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

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

He—an enigmatic and cold-blooded soldier with a mysterious background.
She—a ruthless and bloodthirsty spy.... more>>

After she transmigrated out of the blue, she held a knife to his neck on their first meeting— marking the beginning of their twisted fate.

One day, she pinned him to a wall.
"I've been teasing you for so long but you aren't reacting at all, you're forcing me to…"

Before she could finish, he smiled wickedly and counterattacked.
"Good girl, this is what you call sending a lamb to a tiger's mouth."
Then, he sealed her lips with a kiss... <<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

Toru lost his most of his memory in an accident. He can’t remember anything that happened from the past six years. But with time, yet... more>> he struggles, he slowly recovers his memory. He feels as if he is a different person now, and he hates “the other guy” – the “himself” from six years ago… And thinking, Fujishima was his friend, felt like he was being watched over like a guardian angel but in the end he’s betrayed. Miserable and emotionally drained, Toru is trying not to relive in the shadow of his past. He is trying to move on with his new life… but harder he tries, he finds himself being pulled in by Fujishima. <<less

After losing his memory in a serious car accident, Tohru Takahisa is taken in by Fujishima, an older man who claims to be his friend. But the taciturn Fujishima refuses to reveal anything about Tohru’s past! Despite the gulf between them, a strange and awkward tenderness grows, even as they are held apart by the tragic events of Tohru’s forgotten past! Dramatic, heart-wrenching romance and tragedy combine in a gripping story where the past and present are intricately entwined.... more>>

Reading order of the series:
Cold Sleep
Cold Light
Cold Fever <<less

Is money really everything in a life?... more>>

If you could live through your life again you must become a God of money. A person who lives for money. A person who treats money with the worth it deserves. <<less

Reina Kamisu is a friend of loners, a slayer of families, a savior of worlds, and a killer of lovers—and she is absurdly beautiful. Who is she and what are her intentions? The search for her true identity begins with Fumi Saito, a lonely girl student whose only friend and support in life is Reina, as she is accused of things she did not do…... more>>

This is a story of delusions, despair and destructive beauty.

The series consists of two volumes titled “Kamisu Reina wa Koko ni Iru” (Kamisu Reina Is Here) and “Kamisu Reina wa Koko ni Chiru” (Kamisu Reina Disperses Here). <<less

Kusumi Chiharu gets a message one day that he has been selected as a Monster Tamer, and he is prompted to select his first partner. He thinks little of the message until he receives a giant package the following day. He assumes it's the p*rn books he ordered, but the huge box ends up containing the unconscious body of a near-naked girl! She's a ghoul named Zonmi, who intends to fight beside him as his partner.... more>>

However, it turns out that other hot girls at his mostly-male high school are also magical entities, and Zonmi may not be the only one who wants to fight by his side! <<less

A blind concubine lives in the cold palace. The blind concubine has a snow white cat. Day after day, year after year, he lives quietly... more>> in the courtyard of the cold palace. It is as if he has already been forgotten by the entire imperial palace. Until one day, the young emperor accidentally chances upon him… <<less

Fujishima’s wound he suffered from protecting Tooru has healed and he’s finally been released from the hospital. Their life together starts again once more. Tooru... more>> wants them to live together as lovers, but Fujishima refuses, saying “I have no intentions of loving you.” Is Fujishima afraid of Tooru remembering something in particular if he regains his memories? The bonds of the past are finally becoming clearer... <<less

In the spring of 1998, Kouichi Sakakibara transfers to Yomiyama North Middle School. In class, he develops a sense of unease as he notices that... more>> the people around him act like they’re walking on eggshells, and students and teachers alike seem frightened. As a chain of horrific deaths begin to unfold around him, he comes to discover that he has been placed in the cursed Class 3 in which the student body head count is always one more than expected. Class 3 is haunted by a vengeful spirit responsible for gruesome deaths in an effort to satisfy its spite. To stop the vicious cycle gripping his new school, Kouichi decides to get to the bottom of the curse, but is he prepared for the horror that lies ahead…? <<less

The young man Huey took over the old mansion of his deceased bibliomanic grand father as well as the book collection that's stored in there. But there was a condition: he also had to inherit the "Bibliotheca".... more>>

When he inspects the mansion, Huey discovers a cellar filled with piled up books. In the midst of them he comes across a black-dressed girl who's silently reading a book. She's called Dalian and has a big lock hanging in front of her. She herself is the entrance to the "Bibliotheca of Dantalian" which contains the prohibited "Phantom Books". <<less

War of the Holy Grail - Pursuing the power of the "Holy Grail" which grants a miracle, this is a contest in which seven magi summon seven Heroic Spirits to compete for it. In that battle whose conclusion was postponed three times, now, the fourth war commenced again. ... more>>

Entrusting their dearest wish of victory, the magi joined the battleground called "Fuyuki", but amongst them, there was a man who was always alone, and could not find out the meaning behind his fights. His name was Kotomine Kirei. Not comprehending the guidance of fate, Kirei was lost, and had kept questioning. Why someone like him was given the Command Seals. However, the fate of his fights crossed Kirei's path with a nemesis by chance. That person is - Emiya Kiritsugu. A man who was sterner than anyone else, more merciless than anyone else, and who sought the miracle of the Holy Grail.

Merely recited in fragments in Fate/Stay Night, this is the Fourth War of the Holy Grail 10 years ago. The truth which unfolded behind the battle between Shirō's foster father, Rin's father, and the younger Kotomine Kirei, is finally revealed...... <<less

A young love leads to a lifetime of entanglements. Zhao Mo Sheng is a university student with a sunny disposition. The bright and cheerful Mo Sheng fell in love at first sight with He Yi Chen, one of the top students from the Law Faculty. However, his poor communication skill, makes her depart sadly for overseas. Seven years later, Zhao Mo Sheng returned home and spotted him immediately in a crowded supermarket, …….... more>>

This is a very short and sweet story about two college sweethearts, who separated on a bitter note but fate tosses them together again seven years later. <<less

Pain, Pain, Go Away is a novel by Sugaru Miaki, also known as Fafoo, author of Starting Over and Three Days of Happiness. Unlike Miaki’s previous two books, Pain, Pain, Go Away is not a rewrite of any story posted to 2ch, but an entirely original one. ... more>>

The plot involves a young man who becomes a killer (by accident) – but his victim has the power of “postponement,” temporarily delaying her death. <<less

In her past life, Shen Xi always longed for love and validation from her parents, members of the wealthy Su family. Unfortunately, the attention that she yearned for was stolen by the family’s fake heiress – her elder sister, Su Ruowan. ... more>>

As a result of Su Ruowan’s evil plans, Shen Xi was crippled, disfigured and eventually died of leukemia. However, in a surprising turn of events, Shen Xi was reborn. Returned to the time when she was a seventeen-year-old teenager, she’ll set things right and get her revenge against the Su family. <<less

One day, Katsuragi Daichi and his classmates found themselves in a different world. The god who summoned them to another world divided its power and... more>> gave it to them, saying that it wanted Daichi and the rest to defeat the Demon King as heroes. However, Daichi alone was given no abilities. And sure enough, Daichi was thrown away and used as a decoy in a demon’s den. Eaten by a demon, Daichi had lost consciousness and thought he had passed away, though when he came to he noticed his statuses had skyrocketed. He had obtained『Revenge of the Resented』. Every time he died, his abnormal ability powered up. <<less

The Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre was first serialized by Jin Yong in newspapers from 6 July 1961 to 2 September 1963.... more>>

The book is the third of the Condor Trilogy. The story has undergone two revisions. The second edition was released in 1979 and and the third edition was published in 2005.

Set in the late Yuan dynasty, the story revolves around a pair of priceless and extremely powerful weapons, the Heaven Reliant Sword (倚天劍) and Dragon Slaying Saber (屠龍刀), which are coveted by many martial artists in the jianghu. Either or both of them are thought to allow their wielder to rule the wulin (martial artists' community), according to a widely circulated mantra which goes, "Honoured by the wulin, the precious Saber slays the Dragon. It commands the world. Who dares to disobey? If the Heaven Reliant does not appear, who can challenge it?" (武林至尊，寶刀屠龍，號令天下，莫敢不從！倚天不出，誰與爭鋒？). The origins of this mantra are not known at the beginning of the story.

The protagonist, Zhang Wuji, is of mixed heritage: His father, Zhang Cuishan, is an apprentice of Zhang Sanfeng, the highly revered leader of the Wudang Sect; his mother, Yin Susu, is the daughter of Yin Tianzheng, the chief of the "unorthodox" Heavenly Eagle Cult. He spent his childhood on a reclusive northern island, where he was born, with only his parents and his godfather, Xie Xun, to keep him company. When he is about 10 years old, he returns to the Chinese mainland with his parents. They soon find themselves the target of several martial artists, who try to force them to reveal the whereabouts of Xie Xun and the Dragon Slaying Saber. His parents refuse and commit su*cide. At the same time, Zhang Wuji is wounded by the Xuanming Elders, but he survives after seeking medical treatment from Hu Qingniu, an eccentric physician. <<less

Frozen Teardrop is set during the Mars Century, the era that has succeeded the After Colony era, on the terraformed Mars. Since the formation of the young Mars Colony and its government, trouble has been brewing within it with the assassination of its President, Milliardo Peacecraft. In the present day, ESUN President Dorothy T. Catalonia authorizes the beginning of "Operation Mythos" to resolve the problems on Mars - which primarily involves the assassination of Relena Peacecraft.... more>>

Concurrent to the events of Mars Century are flashbacks during After Colony, told through Preventer agent Kathy Po, the daughter of Sally Po. The flashbacks detail events in After Colony leading up to the events of the series, including the origins and backgrounds of OZ Leader Treize Khushrenada and Gundam pilot Heero Yuy. <<less

Bai Muchen had it all — not only was he the most renowned martial artist of the Nine Heaven continent, he even had the Five... more>> Meridians of Tianling and was engaged to Xuan Qingzhu, the beautiful daughter of his mentor. But everything falls apart when he’s set up by his fiancé and mentor during a cultivation session, and he is killed.
Reborn as a young man named Xiang Nan, the heir of a declining family, can Bai Muchen get his revenge? <<less

Pei Wanyue, beautiful and successful Eldest daughter of the Pei family. Was going about her daily life until her friend started acting strange........ more>>

Friend: I won't let you hurt my favorite character!

Pei Wanyue: ?

Friend: You can't have the male lead!

Pei Wanyue: ??

Friend: So what if you're the female lead? I have transmigrated for a reason! I will take your place!

Pei Wanyue, finally fed up: *dials the mental hospital* Hello, there is a schizophrenic patient here-

.....

Male lead: I love you so much that I will **** you and keep you chained in my own little garden

Pei Wanyue: *slowly backs away and pulls out a knife*

......

He had not known her but ink on paper read in the darkest of nights of his own demons.

"the universe knew how much I long for you to actually exist...."

???: "And the universe knew how much I long to indeed exist and be with you" <<less

Mashiki is the young owner of the antiquarian bookstore "Mukyuudou," and his friend, Senagaki, works in the same industry. The two have shared a secret... more>> sense of guilt ever since they were children. Senagaki's father was an "antiquarian book dealer" and a hated figure in the old book world, but Mashiki's grandfather saw his talent and took an interest in him, and so their two boys grew up together like brothers. One summer afternoon, however, an incident changes their relationship... Dense emotions wrapped in a transparent glass style. A story that reflects like the sparkle of a fish leaping in the moonlight. <<less

The once wealthy and powerful Ryuuzen clan has been all but destroyed. Their misfortune began in 1960, when a majority of the family was wiped out when their vacation villa was buried under a landslide. However, search and rescue teams discovered something even more shocking: A majority of the bodies they discovered showed obvious signs of having been mu*dered before the landslide.... more>>

As though it were a trigger, what came to be known as "The Curse of the Ryuuzen Clan" spread throughout the descendants of the family's only survivor. By mu*der, by su*cide, by accident... it seemed none who held the name "Ryuuzen" could live to see the age of 35, and now, the family has been reduced to a single woman, lying in a hospital bed, days away from death.

Kamo Touma was once just another of the endless parade of sleazy tabloid journalists looking to exploit a prominent family's tragedy to sell magazines, but Ryuuzen Rena's kindness melted his frozen heart, driving him to quit his old job and become an investigative journalist specializing in overturning cases of false arrest. Eventually, he and Rena were married, but now, the curse threatens to steal away their happiness.

Kamo prays for a miracle, and his prayers are answered by the Hourglass of Miracles, an artifact spoken of in rumors and urban legends, said to grant one wish to anyone who obtains it.

"Meister Hora", a guide for those who obtain the hourglass, tells Kamo there is only one way to break the curse and save Rena: He must travel back in time to the year 1960 and catch the culprit of the original Ryuuzen Family massacre.

Who was the culprit of the mu*ders that took place almost 60 years ago? Why did they steal away the lives of the Ryuuzen clan? What is the true nature of the "Curse of the Ryuuzen Clan?" And perhaps most mysteriously of all... What is Meister Hora's goal in all this?

Winner of the 29th annual Ayukawa Tetsuya Award. <<less

The amazing love story between an ordinary, boring girl and a perfect, handsome, rich, smart, fit, badass, protective, caring, passionate and bishie boy with a... more>> sad past. <<less