The first season of the Date A Live series came out in April 2013. It's become such a hit that it's still doing really well, even four seasons in (as of this writing). If you want to skip to the story's ending, read on and find out whether Date A Live is based on a manga or a light novel that you can read.
Date A Live tells the story of high schooler Shido Itsuka and the role he plays in keeping the world safe.
Set in an alternate, post-apocalyptic Japan where spatial quakes threaten the world's very existence, Shido is tasked with keeping the cause for these quakes, Spirits, at bay.
Spirits are cosmic beings who come in the form of beautiful females and possess extraordinary and pretty devastating powers.
Shido has the strange and puzzling ability to seal the Spirits into his body just by kissing them, neutralizing the girls and turning them into ordinary humans as a result.
To do this, Shido must first spend time with the girls to have them trust in him enough that he could kiss them.
The whole story revolves around this premise, with specific instances varying from Spirit to Spirit, and such is the story of Shido's harem.
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Date A Live has arguably one of the biggest fanbases among mecha anime. When it first came out in 2013, it quickly and very easily became so popular that four seasons and almost a decade later, its fans have only grown—and are still growing—in number.
While that may not come as a surprise considering anime of the harem genre are generally popular, the series is actually quite well-liked not only because it never runs out of waifus or fanservice moments, but more so because of its coherent, albeit repetitive story.
Its characters are also some of the most well-written, especially for a harem anime. Shido is a generally admired harem protagonist because he's actually thoughtful, sensible, and capable.
Truly, Date A Live is deserving of its great reputation among anime fans both old and new.
Related: How Many Episodes Will Date A Live Season 4 Have?
Is Date A Live Based on a Manga or Light Novel?
Date A Live is based on a light novel series of the same title written by Koushi Tachibana and illustrated by Tsunako. The first volume came out on March 19, 2011.
The anime's first season covers volumes 1-4, the second covers volumes 5-7, and the third covers 8-12. The latest season will be covering the light novel from parts of the 12th volume and onwards.
A manga adaptation based on the light novel went into publication in April 2012 but was cancelled right after the release of its sixth chapter due to illustrator Ringo's health problems.
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Is the Date A Live Light Novel Finished?
The Date A Live light novel ended with a total of 22 volumes in March 2020.
Koushi Tachibana also simultaneously published a collection of short stories in the DAL universe called Date A Live Encore, which ran from 2013 to 2020.
Fans are encouraged to read Encore 10 after Volume 22 of the main story as it carries the true (and happier) ending.
Read next: Do Tohka and Shido End Up Together in Date A Live?
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