historia que en 3 o 5 volúmenes se podría haber contado perfectamente, también empieza con mucho romance y después del volumen dos o tres, Ceaser y Nakaba no vuelven ni a darse un beso, todo se vuelven intrigas políticas que tampoco está mal, no me quejo, pero me hubiese gustado ver su romance madurar más y un poco mejor.
El final es bastante caótico y el plot twist final creo que convierte a Loki en el mejor personaje de todo este manga, pero aún así, lo veo apresurado, caótico, no sé... Es como que en un punto se dijo "hasta aquí hemos llegado" pero no siento que los personajes hayan trazado un camino para llegar a ese punto concreto, no sé si me explico.
Se abusa también mucho del poder de Nakaba para explicar cosas sin dar oportunidad a otros personajes de tener voz y desarrollo propio, lo veo un recurso vago, pero en fin, como digo es muy novata. La Bestia del Rey supone un enorme cambio para la autora y si de verdad hay crossover con esta historia, voy a estar living
Profile Image for Krestik303.
82 reviews3 followers
January 17, 2025
Oh my God. This last volume was insane! From the first read I only remembered that Loki dies but this was so to emotional! I bet I cried when I first read it. I remember I shipped Nakaba and Caesar hard and liked him as the male lead but now I see that Loki is the real MVP. He is so much more complex, mature and mist importantly tragic af and that's my shit! One thing I'm still confused about us if Loki loved Nakaba only as sister or actually as a woman? I didn't see any jealousy for Caewsar from him so in my mind he really adored her as a sister and suffered not being able to tell her that.
The Mangaka promised spinoffs and side stories and never followed through T_T and I also want an anime adaptation! Where is my anime adaptation?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Erika Sarutobi.
986 reviews31 followers
September 26, 2023
3.5 stars

I'm always curious as to how stories end regardless of whether I read the whole series or just the first book. I decided to read the last chapter, but after seeing how it ended, I was intrigued enough to read the entire volume instead. The summary was enough for me to get an idea of whatever happened in between, and the ending was good but sad that I'm glad I didn't bother reading the other volumes honestly.💀 The reveals were great though.

I guess my main criticism out of reading both the first and last volume is that there's barely any substance in the pages that this literally took me 20 mins to finish.
Profile Image for GlutenFreePixels.
248 reviews18 followers
September 8, 2024
This series started rough for me and never got better. I never became fully attached to any of the characters. I felt nothing for Loki's end, given that he was creepy towards his sister the entire series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Faeryn.
89 reviews3 followers
March 25, 2023
I was not prepared for that ending. 😢
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Joti.
Author 3 books13 followers
September 6, 2014
OH
MY
GOD
HOLY SHITTT WHAT A GREAT ENDING AHHHHH!!!!!
Loki ASKED FOR SENAN & NAKABA GAVE IT TO HIM - HE SAID IT WASN'T POSSIBLE FOR HUMANS & AJIN TO CO-EXIST & AJIN WERE IMMIGRATING TO SENAN & HUMANS TO BELQUAT - NOW KNOWN AS BELASHIRE (OR SOMETHING?) NAKABA'S BROKEN BY THE PAIN OF LOKI LEAVING HER & THINGS SLOWLY START CHANGING - SHE & CAESAR GET MARRIED AGAIN - HER HAIR GROWS BACK & THEN A SPECIAL GUEST SHOWS UP - LITTLE RITO ALL GROWN UP & HE'S GOT A MESSAGE...

LOKI IS DEAD.

WHAATTT?!?!??!

HE'S DEAD BECAUSE HE OVERUSED HIS ARCANA POWER & NAKABA USES HER ARCANA OF TIME & GOES UNCONSCIOUS & SHE TRIES THE LOCKED DOORS & FINDS HER PAST & LOKI'S PAST - HER MOTHER & FATHER....AND LOKI OMGGGG HE'S THEIR SON & THEN THEY HAVE A DAUGHTER NAMED NAKABA OMGG
NAKABA & LOKI WERE SISTER & BROTHER
AND HE HAD TO HIDE IT - BECAUSE THEY WERE MIXED BLOOD & WOULD BE KILLED - HE PROMISED THEIR PARENTS TO PROTECT HER BUT HE WAS SOO LONELY & HATED NAKABA SOMETIMES FOR IT - MEANWHILE, NAKABA IS UNCONSCIOUS & AKHIL SAYS IF SHE DESN'T COME OUT OF THE TIME CORRIDOR HER LIFE WILL BE IN DANGER & CAESAR KEEPS CALLING FOR HER TO WAKE UP OMGG & NAKABA FINALLY SEES LOKI & HE SAYS HE STILL LOVES HER & SHE'S SO SORRY FOR EVERYTHING & HE TELLS HER TO GO BACK TO CAESAR
NAKABA WAKES UP OMG & READS THE MESSAGE RITO DELIVERED FROM LOKI - IT SAYS HE'S GIVING SENAN TO PRINCESS NAKABA
AND NOW THEY UNITE THE 2 COUNTRIES, SAYING HUMANS & AJIN WILL BE EQUALS
EVERYTHING WORKS OUT BEAUTIFULLY
THEY'RE ALL HAPPY & THE 2 RACES WILL LEARN TO CO-EXIST
AND THEN
OMGGG THERE'S A PIC WITH NAKABA & CAESAR & HER STOMACH WAS FUCKING HUGE OMGGG SHE'S PREGNANT!!! :O <3 <3 AHHHH THAT'S CRAZY!!!!
OMGGG I HOPE REI TOMA WRITES SOME KIND OF SHORT MANGA OR SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE WITH THEIR CHILD OMGGG
AND WE DID NOT GET TO READ ABOUT CAESAR & NAKABA FINALLY HAVING SEX!!! TALK ABOUT TEASING OVER 13 VOLUMES!! :O -__-
BUT THE STORY WAS GREAT
LOVED THE REVELATIONS ABOUT LOKI & NAKABA & THEIR FAMILY :D :D :D <3
SAD TO SEE THIS SERIES END!!!
FINALLY CAESAR & NAKABA ARE TOGETHER AGAIN! <3 :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Ruman.
591 reviews
November 2, 2015
Caesar and Nakaba are united again in marriage. However, betrayal and grievance ensue from the loss of as her protector and friend. Nakaba learns the truth of Loki's past . He is . It is truly sad at the utter loneliness experienced by Loki, and how he . He could only walk behind Nakaba, and be her servant, instead of .
Profile Image for Ertica*~She'sABookBirdy~*Castley.
46 reviews
December 30, 2015


This is what i'm feeling right now after finishing up reading this manga. I wish the producer of this anime make an anime adaption of this manga. This is by far the coolest manga i have ever read regarding my own opinion. I like the graphic and the plot of the story and may i just say, that it was such a cute short romance they got there. The ending part got me to tear where the person i've been throughout this manga die in the end!. Why ..just why *sobbing* but anyway *sniff* it's a good story and i recommend to all the Otaku lovers who's interested in reading manga should read this.
Profile Image for Bee (BacchusVines).
2,138 reviews15 followers
April 12, 2021
The Dawn of Arcana finishes with a great, big depression bomb. I was trying not to cry while reading this volume. Loki's final secret is exposed and Nakaba is stunned and sadden by his actions and secrets. I like the time skip and the reasoning behind Loki's choice. But man. Those chapters that Nakaba suffers were hard.

I would've loved a little short story about Nakaba and Caesar finally be rulers with each other and learning to love and have joy in their lives.

Thank you, Rei Toma, for this amazing fantasy story about a girl that is judged by her hair and the Ajin with the most difficult path of them all.
Profile Image for -moonprismpower-.
2,986 reviews15 followers
September 25, 2023
Wow. Wtf! This volume was 90% depressing. We didn’t even get to see Nakaba and Caesar be happy finally. Loki got all of the attention this volume!!! His final secret was revealed but to be honest, I’ve never cared for Loki, so how he felt didn’t mean anything?? Just that it’s weird that he seemed in love with her all this time but you know *insert twist here*???
Overall, the ending seemed rushed. All that turmoil and many deaths just to not really see anyone flourishing in happiness after the major victory we were waiting for this whole freakin time!!! Instead we cried over Loki at the end and time jumped to a vague montage to show us “how happy they ended up”…
Profile Image for Laura.
574 reviews28 followers
November 4, 2022
This series turned into a real mess. The first few volumes were ok though quite fast-paced. Then it became even more sped up and nonsensical. Events would happen one after another with no build up and no pay-off. The final chapter didn't feel like the final chapter at all and it ended very abruptly that when I turned the last page I was surprised there wasn't another chapter after it. Overall, I'm glad it is over. 4/10 stars overall
Profile Image for Saarah.
53 reviews52 followers
August 22, 2015
I felt this was the best book by far in the whole series. it was the only one that touched me deeply, and I was super sad that I swear I could've cried. I am SO glad that there wasn't a fake happy ending. seriously, I could not ask for a better last book.
Profile Image for L.L. Tibbetts.
Author 6 books14 followers
August 11, 2019
This series hooked me & kept hold. I loved the whole story, and the characters. It dabbles in "What if" as well as the grey areas of choices and people. It was very well done. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves complex stories.
Profile Image for Rebecca Ann.
2,887 reviews
February 7, 2017
NOOOOOOOOO! So many feelings! This was a perfect wrap up to the series and it really only made me love Loki most of all. Now to be sad in a corner.
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