What is love?... more>>

Love is a wound that is unable to be exposed merely from pictures;

Love is a sorrow that is unable to be expressed solely by words;

But love consists of more than just pain and despair,

Love can be exhilarating, it can also be blissful.

Even if it’s ambiguous, it can still be mutually protected for life.

In this novel, there are many stories; some maybe vague, others perhaps clear. <<less

A message affixed to the door of a flower shop saying, "I will choose the flower that suits you best."... more>>

The clerk will select and introduce the flowers that suit the customer, but there are only strange flowers that are not found in any other flower shop.

Not this one, nor this one. I was strangely attracted to one flower.

So what of the flowers that weren't to your liking? If you don't need them, then let's dispose of them. <<less

The head of Ma Family, person in charge of the second dam, died in an accident, and Ma Family was on the decline since then. The young master of Ma Family, a foppish “boy”, reformed “himself” thoroughly and tried to take over the job of protecting and developing the second dam.... more>>

“He” began to recruit boatmen, stand out in lion dance pageant and guard Ma Family and its fame. “He” fought against illegal salt vendors, and fought for the royal ticket, but became a prisoner due to dirty tricks of the enemies.

Imperial censor Wu Zhong spare no effort in rescuing his sweetheart. Was Wu gay?

Did you know that the present head of Ma Family was a girl? <<less

Born to a house where women were only seen as tools to birth children, I was already in my twenties. I was standing on the crossroads of life.... more>>

At my fingertips were close to fifty photos of different men. They were the marriage partner candidates my father had prepared.

Those who took the initiative and volunteered because they wanted his company, and those that were recommended to strengthen our ties with other companies. There were various reasons, but I was to marry one, and build up a child.

That was my reason for existence in this house.

I don’t think I can love another.

I wonder how everyone believes in something so shapeless as love. It was only a marvel to me.

That I couldn’t do something any standard person could must be because I was a person who was never properly loved.

I put a break on the countless unanswered questions I held since my birth, and stared down at the photos around me.

That I chose him was truly a coincidence. <<less

The as*hole cheated on her. Gu Shuangshuang ended the relationship and came across another man. What the hell was up with this guy??? During the... more>> first, second and even the third encounter, he had saved her from danger. He made up his mind without a second thought to help her get even with her father, stepmother and elder sister who were b*tches to her! Later, she finally knew that he was the husband she had never met after two years of marriage. W-what?! One day, the man presented the red registration book with her name on it, saying: “ Why don’t you call me daddy sweetheart?!” So, could she truly call him and his hot d*ck daddy? Gu Shuangshuang’s finally got enlightened:” Daddy~ You baddy~ help! If you know what I mean~” <<less

After marrying Alex for three years, Crystal finds out the marriage is just a lie. A lie Alex makes to take revenge on her for... more>> Maya, his first love. <<less

“Quick transmigration world notification: Among the thousands of rules here, safety comes first.” There came a mechanical sound. ... more>>

“Are the male leads the same one?” Fu Yan was surprised to see that handsome man one more time.

The system, “Host, you are so fickle that you are coveting other men.” Fu Yan became flustered upon seeing the suddenly darkened face of the male lead and nervously explained, “No, don’t get me wrong, okay?”

After he won over so many male leads who looked the same, Fu Yan was confused, “Why are the other characters are becoming adorable while the male leads are becoming more pe*verted?” <<less

The father finished himself by jumping off the building, and the mother fell and became a vegetable. After that, Zhong Zhen was forced to raise... more>> a massive amount of medical expenses for surrogacy. She slept with a strange man, successfully making herself pregnant. Later she gave birth to a pair of babies. Yet she was in pain again without knowing the reason! It turned out that there was still a baby left! She was overjoyed and left the city behind along with that remaining baby. She only dared to return in three years. Most unexpectedly, the machine of fate was to run again... <<less

"In your sweetest moment, I will give you Hell."... more>>

Alexandra was a wicked woman who did not mind staining her hands with blood in order to make her husband the emperor. However, he repaid her unconditional devotion with betrayal, an extramarital affair, and a gruesome death.

Just before Alexandra died, she had one thought in her head: "If I could go back into the past, I would be willing to be his wife again. Then I can show him how painful it is to be betrayed by the one you loved the most!"

Miraculously, Alexandra returned to the day of her wedding with her husband. She decided to become the empress once again to exact the most delightful and brutal revenge she can... <<less

The young and rich Vanessa Rio Perez glimmered with happiness as she dared to hope about starting her happily ever after once she marries her dream man, Allen Travis Fajardo.... more>>

But she was wrong.

Her arranged marriage with the airline heir didn’t work out. She woke up everyday to a marriage where abyss and emptiness held the reins. He grew more and more distant as every month passed by.

That provoked her to commit one mistake – a mistake that welled his heart up with hate and shattered their marriage even more. <<less

Wang Xiong regains the memories of his past life. Regaining control of the human realm, he leads a mighty army and returns to the Immortal Realm on a conquest against the Divine Immortals. ... more>>

Changes begin, chaos arises. <<less

There’s SAS in Great Britain, CIA in the USA. In Huaxia, there’s Dragon Division, known as the mysterious power of the East.... more>>

When a soldier that originally failed to be selected to join, appeared on the Dragon Division’s list again, no one noticed, that this inconspicuous and humble looking guy was actually the Dragon King of the division, the one that’s most difficult to deal with.

He was a man, whose appearance gave every one existential crisis, including a fly that was consecutively caught by him with a pair of chopsticks.

Of course, this story is hilarious as well.

[Shen Yao laughed. “You think I would help you? For what reason?”

Xu Cheng sighed. “Shen Yao, to be honest, you are really pretty.”

“Humph.” Shen Yao snorted coldly, “Can you elaborate on that for me?”

“I don’t know how to get into details, but I can only say that when I accidentally tore your skirt today, I got a boner.” ] <<less

Talent, appearance, power.... more>>

No matter how hard I try, I can't beat the people born with these things.

But, within this dungeon, I can overcome them. <<less

Sugar, spice and everything nice, add some silliness, craziness and laugh trip; this explain the corny love of Ianne at Nate. The only thing missing in their importunate love story is the sentence, “…and they lived happily ever after.” But there’s hidden secret in their “fairy tale” relationship.... more>>

Love. Selfishness.

Surprise. Mistake.

How would this four words change their life? And who’s this emotionless guy and why does it look like his straight face steals every joyful memories in this world?

At first I thought, love is undefined.

In the end…

it’s AFGITMOLFM. <<less

Betrayed by his lover and abandoned by mankind, the race he saved, Rohen gave up all hopes in life.... more>>

Returning to the past, he laid down his sword and allowed the world to perish as he stood in the side. Just as man turned his back on him, he, too, will do the same.

This was his pledge.

But, his view changes little by little when he meets a girl wielding the same scars as him.

She changes him… heals his broken scar without notice.

***

Looking at Rohen, his body torn and mangled, she burst into tears and asked, “Why… why didn’t you run away?”

He heard her sweet voice. It calmed him. She protected him.

Rohen laughed. “Because you’re here.” <<less

On the outskirts of the Pleasure City of Midas lies the Ceres special autonomous area, commonly known as the slums. Gang leader Riki, looking for an easy pocket to pick in the nightlife districts, gets caught red-handed…by none other than one of the highest-ranking, golden-haired android elites ruling from the capital Tanagura: the “Blondy” Iason Mink!
By all rights, a Blondy standing at the pinnacle of aristocracy and a slummer should have never crossed paths—their chance encounter marks the beginning of a love twisted by obsession, soon spiraling into a karmic chain of events...... more>>

⬇️ //// About the Japanese novel and anime adaptations ////
⬇️ //// About the English translation ////
⬇️ //// Current translation status ////
⬇️ //// Drama CDs, prequel and side stories ////

//// About the Japanese novel and anime adaptations ////

Originally serialized in the bimonthly magazine Shosetsu June (小説ジュネ) spanning six chapters from December 1986 to October 1987, the novel was released with minor revisions into a hardcover edition in 1990.
This first version of the story received a two-episode/OVA anime adaptation in 1992 and 1994.

Between the years 2001 and 2007, the original story was greatly expanded upon and released in six paperback volumes. After a change of Japanese publisher, two more volumes were released between 2009 and 2010, completing the series (the six aforementioned volumes were released as volumes 1-4 in the newest Japanese edition).
This second version of the story was meant to be adapted into a twelve-episode OVA anime—initially planned to release in 2010—but was postponed to 2012, only to be discontinued after the fourth episode’s release.

//// About the English translation ////

The English paperback expanded edition is made up of eight volumes: the six first volumes (Seibido/Crystal edition) + the two later volumes (#7 and #8 in English, but #5 and #6 in the newest Tokuma/Chara edition).
The change in Japanese publisher led to a change in translator for the English edition between vol1 to 6 and vol7 to 8: it is highly recommended to read the fan translations of #7 and #8 as opposed to reading the licensed edition, due to the massive loss in translation (expect a 50% word count difference between the two).

//// Current translation status of the different editions of the novel (as of April 20th, 2024) ////

. Shosetsu June edition, unlicensed: 2/6 chapters, ongoing fan translation.
. 1990 hardcover edition, unlicensed: 2/6 chapters, ongoing fan translation. An older fan translation had 4/6 chapters translated but the project was dropped.
. 2000’s expanded edition, English licensed: fully translated, complete.

//// Drama CDs, prequel and side stories ////

– The Shosetsu June story was adapted into a drama cassette and a drama CD (Dark Erogenous).
– The expanded story was adapted into three drama CDs (Destiny, Nightmare, Resonance)
– A prequel called Midnight Illusion was serialized in Shosetsu June between December 1992 and April 1993, and released as a hardcover in 1996. 3/6 chapters have been fan-translated into English.
– The 5 side stories have all been fan-translated into English (Kizu/Wound, File-0, Cal’s Sighs, Musk, Illusion Night) and are based on the expanded version of the novel.

Look up online “Ai no Kusabi Master List LiveJournal” to find the links to all the material listed above and more.

[This page was updated as per an anon’s request, all credit goes to the AnK community where credit is due.] <<less

When the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent... more>> out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally--the female soldier known as the Full Metal b*tch. Is she the key to Keiji's escape or his final death? <<less

In the world of fiction, Ariel finds herself mysteriously transported into the pages of an adult novel she had kept hidden, assuming the role of the tormented female protagonist who had suffered at the hands of the male lead.... more>>

But Ariel refuses to accept her fate and decides to rewrite her own story. Determined to break free from the male lead's control, she resolutely declares, "Your body belongs to me," as she confronts the charismatic antagonist.

As Ariel embarks on her quest to reshape her destiny, she is willing to embrace the reputation of a merciless and captivating saint if it means seizing control of her own narrative. <<less

If I gracefully accept the fate that will happen, my heart will definitely feel at ease.... more>>

Until I fall in love with you on that day. <<less

Our protagonist was an adult in his late twenties, who had crossed dimensions into a world of cultivation. However, he was sent into the body... more>> of an infant when the transcension happened. Our story begins a few years later, when both his parents died to an illness and he was the only heir to his clan, at six years old. Watch him grow as a human and a cultivator as he fends off enemies who desire his fortune and builds his influence in the new world! <<less

Koushun Takami's notorious high-octane thriller envisions a nightmare scenario: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part... more>> of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violet exploitation when first published in Japan—where it became a runaway best seller—Battle Royale is a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world. <<less

When the kingdom of El Pasa fell into abysmal ruins, Princess Beatrice of El Pasa assumed the identity of Chloe to survive.... more>>

But then, a man known for his exquisite appearance and coldness appeared and stirred up the peaceful life she led in s*avery.

That man was Alexandro Graham — the same man who was the sole reason of her kingdom’s downfall. <<less

She thought it would be a new beginning for her when she got out from the jail. She didn't want to be connected with that... more>> man again. However, to ask the kid back, she had no alternative but to please him! He hated her to death for killing his beloved fiancée. Her mom hated her so much that she would rather kill her by plotting with other people. The kid died...and drug addiction came to her... If only she had never agreed the surrogacy! She wouldn't end up like this! <<less

A near future, where humans have been defeated by the viral parasites named Gastrea. They have been exiled into a small territory and live in despair, side by side with terror.... more>>

In this world trapped in darkness—

Rentaro, a boy living near Tokyo and member of the "Civil Security" – an organization specializing in fighting against the Gastrea – is used to accomplishing dangerous tasks. His partner is Enju, a precocious young girl. They fight thanks to their peculiar powers until one day, when they receive a special assignment from the government. This top secret mission is to prevent the destruction of Tokyo...

Set in a near future, this thrilling heroic-action story... starts now! <<less

Welcome to Freia. A continent perpetually torn by war. Hundreds of years ago it was ruled by Magi, people capable of magic who viewed themselves as superior to those who could not. For thousands of years they ruled over common people… but times change.... more>>

Magic is a finite resource, and with its steady depletion, the magi grew weak. Eventually they were overthrown in a great war that saw them made all but extinct. Magic fell with them, becoming taboo in every way, the object of villainy in the novels of romance and heroism.

War is a human condition, however, and it has continued to wage unerringly between the successor kingdoms and empires as the common man fights to become master of the world left behind by the magi.

Magic has gone, but power remains, now wielded in the form of firearms and manpower. Muskets echo on the fields and cannons thunder on the ocean, even more so now that the greatest kingdoms on the continent have pushed out to colonise the far-away land known as Nubissia.

Born into this world of chaos is a young man, reincarnated from a salaryman in 21st century China. Lacking the prejudice against magic, and possessing a hobbyist’s knowledge of firearms and tactics, our young protagonist forges his path in a world where magic and musket war. <<less