Zaregoto

Zaregoto (戯言) is a Japanese light novel series written by Nisio Isin and illustrated by Take. The series was published in Japan between February 2002 and November 2005 by Kodansha Books in nine volumes. Celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Nisio's debut in 2022, the tenth volume of the series was released on February 8, 2023.[3][4] The series was followed by a seven-volume spin-off series also published by Kodansha Books, the Ningen (人間) series, focusing on the Zerozaki clan. A second spin-off series focused on Jun Aikawa titled Saikyō (最強) series was serialized in the Mephisto magazine, and was collected by Kodansha in five volumes. The first two volumes of Zaregoto were initially released in North America by Del Rey Manga,[5] but have since been republished by Vertical, which also released the third volume. An eight-episode original video animation series adaptation of the first volume by Shaft was released between October 2016 and September 2017.

Plot

The story revolves around a narrator, whose name is never mentioned, and the mysteries he encounters. After the second book, the series starts including more and more fighting and action. The narrator tends to try, in vain, to stay out of the story, but instead of being the bystander he wants to be, he always gets dragged into the center of everything. Even though it seems the narrator does a lot in the story, he always finds out at the end that whatever he accomplished was meaningless.

Setting

According to Tomo's explanation, the world is divided into four separate kinds of territories:

• The "Outer" World (The world of peace and war) is the normal side of the world. The holder of the highest mediocrity.
• The "Economical" World (The Four Gods and One Mirror, <RULE>) is the holder of the strongest economical powers of the world. The closest to the "Outer" World.
• The "Political" World (The Kunagisa Organization) is the holder of the strongest ruling powers of the world.
• The "Violence" World (The Murdering Name, The Cursing Name) is the holder of all unusual, heterodoxy, special powers of the world. This world is a world with no order, only lawless massacre.

Characters

Media

Development

The Kubikiri Cycle went through a number of drafts; Tomo Kunagisa was originally intended to be the series' protagonist,[72] but during the rewriting process, Nisio Isin realized that Ii-chan had become more important. After finally completing the novel, Nisio proceeded to write Strangulation Romanticist in three days.[73] With Suspension High School, Nisio began consciously moving the series away from traditional mystery novel structure.[74] [75]

Reception

The Kubikiri Cycle, the first volume of Zaregoto series, won the 23rd Mephisto Prize in 2002.[76]

The series has been selected by Takarajimasha's Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! three times as one of the ten best light novels of the year: in 2005 when it ranked second,[77] in 2006 when it topped the list,[78] and in 2007 when it placed third.[79]

The series was a bestseller, and grew in popularity as it went on. While the first volume debuted at number eight on the novel charts,[80] the final volume debuted at number one[81]

External links

Further reading