Snow White with the Red Hair Volume 8 Review

We’ve now reached Volume 8 of the shojo series Snow White with the Red Hair. Up until now, we’ve yet to see any new content that the anime series didn’t adapt, but this volume is set to change that! As we begin a new arc, let’s find out how the cast is doing. 

This book begins with Shirayuki and Zen finally talking to one another about their future, with Zen declaring that he wants to show Shirayuki off to the world as his partner. Now that the two understand where one another stand, they can move on to carving their place in the world. 

With that discussion concluded, the cast set off to see off Sakaki who has been staying at the castle. When heavy rain falls on their return journey, they’re forced to take shelter at an inn for the night. While staying at the inn, Obi encounters a friend from his past who seems to have a job for him…

Obi’s friend is a woman known as Torou, who is investigating a runaway child. She’s been hired by a mercenary group to bring him home and has now narrowed down his location, so she asks Obi for his help. Obi readily agrees and as the two work together he begins to realise how much his life has changed since meeting Zen and Shirayuki. 

For a while now Snow White with the Red Hair has been hinting at Obi’s view on life changing. He’s a lot less hot-headed than he used to be and is willing to dedicate his life to serving Zen as his master. Of course, we’ve also noticed that he’s also been falling for Shirayuki, which I’m sure will become an issue at some point but remains an untouched plot point for now. 

His reunion with Torou shows how much he has changed throughout these eight volumes and that’s rewarding for the readers who have been noticing it on their own. While I have been somewhat negative on the series for re-treading similar storylines recently, it’s hard to deny that the mangaka gives her cast a lot of development.

I mentioned at the beginning of this review that this instalment of Snow White with the Red Hair includes some new content! The final chapter of Volume 8 sees Shirayuki and Ryu being sent to Lilias, to investigate why they haven’t been sending regular herbalist reports. This was never covered in the anime and looking at the episode list for Season 2 it seems some of the content from Volume 7 and 8 of the manga were rearranged as the anime came to its conclusion. 

This visit to Lilias seems like the next big arc for the series, so if you’ve been waiting for new content to jump into, then Volume 8 is the perfect place to start. I’m hoping this new arc will give us some more development for Ryu, who is a member of the cast we don’t see all that often right now. 

Volume 8 of Snow White with the Red Hair comes to the West thanks to VIZ Media and continues to be translated by Caleb Cook. The translation reads well with no issues. The back of the book includes some character illustrations as extras. 

Overall, Volume 8 of Snow White with the Red Hair shifts focus to Obi to deliver a thoughtful and entertaining look at how he has been changing lately. For anime fans, this instalment also kicks off a brand-new arc that wasn’t adapted. This time around there is something for everyone to enjoy.