Kanou Shinichi is a young, secluded otaku who is offered a job thanks to his vast knowledge of anime, manga and video games. However, just... more>> after meeting his new employer, he is kidnapped, and awakens in an alternate world with a fantasy setup. Shinichi is then informed that he was in fact selected by the Japanese government to help improve his country's relations with this new world by establishing a company to spread the unique products of the Japanese culture to this new, unexplored market. <<less

A 34-year-old NEET otaku, chased out from his house by his family, found that his life is reaching a dead end. He then recalled that his life could actually have been much better if he had made better choices in the past.... more>>

Just when he was at the point of regret, he saw a truck moving at fast speed, and three high schoolers in its path. Mustering all the strength he had, he tried to save them and ended getting run over by the truck, quickly ending his life.

The next time he opened his eyes, he is reincarnated to a world of sword and magic as Rudeus Greyrat. Born to a new world, a new life, Rudeus decided that, “This time, I’ll really live my life to the fullest with no regret!” Thus starts the journey of a man yearning to restart his life. <<less

Long ago, there were people who stood upon the earth with their heads held high. They never bowed to anyone because of their indomitable spirit. They were capable of controlling wind and lightning, and conquering dragons and serpents. They seemed strong enough to split the earth and shatter the stars with their fists. They traveled throughout the land and called themselves Magi. Eventually, one of them would become a Supreme Magus! These men are the ancestors of human beings. Their blood is what we all share today.... more>>

Qing Long is the former strongest man in the world. He traveled through space and time and was reborn as Ji Hao in the Fire Crow Clan of the Southern Wasteland. It’s a complicated world. Forces from both inside and outside of the clan want this young and talented boy to die. Under great pressure, Ji Hao makes a deal with a mysterious man, who resides in his spiritual space, never showing his real face. He gains two drops of blood from a dragon and phoenix. Afterwards, Ji Hao becomes increasingly more powerful. <<less

Every human has their Personal Jewel of power, when awakened it can either be an Elemental Jewel or Physical Jewel. They circle the right and left wrists like bracelets of power.... more>>

Heavenly Jewels are like the twins born, meaning when both Elemental and Physical Jewels are Awakened for the same person, the pair is known as Heavenly Jewels.

Those who have the Physical Jewels are known as Physical Jewel Masters, those with Elemental Jewels are Elemental Jewel Masters, and those who train with Heavenly Jewels are naturally called Heavenly Jewel Masters.

Heavenly Jewel Masters have a highest level of 12 pairs of jewels, as such their training progress is known as Heavenly Jewels 12 Changes.

Our MC here is an archer who has such a pair of Heavenly Jewels. <<less

Based on the popular Vocaloid song .... more>>

Rin, a young angel (presumed female, but angels don’t have clear genders) falls in love with a young human girl, Miku. However, their love is considered taboo, and so, Rin makes a deal with the devil to be reborn as the human boy, Len, in order to be with Miku. However, their happiness together is short-lived, and even that soon ends in tragedy. <<less

One day Shinobu wakes up just to find a naked blonde girl sleeping besides him. He has no memory whatsoever of her. Who is she?... more>> Why is she in his bed? Why is she naked? To make matters worse, his sister comes in and sees them. What will happen now? <<less

Naofumi Iwatani, an uncharismatic Otaku who spends his days on games and manga, suddenly finds himself summoned to a parallel universe! He discovers he is one of four heroes equipped with legendary weapons and tasked with saving the world from its prophesied destruction.... more>>

As the Shield Hero, the weakest of the heroes, all is not as it seems. Naofumi is soon alone, penniless, and betrayed. With no one to turn to, and nowhere to run, he is left with only his shield. Now, Naofumi must rise to become the legendary Shield Hero and save the world! <<less

“Impossible… Why are you not following my orders!? Clearly I s**ked your blood, why!?”... more>>

On the very first day of high school, the youth subscribing to the philosophy of “absolutely ordinary everyday life,” Kujou Hisui, encountered disaster head on: He was attacked by Rushella Daamu Draculea, the vampire who had lost her memory. Rushella was greatly intrigued to find her vampire powers ineffective against Hisui. Not only did she make Hisui’s home her own, she even enrolled in his school to stick to him–

Hisui had no choice but to help Rushella regain her memory. But before one crisis could be resolved, many more had risen. With tempting advances from the mysterious Sudou Mei, and kidnapped by the girl from the Supernatural Investigations Section in search of Rushella, Hisui’s ordinary life has been replaced by its complete opposite, drama–

Romantic comedy and supernatural action in a school setting! <<less

Mimizuku, a small girl with chains on her wrists and ankles and the numbers "332" branded onto her forehead, wanders into the Forest of Night... more>> seeking to be eaten by a monster. However, when the ruler of the monsters, the mysterious and beautiful "King of Night," refuses to eat her, she tries to formulate a way to convince him otherwise. <<less

He, Ye Han, was destined to be alone for the rest of his life. However, his destiny had no effect on animals, and he ended up being conquered by a spiritual snake. He took all the sufferings of life in his stride—he was a hypocritical medicinal immortal, a real poison physician, an irresponsible martial arts leader, and also the greatest living bodhisattva in people's hearts. At their first meeting, he snatched its food while it almost strangled him to death.... more>>

At their second meeting, he saved its life despite laughing at its plight, but it returned kindness with ingratitude, biting him and leaving a mark behind. At their third meeting, it saved him from falling off the cliff, and it didn't understand why the man was in such a bad state when he was actually born to enjoy good fortune. In order to find the answer, it stayed by him and never left his side. He later became blind, but couldn’t clear the poison as the antidote had a missing ingredient—its gall. Having fallen for him, it offered him its gall, and he had to return the favour with the rest of his life. <<less

Keiichi Morisato was a typical college student, a failure with women, struggling to get through his classes, and in general living a pretty nondescript life.... more>> That is, until he dialed the wrong number and accidentally summoned the Norse goddess Belldandy. Not believing Belldandy was a goddess and that she could grant his every wish, Keiichi wished for her to stay with him forever. As they say: Be careful what you wish for! Now bound to Earth and at Keiichi’s side for life, the lives of this most un-normal goddess and most lucky human will never be the same again. <<less

Jiang Mo, the big shot of Xuanqing world, failed to pass the tribulation and was forcibly bound by the unscrupulous system. After crossing ninety nine worlds become cannon fodder in different worlds, Jiang Mo, who finally killed the system, became the master of his fate again.... more>>

Therefore, all kinds of cannon fodder that sent experience and wealth to the protagonist in the small world changed into a person who can control the life and death of the protagonist.

Jiang Mo: I’m delicate and pure, gentle and really gullible. I’m just a fated cannon fodder. I was bullied by the protagonists in all kinds of ways

Protagonists:… I’m not, I don’t have it. Don’t put this pot on my shoulder.

Love acting will make you feel white and black shou x Always spoiled shou, love at first sight gong. <<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

Seventeen year old Hajime Nagumo is your average, everyday otaku. However, his simple life of pulling all-nighters and sleeping in school is suddenly turned upside... more>> down when he, along with the rest of his class, is summoned to a fantasy world! They're treated like heroes and tasked with the duty of saving the human race from utter extinction. But what should have been any otaku's wet dream quickly turns into Hajime's nightmare. While the rest of his class are blessed with godlike powers, Hajime's job, Synergist, only has a single transmutation skill. Ridiculed and bullied by his classmates for being weak, he soon finds himself in despair. Will he be able to survive in this dangerous world of monsters and demons with only a glorified blacksmith's level of strength? <<less

During a War called the Hong Kong Crusade, an Old Blood vampire, Jirou Mochizuki, aka the Silver Blade (Gintou), fought and defeated most of the Kowloon Children. ... more>>

Ten years later, Jirou heads to Japan with his little brother, Kotarou, in hopes of reaching The Special Zone, a thriving secret city where vampires live. They soon realize that a plan to infiltrate The Special Zone is being hatched by the Kowloon Children survivors.

As they travel to The Special Zone, Jirou encounters enemies from the past and new threats that may endanger the safety of the Special Zone. The abduction of Kotarou, by one of the Kowloon Children, thrusts him even further into the battle. <<less

Makoto Takatsuki is a normal high school student and a hardcore RPG player. However, “normal” goes out the window when his whole class is involved... more>> in a bus crash and whisked away to another world! Powerful gods rule this strange new land of magic and monsters, and every newcomer is blessed with strong stats and unique skills. Well, not quite. Makoto’s stats turn out to be pathetic, and his skills are super weak compared to his classmates’...he’s even stuck as an apprentice mage. Worse still, he’s given only ten years to live! Luckily, Makoto soon meets a minor goddess named Noah, who appears in Makoto’s dreams and asks him to become her first believer. With the help of Noah's blessings and a divine weapon, Makoto seeks to become strong enough to rescue his goddess from the dungeon where she’s been trapped. By training hard and using his weak skills in unorthodox ways, Makoto proves that, even when playing on hardcore difficulty, an RPG player always makes it to the end! <<less

At a unspecified point in the future, the Earth dies. Then, a genius engineer only known as “Y” manages to revive the Earth using only... more>> gears and clockwork. Thus the world is renamed “Clockwork Planet”, with cities being build inside the planet’s gears. A thousand years later Naoto Miura, a student and lover of machines living in the Kyoto gear, finds a crate has crashed through the roof of his apartment. Inside the crate is a coffin containing the broken body of an automaton. Using his superior sense of hearing, Naoto fixes the automaton, who is named RyuZU Yours*ave, who reveals she has been broken for over 200 years. RyuZU promises complete loyalty to Naoto and the two become close. Later they meet two people trying to find RyuZU: Dr. Marie Bell Breguet, the youngest person to become a “meister”, a group of master engineers; and her bodyguard Vainney Halter. A month after their encounter, all four appear in Akihabara, Tokyo, having now become the world’s most infamous terrorists <<less

[Knights-only membership gay club. The muscular, macho Demon King, available all day]
After the holy war, the demon world fell into ruin when the economy collapsed. The soldiers left the Demon King, who was unable to pay their monthly salaries. And Hel, the King of the demon world, didn’t want to live relying on his two servants, and also wanted take back his soldiers with his own hands once more.... more>>

But in the 300 or so years he had lived, he never attended kindergarten, let alone received formal education. Of course, there was little he could do about it.

Only one place contacted him to come for an interview. There, he received a business card, but the Demon King Hel couldn’t read human language.

He didn’t know what was written on it, but tightly held the business card in his hand, and began his part-time job from henceforth.

“These are the kind of jobs we do here.”

“I see.”

The interviewer gave his card. Hel took and held it, but he couldn’t read human language. He couldn’t read it, but casually nodded his head as if he could.

“Are you still going to do it?”

“Yes. The money will be given as promised, right?”

“If you don’t run away for a month, I’ll give you as much money as advertised.”

“Good.”

The interviewer’s eyebrow suddenly rose as if surprised at Hel’s answer, but immediately went blank once more.

“You may go now. You can go to work by this time tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Hel got up from his seat without any hesitation, and there where he sat was a single, imposing business card:

[Knights-only membership gay club. From muscular macho to pretty boys, available all day] <<less

Ye Shigui had never seen a monk like this before. His greenish-gold eyes were like a demon’s. His silver hair hung like a waterfall. He... more>> was as handsome as the strongest sunlight in July. He was so dazzling that people couldn’t look away. <<less

In 2180, the last survivor of the human race returns to Earth.... more>>

In 2025, a 3rd generation Chaebol regains consciousness after being rendered a vegetable in a car accident. <<less

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 a world dominated by swords and magic, Cleo lives his lonely life where he believes painting is his sole purpose to life. Since Cleo... more>> was born in a noble family, he must prove himself worthy to become the family’s successor by participating in a certain trial. As he enters the forbidden forest, Cleo encounters a beast that is half human and half plant. After being easily captured by the beast that resembles a human girl, Cleo plans his escape by attracting the beast’s interest and keeping Cleo alive. Out of his expectations, the time they spent living with each other made him feel unbelievably relieved. However their calming daily life did not last very long… <<less

Su Yuan dressed as a woman, he was forced by the tribe to disguise himself as a woman, instead of his genius sister as a... more>> gift for the devil. Rumor has it that the demon is ugly, cruel, raw man-eating, and is a cold snake demon. Su Yuan trembling in the sedan chair. Pei Ying, he is most afraid of snakes. No, he can’t sit still, he must find a way to escape. Three years later… Looking at the little cubs holding his legs on the ground and the snake eggs in his hands, Su Yuan wanted to cry without tears. These two were born to him and were born with the devil. In short, this is a story of a small cannon fodder trying to escape, and finally being favored by the big snake king.. <<less

After being soundly thrashed by the hero Emilia, the Devil King and his general beat a hasty retreat to a parallel universe…only to land plop... more>> in the middle of bustling, modern-day Tokyo! Lacking the magic necessary to return home, the two are forced to assume human identities and live average human lives until they can find a better solution. And to make ends meet, Satan finds gainful employment at a nearby fast food joint! With his devilish mind set on working his way up the management food chain, what will become of his thirst for conquest?! <<less

Ten years have passed since Michika transmigrated to another world at the age of eighteen. Now almost thirty years old and working as a traveling merchant she has managed to accumulate a lot of wealth from selling rare ingredients and due to her special skill. ... more>>

However, Michika was tired of living alone and wished for a family.

So one day, when she encountered a woman whipping a young lizard boy who was wearing a s*ave collar, she impulsively ended up spending all of that day's earned money to buy him from his master.

“Well, lizard boy, won’t you become my child?” She offered, planning to adopt him and have him become her son.

(But, I’m a dragon…)

And four years later, Michika, who by then was a thirty-two-year-old lady, was suddenly pinned down by her eighteen-year-old child who then confessed his love for her.

Being told of his love… she ran away. <<less