Ethan, the former secretary working for the Energy Bureau of Earth Union, was detained in a place called ‘Forbidden City’ after being deprived of his moral value points for committing treason. Everyone in the city is tr*sh among humans. They have to continually go on specified hazardous and terrifying missions for the sake of atonement and to exchange moral values points. If their moral value points reach 100 one day, they would obtain a chance to be released from the Forbidden City and return to the world of the humans to restart their lives as a human. But it was said that once someone enters the Forbidden City, no one can come out alive.
... more>> 40px;"> Ethan just wanted to live, but from his first mission, he felt like he had descended into a whirlpool of terror. In front of these huge monsters that could devour the entire universe, he can only keep falling.

This novel is inspired by Lovecraftian horror. <<less

In this latest work by Lord of the Mysteries author, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, be prepared for a well-thought out and detailed apocalyptic, cyberpunk world with a setting superseding Lord of the Mysteries! ... more>>

Our protagonist, Shang Jianyao, is crazy—literally crazy, at least that's what the doctors said. Living in a huge, underground building of Pangu Biology, one of the few remaining factions in this apocalyptic wasteland known as the Ashlands, he acts in unfathomable ways that's head-scratching, comical, and shrewd. So is he really crazy? Probably.

He has a grand dream: to save all of humanity.

Intricately tied to this dream is something everyone in the Ashlands believes in: Deep in a particular ruin buried away by danger and famine, a path leading to a new world awaits. To step into the new world, one only needs to find a special key and open that certain door.

There, the land is bountiful, as if milk and honey flows freely.

The sunlight is dazzling, as if all coldness and darkness are washed away.

The people will no longer have to face desolation, monsters, infections, mutations, and all kinds of dangers.

There, children are joyous, adults are happy, everything is fine as they are supposed to be.

Every Antiquarian, Ruin Hunter, and Historian roaming the Ashlands knows: That's the New World. <<less

A dungeon has appeared on the earth. It's a dungeon, like what everyone knows, a template dungeon. Suddenly, monsters appear in the dungeons that appear in various places, using a power that humans had never seen, like casting magic. The Earth, which has come to coexist with such dungeons, has been filled with unknown lifeforms, unknown technology, and skills created by the mana pollution caused by the appearance of dungeons.... more>>

That's good. No, it's not good.

The profession of adventurer was born, and each company bought the materials of demons that can be obtained and the items that can be obtained from the treasure chest for a large amount of money, and the world became an era of adventurers... That’s the templates, right?

...Well, it didn't happen. The reality is harsh, more than you think. Think carefully. The companies will buy large quantities of monster materials? Sure. But if it's just a sample for research, 100 bodies are more than enough, right? Yeah, that’s right. They didn’t keep buying. Therefore, there was no basis for an adventurer to be born. Of course, that means, anyone dives into the dungeon for no reward. Even if they have the skills, are they willing to risk their life? Of course, no.

Then, what do you think will happen? Fortunately, the weapons of the earth worked on the monsters. So, people were able to defeat them with a gun or missile. It's that easy.

...But they appear every day. I'm sure it's because they don't dive into the dungeon and thin out monsters on a regular basis. Well, if only a few dungeons appeared in the world, it was still good. But dungeons were everywhere. From dungeons with only weak monsters to dungeons with strong monsters.

The army fought with them every day. Using ammunition like hot water and shooting missiles like fireworks. Do you know what the result will be? I’m sure you know. In a situation where the dungeon is not profitable at all, it becomes a disaster, resources will go low and taxes will go high… Eventually, people abandoned all but the important cities. That sound like a disastrous situation, right? Well, in such a world, lawless zones are everywhere. And even if you want to do some trading, it’s not easy.

In such a world decades after that incident, I am still alive. And for the time being, I plan to save the world with the skill I have trained for decades. Secretly.

It's easy to save the world. I just need to use my skill "Equivalent Exchange Store". You see, it's in the corner, something like a vending machine. Hear me, it seems that 10 F-rank monster cores can be exchanged for 1 low-rank potion. <<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.

The story takes place in a world where people continue their war against the “unknown”—the enemy of humanity. Children who have been evacuated to a... more>> cold sleep facility during the invasion by the “unknown” several decades ago wake up from their slumber and learn that their bodies developed some supernatural forces. In order to protect the country from the “unknown” emerging from the Tokyo bay gate, the boys and girls wage battles in the defense the cities of Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Chiba. <<less

“I think… my boyfriend is trying to kill me,” Lin Sanjiu muttered.... more>>

As she thought about that rich, handsome, and gentle boyfriend of hers, she could not help but tremble all over.

At the present, someone close to her had personally raised the curtains to an apocalyptic hell, and slowly, it was creeping up to her.

—-

What if earth devolved into a apocalyptic hellhole? What if you found out you not only have to survive just one apocalyptic event but have to struggle through multiple worlds with different end-world scenarios? And you get to meet more superpowered crazies than you can imagine!

Presenting the worst nightmare that your weird doomsday prepper neighbour with a bunker full of canned beans could have, Doomsday Wonderland is a novel filled with subverted tropes, non-OP characters and a female friendly label which offends all politically correct fanatics.

As ‘lucky’ humans evolved to posthumans with the ability to adapt to the New World or mutate into disgusting duoluozhongs to survive, follow Lin Sanjiu as she struggles through multiple challenges to just live one more day… and make sense of this New World that will no longer be the same. <<less

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

※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

Every drop of this family bloodline is stained with sin. They are the embodiment of contradiction; calm yet maniacal, with great memories yet often forgetful. They pledge themselves to their dreams yet often compromise, are angels that are also devils… It’s why I hate them. And also love them. ... more>>

The only hope of his family, a youth with the blood of elves and demons walks on a battleground of annihilation and rebirth. He wills his way through boiling lava and icy depths, killing on this field of despair to strike down the lofty figure in his sight. One day he’ll grasp his blade tightly and survey his surroundings, only to find no more enemies to kill. <<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

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

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

Suddenly, Mozuya Kou finds himself sent to the wartorn Nemesis system; on an alien planet, Asia, in the far future. In this bleak future where deadly autonomous weapons called mu*ders roamed, he ends up finding the abandoned mass-production machine [TSW-R1 Lanius]. He then pilots it to defeat his enemies only through using Lanius’ sole weapon – a gigantic greatsword – and his own swordsmanship skills.... more>>

Being granted the [Development Engineer] qualification, Kou was tasked to design and develop various weapons and equipment while working together with companies that have also been sent over from Earth.

He and his allies will need to go up against deadly mu*der machines and enemy forces in order to survive on the wartorn planet, Asia. <<less

Exile No. 239: thirty-something, male omega, first degree felon. One day, he comes home to find the alpha girl Yasha sleeping in his bed.... more>>

The unwholesome love story of a bashful tyrant girl and a listless young man. <<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

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

Sirens can only have one undying love for one person in their whole life. Humans use this characteristic to emotionally bind the Sirens to human soldiers, forming the world-famous Siren Squad.... more>>

Second Lieutenant Tang Yi’s twin brother, Tang Ya, was one of the captains of the Siren Squad, but died in a battle. Tang Yi was ordered to impersonate Tang Ya to control his brother’s Siren, Mercury, but he was found out just a few days after meeting. In order to protect the life of the Siren and continue to live his dream of being in the Siren Squad, Tang Yi and Mercury begin a happy(?) life in disguise as lovers. <<less

A data loving young man from Earth has an accident which transports him to a dark land filled with terrifying creatures and magical powers. ... more>>

Fortunately for him, he has a Biological Assistance Chip to ease his path.

However, things in this bizarre and strange world are not always as they seem, and, though it is a tremendous asset, the chip doesn’t always work as expected. With all of the crazy creatures and magical mayhem around him, one can only wonder what the future holds for this young man… <<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

A War Without Casualties.... more>>

The Republic of San Magnolia has long been under attack from the neighbouring Giadian Empire’s army of unmanned drones known as the Legion. After years of painstaking research, the Republic finally developed autonomous drones of their own, turning the one-sided struggle into a war without casualties-or at least, that’s what the government claims.

In truth, there is no such thing as a bloodless war. Beyond the fortified walls protecting the eighty-five Republic territories lies the “nonexistent” Eighty-Sixth Sector. The young men and women of this forsaken land are branded the Eighty-Six and, stripped of their humanity, pilot the “unmanned” weapons into battle…

Shin is the leader of a squadron of eighty-sixers. Lena is a “handler” who commands the detachment from the remote rear with the help of special communication technology.

The farewell story of the severe and sad struggle of these two begins! <<less