Zaregoto Series

A dropout from an elite Houston-based program for teens is on a visit to a private island. Its mistress, virtually marooned there, surrounds herself with geniuses, especially of the young and female kind—one of whom ends up headless one fine morning.

(Source: Kodansha USA)

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Background

Zaregoto Series placed three times in the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! from 2005 to 2007, where it ranked second, first, and third, respectively. The first volume of series, Kubikiri Cycle, won the 23rd Mephisto Prize in 2002.

The first two volumes were published in English by Del Rey Manga from July 22, 2008, to June 22, 2010. Vertical Inc. published the first three volumes from January 24, 2017, to September 17, 2019.

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Omokage, Magokoro

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Reviews

Jul 23, 2012

Jackster27

Recommended

First off let me start by saying that this is series of light novel author Nisio Isin (Bakemonogatari, Katanagatari and Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases). There are are a total of nine novels but only the first two have been translated and licensed by Del Rey with no plans for future release.

The story is a murder mystery that takes place on a isolated island. The protagonist "Ii-chan" and his friend computer genius Tomo Kunagisa are invited to the island by the it's wealthy owner who has invited female geniuses from all over the world for her own entertainment. ...

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Sep 1, 2013

procyonvega

Recommended

No spoilers.

The first book's concept is very similar to a standard mystery novel, and is executed very well. It just allows you to work things out enough that you can piece together clues and figure out flaws within character logic. However, it will be impossible for you to work out what actually happens unless you are an ace detective.

The main character- Ii-chan plays the role of Watson in the novel. He isn't really solving the mystery completely and is only filling in gaps in what actually happens. This of course means the reader is also left unaware of what is truly going on ...

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Jul 29, 2023

RoyalGodyssey

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (72/? eps)

Spoiler

Zaregoto is a messy series. Even in more modern works, NisiOisiN isn’t the best at narrative construction - leaning more towards characterisation through extensive and intricate monologues - and so in such an early series of his it’s perhaps only to be expected that it’d be at the very least a bit confused. Let’s take it arc by arc for context because a lot of its flaws only come out when examined chronologically rather than retrospectively.

Kubikiri Cycle (Volume 1) was a good mystery story, but only decent setup for the series. It has a lot of good dialogue and the mystery was well put together ... (though I did solve it hehe), but in retrospect it maybe could’ve set up more than it does. It’s clear now that Isin didn’t have a comprehensive plan for the overall story, and as such each arc is more cohesive within itself than as an entry in Zaregoto.

Kubishime Romanticist (Volume 2) was really good, though a little overrated. As far as Ii-chan setup goes it does everything that V1 doesn’t, establishing so much about his unreliability as a narrator and his various character flaws (and personal mischaracterisations). Not only that but the story is pretty damn good in this one too, and the mystery is really solid too (though again I did largely solve it, other than the X/Y thing because that’s dependent on Japanese I think?).

Kubitsuri High School (Volume 3) was… quite bad. It progresses Ii-chan’s character nicely (his character is the only constantly good thing in the series) but the story is uninteresting, the dialogue is uninteresting; everything about it just makes me yell that I don’t care at all.

Psycho Logical (Volumes 4 & 5) were GREAT and I hate how underrated they are. The most compelling storyline in the series, some of the best dialogue (Utsurigi Gaisuke’s convos), some of the coolest Ii-chan characterisation; just all round great to read.

Cannibal Magic (Volume 6) was the best arc. The chapter wherein Ii-chan discovers Hime-chan is easily the coolest chapter in the series; the turning point of his character, a surprising yet inevitable story beat mixed with some beautiful and moving monologising. And the rest of the arc is almost as good, the discourse surrounding Kuchiha is awesome and Izumu is really great. And of course it introduces Mr Fox in a really exciting and intriguing way.

Nekosogi Radical (Volume 7-9) is where it gets the messiest BY FAR. Thus far, each arc has introduced some vaguely related but mostly disconnected ideas and characters, and this arc’s job is to introduce ten times more still and then tie them all to everything up to this point. Now while I do believe it eventually achieves this in V9, before that V7&8 make an absolute dog’s breakfast of it, and fixing it afterwards doesn’t undo that. In theory I LOVE the ideas of found family this arc plays with, the ideas of the chaotic powers of fate, the ideas of bonding through opposition, the ideas of the ‘end of the world’; of closure and despair and dissatisfaction and how it all describes the unchanging yet ephemeral nature of life and its struggles; but for such a long time it makes SUCH a boring story. No, I didn’t know where it was going in V7&8, and frankly it didn’t do a good job of making me care.

Kunagisa and Aikawa had a confusing thematic role and it couldn’t decide what the end of the world really symbolised and there were TOO MANY DAMN CHARACTERS popping out of nowhere and introducing their long-ass Japanese names and the story went every which direction. But as I said, Volume 9 fixed it all (with one exception imo). It explained what Kunagisa meant to Ii, what Magokoro is to Ii and Aikawa to Magokoro and to Ii and what Ii is to Fox and Fox to Ii and Zerozaki to Ii; their dynamics surrounding their various struggles with confronting life are intricate and well written, and I know because Zaregoto SPELLS IT ALL OUT for me in excruciating explicitness; it can only be too vague or too obvious, nothing in between. Regardless, the theme writing all makes sense in the end and I genuinely loved most of Volume 9, especially the last 2 chapters. My 1 exception is that I HATE the trope they used by resurrecting Kunagisa. Like I get that it still works symbolically as Ii moving on from her perfectionism and whatnot, but it’s CHEAP and shallow and would’ve worked better if he’d done a found family type thing with that also. It’s not the worst thing ever but it bothers me, especially as Kunagisa is already a character who I don’t think stands on her own, only being interesting as an aspect of Ii.

Ultimately I think it stuck the landing, Zaregoto, but it remains a thoroughly flawed series to me, emblematic of so many of Isin’s shortcomings as a writer (and a person, did he really have to have Ii GROOM a 14 year old in this LN? Like, she legitimately develops a dependency on him by the end, this is actual child grooming). Regardless, I do see why some value this as one of their favourites, even though it doesn’t quite hit like that for me. Still miles better than Medaka Box after all

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Why is this ongoing again? Eggs_Dee - Feb 8, 2023	9 replies	by Alexioos95 »» Jun 14, 2025 4:40 AM
Where to read it fully ( fan translated)? Youssef1312 - Dec 9, 2024	3 replies	by Alexioos95 »» Dec 9, 2024 9:41 PM
Volume 10 fan translation? Vileblood_Nobu - Jul 6, 2023	7 replies	by prakash7045 »» Apr 10, 2024 11:37 PM
Book 1: The Kubikiri Cycle Discussion MrHatandClogs - Feb 6, 2010	16 replies	by KitsuFrost »» Nov 23, 2023 5:30 AM
How do we get Vertical to publish all 9-10 books? HarrierDuBoisFan - Jun 19, 2023	1 replies	by Ikkun_ »» Jun 19, 2023 10:36 PM

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