The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan (manga)

The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan (長門有希ちゃんの消失 Nagato Yuki-chan no Shōshitsu) is a spin-off manga (also later an anime adaptation) based on The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. It stars Yuki Nagato. Compared to the main series, there is virtually no science-fiction, only revolving around romance, comedy, and slice-of-life.

It was created by Puyo, who is both the author and artist, but credit to the original story goes toward Nagaru Tanigawa. The manga started serialization in Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace magazine in July 2009. The first volume was officially released in Japanese on February 4, 2010. There are in total ten volumes, with the final volume being published in Japan on February 4, 2017.

At the New York Anime Festival, Yen Press announced that it has licensed The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan and would start releasing it in July 2012 in English. The first English publishing came out that month.

At least one chapter of The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan Nano Branch, an omake spin-off of The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya, has appeared in volume 5 of this manga (Japanese only).

In December 2013, an anime adaptation was announced. It aired on April 3, 2015. The anime covered the first five volumes.

There is also a related novel called A Certain Day (とある一日 Toaru Ichinichi), which is a collection of short stories based on the events of volumes 1 and 2 of the manga. It went on sale in Kadokawa Sneaker on April 1, 2015. The author is Shin Araki.

Manga Summary
The spin-off of "The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi" begins! This time the main heroine is Yuki! The story revolves around Yuki and Kyon, about their school life, their club activities, their comedic schoolmates, and the bits and pieces of romantic times that the two have together which you might just want to enjoy reading!

Volume 1
Yuki Nagato, the shy president of the literature club, has never been very sure of herself around other people. But around Kyon, the only boy in the tiny, three-person club, Yuki finds herself faltering even more than usual. For Kyon, and for her precious club, Yuki must find her confidence and let her true personality shine! Enjoy taking a fresh look at your favorite characters in this brand-new story set in the world of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya!

Volume 2
The casual, quiet literature club meetings are forever changed when Kyon and Yuki encounter a Kouyouen student collapsed in the street! The girl had been up all night trying to contact supernatural beings, but her chance meeting with these two North High students seems an equally good opportunity to break up the monotony of everyday life. Will Yuki make her voice and her feelings heard over the overwhelming presence of the new honorary lit club member—Haruhi Suzumiya?!

Volume 3
Bit by bit, Yuki gains confidence in herself and is able to relax around Kyon. But now that Yuki has taken her first steps in expressing her feelings, mother-hen Asakura worries that her little girl (?) might start pushing things too quickly. Asakura won't stand for any indecorous romancing on her watch. And she will be watching...

Volume 4
When Yuki is grazed by a car on her way home from school, her minor injuries belie the drastic change that has taken place within her: the “Yuki Nagato” after the accident is not the same person as the Yuki from before. The new Yuki has all of the same memories, but they feel as if they were lived by someone else. How will Yuki's fellow club members react to their new friend? And how will Yuki respond to the lingering impressions of her feelings for Kyon...?

Volume 5
Yuki-that is, the “Yuki Nagato” from before her accident-has recovered. Before she awakens, however, she is able to meet the Yuki who had taken her place while she slept. Her other self found the courage to tell Kyon her feelings directly. Now that she's back to normal, is it time for this Yuki to do the same...?

Volume 6
When he joins the organization committee for the joint Kouyouen-North High festival, Kyon is reunited with Sasaki, an old friend from middle school. Their renewed friendship draws a confession out of Sasaki that could change everything! A romantic challenger has appeared!

Volume 7
With Christmas and entrance exams rapidly approaching, everyone is becoming a bit contemplative, but no two more so than Yuki and Kyon. As an eventful year draws to a close, is their relationship the same as ever, or do subtle changes add up over time...?

Volume 8
The heart-stirring ordeals of Christmastime are over. Kyon and Yuki are more conscious of each other than ever, but even now, there's a strange distance between them. As the shrine visits of the new year end and the cold days of school start again, Yuki must make a decision!

Volume 9
(The ninth volume included an original video animation of the Yuki-chan anime. )

Via confession, Kyon and Nagato are officially dating. In order to make lunch boxes for him, she takes lessons from Asakura, all while fretting over her first Valentine's Day as a couple with Kyon. The Vanishing Nagato romantic comedy, limit up!?

Volume 10
Nagato's Love Story, The End!

It being their third year, the Literary Club enters its final year of high school. Meanwhile, Asakura has decided to study abroad in Canada. Kyon, Haruhi, Koizumi, Asakura, and Nagato... Each with his or her own feelings added to the mix, it's the moving final volume.

Synopsis
As the shy head of the Literature Club, Nagato has had a hard time recruiting members. Her close friend Ryoko Asakura supports her in this. Drafting Kyon, she eventually meets up with Haruhi Suzumiya, Tsuruya, Mikuru Asahina and Itsuki Koizumi, and had to put up with their hijinks while trying to romance Kyon. Asakura seemed, at first, ambivalent about the latter prospect, but little by little, Kyon and Nagato started growing closer together.

Amnesia arc (Volume 4)
Just when it seemed that things were progressing smoothly, Nagato suffered a minor car accident. However, this seemed to reawaken certain characteristics of the main-universe Nagato to an extent&mdash;she no longer recognized her (false) memories as her own, leaving Asakura so worried that she dragged Nagato to the hospital. The brain scan showed that she had not sustained any physical damage to her head, however. Asakura and Kyon became concerned about this different behavior, but out of concern for Nagato's well-being, they decided to welcome her as their friend as she was. Afterward, her mental performance did not falter. She studied math textbooks all night. While she easily understood the math as an honor student, she had to memorize the examples to give answers that the teacher could understand. Further, her athletic performance vastly improved. She still demonstrated human frailties such as being tired in the morning and having a gurgling stomach when she got hungry.

Nagato started teaching Kyon math, and asked him to keep his promise to take her to the library. He agreed. Gradually, this version of Nagato started to become more expressive, eventually falling for Kyon on her own. However, as this is happening, the original Nagato was recovering, eventually signaling to the new Nagato that her time was nearly up. Just before the new Nagato faded into oblivion, however, she confesses her feelings to Kyon over the phone. This finally causes Kyon to start developing strong romantic feelings for Nagato.

Summer Vacation arc (Volume 5)
Tsuruya let the group use her beach house for their summer vacation plans. While Nagato had returned to normal, the group still has some trouble sorting out their feelings toward her. As for Kyon, he started to act awkward around Nagato because of the confession. During the trip, he had a hard time conversing with Nagato the way he did before the accident. However, he did start to pick up on the little hints that this Nagato also had feelings for him.

Upon returning from the trip, the group went to a summer festival. Asakura and Kyon had both noticed that they were treating Nagato unfairly and discussed what to do. Kyon took the initiative to make things right. Taking Nagato by the hand, he ran off with her during the fireworks, stating that if he had the chance to answer before Nagato's amnesia wore off, he would have requited her feelings. Nagato of course, did not hear any of this, which is what Kyon intended. However, before they went home for the night, Kyon apologized for his behavior, stating that he would be back to his normal self from then on, but not before treating Nagato to something from the stalls and complimenting her outfit.

Just before the Summer Break ended, Kyon realized that he forgot to do his homework. The group decided to form up on the last day to help him, but it seemed that Kyon is the least academically apt among them, attempting to slack of every chance he got. Finally, he got his chance to escape for a bit when Nagato went out to buy snacks for everyone as a result of losing to Haruhi in a fighting game. Kyon accompanied her for the trip, saying that he'd gladly play games with her if she wanted. Nagato happily agreed, prompting Kyon to ask if Nagato saw herself and the one that appeared in her place as the same person. She seemed a little confused herself, but concluded that while she was a different person, she understood her. This left Kyon wondering if this Nagato had also fallen for him.

Cultural Festival arc (Volume 6)
With the upcoming Kouyouen-North High culture festival, Kyon discovers that his old friend Sasaki is part of Kouyouen's planning committee. The two meet up and get along as if no time had passed at all. After she leaves, the Literature Club decides what they want to do for the festival. They reject Haruhi's band idea, and she storms off. When Sasaki hears this she wants to find out more about what they did together, admitting that she admires Haruhi's personality and quietly had been observing her behavior. When they part ways for the night, Sasaki greets him as always, as her best friend.

Kyon's perspective
Some time later, Kyon is told to help the Kouyouen students bring some heavy materials needed for the Festival over to North High. He recruits Kunikida and Taniguchi to help. During the moving process, Kyon goes off to find Sasaki, and overhears one of the Koyouen students confessing his feelings for her. In a panic, the student runs off without getting a response, leaving Sasaki to think of a plan to turn him down. Sasaki calls Kyon to the roof to discuss it. She is tired of people always asking to date her. Her plan is to pretend that she and Kyon are going out in order to dissuade anybody else from confessing their feelings for her. She is confident that no serious acting will be necessary, since others in middle school used to think they were going out anyway. She drops a number of hints to Kyon that they would be going out for real (such as telling him that she would not ask this of anyone else), with the "pretending" part just being a ruse so that he won't feel uncomfortable with rejecting her. Just as Kyon is about to accept the deal, rationalizing it as helping his friend in need, he remembers the other Nagato's confession. He decides that it would be wrong to lie about it, since it wouldn't be fair to either of the two Nagatos. Sasaki sadly acknowledges this, and the two part ways, still addressing each other as best friends.

Nagato's perspective
Meanwhile, Nagato is troubled over the appearance of Sasaki. Depressed that Sasaki seems closer to Kyon than she is, she wanders off, accidentally bumping into Asahina. Asahina sees that something is troubling Nagato, and asks her what is wrong. Nagato tells her part of it, and Asahina infers the rest. Asahina tries giving advice on how to invite Kyon to accompany her at the Festival, but gets flustered because she doesn't think her advice would be helpful to Nagato. However, Nagato stops her, stating that she will simply muster up the courage to invite Kyon. Asahina calms down after this and wishes her good luck.

The day before the festival, during the last minute search for books to recommend for the Literature Club, Nagato and Kyon end up together alone in the library. She invites Kyon to accompany her.

The Day of the Culture Festival
The manga implies that Kyon accepts Nagato's invitation, and the two wander around the festival together having fun. It's revealed that Haruhi had eventually formed a band with the help of Tsuruya, Asahina, and Koizumi, and that Taniguchi got his wish of meeting a good-looking Kouyouen student (Kuyou). Sasaki and Kunikida meet up, and Sasaki tells Kunikida about the confession from the male Kouyouen student. Sasaki ended up turning down the student directly, stating that she already has feelings for another boy.

December arc (Volume 7)
Christmastime approaches and everyone wants to throw a party. Haruhi asks Tsuruya and Asahina if they want to come to the party. Tsuruya accepts (on Asahina's behalf).

Early December
Kyon invites Nagato over to his house over the weekend to play games and keep him and his sister company while his parents are away. Nagato is nervous about this and asks Asakura for advice. Asakura just tells her to be her usual self and everything will work out fine. When the weekend comes, Nagato shows up and keeps Kyon's sister company while Kyon gets snacks ready. While playing games together, Kyon's sister asks if Nagato and Kyon are going out. Nagato is flustered by Kyon's sister's rapid-fire questions and eventually tells Kyon's sister that while they were not going out, she is in love with Kyon. Kyon overhears this outside his door. Pretending that he heard nothing and rationalizing it as just Nagato playing along, he leaves for the convenience store and goes back to his room some time later. After playing games until 4:00, Kyon's sister falls asleep. Kyon puts her to bed, after which she tells him Nagato said not to tell him that she likes him. Kyon walks Nagato home, visibly troubled. Thinking about it, Kyon realizes that he used to think of Nagato as being like a little sister, but after the new Nagato confessed love for him, he fell in love with her.

Christmastime
With the Christmas party rapidly approaching, Kyon's newly discovered feelings start to get the better of him. Tsuruya offers to use her house as the party venue. When asked if she is really fine with it, Tsuruya states that their time together is limited, so they have to make use of it. Nagato accepts the offer. On the way home, Kyon states that he feels a little bit sad at Tsuruya and Asahina's imminent graduation. Haruhi points out that everyone will soon graduate, and asks if he is living without regrets. Kyon and Nagato turn their eyes toward each other, but due to the way they are standing, neither notices. Asakura and Haruhi both seem to catch this, however.

Stirred by Haruhi's question, Asakura decides to give both of them a little push. To Kyon, she subtly suggests that he should get Nagato something special for Christmas. She starts to give Nagato a very aggressive pep-talk, but is interrupted by a phone call from her mother.

Everyone arrives at Tsuruya's house on the 24th and Haruhi leads off with loud chanting, getting Koizumi and Asakura to both join in. After a bit of merriment, food, and games, Kyon catches Nagato outside in the rear garden. Kyon and Nagato both decide that this is the right moment to confess their feelings, and just as Kyon is about to speak, Nagato beats him to the punch. The manga does not reveal the details of what happened until later.

Relationship Development arc (Volume 8-9)
After the New Year, Kyon, Asakura, and Nagato head out to the shrine and find Haruhi, Tsuruya, and Asahina are all working there as shrine maidens, while Koizumi was recruited to take pictures of them. Koizumi, Kyon, Asakura, and Nagato all draw fortune slips. Nagato's says to take things one step at a time for love. Asakura's says that moving house quickly would bring fortune. Kyon's says that there are troubles ahead, and advises that he should take on the troubles together with Nagato. Koizumi gets a great blessing. Kyon makes a remark about his thing for ponytails when he sees Haruhi and Tsuruya. Nagato gets a little jealous, and after the fortune slips, Kyon apologizes. However, Nagato decides to grow out her hair, much to Kyon's delight.

Back at school, Kyon tells Nagato that staying up late is bad for one's figure. Nagato worries about it. After school, in the clubroom, Kyon tell Nagato that she doesn't have to change for him, and in particular doesn't have to grow her hair out. Nagato says that her reason for worrying isn't necessarily out of self-consciousness, but because it is fun for her to think of Kyon and worry about little things. The conversation segues into Kyon's increasing weight. Asakura steps in and says that if Kyon doesn't want to exercise, perhaps eating better would keep him healthy. Kyon says he doesn't really have a choice, considering he can't cook. Asakura mistakes this for a challenge and decides to make Kyon's lunch for tomorrow. However, as days pass, Asakura continues to make all Kyon's lunches, and the bento boxes became more and more unhealthy as Asakura starts to show off, fueled by Kyon's compliments. Nagato worries that Asakura has lost sight of her goal and is going to make Kyon fat, and asks Asakura to teach her how to cook for Kyon. This brings Asakura back down to reality as she agrees.

Kyon is barely able to swallow Nagato's first attempt. Asakura uses this to teach her that she has to work hard to become skilled. Asakura then gives Nagato her recipe book. Much like in the main universe, Haruhi reveals that she got good at cooking as a result of her mother having an off sense of taste. She encourages Nagato to go at it every day and gain experience. Asakura remarks that it is a little strange for Nagato to be doing this for Kyon before she starts dating, showing that she doesn't know about Nagato dating Kyon. Haruhi keeps quiet about it and changes the subject. Asakura notices that Nagato is hot to the touch, and they go home quickly.

Haruhi nurses the sick Nagato: feeding her soup Haruhi cooked herself, taking her temperature, dispensing advice, and tucking her in to rest. Nagato dozes off, and dreams about her confessing her feelings to Kyon on Christmas.

Kyon was at first taken aback. Nagato then said that she didn't need an answer right away, which reminded Kyon of the time when the other Nagato said the same thing. This stirred Kyon to action as he caught her before she could run off, stating that he also loved her. The two stood around awkwardly for a bit, and bowed to each other to signify the start of their new relationship. However, they bumped heads, the memory of which jolts Nagato awake from her dream.

Kyon is at her bedside, to Nagato's surprise. When asked, Kyon says that he thought he was obligated to visit her when she's sick since he's her boyfriend. Asakura, having returned from the grocery store, overhears this and is stunned. Asakura talks it over with Haruhi. She is angry when Haruhi reveals that she already knew, but Haruhi says she thought the couple should come clean on their own, and turns the tables on Asakura by pointing out that she should have noticed earlier, since she spends so much time with them. Haruhi also says that she has no intention of pursuing Kyon, stating that "something" is missing. The manga then shows a panel in which she is wearing a North High uniform, pulling Kyon along by the tie (but still with her hair long, making clear that this is not a vision of the original universe). Nagato recovers from her illness, and Asakura refrains from telling her that she knows about her and Kyon, instead showing her how to make kinpira.

In February, during Setsubun, Tanigichi pulls Kyon aside and asks what he and Nagato are doing for Valentine's Day as a reference. Kyon admits that he and Nagato only got together very recently and have yet to go on a single date, causing Taniguchi to rethink his high opinion of Kyon's romantic caliber and withdraw the request for advice. With his pride hurt, Kyon musters up the courage to ask Nagato out on a date for Valentine's Day.

On the date, Nagato and Kyon discuss how to go about telling Asakura about their relationship. Kyon decides to tell her soon. Later, at school, Kyon lets Asakura know that he has to talk to her about something. Asakura figures it out, and brings everyone in the Literature Club to the clubroom to hear it, making it public knowledge.

Graduation
The two seniors, Tsuruya and Asahina, graduate, and everyone says their good-byes to them. Nagato thanks Asahina for all her help. Asakura calls her mother and tells her she has decided to move to Canada.

The Disappearance of Ryouko Asakura arc (Volume 10)
Haruhi, Koizumi, Asakura, Nagato, and Kyon all become seniors. Nagato's hair has grown longer, and her cooking has improved. At the first Literature Club meeting of the school year, the club decides not to recruit new members.

It is revealed that the trigger for Asakura's decision to move to Canada was Nagato settling into her relationship with Kyon, since the one thing holding her back was fear that Nagato would not be able to get by without her. On a rainy day, Haruhi and Asakura hang out. Haruhi asks Asakura what university she's thinking of going to. She tells Haruhi of her plan to go to Canada for university, and that she is stressed by the decision. Haruhi realizes that Asakura is stressed not for fear that Nagato can't do without her, but for fear that she can't do without Nagato. Confronted with this observation, Asakura recalls how she and Nagato met at elementary school age, and that Asakura was shy and relied on Nagato for social support. Asakura realizes that despite the outward switch in their relationship, she remains emotionally reliant on Nagato's presence. Asakura decides to go to Canada, saying she has to become independent sometime.

When she breaks the news to Nagato, Nagato is angry that she didn't discuss it with her before deciding. Asakura asks Kyon to help her out. At the park, Kyon talks to Nagato about Nagato's feelings. Nagato admits that she actually feels guilty for not having figured out on her own that Asakura was thinking of moving to Canada, and redirected her anger at Asakura. Kyon says that it isn't her fault and encourages her to talk to Asakura. Asakura and Nagato discuss the matter, Nagato finally saying through tears that she will miss Asakura.

By August, Nagato has become proficient at cooking, to the point where she can make Asakura's secret Summer Oden. Nagato's hair has grown to the point that she can change her hairstyle. Asakura trims and styles it for her, giving Nagato side-braids and sending a picture to Kyon. Days later, the Literature Club goes to the pool, where Kyon and Nagato experiment in kissing underwater.

In a montage covering events from October through February, Nagato and Kyon study for and take entrance exams, Haruhi tries to convince Asakura to do Cultural Festival activities, and Kyon gives Nagato a Christmas present.

In March, the Literature Club is shut down, and Asakura leaves for Canada. Everyone says their goodbyes to her, and Asakura entrusts Nagato to Kyon's care.

Epilogue
Asakura visits from Canada two years later. There to greet her upon her return is only Haruhi. Haruhi explains that due to Nagato's excitement the night before, she overslept, but Asakura's imagination gets the better of her, and she thinks that everyone is planning to surprise her with the revelation that Nagato and Kyon have had a baby.

Haruhi goes to the same school as Tsuruya and Asahina. Koizumi became popular with the girls, and confessed to Haruhi. Haruhi boasts that her response was, "If you like me, then try making me fall for you!", but Asakura thinks this is just her way of avoiding outright rejecting Koizumi.

At Nagato's apartment, Nagato is still asleep. Asakura gives her a whack on the back of the head to wake her up, like at the beginning of the series. Nagato gives Asakura a hug.

Major

 * Yuki Nagato


 * Kyon
 * Ryoko Asakura
 * Haruhi Suzumiya
 * Sasaki

Minor

 * Sonou Mori
 * Mikuru Asahina
 * Tsuruya
 * Itsuki Koizumi
 * Kunikida
 * Taniguchi
 * Kuyou Suou
 * Emiri Kimidori
 * Shamisen
 * Ryoko Asakura's mother. Phone call (chapters 56 and 70) and flashback (chapter 73 - face not shown)
 * Yuki Nagato's mother. Flashback only (chapter 73 - face not shown)