Five hundred years of time stole the memories from the boy.... more>>

Due to losing his memories in cold sleep, Touji was obligated to become an infantryman, burdened by debt.

Clad in an enhanced exoskeleton and accompanied by spherical robots called Monos as companions, Touji continues to fight against hostile extraterrestrial beings in the changed Earth, now a wasteland.

The demon cards distributed to him represent the talent of a sniper, a skill that would have never blossomed in times of peace.

――In the wasteland, the boy inherits the role of a hunting dog. <<less

The world is shrouded in radioactive dust, descendants of ancient gods hunt mankind as mutant creatures run rampant all while bizarre existences emerge from unknown depths. ... more>>

The alliance of humanity has long ago fallen apart, suffering, poverty and death nibble away like maggots at the remaining human souls.

Li Mu awakens from the distant past and discovers that he too possesses the power of the ancient gods.

Before him, there are two paths: one is to soar high above the heavens, overlooking the changes of the world among other ancient gods, and the other is to light the forge, strike the hammer of battle and completely change the world. <<less

[This sci-fi concept will blow your mind + multiple female leads + overpowered MC + apocalypse + hoarding supplies + lone wolf + selfish]... more>>

In 2066, a mycology research expedition discovered a brand new ancient microbial fungal community under the Arctic glaciers.

In 2070, a viral pandemic swept across the human world. Spherical fungal viruses that used fungi as hosts emerged and brought about the apocalypse, taking over the planet. 90% of the global population was infected and turned into fungal zombies with mushroom heads! Against this backdrop, the fungi controlled the zombie puppets to establish a civilization belonging to the microbial fungal community, wiping out human civilization.

Reborn one month before the apocalypse, Xu Que intended to hoard supplies to build an impregnable doomsday fortress that could withstand the fungal invasion. By chance, he dug a magical hole in the wall. He had wanted to use the hole to peep at his beautiful neighbor showering next door, but instead saw that the beauty was also a zombie...

When doomsday came, people were willing to abandon everything for a protective mask. Xu Que hid in the banquet hall inside the hole, sipping red wine and gazing at the table full of dishes, not knowing which to eat first.

Goddess: Xu Que, please, as long as you let me in, I'll do anything!

Nosy relative used to moral coercion: Xu Que, I'm your elder. Quick, bring some supplies to honor your auntie!

High school show-off classmate: Xu Que, we're classmates. Please, I'm begging you, throw a bun out here to feed me! <<less

“Old Tang, you activated speed-related Genetic Base Points. What’s the direction of those Base Points?” ... more>>

This question caused Tang Ting to have a melancholic expression.

“It’s… Hand speed…” “And the right hand at that!”

Xu Tui slipped onto a daze.

Hand speed and the right hand. This image…

Didn’t the teacher say that it was easier to activate the Base Points of the areas you use the most?

“Old Tang, just what do you use your hands for?”

“According to that explanation, did I activate the Genetic Base Points in my stomach because I’ve eaten 18 year’s worth of meals?” Cheng Mo, who was on his way to becoming a glutton, looked up and sighed.

Xu Tui stroked his head, “Could it be because I’ve used my brain for 18 years?” <<less

Doomsday came, and after the destruction was rebirth.... more>>

Everyone gained superpowers, but Li Chang'an lived like a beast without any powers.

Some taught him to be good, others taught him to conquer the world.

He slowly believed that there was light even in the darkness.

Though the path was arduous, he wanted to become a powerful person at the pinnacle.

But one day the light vanished before his eyes. <<less

In the year 1989, the Japanese government passed the Media Betterment Act, allowing a group of soldiers known as the Media Betterment Committee (MBC) to destroy and censor any "problematic" media under the guise of protecting public morals. As a response, regional governments established the Library Defense Force (LDF), whose members take up arms and put their lives on the line to protect freedom of expression. At the top of the Kanto branch of the LDF stands the Library Task Force (LTF): an elite squad consisting of only the most exceptional fighters.... more>>

As a high schooler, Iku Kasahara experienced the terror of censorship first-hand when she refused to surrender the newest volume of her favorite series to MBC agents. She only came out unscathed thanks to a lone member of the LDF, who protected her and her beloved book. Now in her 20s and still unable to forget the man who saved her, Kasahara joins the LDF in the hope of becoming just like her prince.

But LDF training turns out to be far more rigorous than she could have imagined, and her instructor, LTF member Atsushi Doujou, seems fixated on making her life a living hell. Given her struggles, Kasahara is shocked when she is selected as one of the two new LTF recruits as a result of Doujou's recommendation. As Kasahara does all she can to become worthy of the LTF and unravel her enigmatic superior's motivations, she wages war—both on the battlefield and in her personal life.

Vol 1 – Toshokan Sensou (図書館戦争) (Library War)
Vol 2 – Toshokan Nairan (図書館内乱) (Library Infighting)
Vol 3 – Toshokan Kiki (図書館危機) (Library Crisis)
Vol 4 – Toshokan Kakumei (図書館革命) (Library Revolution) <<less

​​​​​​​This is a story set centuries after the Sol system crumbled and the old human went extinct. At least, this is what the crew of the Ark Continuum-5 are told.... more>>

To ensure humanity will continue to exist, the Continuum-5 began a journey across millennia. Although every post is essential, the hierarchy is ruled by meritocracy, yet skill and prowess are predisposed by genetics – you can say the destiny of every crew member has been set before they are even born.

This solid and cruel system is essential for the New World. At least, this is what the crew of the Ark Continuum-5 was taught. <<less

In a world where magical abilities are commonplace, a high-school yuri romance transcending spacetime begins!

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

Lu Wen was reborn as a bionic housekeeper.... more>>

He thought he would do just simple housework in this life.

On the first day he was taken home by his employer, he received two instructions:

“Don’t go to the third floor.”

“Dig a hole in the backyard that can bury an adult, and dig a little deeper.”

What should he do now? Is this fate of MC? <<less

※Attention: ‘Set-ups’ exist in this story.... more>>

-----------------------------

Have you ever wished to become a doll?
When something makes you sad, have you ever found your aching heart annoying?
I have.
Since when have I been living as a doll?

Since when?
Since when have I considered myself not the real deal?

-----------------------------

Japan is at risk because of terrorists called ‘the Neoepicureans’.

A girl attending a girls’ school in Tokyo — Kōko meets another ‘girl’. If you can call her a girl, that is. ‘She’ is an android.

Targeting the android — Ichigo — are those who unveil themselves as ‘magicians’. Deeper and deeper, Kōko is pulled into the battle for Ichigo behind the curtains. Out of the sight of the everyday person, fights unfold between ‘magicians’.

This story is a yuri fantasy set in the modern age, told by the mysterious speaker ‘Metako’.

— If you found a heart weeping, what would you do? <<less

The story of a girl who falls in love with another girl in a country where all women are born only to serve men.

That day, mankind could finally see the sun. The sky that had always been covered in smog and had never been seen before, who would have thought that it was so pure and alluring?... more>>

Thus, they danced in admiration of the gods’ grace bestowed upon them. They drank and sung, rejoicing about the gods’ greatness.

Despite their sincere gratitude, the gods chastised the people. After the festival that lasted for three days and three nights, the sky started to collapse.

The gods descended from above, and they dyed the land blood-red. <<less

After a great war devastated the world, the cities are divided into two types of zones: one where the rich lives (full of luxury and technology), and the other where the poor lives (hell on earth).... more>>

Benjamin Colton lives in one of the poor neighborhoods, barely has enough to eat, and is tired of everything—of loneliness, of lack of love, and of the fact that he only has enough strength to survive. In addition to his daily duties, one day he ends up helping out as a waiter at an important party where only some of the richest people in the world are present. Unaware that he is being watched, the next day when he returns home, a wealthy-looking, very handsome stranger with a dangerous aura is standing at his front door.

His name is Aster Shanfield, one of the richest people in the world, and his son. <<less

Gu Jiuyi accidentally time-traveled to ancient times, which was already quite inconvenient, but then she also encountered a great disaster. With no other choice and to survive, Gu Jiuyi had to cling tightly to the benefactor's leg. Following her young benefactor, she fled the famine without panic. How to deal with disease, hunger, wild beasts, and evil people all at once? Bring it on, let's showcase our ten all-around abilities, plus the system space, everything can be crushed (Xie Zhan: You can't even cook properly, yet you claim to have ten all-around abilities? Where's your face?). We can even lead everyone to prosperity and enjoy royal provisions. ... more>>

When Gu Jiuyi was enjoying the happiness of being a single wealthy lady, her young benefactor cornered her against the wall: Come with me to the palace, I'll make you my consort.

What the heck? I don't want to engage in palace intrigues! <<less

A land covered with snow-white sand, an air with a foul smell of sulfur, and a land where it was difficult to breathe without a purifier. A gloomy future where even tomorrow’s life could not be guaranteed.... more>>

Faced with a desperate crisis, humanity sculpts the dragon’s corpse to create eight cities. The chosen move to a new city, and the unchosen are left in the desolate Dead sea.

The ‘Theory of Paradise’ will be supported by three pillars. The three of them will be attending the school at the same time, dreaming and sharing the same senses, so they will surely acknowledge each other’s presence.

1000 years after the city was built, three youths who were abandoned and destroyed by the world faced an old prophecy.

“Tell me, you will never love me.”

“You said there was a light outside the tunnel, but to me, the light was you.”

Even in the gloomy dystopian era, the three main characters, Eun Woo, Jae Hee, and Yoon Hwan, were constantly in dynamism. They faced their fate head-on and continued to carry out their own beliefs that they firmly believed on. Through this, it showed how important “love” was in choosing the direction of life, how courageous choices were gathered to change the world, and how overwhelming the ‘love-induced revolution’ was.

‘Theory of Paradise’ was the story of three people who had fallen into hell and had lived desperately, trying to change the world for the one they love, and eventually finding light in the dark. <<less

"Master! Master! This time our target is a beggar!"... more>>

Zhang San responded very coldly: "So what?"

"Since he's a beggar, let's get it over with quickly."

Zhang San calmly glanced at the beggar on the street, then turned and walked away.

"Master, what's wrong?!"

Zhang San spoke weightily: "Little Two, don't you think it's very abnormal for someone to pay to have a beggar killed?"

The disciple asked in shock: "Master, could it be that we have to...again?"

Zhang San nodded plainly.

The next moment, the disciple tightly hugged Zhang San's legs and cried: "It's been a year since we last opened for business, Master! Take this job, or we'll starve to death!"

Zhang San's heart softened, perhaps also under realistic pressures.

He heaved a long sigh, and said: "Fine, let's observe that beggar for two months first before deciding whether to take action."

This assassin is too steady! <<less

I was reincarnated into the world of Academy City.... more>>

Since this is how things turned out, I resolved to live a happy life with a decent job. As long as I catch all the villains who will become great evils, there won't be a problem.

"Greetings! I am Ahn Woojin, the 45th Student Council President and a second-year student."

And that's how I became the Student Council President, leading the Student Council with the top military rank. <<less

“Man is never a peaceful species. If there is a subspecies that is superior, the modern species will feel threatened.”... more>>

From some point onward, a new subspecies, the so-called ‘wolves’, appeared to threaten modern humanity.

Modern humans began to confine them to underground cities to protect themselves.

Then one day, the ‘Professor’ was kidnapped and sent to an underground city.

He realizes that he is a wolf… <<less

A middle-aged man, who had been given a one-year life expectancy, agreed to freeze his body in the Arctic Ocean for future treatment. ... more>>

The world he woke up to was a distant future where the ratio of men to women had dramatically skewed. <<less

A spaceship from the Kingdom of God had greatly contributed to the development of civilizations. Mechas, warships, and wormhole jumps, human beings are advancing rapidly on the road to conquering space.... more>>

Ancient martial arts, myths, genetic modification,
human beings are gradually drifting away in the
exploration of self-evolution. The smoke of wars birthed twisted individuals, human beings are approaching the border in the cycle of self-destruction.

Suddenly one day, people found the legendary
Holy Grail, only to realize that the world is so big,
but their horizons are so narrow.

It happened when Niu Ben was born and his
parents named him.

"The son of the Niu family must be a cow, four
cows, and a bull run!" <<less

Blood, rust, and darkness reign in a nightmare land where an amnesiac girl awakens.... more>>

The misshapen entities who call her “Alice” assault her one after another.

Without a clue of what is taking place, the girl is forced to engage in battle.

She continues to struggle in her nightmare that she cannot wake up from. <<less

A daughter from a wealthy noble family,
She attempted to kill herself after she witnessed the affair of her fiancé and her sister.
It was fortunate that she didn’t die, however, she fell into depression.
Not until one day, a man came into her life.
She was swept away by the man’s fluttering charms.
But even that relationship, eventually turned into tragedy.... more>>

As tragedies of life have no limitations.

She had lost her family overnight, without knowing the cause, and her life from then on were driven to the brink.
And another man came to her and miraculously gave her a choice.

“Madeloena de Devon Jay. You have two options:
One, to simply die. And two, live a complicated life. Which would you choose?”

She had lost her family, her memories, and her name.

When she woke up in a blank state, a medical officer said to her,
“Your name is Harley.”

She was thrown into an unfamiliar situation, unaware of anything. <<less

Major Kang Young-hoon of the Strike Team.... more>>

The moment he died, he possessed his former self of 9 years before his death.

A C-Class ability user with 9 years of experience, this is the story of Kang Young-hoon's new life. <<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